Biking to Homeschool

[no-name]

We a biking family and working with our children on a Waldorf-based
homescholl curriculim.  a big part of there lessons is observing nature,
and so we see a good fit between the lessons an biking.  has anyone
esle attempted to work biking and bike touring into their
homeschooling?  can you offer any input?

Thanks.

Matt

[gmomkids]

Matt, Greetings , I am in Florida and also homeschool both of my children. We use mapping skills, computers for reservations , find historical locations along the way, document wildlife we see, math is mileage and estimating time /fiances, we find the history of the trails we use, they write journals and take MANY pictures!!

This is just the tip of what all we find ....because I have 2 boys road kill becomes a science experiment..we have stopped at cemeteries and the boys have studied the tombs and made a small scale time-line of some interesting people .
Gosh!!! Being a homeschooler the world is our classroom!!!

I teach a group of homeschoolers at the co-ops  all about touring, camping, keeping safe , hydrating ( Florida) we have swam with manatees , dolphins in some of the rivers we have ridden to.
 
The boys researched the Fl lighthouses and then we road to most of them over the spring but we where chased away from the east coast when a hurricane came in ...we have had lessons on weather !

I also teach a ballroom dance group and many of them ride with us so we will find locations to perform /coach & meet other homeschoolers and many times I do a work shop for their co-ops...

I am working with a group of youth currently that are planning the Under Ground RR Trail as a destination..we are just working out the details to be able to find locations that can use a bunch of bicycle riding ballroom dance kids!!                The Ballroom Dance Bicycle Brigade  , Mom & Coach Gina
Hope this helps!

[no-name]

That's great Gina.

Ours are about to turn 6 (girl) and 8 (boy).  being in Wyoming, our next
nearest town is 25 miles, so rides to historical sites are probably a few
years off.  I like the idea of mapping skills, and it occurs to me that we
could combine biking and geo-cacheing in town.  we are 50 miles from
yellowstone and should be able to get some great projects this
summer with the few trails where bikes are allowed in the park.

I appreciate your insights.  Thank you.

Matt

[gmomkids]

Matt, geo-cacheing is another activity that the group does we have found items around Lake Seminole & on the Pinellas Trail which is a 45 mile trail here in our county... another very interesting project that the kids do is called  "letter boxing" which is the same type idea.
When I first started doing this with my children they would also draw a map from there driveway to where we went..they checked out the route we would take on the local county map before we would go ...tehn draw in all the need kid things ( which helps with spelling & reading, art) like , Mc Donalds, the firestation, the  library ,everything that caught their eye..when it was complete it was interesting to see the drawings they would do behind the places that interested them.
If you ever decide to vacation in Florida Please make contact ..I am sure the kids would love to ride together! We'll show you some sights and might even be able to put your family up for a few nights.
When I was a teen I traveled with my Dad on a North American Van Lines and I always thought Wyoming was one of the most beautiful states.
Good Luck in your Adventures, Gina   gmomkids@yahoo.com

[ststephen65]

hello guys, im glad i ran across this post...it was what i was looking for. my wife and daughter and i are planning to be nomadic on our bicycles for awhile. currently i am 7 months away from finishing up a then will be a 7 1/2 yr bit in the United States Airforce. after im a "free" man we will return to ohio and start making preparations to leave. at the time of departure Ana will prob be 2 yrs old. our plan is to cross the states on the trans am then go down the pacific tier, then across the bottom of the country, then back up. any tips, for long bicycle travel with a young en? we have done 3 day trips with her and so far that has been a success.  

[gmomkids]

Mr Stephens,
I Thank you for defending our country and hope you & your family have a wonderful adventure touring. If there is anything I can do to help with your goal I would be honored to help you . Good Luck, Gina

[gmomkids]

I almost forgot..I started both of my boys very riding young also .. A few items that came in REAL handy to me was ...lighted shoes on the kids ..I could see them at night/and they would flash with ANY movement ...take your time with plenty of stops and fun places for her age.
When she meets a friend try to have her penpal...even if it's through drawings, pictures  and postcards.
A camera of their own kept them interested for MILES!
Find nature & point it out.  Gina

[nancysv]

We just spent a year biking around North America with our 9-year-old twins.  We homeschooled them as went, but mostly we just played.  They learned so much that we didn't have to do much at all!  (And I used to teach 3rd grade, so I knew what they needed to know...)  Good luck!

Read about our incredible adventures as a biking family!  www.familyonbikes.com

[gmomkids]

Nancy,

 Your journal is wonderful and I have shared  your blog with the kids in our group . They have enjoyed reading yours & the Feldmann family from Canada...along with the bicycling most of the kids I work with are also wonderful ballroom dancers . When we make stops and the kids hear music and cut loose with a few swings & cha chas...the adults around them are amazed!!!LOL

 If any touring familes ever make it as far south as Fl ...Look us up we'll show you where to swim with manatees , dolphins and share the less known wonderful places our state has to offer..

We hope to meet other families traveling with kids when we do the Under Ground RR Trail.
                 Take care & have FUn , Gina

[mucknort]

It's been almost 2 years since "no-name" last posted. Your kids would now be around 8 and 10. I'd love to hear an update. I'm home-schooling my 10 year old son and our family is planning a trip from Boston to Vancouver to LA in 2010. Would love to hear updates and advice for on the road home-schooling.