Are you thinking of hitting the road with your school-age kids? Whether you’re planning a cross-country road trip or just a few day trips, we’ve put together the ultimate packing checklist for traveling homeschool families.
This way, you can relax and enjoy your travels without worrying about whether you’ve forgotten something important!
Whether you are a traveling homeschool family or you are a family with kids in a traditional school that have to complete makeup work or homework on vacation, this is the list for you!
As a traveling homeschool family, we’ve had our smooth trips and our not-so-smooth trips. Planning makes all the difference. Plus, who doesn’t love a good checklist?
Traveling with your homeschooled children can seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. With a bit of preparation and a comprehensive packing list, you can hit the road and explore the world with your little learner by your side.
This checklist will help you get ready for any type of trip – from quick trips to long RV cross-country adventures.
So pack your bags and get ready to explore some amazing new places, and be confident that you’ve packed everything you need!
Mobile File Box
This is my number one suggestion for any homeschooling family that is on-the-go. Even homeschool families who homeschool ANYWHERE outside the home will benefit from this Large Mobile File Box.
If you have a really well-organized mobile file box, you can grab it at a moment’s notice and hit the road!
Even when we are not traveling, I love a good mobile box. Sometimes, we do our lessons at the park, at a relative’s house, or even in a treehouse! This makes it so easy to leave easily.
Hanging Folders
Next, order some Hanging Organizer File Folders, and let’s get organized!
The hanging folders are tabbed so you can label them which makes it super easy to stay organized.
You can choose to organize it by subject, by children, by topic, by travel location, by day of the week – whatever suits your family’s needs!
File Folders
File Folders help keep the tabbed hanging folders organized. I found this out when I just put everything inside the hanging folders. That’s not the best way and I found myself doing a lot of shuffling through papers trying to find what I needed.
Hotspot
Online programs will require Internet access, which can be a little difficult on the road.
If you have a smart phone, you can probably turn it into a personal hotspot if you pay for the extra data usage. You can also add a Hotspot to your phone plan.
Or, skip a hotspot altogether and opt to use free WiFi at many public places! Many coffee shops, restaurants, campgrounds, grocery stores, family and friend’s houses, libraries, and airports offer public WiFi.
Laptop or iPad
Not all homeschoolers need access to the Internet, but many of the older homeschoolers do. A lightweight laptop or Apple iPad is great for the road.
Headphones
If your kids need to use an iPad for their schoolwork, you will probably need Apple EarPods so your whole family doesn’t have to listen to the lesson.
For those using a laptop, Apple EarPods with a headphone plug will be best.
Clipboard
Most traveling homeschoolers prefer to do their schoolwork while traveling so once you reach the destination, you can just have fun!
This is why having a clipboard comes in handy.
Writing Tablet
We love traveling with a Writing Tablet! It makes practicing letters and numbers so much easier, plus, it’s an excellent time-management technique. If you’re in the car, RV, plane, airport, train – you can be getting all your work done so once you arrive, you’ll be ready to play!
Pencil Bag
Travel Pencil Bags are a game-changer. We used to use hard plastic pencil cases, but found the mesh travel bags to be much easier for travel.
Now, we just make a folder for crayons, markers, pencils, and pens and we use a separate bag for each. Easy Peasy!
Carseat Organizer
If you’ll be traveling in the car, you need a Car Backseat Organizer. No more mess and no more digging around the floorboard for dropped objects.
Kids love it too because everything is within reach!
Homeschool family or not – travelers need this!
Travel Tray
If you opt not to get a car seat organizer, consider a Travel Tray. It keeps everything in place and gives kids extra room for all their toys, snacks, drinks, and school work!
Coloring Books
Young children need to learn through play. Coloring is an excellent way to practice writing and it doubles as art!
Stock up on some coloring books – bonus points if you cater it to their interests! Right now, my son is loving Paw Patrol, Mickey Mouse and Cars, so we stick to those types of coloring books.
Here are some other great options:
- Camping Coloring and Activity Book
- The National Parks Coloring Book
- Camper Coloring Book
- 100 Animals Coloring Book
- Black History Coloring Book for Kids
- Important People in History Coloring Book for Kids
Crayons
If you’re bringing coloring books, you better bring some Crayola Crayons! My son and I love to color together. It’s how we wind down after a long day of traveling and exploring.
It’s fun to use coloring books that resonate with the type of trip you are on. They can use their surroundings as inspiration!
Pencils
Mechanical Pencils make traveling easier because you don’t have to pack a pencil sharpener and get all the wood scraps everywhere if your child decides to sharpen their pencil in the backseat!
Travel Journal
Travel Journal For Kids is an excellent way to practice writing, grammar, and spelling while preserving the memories from your vacations!
I remember doing this as a kid, and we still have the journal to look back on some of the details of our vacations that we would have otherwise forgotten about.
Fun Pens
Paper Mate Flair Felt Tip Pens are my favorite! They write beautifully, have vibrant colors, and best of all – they don’t bleed through your paper. On days when writing doesn’t sound fun, we switch to these bright colored pens, and my son perks right up!
Washable Markers
Washable Markers are another art essential when crayons get boring.
Notebooks
Don’t forget Notebooks!
Open and Go Curriculum
If you’re using a curriculum for homeschooling, select an open-and-go curriculum before becoming a traveling homeschool family if possible.
We’ve chosen The Good and the Beautiful because we love the scripted lessons, the combined teaching manual and lessons, and that very few lessons require extra items.
With an open-and-go curriculum, there is no planning on the parent’s part. You literally open the lesson and get started. It’s perfect for traveling families!
Books
Did you know that reading aloud to kids helps them develop better listening skills, imagination, vocabulary, language skills, and helps them develop a love for reading?
It’s never too late to start.
We love classic kid’s books. Some of our favorites are Charlotte’s Web, The Adventures Of Tom Sawyer, Where the Wild Things Are, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
Multi-Pocket Folders
Older homeschoolers love this Project Organizer. It has 24 pockets and can be customized and organized in the best way for the child. It’s a great way to keep all the schoolwork in 1 place.
Puzzles
Puzzles are a great way to exercise your brain! They help with problem-solving, concentration, discernment, short-term memory, spatial recognition, hand-eye coordination, and can improve mental speed!
Puzzles have even been known to increase IQs!
Some of our favorite puzzles are Map of the United States of America and Melissa & Doug Solar System Floor Puzzle.
When my son gets a little older, I plan to buy puzzles to work together to tell him the next place we are headed! I can’t wait!
Here are a few of my ideas: Yellowstone National Park Puzzle, Grand Canyon Puzzle, and Remember The Alamo Puzzle.
If you are traveling in the United States, here are some must-see places!
Games
Traveling can get boring, which is why games had to make this list! Be sure to buy the travel version of the games. It makes it much easier to not lose game pieces or tear up flimsy paper containers.
We love Travel UNO and Melissa & Doug Travel Memory Game.
Flash Cards
Make the most of your travel time with flash cards! Whenever possible, get the ones with rings so you don’t lose them.
- Alphabet Flash Cards
- Multiplication 0-12 Flash Cards
- Numbers & Sight Words Flash Cards
- Kindergarten Flash Cards – Numbers, Alphabets, Colors & Shapes
- Alphabet Water Cards
Extra Large Tote Bag
An Extra Large Utility Tote Bag is essential to pack all the miscellaneous school items that don’t fit into the mobile file box. I love the sturdy base of the tote. You can add extra organizational items inside as well.
Scissors
If you have young kids, most likely they will need scissors so be sure to bring a pair along for the ride. Scissors For Kids come in a 2 pack for left and right-handed kids.
Compass and Protractor
Kids taking geometry will need to have a Compass and Protractor Set for some of their schoolwork.
Conclusion
This list is very versatile and works just as well for traveling homeschool families as it would for children in traditional school settings who are traveling and need to complete makeup work or homework.
This list is far from exhaustive but should give you a really good start on what to pack and how best to organize your materials while away from home.
If you enjoy traveling with kids, consider homeschooling! Here’s how we do it!
If you need some inspriration to make travel homeschooling more fun, read this!
I hope you found this list to be helpful! If you have traveled with kids doing schoolwork, what were your absolute musts?! I’d love to add them to my list, so please leave a comment below!
Happy Travelschooling!
