There are a multitude of reasons for homeschooling families to log hours in the car. Many families travel to co-op classes or regularly visit museums and zoos. Some families take extended vacations, thanks to the flexible schedule homeschooling provides. Have you ever stopped to count the hours you spend in the car and wonder if you could make better use of that time? Diane Flynn Keith, author of Carschooling: Over 350 Entertaining Ideas & Activities to Turn Travel Time into Learning Time, had a very unique need to be using her travel time well. She had two boys in the circus and found herself traveling from one end of the San Francisco Peninsula to the other on a regular basis. That is a time commitment! Since "necessity is the mother of invention," we are now able to glean some practical and creative ideas from Diane for our own carschooling experiences.

TOS: Diane, please describe for us what you mean by "carschooling."

Diane: When I first began homeschooling, I was startled by how much time I spent in the car. We were on the road so much that there wasn't enough time left in the day to accomplish our schoolwork, and it worried me. I began to find ways to accomplish our academic studies while we were in the car. In a conversation with another homeschooling friend in 1992, we came up with the word "carschooling" to describe what I was doing-and it stuck. Carschooling means utilizing time spent in your car to educate your kids. You can prepare in advance and take educational resources with you to cover various subjects while you are traveling, or you can play car games that teach as they entertain, or you can use the world as your classroom by exploring the things you spy along the road. However, carschooling isn't just about academics. Memorable conversations spring up in the car as a result of playing a game or listening to an audiobook together.

TOS: What are some basics for organization and preparation to make the most of our carschooling time?

Diane: In my book, I devote an entire chapter to this subject because so many carschooling parents shared innovative ideas for organizing space in the car and keeping the mobile classroom clean-from fold-down lap trays that hang on the back of car seats to strap-on sun visor storage units. Using the glove compartment, side door pockets, and space under the seats is helpful, too. I think it is a good idea to bring along a box, bag, or backpack for each carschooler that contains things to keep them occupied, happy, and entertained whenever they are in the car. If everyone has their own stuff to do, it cuts down on the complaints about having to share, as well as the "she's touching my whatever" gripe.

Some of the things that veteran carschoolers recommend as essential tools are a notebook, pen, pencil, markers or crayons, a pencil sharpener, eraser, a magnifying glass, camera and film, binoculars, activity books with word searches and crossword puzzles, and books (for kids who don't get carsick), as well as nutritious snacks. Every carschool should have an audiocassette or CD player, a selection of books, stories, and songs on CD or cassette, a repertoire of car songs the whole family can sing, and a selection of car games and activities that cover every subject. You'll find an assortment of ideas in Carschooling.

Families who are on the road a lot often get into the habit of tidying up the car and putting everything back in its place upon arriving at each destination. A small bit of effort at each stop along the way keeps the custodial task from becoming overwhelming.

There are a few more things that really help when you carschool the first is to set behavior guidelines and consequences before you get in the car-many families assign the "shotgun" seat (in the front seat, next to the driver) to the family member who has the worst household chore to do that week. Bring along a timer and set limits on time spent playing electronic, hand-held games. (Some parents report that excessive use whips some kids into a frenzy that can make everyone's trip miserable.) Finally, plan your carschooling trips to include stops along the way. If you know the trip will take four hours, allow an extra hour of time. That way, you can stop and take a break when needed or investigate a roadside attraction-and bad traffic won't cause anxiety about getting to your destination on time. Remember that tiny kids who are experiencing gross motor development need to move. Plan to stop every 45 minutes and let them shake their sillies out for a good 15 minutes. Your trip will be much more pleasant for everyone as a result.

TOS: Spring is here, and summer is on the way. It is an ideal season to break out and go places. What are some ideas you have for activities and destinations?

Diane: Spring and summer are the perfect time of year to bring field guides along in the car. When you are in the car, you are out in the field. You will see all kinds of birds, trees, flowers, and animals along the road. Look for raptors on telephone poles near wide-open fields. They often perch there in order to spot lunch hopping through a meadow. Sometimes you can pull over and get a better look without scaring them away. If you carry binoculars in the car, use them to see the bird's talons, beak, and feathers. Try to identify the bird using the field guide.

Sometimes insects swarm in spring and summer, and they get "smooshed" on car windshields. You can tell what they had to eat based on the color of their "blood." Bugs don't really have blood; they have something called hemolymph. It is a clear fluid that is tinged different colors based on what the bug ate. If the blood is yellow, the bug ate nectar. If it is green, the insect ate leaves. If it is black, the bug ate other bugs. If the bug isn't too squished, try to identify it using a field guide.

Being aware of what you see as you ride in the car helps develop the scientific skill of observation. If you ask the kids to sketch what they see in a notebook and write down one thing they learned about it from the field guide, you are teaching them how to record their scientific observations. Don't forget that they are practicing writing, spelling, and reading as they make entries in their notebook journal as well.

My favorite summer destinations with my kids are pick-it-yourself farms and ranches. Not only do the kids get the experience of picking fruits and vegetables right off the vine or tree, but they learn about agriculture. Because the cost is usually based on price per pound, we have to weigh the produce we have picked. So, a little math is involved in the experience as well. To find a pick-it-yourself farm near you, visit the Local Harvest website at www.localharvest.org.

Other favorite educational destinations during the spring and summer involve cultural festivals that take place in cities and towns throughout the country. These festivals bring social studies to life in ways that textbooks never could. You learn about the music, dance, food, clothes, language, and customs of people from other parts of the world. To find a directory of festivals celebrated worldwide and in the US, log on to www.festivals.com.

Historical societies often take advantage of seasonal good weather to stage living history events such as Colonial Days, Pioneer Days, and Civil War reenactments. You can find a directory of living history events in the US, Canada, and Europe at the Association for Living History, Farm and Agricultural Museums website at www.alhfam.org. Click on "Living History Links" for the directory. One of the best resources for historical stories and music on CD and cassette is Bluestocking Press. A homeschooling family owns this company and can recommend great titles for every historical period. To get their catalog, call 1-800-959-8586 or visit them on the web at www.bluestockingpress.com.

TOS: What do you have to say about curriculum choices for carschooling?

Diane: I always like to be careful when discussing "curriculum" for carschooling. My feeling is that learning should be a joyful experience. The whole point of carschooling is to use time spent in the car to enjoy learning with your family. So, while it is entirely possible to develop and use a carschooling curriculum, you need to remain flexible enough to adapt or tailor it to each child's needs, interests, abilities, and mood when traveling in the car. If it's not fun and doesn't make the travel time go by quickly and pleasurably for everyone, then don't do it. If, on the other hand, everyone is happy and engaged in the activity you select-then, by all means, carschool to your heart's content.

TOS: Diane has detailed examples of games and resources for each subject category in her book, Carschooling. Whatever the teaching or learning style of your family, if you spend much time in the car, Diane has helpful information. Another carschooling resource is Diane's website, www.carschooling.com. She offers a free weekly game, a monthly calendar that includes historical facts, and several e-mail lists that will offer ideas and inspiration for your carschooling adventures.

So, when you hit the road this spring and summer, remember to take along Carschooling by Diane Flynn Keith. Her ideas can make your miles and hours fly by.

Diane Flynn Keith is the author of the book Carschooling: Over 350 Entertaining Ideas & Activities to Turn Travel Time into Learning Time, published by Three Rivers Press, a division of Random House. Diane is also the editor of Homefires-The Journal of Homeschooling Online at www.homefires.com, and a featured writer for The Link, a national homeschool newspaper. She is a popular speaker at education conferences and homeschool seminars as well. Diane has been a featured guest on numerous radio and television programs on the subjects of homeschooling and carschooling. Her book, Carschooling, is available at www.carschooling.com.

Carschooling is a registered trademark. Copyright 2003, all rights reserved, Diane Flynn Keith.