O'Phalen Adventures

Tag: Roadschool

Outschool Homeschool: A Cheap Way to Hack Your Homeschooling!
Today I’m going to share our favorite affordable way to hack our homeschooling: Outschool homeschool! We love Outschool as a roadschooling family because it totally broadens the way we can homeschool for such affordable prices.
So if you’ve never tried Outschool homeschool before, here’s how they describe themselves: “Outschool is an innovative education platform that offers a variety of engaging, small-group classes online. Unlike traditional classes, Outschool classes give kids the unique opportunity to explore their interests in-depth via interactive, live video by experienced, independent educators.”
They offer over a hundred thousand online classes at this point, so there truly is an option for just about anything.
If this is your first time on our page, you might appreciate a little context about us before I tell you why we love Outschool. We’re a full time travel family of five with elementary school aged kids. I grew up homeschooled myself, although I wasn’t planning to homeschool my kids until the pandemic changed everything for us. We definitely lean towards unschoolers, but we do use some curriculum! If you’re interested, we’ve gathered our must-have gear for roadschooling.
Now on to the Outschool homeschool review good stuff!
Outschool Homeschool: What We Love
There’s a lot to love about Outschool, in my opinion. Here’s why we think it’s especially amazing for our lifestyle:
It allows for kids to learn about truly niche topics
Because Outschool offers 140,000 different online classes, there truly is a class for just about everyone. We love to follow our kids’ interests as we homeschool, and our kids have come up with some fun ones like world mythology. When we went to find elementary school appropriate mythology classes, there were multiple to choose from. How awesome is that? Niche interests like comic book creation and veterinary science have also been met by Outschool classes.
It gives kids expert instructors for areas where I’m not as confident
I’m a pretty well-rounded homeschool teacher (I think!), but I will happily admit that I’m not an expert in everything. Who is? Outschool offers the chance to find subject matter experts to teach things like Spanish and advanced science that I’m not as confident in teaching myself. It’s so nice to have that option as a backup in our homeschool, especially as our kids age into more difficult material in middle grades!
It offers socializing opportunities
There are some Outschool classes that are specifically for socializing! If you’re traveling around a lot as a roadschooling family or live in an area where it’s hard to find like-minded homeschool families, this could be a great option.
It’s incredibly flexible
Some classes have longer commitments, but many are pay-as-you-go! We like that we can cancel at any time for those weekly classes if our kiddos interests have changed or for any other reason!
It’s affordable
Outschool classes start at just $5, although most of the classes we’ve taken are in the $10-15 per session range. This is a really affordable option for our family, especially considering how much value we feel the specialty classes offer.
Outschool Homeschool: The Downsides
Outschool is amazing, but nothing is perfect, right? Here are the only things I don’t love about it:
It costs money
Okay yeah, it’s inexpensive, but it’s not free. Always a bummer for budget homeschool families. But if you’re in a state that has charter funds available, you probably can use those to get reimbursed.
Sometimes making a frequent schedule commitment is challenging for us
I have been known to miss a class or two because weekly commitments can be hard for us. Our travel schedule changes a lot, and we have a lot going on. The nice thing is that it’s affordable enough that I’m not devastated when this happens.
Instructor quality varies a bit
We have yet to have a *bad* Outschool instructor, but we did end up with one that I thought was only okay. Definitely read class reviews before committing!
Outschool Homeschool: Class Recommendations
Here are a few Outschool classes we’ve tried and loved:
Some others that are still on our list to try:
Outschool also offers a whole Outschool homeschool page with recommendations tailored specifically to homeschoolers. They have classes there sorted by top rated homeschooler classes, socializing groups, or neurodiverse offerings, which I think is especially cool.
If you have an upcoming trip planned and want to make sure your homeschooled kiddos get the most out of it, check out my roadschooling journal for kids:

State Worksheet / Travel Journal for Kids

$2.00

If you’ve ever wished for an easy way to capture what your kids learn as you travel, this is it! Forget other state worksheets that require boring, irrelevant details like the state flower. Let’s write about what we learned and experienced! This state worksheet digital product includes leveled worksheets for kids: one two page log…

State Worksheet / Travel Journal for Kids quantity

Category: Printables, Roadschooling

Tags: Homeschooling, Printables, Roadschooling
I hope this review of how we Outschool homeschool was helpful! Feel free to follow along with our roadschooling adventures here or on Instagram.
Disclaimer: Product links in this blog post may be Affiliate links, and I will earn a small commission for each purchase made through these links at no extra cost to you. Affiliate income helps fund our family travel and allows me to keep creating inspiring family travel content for you. I so appreciate when you use my links to make purchases you would have made anyway.
For more on how we homeschool our three kids on the road, check out these posts:
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February 28, 2024
Powerful Black History Month Ideas for Traveling Allies
It’s Black History Month 2024, and learning about Black History is an important aspect of our homeschooling studies. One of my favorite things to write and share about is how we integrate our full time travel life with ideas about justice and helping to co-create a better future for everyone. I have several Black History Month ideas I’d love to share for allies who love to travel, families who are educating non-Black children (either homeschooled or supplementing a school education!), or anyone seeking to learn and expand their own ideas about equity.
Please note that I am not Black, I’m not an “expert,” and I will always defer to the Black community for how the non-Black community should observe Black History Month and what Black History Month resources are appropriate for us to use. I have spent about a decade (not long enough!) on my intentional anti-racist journey, and my hope in writing this is to share what I’ve learned and how I integrate it with those who are newer on their journeys and eager to learn.
Black History Month Ideas for Traveling Allies:
Shop Black Owned Businesses
One way we strive to “vote with our dollars” is by supporting Black-owned businesses as we travel (also note: we capitalize the word Black! Here’s why if you’re curious). There are some ways we look to find these businesses in new places, an easy one is to simply google something like “Black owned restaurants in Phoenix,” for example. Here are some other strategies I use:
- Use Yelp to search for “Black owned” and look for the app’s badge that notes where businesses have self-reported as being Black owned
- Try an app like Blapp that lists only Black owned businesses in the area
- Follow travel influencers and news outlets and save Black owned businesses to try later (they’re often especially recommended during Black History Month!)
- When presented with similar options for things like Airbnbs or RV parks, choose to spend money at the one with a Black entrepreneur at the heart
Ultimately, it may take a few more minutes to investigate what the options are for a Black owned business in the area you live in or are traveling to (and it’s more complicated because of…you guessed it…systemic racism!). But it’s absolutely the right thing to do to put in the extra effort to support these businesses as a non-Black family, and I think committing to supporting more Black owned businesses is one of my most important Black History Month ideas. Also, it’s no sacrifice because these businesses are totally rad. I mean, just check out these birthday cupcakes I got in North Carolina:
Black-owned bakery cupcakes in North Carolina
Take a Black History Themed Trip
I honestly don’t see enough non-Black families doing this in my opinion. We did a long weekend civil rights trip to Montgomery, Alabama with my homeschooling bestie, and it was an absolutely unforgettable experience. I plan to write about that trip in more detail soon, but in the meantime, here are some Black History trips I’d recommend:
- Selma, Montgomery, and Tuskegee, Alabama
- Nashville, Tennessee
- Topeka, Kansas and Kansas City, Missouri
- Washington D.C.
- Harlem, New York
The Civil Rights Trail website has more ideas for locations to visit and even some suggested itineraries by state that are highly worth checking out! I wonder if more families don’t take trips like this because it seems boring or a “downer.” I’m here to tell you that you can be reverent, engaged, and respectful, and your family can still really enjoy themselves on a trip like this:
Civil rights trip to Montgomery
Experiencing the places where landmark civil rights struggles took place was at times serious and heartbreaking, but it was also so moving and profound that I would recommend it to any family who approaches it with a thoughtful heart. As someone who probably loves who travel (since you’re on my blog!), I hope a Black History trip gets added to your Black History Month ideas list.
Visit a Black History Museum on Other Trips
Perhaps a Black History trip isn’t in the cards this year (although you’ve saved it for next year!). The good news is that there are incredible hands-on Black History Month ideas for learning basically anywhere. A quick google search for the museums in your area might turn up some surprising local results. And if there aren’t any “Black History” specific museums, consider searching for “famous Black people from [your state]” and visiting their historical homes or places honoring their lives and contributions.
We had a fantastic time learning about legendary athlete Jesse Owens in his Alabama hometown. It was a quick day trip from where we were staying in Huntsville to renovate our RV. Any vacation or road trip you already have planned is an excellent opportunity to investigate and prioritize a stop to learn some new-to-you Black history. Either in your destination or as a quick stop along the way, taking the time will be a worthwhile endeavor, especially this month. I challenge you to find some Black History Month ideas in person near you in February!
Jesse Owens’ childhood home
Follow Black Travel Influencers on Social Media
The algorithm intentionally shows you people who are just like you, and that includes racially (ugh!). It takes intentionality to have a multicultural Instagram feed, but I highly, HIGHLY recommend it. If you love to follow travel influencers, consider replacing some of your lesser faves with some amazing Black travel influencers instead. Some of my faves are The Mom Trotter, Black Adventure Mom, The Traveling Child, Black Adventure Crew, and Mr Crim (who’s not strictly a “travel” influencer, but I found him because he taught me about St. Louis before we visited!).
Mitigate the Impact of Your Travel on Black Communities
This one is heavy and difficult, and there are no simple answers. But let’s take a deep breath and walk through it together for a moment. Just as we consider the impact we have on natural resources as we travel, we should be considering the impact our travel has on Black communities, as well. There are so many ways we can talk about this, but a few of the main ones that come to mind are gentrification, police violence, and climate impact.
Gentrification, where a neighborhood’s current residents are displaced by wealthier (and likely whiter) residents, is a real problem in Black neighborhoods. Airbnb and other short term rentals definitely exacerbated the problem, as well. That’s one of the many reasons why I sought to rent from Black owned Airbnbs when we used them, because at least the wealth was staying within the community more frequently that way. There’s no simple answer to the question “how do we stop gentrification?” but it’s a problem we should be aware of and talk about within the traveling community to avoid contributing more than we have to.
The other big elephant in the room when it comes to white folks traveling in historically Black neighborhoods is police violence. Nice white people (I’m including myself here!) were raised to think of police officers as community helpers and to call 911 in any emergency. And while I’m not saying to *never* call the police, I am advocating for white folks to be extremely, extremely careful about calling the police in any instance where non-white folks are present. Having lived in a predominantly Black neighborhood in Brooklyn, I can say that calling the police is a serious decision that many white people take way too lightly.
Finally, one of the most shocking statistics I read recently is that, because of the legacy of racist redlining, Black communities on average tend to be a full degree hotter than white communities. As we consider how to reduce our climate impact as travelers, we should keep in mind that the communities that suffer the most from climate change will not be the white ones. This section is definitely not the easiest on the Black History Month ideas list, but I feel it’s important enough to be worth saying in this post.
Black History Month Ideas for All Families
Listen, Watch & Read Black History Resources with Your Kids
Whether your children are homeschooled or not, it’s almost certain that their curriculum could use more Black History. Here are some Black History Month ideas to watch, listen to, and read.
John Lewis is a family hero after watching Good Trouble
Here are some resources we’ve loved watching together:
- Good Trouble documentary about the Civil Rights Movement and John Lewis (**We watched together and paused about 20 minutes in for a brief discussion of the N word**)
- Clotilda: Last American Slave Ship documentary
- High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Changed America docuseries (particularly good for recognizing that Black history didn’t begin with slavery!)
- I Have a Dream speech in its entirety, which is much more interesting than the pull quotes
- Hidden Figures
- And definitely check out the sections in Netflix and Disney highlighting Black stories this month
Here are some things we’ve loved listening to together (pulled from our favorite podcasts!):
There are just too many amazing books for me to list, but I’ve started a Black History Month ideas book list here with some of our favorites. Don’t forget to check out your local library for book recs, too! And I highly recommend following Stories of Color on Instagram for amazing kid book recommendations all year long.
Black History Month Ideas for Anyone
Pay Community Level Reparations
What are reparations? The NAACP calls for “a race-centered economic empowerment package for African Americans that builds generational wealth and accounts for not only slavery but the decades upon decades of economic pillaging.” So basically, money to pay back hundreds of years of stolen labor and subsequent racism that Black Americans have endured and which continue to set Black families behind.
So far, the political will isn’t there for nationwide reparations, but as individuals, we can do our own part. Consider a Black-led organization in your community to donate to or fundraise for this month. And remember that this isn’t charity, it’s owed.
A somber moment in Selma
Remember That Every Month is Black History Month.
Implement these ideas all year long, whether it’s February or not. Much like our family prioritizes learning Indigenous People’s history and culture whether it’s November or not, we also prioritize learning about the historical and current Black community all year, as well. We hope you do, too.
Disclaimer: Product links in this blog post may be Affiliate links, and I will earn a small commission for each purchase made through these links at no extra cost to you. Affiliate income helps fund our family travel and allows me to keep creating inspiring family travel content for you. I so appreciate when you use my links to make purchases you would have made anyway.
For more about how we travel and learn thoughtfully, check out these posts:
- Powerful Black History Month Ideas for Traveling Allies
- How I’m Talking to My Kids about Thanksgiving
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February 2, 2024
Museums for Kids: Spotlight on our Top Favorites!
We’ve been to 49 states and love a good museum. We’ve been to dozens of museums as a family! Some of those are museums that are geared towards adults and some that are specifially targeted towards kids and families. Today I’m sharing what I think are the best museums for kids in the United States (plus a few bonus museums abroad!). If you’re planning a family NYC trip, check out my post with the best NYC museums for kids.
What makes the best museums for kids?
Okay, so first off — what do I think makes a museum qualify as “the best”? We’ve taken our kids to so many different types of museums: some have been extremely high brow, while some are kitschy or silly. Some are so big you could never finish them in one day, while some you can read every display and only take two hours. Some are very well-known, while some are tiny holes in the wall.
Here’s what I think all of the best have in common:
1. If not targeted towards kids and families, at the very least accepting of our presence
2. Interactive and engaging, not just signs to read
3. Interesting for the adults as well
4. Affordable for a family to visit (or a bucket list experience)
5. Extra points given for experiences that are totally unique and can’t be found anywhere else
Tips for enjoying museums for kids
I truly believe that a museum experience can be fun for the whole family at most museums. That said, we’ve got a few tips for making the most of a museum experience with kids:
1. Choose museums that have something that will appeal to your particular kids
2. Pre-game any museum subjects that will get your kids more excited by watching documentaries, reading books, listening to podcasts, etc. (check our our kid podcasts post!)
3. Go at whatever time of day your kids are at their best selves
4. Bring snacks, water, and appropriate clothing so everyone is set up for success
5. Hit the highlights first so you’re not disappointed if your visit is cut short by cranky kids
6. Be prepared to bail if the kids aren’t up for a long day, and consider any time spent at the museum a great success
7. Check the museum schedule when you arrive for special events
8. Look for homeschool or reciprocal discounts on museum admission
9. Avoid visiting during school holidays if your time is flexible
10. Chat with your kids before entering about museum behavior expectations, especially for adult-centric museums
I’m of the mind that kids and families deserve to be in public spaces, and that includes museums. It’s okay if your kids aren’t “perfectly” quiet, and it’s okay if it takes practice for everyone to enjoy a museum day together. I think it’s worth it for all of the things you’ll learn and experience together!
So without further ado, here’s the promised list of our favorite museums for kids!
Download the FREE list of our favorite museums for kids

We’ve created a totally FREE PDF list of our favorite museums for kids that you can download right now by signing up for our newsletter.

If you do take a trip to a new museum or place, consider downloading our travel journal for kids so they can write about it!

State Worksheet / Travel Journal for Kids

$2.00

If you’ve ever wished for an easy way to capture what your kids learn as you travel, this is it! Forget other state worksheets that require boring, irrelevant details like the state flower. Let’s write about what we learned and experienced! This state worksheet digital product includes leveled worksheets for kids: one two page log…

State Worksheet / Travel Journal for Kids quantity

Category: Printables, Roadschooling

Tags: Homeschooling, Printables, Roadschooling
For more of our tips and tricks for traveling with kids, check out these posts:
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January 9, 2024
Best Educational Podcasts: 22 Interesting Listens for Kids
We’ve been a homeschool family for three years now, and kid podcasts are an absolute staple of our educational journey. I’m always asked for our favorite podcasts, so today I’m bringing you a list of what we consider to be the best educational podcasts for kids!
We find podcasts fit into our daily in so many ways, which makes them such a good low-lift educational option. Here are a few of the ways we find time to listen:
- Together as a family in the truck on travel days (we travel full-time!)
- Linked to the kids’ Yoto players (do you have a Yoto player?) so they can listen independently
- When we sit at the table doing art projects or eating lunch
All of the podcasts I’ve listed below are specifically kid-oriented. But I’m not afraid to search adult podcasts on a specific subject for us to listen to together either! For instance, we listened to a bunch of adult Black History episodes together during Black History Month last year.
History, Culture & Current Events Best Educational Podcasts
Greeking Out
Greeking Out is one of my kids’ all-time favorite podcasts. It retells Greek myths in dramatic and engaging fashion; it’s definitely punchy and entertaining. That said, Greek mythology wasn’t exactly G rated. Greeking Out does a good job of retelling these stories in a kid-appropriate way. There’s also a content warning at the top of each episode to let you know specifically what you’ll be hearing about.
Who, When, Wow!
Who, When, Wow! is another O’Phalen family favorite. Host Carly travels through time to tell historical stories most of us have never heard of. This isn’t dry history, and the grownups always learning something, too!
The Activators
The Activators is one of the most inspiring podcasts imaginable. This podcast features stories of kids working to change the world in various ways. Not only is it inspiring to my big-hearted kids, but it gives me hope for the future, too.
Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls
Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls is another really inspiring podcast that features real-life women who are out there kicking ass and taking names. Most of these women are women you’ve never heard of, but their stories deserve to be heard. If you’ve read the Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls book, this style will feel familiar.
Forever Ago
Forever Ago is a history podcast that focuses on the history of things, rather than people. Each episode delves into the history of something as banal as chewing gum or complex as Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs). The episodes are punchy and fascinating, and I like listening to them as much as the kids do.
A Kids Book About
A Kids Book About podcast is an excellent conversation starter for the big issues. The popular book series-turned-podcast tackles topics like racism and divorce. This is a great podcast to listen to as a family and have those juicy, important discussions about the state of the world.
Young & Indigenous
Young & Indigenous is giving Indigenous youth a platform for exploring their culture and how to share it with the world. The podcast explores issues like Thanksgiving from Indigenous perspectives, art and how it can heal addiction, and preserving Indigenous languages.
Molly of Denali
If you’re familiar with the PBS show Molly of Denali, you’ll immediately recognize the beautiful, gentle storytelling of the accompanying podcast. I love how Molly of Denali doesn’t preach, it just shows what life in a small Alaskan town with strong intergenerational bonds is like. My only complaint is that there aren’t more episodes!
Science Best Educational Podcasts
Brains On
Brains On answers science whys and hows in this fascinating and engaging podcast. Topics include things like “why are we afraid of the dark?” and “how do chameleons change color?” My science-loving kids think this is one of the best educational podcasts out there.
Wow in the World
Wow in the World is another great science podcast, but this one focuses on new science discoveries and explorations. Recent episodes include topics like cellular tattoos, and I find myself fascinated at the episodes, as well.
Tumble
The Tumble podcast is a science podcast that answers those questions kids ask that we don’t always have good answers for. These are questions like, “do dreams have meaning?” and “how do toilets work?”
Earth Rangers
Earth Rangers is a podcast for all of animal and nature-obsessed kiddos out there. For traveling kids, there is even a whole series of episodes about national parks! Plus, the show shares kid-friendly details about important legislation like The Endangered Species Act.
Storytelling Best Educational Podcasts
Circle Round
Circle Round is another family favorite, and it makes the top of my storytelling best educational podcasts list because it adapts stories from all around the world into beautifully produced radio plays. The episode quality is gorgeous. There are often famous and semi-famous guest actors, which is a fun bonus for grownups, too.
The Alien Adventures of Finn Caspian
Finn Caspian is another one of my kids’ all-time favorites; we’ve listened to all 10+ seasons. It’s a science fiction serial based on kids who travel the galaxy and fight bad guys. There’s also a silly robot that cracks my kids up.
The Unexplainable Disappearance of Mars Patel
Mars Patel is a serial mystery for older kids (8+) that will keep kids asking for more. It’s also performed by actual kids, which is a fun added element. The production value is excellent!
Adventures of Cairo
Adventures of Cairo is a podcast that follows the fictional life of 7-year-old Cairo. The podcast teaches good values, and one of my favorite episodes is the one where Cairo’s family visits the National Museum of African American History & Culture in Washington D.C.
The Story Seeds Podcast
The Story Seeds Podcast is an absolutely brilliant concept where real kids with story ideas are matched with famous children’s authors (like our beloved Katherine Applegate!). They develop the stories together in a beautiful collaboration. I only wish there were more new episodes!
Story Pirates
Story Pirates is another storytelling podcast that combines kid story ideas and the silliness, jokes, and songs of a team of creative grownups. This podcast is over-the-top silly and musical, and my kids think it’s hilarious.
Julie’s Library
Julie’s Library is a podcast that stars THE Julie — Julie Andrews — and her daughter reading their favorite children’s books aloud. It’s adorable and sweet, and I wish there were more episodes!
Miscellanous Best Educational Podcasts
Million Bazillion
Million Bazillion is a podcast about money where kids and grownups alike can get some financial education. This podcast is an excellent one to listen to as a family and have important money discussions.
The Music Box
The Music Box is an absolutely excellent podcast for musical education. It explores music theory concepts like rhythm and pitch, and has wonderful episodes on various music genres like Funk.
Eat Your Spanish
Eat Your Spanish is a cute podcast that uses music and stories to introduce basic Spanish vocabulary. The themed episodes for holiday vocabulary are especially fun.
I hope this list of our best educational podcasts has been helpful for your family! If there’s one you think I’m missing, please feel free to drop it in the comments.
For more on how we homeschool our kids, check out these posts:
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January 5, 2024
Roadschooling 101: Insider Tips From a Thriving Nomadic Family
We’ve been roadschooling for almost four years now, and it has been the most beautiful experience for our family. I know we’ve built learning foundations that will last our children’s whole lives! With all of the questions that I get about homeschooling on the road, I thought it was time for a Roadschooling 101 post!
I’ll share what we’ve learned about roadschooling, how the legalities of roadschooling work, why roadschooling is so wonderful for our family, and all of the roadschooling resources I can! Let’s dig in.
What Is Roadschooling?
So first things first in roadschooling 101: what even is roadschooling? Well, it looks different for every family. But the fundamental idea is just learning while traveling. For some families, this might mean having kids in public school and taking advantage of road trips for hands-on learning throughout the year. For other families, it looks like following a set of very structured homeschooling curriculum while traveling around the country and supplementing with museum visits, etc.
For our family, it means that we really focus our learning around what we’re seeing and experiencing as we travel. We do use some limited curriculum throughout the year, but our primary learning is hands-on, tailored to the places we’re visiting, and experiential. I’ll share some more examples of what I mean by that further down.
Is Roadschooling Legal?
Yes!*
Roadschooling legality is extremely similar to regular homeschooling legality. In general, roadschooling families will follow the laws of whatever state they are domiciled in.
Traveling families have more flexibility in choosing their domicile state. That means that homeschooling laws will probably be a big part of which state you choose to domicile in. To check your home state’s homeschooling laws, here here for this great map from the Homeschool Legal Defense Association (HLDSA). Pay attention to state laws with requirements that will force you to travel back to your domicile state, like annual testing.
Where roadschooling legality gets a little gray is when you stay in another state for 30 days or more during the school year. The HLDSA recommends following the homeschool laws of any state where you do so. That isn’t a challenge for states with no legal notice required, but can be complicated for highly regulated states. One way many traveling families avoid this is by simply not staying in any one (highly regulated homeschool) state for 30 days.
*I am not a lawyer and am not qualified to give legal advice, but if you need some the HLDSA is!
Why Is Roadschooling Amazing?
Now that we’ve gotten the paperwork part out of the way, we can talk about why roadschooling is such an amazing way to learn.
Roadschooling gives an absolutely unparalleled opportunity for grownups and kids alike to experience hands-on, unforgettable learning. There’s such a big difference between reading about the lifecycle of a sockeye salmon and spending the summer in Alaska watching other wildlife feast on a salmon buffet, catching your own silver salmon to fry and eat, and observing how different the river seems after the salmon have spawned and died. There’s a huge difference between memorizing that Wilbur and Orville Wright were the first in flight and standing on the hill with a replica of their design and walking the physical distances of their four first successful flights.
Roadschooling in Kitty Hawk, NC
There is absolutely no shame in book learning and we recognize the privilege involved in being able to learn this way. But we also believe that there’s no substitute for the depth of your learning and the way it will be retained.
What Does Your Roadschooling Look Like?
Okay, so you’re loving this roadschooling idea, but you want to know what it actually looks like for a family who’s doing it. I’m happy to share!
First, I’d love to offer up the state worksheet / travel journal for roadschooling kids that I designed. I created this worksheet because my roadschooling kids aren’t that interested in the state flags or state flowers of places as we travel. Honestly, are adults even interested in that stuff? We spent all summer in Alaska and didn’t even see a forget-me-not. But our kids do remember all of the fireweed that we saw and how we turned it into fireweed syrup for their pancakes. That’s the kind of stuff I want them journaling about, so I created this resource for other families who feel the same:

State Worksheet / Travel Journal for Kids

$2.00

If you’ve ever wished for an easy way to capture what your kids learn as you travel, this is it! Forget other state worksheets that require boring, irrelevant details like the state flower. Let’s write about what we learned and experienced! This state worksheet digital product includes leveled worksheets for kids: one two page log…

State Worksheet / Travel Journal for Kids quantity

Category: Printables, Roadschooling

Tags: Homeschooling, Printables, Roadschooling
That worksheet is a great example of how we roadschool because it takes actual experiences we have and uses them to do things like practice writing!
We are a secular family and we definitely lean towards unschooling in our homeschool, which means that we aren’t strict about a curriculum. BUT we do use a select few curricula (especially for things like math). Here are a few of our favorites:
- Blossom & Root science curriculum (we’ve especially loved Plants and Dinosaurs as a roadschooling family!)
- The Good & The Beautiful math (I’m not linking them here because their company values do not align with my own. I only use their free downloads that I have printed through The Homeschool Printing Company)
- Curiosity Chronicles for world history (they are consistently recommended as the most inclusive, least euro-centric history program)
- Oh Freedom for U.S. history
- Blossom & Root language (we particularly enjoy their read-aloud lists, my kiddo found the writing a bit repetitive)
- Kindergarten sight words & spelling workbook that both of my older kids have liked
- Bob Books for learning to read
- Various other workbooks for learning skills as they come up, like cursive and Spanish
- Online classes using Outschool for niche interests like vet science and mythology (read my Outschool review!)
We also do a lot of interest and project-based learning. Here are a few examples of what that’s looked like:
- Wrote, printed, and bound a book of original poems
- Studied mythology and created different types of art based on the stories we learned (and visited the Parthenon in Nashville that’s in the main pic for this post!)
- Created a business plan and sold handcrafted comic books
- Made art outside inspired by the places that we camp
- Experimented with science projects and Home Depot building kits
- Learned about music history and listened to musicians from each era
- Maintain a “WonderWall” in our house with questions the kids want to research as we have time (I learned about this idea from my friend Fran)
- Studied the Civil Rights Movement and visited several important historical sites
- Read books set in real locations and then visited those places (Anne of Green Gables in PEI, for example!)
Project-based learning is one of my favorite ways to teach and my kids’ favorite way to learn. Roadschooling makes it so easy and fun to think of and execute interesting and creative learning ideas.
One of the ways that roadschooling differs from a vacation is that we prioritize learning in the stops and experiences that we choose. Here are some of the regular ways we learn as we travel:
- National Park and State Park Junior Ranger programs
- Museums in every city (have you downloaded our best museums for kids list?)
- Libraries in every city (Check out my post about getting a non-resident library card)
- Mapping out our travels on the wall
- New-to-us local foods as we travel, either in restaurants or by foraging
- Cultural centers to learn about the Indigenous people of each area
- Field guides for hiking and identifying local flora and fauna
- Books, podcasts (here are our faves!), and documentaries about the history and notable people/events of the area
Fireweed scones in Alaska
Here are some types of in-person lessons and classes we’ve used (local homeschool Facebook groups and libraries are excellent for finding these!):
- Horseback riding lessons
- Pottery class
- Cartooning class
- Dance classes
- Lego club
- Botanical garden plant class
- Rock climbing
- Vet camp
- Zoo camp
- Lizard camp
- Library story and music times
And these are our favorite learning resources for days when we’re traveling or just hanging at home:
- Kid Podcasts (these are our favorite educational podcasts!)
- Educational apps on a shared iPad (I’ll write a post about this, too!)
- Audiobooks for drive days
- Educational Yoto cards (do you have a Yoto player?)
- Outschool classes (read my Outschool review!)
- Books on YouTube (when we can’t access physical library books, we look up read alouds on Youtube!)
How Do I Start Roadschooling?
If you’re already homeschooling, then roadschooling won’t be much of a change! The best part about being a roadschooling family is that coming up with interesting and unique things to learn about is an absolute breeze as you travel. The trickiest part is that regular activities and lessons involve more research to find. But it’s not impossible!
If you’re new to homeschooling in general, my first recommendation would be to start with what’s called deschooling. Deschooling is just a fancy way of saying “take some time off from schoolwork and learn about how homeschooling isn’t about re-creating public school at home.” Things that can be a surprise to new homeschoolers as they deschool include:
- Schoolwork takes way less time than it does in public school, so you don’t need to spend all day sitting down to “do school”
- Kids who have been public schooled may struggle with entertaining themselves all day, but they’ll get so creative with practice
- Parents have grown up with really rigid ideas about what constitutes “learning” and may need to teach themselves to see learning happening in other ways
- Kids tend to retain things they care about and not what’s “on grade level”
And a whole lot of other things 😉
My other advice is to find your community of roadschooling parents who are past the roadschooling 101 stage for guidance and inspiration. Join some Facebook groups (I LOVE this Secular and Decolonized group). Follow some other parents (find me on Instagram where I’m always sharing roadschooling ideas!).
Ultimately, I think the most important thing you can do is whatever you need to do to reassure yourself this this way of learning is enough. Because you’re the one who needs to feel confident!
Library in Haines, Alaska
Any Other Roadschooling Resources to Share?
I have a list of my favorite roadschooling items and my favorite homeschool books that I will continue to add to as I continue to learn myself.
And come find me on Instagram so I can cheer you on <3
Disclaimer: Product links in this blog post may be Affiliate links, and I will earn a small commission for each purchase made through these links at no extra cost to you. Affiliate income helps fund our family travel and allows me to keep creating inspiring family travel content for you. I so appreciate when you use my links to make purchases you would have made anyway.
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December 29, 2023
How I’m Talking to My Kids about Thanksgiving
If you’re wondering how I’m talking to my kids about Thanksgiving? The honest answer is that I’m not talking about it all that much. Here’s why:
If you didn’t know already, Thanksgiving is a holiday based on the story of friendship between the colonists and the indigenous people that…isn’t grounded in a whole lot of historical fact. Historical records suggest the feast that this event is supposedly based on wasn’t a big deal and probably looked more like a political negotiation than a friendly shared meal. Here’s a great video intro to this idea.
So what do we do instead?
One option that many indigenous folks are asking of us is to simply not celebrate “Thanksgiving.” Does this mean we can’t gather with our families and have beautiful meals together? Of course not. None of us get enough time together with our extended communities in this modern world, and we should seize hold of long weekends together whenever we can. But make it a harvest feast! Or a gratitude gathering, and consider how gratitude is built into the every day lives of Indigenous cultures.
Perhaps read the Haudenosaunee Kariwatekwen together, which is a giving thanks that takes place before every Haudenosaunee event. It’s gorgeous.
“We give thanks to the stars who are spread across the sky like jewelry. We see them in the night, helping the moon to light the darkness and bringing dew to the gardens and growing things. When we travel at night they guide us home. With our minds gathered together as one we send greetings and thanks to the stars. Now our minds are one.”
Excerpt from Haudenosaunee Kariwatekwen
Poet Laureate and Muskogee Creek Nation member Joy Harjo also has beautiful poem about gathering around a table together that she reads here:
“At this table we sing with joy, with sorrow. We pray of suffering and remorse. We give thanks.

Perhaps the world will end at the kitchen table, while we are laughing and crying, eating of the last sweet bite.”
Excerpt from Perhaps the World Ends Here
My homeschooled kids aren’t being taught about the Thanksgiving myth, and so we have the luxury of (mostly) just ignoring it. We strive to center Indigenous culture, history, and activism all year round in our roadschooling.
But for kids who are in school and learning about Thanksgiving from other sources, I would be actively sharing information that debunks that traditional story. This is an excellent opportunity to learn about the real indigenous people involved in this story and to talk about the modern day struggle for indigenous rights.
So which Indigenous people were at the feast?
First things first, it’s important to understand that Indigenous people are not all the same. There are currently 574 federally recognized tribes in the United States, and there are many more that have not yet received federal recognition. The nation involved in the Thanksgiving story is the Wamponoag of what is now Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The tribe’s website has a suggested self-guided tour itinerary if you’re in the area. Regardless, you may enjoy learning about Cranberry Day. Cranberry Day is held in October and celebrates the cranberry (or sasumuneash) harvest. Perhaps try a cranberry recipe out?
For some Indigenous people, Thanksgiving is a National Day of Mourning:
Thanksgiving day isn’t just a neutral day for some Indigenous people. Many Indigenous people consider it to be a day of mourning. The United American Indians of New England has met on Thanksgiving day every year since 1970 to mourn the genocide of Indigenous peoples and organize to improve modern day Indigenous life. You can watch a livestream of the events on Youtube at noon Eastern Time on Thanksgiving. I highly recommend taking some time to do so. They feature some really wonderful speakers at the event.
What are some resources I can use to learn more as an adult?
As homeschool teachers or any parent who feels responsible for how accurate their kids’ education is, the best thing we can do (in my opinion) is start with educating ourselves. My two absolute favorite books for totally blowing your mind are An Indigenous People’s History of the United States and Braiding Sweetgrass. Both of these have young people’s versions that can be found here and here. I plan on using these heavily in our homeschooling as my kids get slightly older.
This Land is a podcast that gave me so much to think about, too. Tara Houska has some incredible TED Talks that are a digestible listen. I also highly recommend learning about whose land you’re on here and looking up nearby cultural centers to visit. And my last suggestion is to find some Indigenous folks on Instagram to follow and amplify. Here are a few of my favorites: @shinanova, @notoriouscree, @indigenouswomenhike, @indigenizingartsed, @crushingcolonialism, @indigenousmotherhood, @athabascan.adventures.
For parents with kids in public or private school, this post is a great resource for talking to your kid’s school about how Thanksgiving is being taught. There are sample letters to send to the school and everything.
Can you recommend some kid-friendly Thanksgiving resources?
We love the Brains On podcast. They’ve put out an episode debunking the Thanksgiving myth that can be found here: Brains On Podcast Thanksgiving episode.
Consider cooking one of these recipes from Native chefs for your holiday meal this year. The Sioux Chef’s cookbook would make a great holiday gift, too! Spend time with your kiddos learning about the nation the chef is from and how the recipe ingredients are traditional foods for those people.
For further study, we LOVED Kelly Tudor’s (Apache) Outschool class on Indigenous stereotypes. The National Museum of the American Indian also has a unit study resource here.
How I’m talking to my kids about Thanksgiving all year long:
Truthfully, the rest of my resources are applicable all year long. As Zenovia of @BlackAdventureCrew commented on my Indigenous People’s Day reel, every day is Indigenous People’s Day in our house.
Here are some favorite kid books we love:
We’re also big fans of watching:
- Spirit Rangers
- Molly of Denali
- Gather documentary
There are many modern issues facing Indigenous people that you can search more about and find kid-appropriate videos on. Some examples are: Native water and land usage rights, the expulsion of Indigenous peoples to create National Parks, residential schools, food sovereignty, reclaiming Native culture, underfunded Indian Bureau healthcare, violence against Native women, lack of economic opportunity on reservations, Native adoption rights, the Land Back movement and more. Simply understanding that Indigenous people are still here and still organizing for what is right for their communities is powerful.
Another really simple thing we do is to be sure we always know whose land we’re on as we travel.
If you weave discussions of Indigenous people into your everyday home life, then you don’t have to stress about how to talk about Thanksgiving. When the librarian hands your kids Thanksgiving coloring pages, they’ll feel confident in their knowledge that the true story of this country can’t be sanitized by a friendly harvest meal.
Disclaimer: Product links in this blog post may be Affiliate links, and I will earn a small commission for each purchase made through these links at no extra cost to you. Affiliate income helps fund our family travel and allows me to keep creating inspiring family travel content for you. I so appreciate when you use my links to make purchases you would have made anyway.
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November 20, 2023