As adults, we don’t always notice the details and interesting things that surround us in our travels. Sure, we can’t miss the clown at the town festival or the big pirate boat at the marina, but what about the dogs walking by, the flags flying in the air, or the different trees that line the highways?
Your little ones won’t be interested in every detail either, but all you need is to find one that’s intriguing, and you have yourself a teachable moment. If you hear, “Mommy, what does that sign say?” or “What state are we in now?” it’s your chance to start a conversation. Ask things like, “What color is that sign? Did you know that when it’s a green sign, it tells you what road or location is that way?” “We’re in Virginia and soon we’ll be in Washington, DC. Do you know who lives there?” The possibilities are endless.
Your kids might not remember everything you said along the way, but they’ve now had exposure to it. And the next time they hear it, they just might say, “Hey, I know that!” Your child might go home to a social studies lesson on Thomas Jefferson, right after you pass his Monticello home. She might be learning about geography, after you spent the week at the lake or the ocean. She might be learning about weather after a week of checking the sky to see if it looks like rain. You never know when these little experiences will become building blocks to even more knowledge and understanding. You're helping to build what we call background knowledge or scaffolding.
Even if you end up stuck inside, with rainy weather or extreme heat, there’s plenty to learn there too. Find those ordinary, everyday items and have some fun. Bake a pie and have your child help measure. Grab a calculator and start adding and subtracting or set up a pretend store. And if you watch television, talk about it. Discussing what we see and hear helps us to learn it and retain it. Your child might hear a new word or learn a new concept, even in the least educational of shows, but it needs to be pointed out and reinforced for it to become meaningful.
Not everything has to turn into a lesson, and there certainly doesn’t need to be a quiz at the end of the trip, but it’s one more chance to give your children a head start on building that knowledge base that will stay with them throughout their lives. Enjoy the trip, even if it’s a simple walk to the store!
