We recently returned from 2.5 weeks in Nepal where we embraced the learning while traveling ethos and where Mr. Action easily solidified his math skills thanks to some light and affordable resources that we packed. This was the first time that Mr. Action visited Asia (he’s been to Central America and Europe), and he enjoyed spending time with the grandparents. It was also the sort of trip where because Nepal isn’t easy to walk around and because we were there during the pre-monsoon season which meant very unpredictable weather, we had to have a plan for indoor time. I’m happy to report that he not only had fun, but learning while traveling was a success!
The benefits of learning while traveling
We all remember things better when in context, or tied to an event that is infrequent enough to stand out in our minds. Travel meets both these criteria. It’s the perfect time to practice a language, play up geography and history, and make memories that are once-in-a-lifetime.
Of course, 2-5 year olds aren’t on this sophisticated wave length yet (though language is still a great learning while traveling activity). They also might struggle with sensory overload – Mr. Action used to be overwhelmed by crowds in general, so we were always mindful of scheduling down time to recuperate.
As parents and home educators, we want learning to be as effortless as possible – no one wants to drum facts or skills into our kids. Traveling allows us to sneak in learning because the new surroundings and novel situations mean that our kids remember the unusual environment. Instead of increasing the screen time, travel is the perfect time to play more family games, explore libraries and toy shops, and compare the flora and fauna of the destination to home.
Lightweight learning resources
Of course, the 50 pound bag limit means that we have to be smart about what we pack. For our 2.5 week trip, this is what we brought with us
- Waterproof cards – helpful to play games like war where kids practice which numbers are bigger or smaller. We only take two suits to cut down on weight.
- Math dice junior – dice are magical for young kids because no one knows what they’ll roll!
- Magnetic snakes and ladders – magnetic is important so the pieces don’t go missing! This model is great because you can store items like scissors and other cards inside the folded compartment.
- Double-sided whiteboard, wet erase markers, and dry erase markers – great for practicing spelling, writing, drawing, games, etc.
- Chalk – to cut down on weight, we don’t bring the whole set
- Scissors – for cutting, crafts, etc.
- SmartGames Coral Reef Magnetic game – lots of logic challenges!
- Logic puzzles for clever kids – Mr. Action was obsessed with this book and he then used the pages for cutting practice
It felt like it was easier to focus on math/logic rather than reading and writing, but the open ended nature of the whiteboard/markers/chalk means that you can definitely sneak in language arts learning while traveling. We also brought along the storybooks from the Usborne Advent calendar which was great because books are so heavy, and the mini versions meant we could have a greater selection of bedtime stories.
Surviving 22+ hour flights
Mr. Action enjoyed the plane more than the adults did. We packed a number of Usborne sticker books, but ultimately, his Yoto Player (with new to him cards) and the kids TV/movie selection sufficed. He also slept a fair bit (horizontally) which I fear will be something that goes the way of the dodo as he ages and realizes that sleeping upright should be considered a criminal offense. Had he been younger, we would definitely have needed more “stuff” to occupy him since screens held zero interest for him through at least the age of 2.5 years.
Definitely pack kid-sized headphones. We love the Puro noise cancelling headphones for kids and the included cable allows you to use it with the Yoto player. Airplane headphones are too large and your movie viewing pleasure will be interrupted every time kiddo’s headphones fall off (which is all the time). I have no illusion about learning while traveling on a plane – don’t even attempt such a ludicrous maneuver:)
Making the most of a “rough” trip – why learning while traveling is #winning
This was the first time we had gone anywhere requiring a plane since February 2020. Nepal is also not a developed country. Throw in extended (2.5 weeks!) living with the in-laws (admittedly nice) and it’s clear that this wasn’t going to be a vacation, just a trip. Learning while traveling became a necessity because we didn’t have the freedom to just walk out the door and explore our surroundings. Addresses aren’t a thing in Nepal, so unlike if we had stayed at guest accommodations, the issue was being able to describe how to return to our in-laws’ house. Since they’re older, we also couldn’t just rely on a planned series of outings.
If you’re facing a similar situation, definitely make sure that some portion of your trip has planned activities that someone else is managing on your behalf and where all you need to do is show up. We had a week where a guide showed up to pick us up every morning and return us in the afternoon. The amazing thing was that it wasn’t just the guide, there was also a driver and an assistant. The assistant would carry Mr. Action when he got tired, and the assistant also made sure that there were umbrellas and water. It was magical. Instead of a meltdown, Mr. Action got help and everyone enjoyed sightseeing. This service didn’t come cheap but man, it was worth every penny during the hot portions of the day.
My in-laws were upset (!!!) by the amount of hands-on time I spent with our son. I regretted none of the time because he needed to be challenged instead of just left to his own devices in a house that wasn’t set up for a kid. There was cultural misunderstanding and sometimes just willful misunderstanding of what I was trying to do with Mr. Action. But you know what? Mr. Action’s math and logic game was definitely upped on this trip. Necessity is the mother of all invention, and learning while traveling killed two birds with one stone for us: 1) alleviated the boredom of being housebound, 2) skills acquisition.
Learning while traveling may seem counterintuitive – why “work” while on vacation? But I sincerely think that it’s one of the best things we can do to accelerate learning and create fun memories. You’re going to have downtime on vacation. Instead of screen time, why not spend some of that time playing games and working on skills in a no-stress environment?
