Parrothead Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 Do you take your kid(s) to an alternate location for school? We packed up math and went to Tim Horton's to work. It is a nice change. If you do school away from home, where do you go? I can't afford Tim's every week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie Smith Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 We don't. Well on the off chance Daddy is working from home we might go school in a different room of the house. But that is tricky enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myfatherslily Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 Once last fall and once last spring, we went to the playground when the weather was beautiful. I plan to go again soon-ish. It was a really nice change of pace. We went with their cousins (who live next door and also homeschool) and they got to take playground breaks between subjects. I wouldn't do it all the time, but it was fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swellmomma Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 Funny you should mention Tim's, I was just thinking to myself I need to drive to town to get a Tim's coffee before I start school, hmm maybe we will just take school there. In the winter we do not generally do school anywhere but home, but in the late spring or warmer days of fall we like to go to the trout pond in the provincial park in the next town over. Until last fall the outbuilding there was free to use for everyone, but now they charge $60 for the day to rent it due to so much vanalism last summer. So not sure this year how often we will school away from home. We always got way more done at the trout pond than at home on those warm days Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandy in TN Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 We homeschool all over the house, outside, in the car, at restaurants, and just about anywhere we end up. We even took the violin to Disney World and ds practiced every morning before we went to the parks. My mom's house is the place where it is difficult to get anything done. lol Mandy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaffodilDreams Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 We've been taking some books and the iPad and doing school at our special place at the river this week. Sometimes we just take our stuff out to our own backyard. We like being outside as much as possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delirium Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 Panera, the park, or the library. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted March 21, 2013 Author Share Posted March 21, 2013 Funny you should mention Tim's, I was just thinking to myself I need to drive to town to get a Tim's coffee before I start school, hmm maybe we will just take school there. I'll meet you there. Seriously though, anyone with Tim's available knows there isn't much else available in the winter. And, yes, I know yesterday was the first day of spring. We got 17 inches of snow. It will be July before park days since it rains all of June. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 McDonalds, it is very quiet in the daytime and free wifi if we need to check anything. Starbucks when it is not crowded. The library as well, some of the libraries we go to have eating areas so we can pack food for a long day there. We don't do school outdoors as my allergies are terrible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swellmomma Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 I'll meet you there. Seriously though, anyone with Tim's available knows there isn't much else available in the winter. And, yes, I know yesterday was the first day of spring. We got 17 inches of snow. It will be July before park days since it rains all of June. We got snow yesterday but not that much. We did have winds blowing hard enough I was having trouble staying in my lane on the road. the wind and cold is still bad enough they cancelled kids church tonight. And yup you are right there is just no where else to go besides the library in the wintertime that isn't going to cost you and we don't really get anything done in the library. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dahliarw Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 We do some, usually for convenience. For example, my dd has gymnastics Monday mornings. I take ds's schoolwork and he does it there. I plan Mondays a bit lighter, so he usually gets it all done during her class and is free the rest of the day (he doesn't realize, yet, we do more work on Tuesdays to make this work, but he's fine with it). Some days I'll end up with appointments and odd chunks of time between. On those days we'll grab drinks at starbucks and work on schoolwork there. We don't usually pack up and go somewhere to "do school" as a plan, but we do when it makes the day work better due to other obligations outside of the house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayne J Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 Tim's must be the 'it' place these days! We have done school there several times this year when I had medical appointments in the a.m. My kids were dazzled by the novelty. We did get some work done, but not near what we would at home, so it must remain a rare treat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soror Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 Never! It is enough to wrangle 4 kids at home without lugging books somewhere. Perhaps when they are all older it would be more practical. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MinivanMom Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 Never! I can't even imagine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twoxcell Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 Well we don't really do that at all. Every once in awhile I bring some preschool work for the little kids to do at the Y while my ds swims, but that is about it. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted March 21, 2013 Author Share Posted March 21, 2013 And yup you are right there is just no where else to go besides the library in the wintertime that isn't going to cost you and we don't really get anything done in the library. I thought about the library. We could walk there and do some work. Maybe we can try that. For books the place is kind of useless. If we bring our own that might work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted March 21, 2013 Author Share Posted March 21, 2013 I tried it at the library once, but it was too distracting to the kids. I can't even sit outside on the porch with the kids without them being totally distracted. Sadly we only have about a week at one end and anther at the back end of the school year to sit on the porch. The bugs are horrible or it is just too cold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyfaithe Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 Never! It is enough to wrangle 4 kids at home without lugging books somewhere. Perhaps when they are all older it would be more practical. Nope...still not practical here.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 We sometimes go to the state park, but those days are usually highly distracted and we throw in a walk anyway. Like Wendy said, sitting on the porch gets us distracted. I wish it wasn't so, I think next year we'll head to the park or coffee shop on some days. Historically, anytime we leave the house before school is done, our days is less productive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 Never. If we go somewhere, it is a field trip and no curriculum is done. Now I have done read alouds outside while the kids were swinging, but I had to raise my voice so much to be heard over the squeaking swings that I almost lost my voice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Tick Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 I tried to do history at the library to kill some time once. When I asked why everyone was having so much trouble concentrating, "You like history!" My son rolled his eyes, gave a huge sweep of his arms and said, "Mom, the books!" I think they were all whispering to him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TechWife Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 Occasionally Starbucks or the bagel shop. We used to do this a lot more before high school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walking-Iris Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 It sounds good in theory, but honestly nothing would get done. I also don't like the idea of lugging books somewhere and trying to "do" school and keep tabs on a 2 year old at the same time. Outside in our own backyard and occasionally at my in-laws house is at much as I could handle that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Marple Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 When my oldest was doing concurrent courses at a nearby college, I would pack the other boys' school and work at a study table in one of the buildings. It was a beautiful environment complete with a huge salt water aquarium. We'd get something to eat and drink and do school there. It was fun for all of us. A change of setting always improved our moods. And we got a lot of work done because there were fewer distractions (drinks, bathroom, pets, phone, etc.). When they were all young we would often go to the park or work outside on the porch (we have a large wrap around veranda so everyone had their spot). I sorta miss those days. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ocelotmom Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 Coffee shops tend to work very well for us, especially if it's with one kid at a time. We don't do it all that often, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5LittleMonkeys Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 I would love to do this once a week, but it just never works well for us. I'm hoping that when the 4yo is a little older we will be able to. I have a good friend who homeschools one ds and they do it often...I think maybe there is a limit to how many kids you can do this with and it be effective. She even took his math with them to the pool one time and told him that as soon as he got his math pages done (correctly) he could get in the pool. She said he's never been so focused! :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holly Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 My DC would also be very distracted (and I'd be chasing around the 3yo)! The only place we do school outside our home is in the car. :lol: When we have appointments, I pack a small bag and my e-reader. We stick to our read aloud subjects (history, science, literature, etc.). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
talk2ham.1 Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Take them somewhere else for hsing? That's an option?!! Why didn't I ever think of that before? I need to try that next week on our science/history day. It would be fun for the kids to spend the whole day at the library for a change! That playground out back will be great for "recess" at the library too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckens Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 I have friends in town with an extra house. They had intended it as a rental house, but it eventually became their homeschooling house. The mom liked it because she could control the kids' distractions. Currently, a relative is staying here, so they are back to homeschooling at home. ------------------------------------------------ Younger dd is currently 2yo. Once she turns 3 (Thanksgiving) and is potty trained (nearly there), she can go to preschool. (We may wait until the following fall to send her, so she will not be so young. The preschool is held in a church, and only meets MWF 9 - 11:30am. I plan to pack up older daughter with a backpack of math and phonics, and use the lounge at the church rather than running back and forth for just a couple of hours. We live in a college town, and the janitor has made it clear that the lounge is OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. I've been there miscellaneous mornings, and no one else is there. (The students are all in class). They have great big tables, fabulous lighting, comfy couches, and a view of the campus. ----------------------------------------------------- I've also considered using a study room at the public library when the girls are older. When I was in college in Boston, there were several universities that shared an agreement that we could all use each others' libraries. Some libraries locked their study rooms, and one needed a student I.D. (of that university) to check out a room. Other did not, so I would find an unoccupied room. If someone showed up saying, "We have the room," I would cheerfully vacate it. So check out university study rooms, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elizabeth rose Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Never, but you got me thinking. It might be nice to do math at Panera or somewhere similair. It would be a big treat, as they love Panera and it might make math seem a bit fun for a change. Thanks for posting this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Down_the_Rabbit_Hole Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 When we lived in Louisiana we would school out on our deck, I would set up a table and bring the white board outside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haiku Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Never. The kids would never focus if we did. My daughter tried to do her math at my son's speech therapy two weeks ago and and in one hour she got two problems done. Tara Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarreymere Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 During the winter I don't have a vehicle during the day unless I plan ahead for it and get up early to drive dh in to work, so we don't leave the house much. During the fall and spring we like to do school at McDonalds, Tims, and the library because they are all indoors and it tends to be cool outside. We school all year, so once the nicer weather comes along we often do school at local parks, the lake, and at the picnic tables along the local bike trail. I do plan ahead what we'll take with us in terms of schoolwork. On the days that we do school elsewhere we take our kindles (wifi is nice, but we have stuff on them that doesn't use wifi also), and I look over what else is on our schedule and decide what else to take. We don't use too many physical texts which makes it easier. A kindle and a notebook work pretty well for most things. I've been told that there is a community center at the local college that would be a good place to go during the winter, but I haven't gotten a native to show me where this would be. I think as part of our 'be visible in the community' campaign I'll have the kids doing school in the park in the middle of town across from the courthouse on a regular basis once it warms up. Maybe with a big sign "Homeschoolers at work". Maybe we'll attract a few more as well. As for the kids getting distracted, I just tell them that if they can't pay attention and get stuff done that we will NOT be leaving the house again. They know I mean it since there have been years in which we did NOT leave the house for months during the nice weather because they acted like idiots. These days that isn't a problem anymore. Even the six year old knows better. ETA: This works for me because I am a b*tch. It may not work for others. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rutamattatt Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 We try and do some school out and about once a week or so IF we have a slow week. We usually hit Chick-fil-a in the mornings for Bible, history, and math (easy to take what we need) and the kids get a little something to tide them over, which is a fun treat. They know us now at our local Chick-fil-a and the employees often stop by and see what the kids are learning, how they're doing, and ask about school. :) They are the NICEST employees! We've also done Starbuck, the library (we use a study room with one big table so they aren't so distracted), Starbucks, Zaxbys, McDonalds, the pond in our neighborhood, the state park nearby. We can't do this every day, but the novelty is still there so they usually do a good job getting through their work wherever we go. The key for us is individual white boards we got from a school supply store. The kids know they need to always pack their books, a pencil, a white board, a dry erase marker, and I take the eraser. That way we aren't stuck lugging tons of paper, etc. And I usually do whatever subjects need the least amount of "stuff" hauled around for that day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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