There is no rule that says school is the only place where children can learn. In fact, most professional educators agree that traveling can be one of the top learning experiences for school-age children. Of course, it is important for vacations to be a time for relaxing and having fun, there is nothing wrong with adding a learning opportunity or two into the mix.
When children are in school, they get so few hands-on learning experiences. They are often stuck at their desks or staring at screens. That type of learning is certainly not memorable.
But, hands-on experiences during vacation time certainly is.
Since parents want to have fun and relax on vacation, the last thing they want to do is take too much time planning and organizing learning experiences. It doesn’t matter if you visit an exclusive resort, load up the RV, or travel overseas, there are always ways that children can learn while on vacation.
Learn Job Skills At The RV Park
Families that travel in an RV can usually find great opportunities for learning at RV parks. The experts at Outdoorsy, a website that specializes in RV vacationing, have several ideas. These ideas get kids thinking about skills like:
- Using money
- Taking care of animals
- Doing yard work
- Reading recipes
These small learning activities can make a big impact as kids get to practice skills in the real world. Many small business owners often complain that their employees cannot count money or follow a recipe. By helping out at the RV park, your child will learn real job skills and have fun while doing it.
An Experience Vacation Can Enrich And Educate
If you prefer something a bit more organized, why not plan a vacation that is designed to enrich and educate. Now that the vacation industry is focusing on experiences, there are vacations designed to teach about nearly every interest. You can take vacations with themes like:
- Surviving in nature
- Learning to cook
- Identifying constellations
- Maneuvering a boat
- Understanding history
- Speaking in a new language
These vacations can be done close to home or on the other side of the world.
Take Time Out To Volunteer While On Vacation
Another way that children can gain priceless learning experiences outside of school is by volunteering while they are on vacation. Most popular vacation destinations are staffed with employees who are not paid very well. They often live in impoverished areas that can benefit from volunteers who have time to give.
Instead of taking the children on a beach vacation and just letting them relax, find somewhere that they can give their time. Even if you take your kids to the theme parks in Orlando, Florida, there are opportunities for them to give some time those who need it. Families can volunteer at hospitals, animal shelters, food banks, libraries, and churches.
While you are planning your vacation, you can find volunteering opportunities by contacting local churches or non-profit agencies. Many agencies prefer to know in advance when people are coming to give their time so they can plan accordingly.
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