A Little House Virtual Field Trip ~

As I’ve written before, the Little House books have influenced my life since I first read them as a little girl. I’ve read the entire series several times and have always had a dream – a dream that this year is going to come true!

I’ve always wanted to walk where Laura walked, see where she lived, and be inspired as a family along the way. Well, this summer it’s happening!

In June we’ll be heading west as a family – not in a covered wagon, but a minivan – to the Little House sites in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and South Dakota on a massive road trip.

I’m beyond thrilled to have the opportunity to do this as a family, but then I thought – why not take you guys along with me?

Of course, you won’t all fit in the minivan, but why not put together a virtual field trip so you can take your kids to Laura’s homes from your dining room or coffee table?

Ready? Let’s go!

A Little House virtual field trip

Stop 1. Pepin, Wisconsin

Books written about this site: Little House in the Big Woods

Head to Little House in the Big Woods on Google Earth

Laura was born in the Big Woods in 1867, and she describes this first childhood home in Little House in the Big Woods. The Ingalls lived here twice, and the memories Laura shares in the book actually take place after they returned from the Kansas prairie.

If you look at the satellite view, you’ll see that only a few trees remain, but there’s a replica cabin located at the site and a picnic area to hang out in.

Take a tour of Little House, Pepin:

(Click here for the video if you can’t see it below.)

Learn more about Pepin:

• About the site – Wikipedia
• Read the highway marker at the site.
• More photos of Laura’s birthplace
• Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum, Pepin

Stop 2. Independence, Kansas

Books written about this site: Little House on the Prairie

Head to Little House on the Prairie on Google Earth

Laura’s family moved here in 1869 and settled on land belonging to the Osage Indians, having received word that the land would soon be available for settlers. After a year of persevering through hardships and dealing with tensions between the Native Americans and settlers, the Ingalls were forced to leave Kansas.

Today a replica cabin sits on the site, furnished the way Laura described in the book. Pa’s hand dug well stands nearby as well.

Take a tour of the Laura’s little house as it looks today:

(Click here for the video if you can’t see it below.)

Learn more about the Kansas site:

• Read the marker at this site.
• More photos of the site near Independence.
• Kansas travel – Little House

Stop 3. Walnut Grove, Minnesota

Books written about this site: On the Banks of Plum Creek

Head to Walnut Grove on Google Earth (scroll up a little to see the original dugout site)

After leaving Kansas and spending a few years back in Wisconsin, the Ingalls moved to Minnesota in 1874 and lived in a sod house for the winter. Pa eventually built a house on the property (which Laura called “the wonderful house,” as it was the largest she had lived in at that point).

Both houses are gone, but Plum Creek–ah, that’s still there! I’m looking forward to taking off my shoes and wading in it, just like Laura did.

The site of the dugout has been marked, and Walnut Grove has a museum dedicated to Laura and the time period. The church bell that Pa donated his shoe money for hangs at a church in town as well.

Tour the site of plum creek and Laura’s home:

(Click here for the video if you can’t see it below.)

And take a walk on the banks of plum creek:

(Click here for the video if you can’t see it below.)

Learn more about the Minnesota site:

• Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum, Walnut Grove

Stop 4. De Smet, South Dakota

Books written about this site: By the Shores of Silver Lake, The Long Winter, Little Town on the Prairie, These Happy Golden Years, The First Four Years

Head to Little House in De Smet on Google Earth

After suffering disappointments in both Minnesota and Iowa, where the Ingalls lived for a short time, the family decided to move further west so Pa could work for the railroad as it expanded through South Dakota. This ended up being their final move until Laura, Mary, Carrie, and Grace left home as adults.

De Smet is the site of the Long Winter, the site of Laura’s courtship with Almanzo Wilder, and the start of their married life together.

Tour the Little Town on the Prairie:

( Click here for the video if you can’t see it below.)

Stop 5. Malone, New York

Books written about this site: Farmer Boy

Head to Almanzo’s childhood home on Google Earth

Almanzo was born on this farm in 1857, and Laura shares his childhood story beautifully in her book Farmer Boy. His family lived here for nearly two decades, until crop failures forced them to move west to Minnesota.

Almanzo’s original home still stands, and has been restored as much as possible to the time period in which the book was written.

Tour Almanzo’s farm:

(Click here for the video if you can’t see it below.)

Stop 6. Mansfield, Missouri

Head to Rocky Ridge Farm on Google Earth

All the Little House books were written from this location!

Laura, Almanzo, and Rose moved here in 1894 looking for a fresh start in farming. They transformed the rocky land they purchased bit by bit and spent nearly 20 years building the white farmhouse that is now a museum honoring the family’s legacy.

Years ago Steve and I had the chance to visit Rocky Ridge Farm on a road trip before having children, and I loved seeing Pa’s fiddle and Laura’s kitchen and parlor.

I’m standing at the site of the “Rock House,” which Rose (Laura/Almanzo’s daughter) built as a gift to her parents down the street from Rocky Ridge Farm. After living there a few years, they said it was “too fancy” for them and that they were homesick for the farm – so they moved back down the street!

Tour the Little House on Rocky Ridge Farm:

(Click here for the video if you can’t see it below.)

Learn more about Rocky Ridge farm:

• Laura Ingalls Wilder home and museum
• Laura Ingalls Wilder house
• Rocky Ridge Farm – Tripadvisor

I hope you enjoyed this Little House virtual field trip out west with Laura and me – a special thanks to Laura Ingalls Wilder, Frontier Girl for all of the wonderful video clips!

Head here to read all Jamie’s posts re: Little House – including the one after we returned from our trip!

“It has been years since I beat eggs with a fork or cleaned a kerosene lamp. Many things have changed since then, but the truths we learned from our parents and the principles they taught us are always true. They can never change.”~ Laura Ingalls Wilder, reflecting on her famous series

What’s Your Homeschool Mom Personality? Take Jamie’s quiz now and receive a free personality report to help you organize your homeschool based on what you need most!

52 Artist’s Dates for Your Homeschool ~
Written by Debbie Douse of An Adventurous Education

A wise friend of mine, knowing my desire to increase my creative flair, bought me an excellent book called The Artist’s Way. (afflink)

Fundamentally, this book encourages you to let go of what no longer serves you and instead make space for art in whichever forms call most to you. One of its key tenets is the concept of the artist date.

This is a permission slip to spend a couple of hours each week allowing your ‘inner artist’ to simply play.

The time should be spent alone, doing something that inspires you – fills your creative bucket so to speak – with no set outcome. Joyful, right?

I started adding this to my weekly planner. I’d bravely take myself out alone to the theatre to watch beautiful dancers or just ringfence time in my garden. My children’s interest was piqued.

I bought myself a stack of magazines to cut up into an inspiration board, and Rosie excitedly picked up what was left to make her own. Harry, noticing me book an oil painting class, asked if we could make it a mother-son date day instead. For months, I’d left a stack of photo frames hanging around ready to make a display of our travels.

It was an artist’s date destined not to happen… until Rosie decided she’d waited long enough and asked me with pleading eyes if she could please do some of them! Clearly the priority I was gifting my own creativity was motivating them to do the same.

So I brainstormed a list of 52 artist’s dates for your homeschool to stimulate all our imaginations.

The ardent Artist’s Way followers would insist these be done individually, and often, that works best.

But there’s also value to be gained doing them beside your loved ones, connecting through playful creation. And in a homeschool setting, it’s ideal for both bonding and interesting coursework that you might otherwise not have time for!

52 Artist’s Dates for Your Homeschool This Year:

1. Print out uplifting quotes and make a collage
2. Book a cookery course, design your own dinner party menu or forage for ingredients to use in a new recipe
3. Redecorate your bedroom and paint a mural on the wall
4. Attend a poetry recital or design your own with friends
5. Have a go at the potter’s wheel
6. Research Andy Goldsworthy’s art and create your own outdoor sculpture
7. Have a seasonal photography competition amongst family members – who can take the best winter or spring photograph?
8. Experience a new kind of theater, such as slapstick, mime or street theater
9. Design a mood board of pictures for a story/scene you’re writing
10. Try a new dance style, such as Irish or Flamenco
11. Draw your favorite building in your local town
12. Go wild swimming
13. Introduce yourself to a new style of music and find a favorite song in this genre
14. Pick some flowers from the garden to make a bouquet
15. Plan a road trip
16. People watch and create stories about each character
17. Make a photo-book of your holidays
18. Peruse a food market and taste foods you’ve never tried before
19. Research and try a new craft technique, like macramé, book folding art or wire figure sculpting
20. Go on a barefoot or night walk
21. Create a collection of beautiful objects
22. Visit an art gallery or museum
23. Write a song
24. Plant part of the garden as a beautiful sanctuary for you
25. Design a comic strip
26. Kayak or canoe down a river
27. Draw the floor plan of your ideal home
28. Bravely book a guided ghost walk
29. Go to a comedy club or write a comedy sketch
30. Make a ‘creative bucket list’
31. Attend a writing class
32. Make your own photo frame out of driftwood
33. Learn to knit
34. Explore unique shops with no agenda
35. Survey the sunset or sunrise, or stargaze
36. Watch an inspirational speaker
37. Start a nature journal
38. Enjoy a music festival or concert
39. Try workshops to learn new skills, such as juggling, leather working or soap making
40. Create a Pinterest board for a hobby or passion
41. Bake a new type of cake or pastry
42. Add hygge to your home
43. Plan, save and buy a new outfit
44. Make a Christmas wreath
45. Start a sewing project, such as new curtains, a patchwork quilt or new skirt
46. Enjoy a coloring or doodle book
47. Try a new type of painting class, like oil, Batik or watercolors
48. Start a blog, Substack or YouTube channel
49. Sit by the river and write a poem
50. Venture into previously unexplored areas of an art/stationery shop
51. Make a photo display
52. Write 10 things you’d love to be brave enough to do; chose one and do it!

Having experienced my own artist’s date last night – a talk from the intrepid explorer Simon Reeve – I can attest to the uplifting impact on your imagination.

Here’s to building a creative 2025!

* Find more of Debbie’s inspirational writing on Simple Homeschool here.

What’s Your Homeschool Mom Personality? Take Jamie’s quiz now and receive a free personality report to help you organize your homeschool based on what your type needs most!

The Best Tips For Successful Homeschool Field Trips ~
Written by Jessica Waldock of The Waldock Way

Field trips are the best way to learn! We love the real-world learning experience a field trip can provide. Over the years, we’ve discovered lots of little tips and tricks to get the most out of our homeschool field trips.

A great homeschool field trip can really bring the lesson to life! There are so many amazing opportunities to learn with hands-on activities and experiences via museums, parks, zoos, and more. Follow my best tips for successful homeschool field trips to make the most of your adventures this year.

Plus, discover some of my best resources for planning and executing great field trips in your homeschool this year. There’s a whole big world out there to explore. Let’s make the most of our field trips and see a little more of the world this year.

Field Trips Bring Learning To Life

We love learning through field trips! Field trips are a fantastic way to bring any subject to life in your homeschool. There are many wonderful field trips you can enjoy together as a family. 

Field trips extend the lessons you’re teaching at home with real-world experiences and hands-on learning opportunities. These outings also give us a chance to build relationships with other homeschool families in our area. It’s the best way to socialize with other homeschoolers while teaching an only child too.

My Best Tips For Successful Homeschool Field Trips

Field trips are great, but there are some things we do to help make them as successful as possible. Want tips on how to make your homeschool field trips more successful too? Keep reading to discover my top three successful field trip hacks for homeschool moms.

1. Don’t Rush, Take Your Time

My number one tip for successful field trips is to take your time. Don’t try to plan too many things in one day. Instead, go at a pace that works for your family, giving everyone time to experience new things and learn without any pressure to follow an itinerary. 

Trying to see and do everything in one field trip can be really overwhelming. Instead, consider taking multiple trips to the same location. You might be surprised to find that you learn something new each time you go!

If you only experience a fraction of what’s available on your first field trip, it’s the perfect excuse to plan another trip! Plus, your kids will get the chance to deep dive into the exhibits, places, or things they are most curious about and that’s a win for everyone.

2. Take Lots of Pictures

Moms love taking pictures! We want to capture everything. Plus, field trip photos are perfect for those homeschool portfolios. 

I’m not going to tell you pictures of your field trip will keep it from being a success, but what if instead of you taking the pictures your homeschoolers took them? Give your kids the camera and enjoy seeing the field trip from their perspective. You’re likely to enjoy some unique pictures of moments you might not have thought to photograph. 

Letting kids take the photos is a great way to get them involved. You can encourage reluctant kiddos with a photo scavenger hunt that requires them to find various things on your field trip and photograph them. Besides, if your kids are taking the pictures, you’ll actually get to be in them! 

3. Don’t Force School

We all want to get as much out of our field trip experiences as we can. It’s tempting to pack more printables and bookwork into our field trip adventures to get more “school” from the experience. Instead, I want to encourage you to make your field trip the most successful it can be by NOT making it “school.”

Learning will happen on your field trip, whether you bring the books and printables or leave them at home. Instead of walking through the park, museum, or zoo with a clipboard, put those papers aside and get engaged.

Enjoy it all together and have a chat about the experience when you get home.

Resources For Field Trips In Your Homeschool

Looking for more resources to help you get the most out of field trips in your homeschool this year? I’ve got lots of field trip tips and tricks you won’t want to miss! Discover how we make the most of field trips below.

• Carschooling: How to Homeschool on the Go
• Top Tips for Your Homeschool Field Trip to SeaWorld
• Homeschooling at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter
• Learning at Disney: How to Cover Every Subject and Have a Blast

I hope that these tips and resources allow for you and your family to enjoy more successful homeschool field trips! 

What’s Your Homeschool Mom Personality? Take Jamie’s quiz now and receive a free personality report to help you organize your homeschool based on what your type needs most!

A Fishing Pole, A Picnic and A Book: Simple Activities in Educational Terms ~
Written by Lusi Austin from That Homeschool Life

Having home schooled three older kiddos and now homeschooling their two younger siblings, has given me an unexpected gift: perspective.

The blessing of perspective is that I can easily see the big picture. I have experienced how fast time really flies. I have learned to not sweat the unimportant things.

I’ve learned to give more time to the things that matter most. I see how simple experiences can be learning opportunities.  I’ve now learned how to express the value of these days.

Learning as the day unfolded

Recently, we began our homeschooling day with a visit from another home schooled friend. She and my teen hung out in our teen-space. My son was building with LEGOs and playing a favorite game.

I heated up some banana bread I’d made the day before and we all gathered in the loungeroom to enjoy our snack. While we did, I read aloud from a book that I’ve found recently Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer.

They listened as I then read about the Sioux and different Chiefs that I remembered the names of from previous readings. We looked up Chief Sitting Bull and read about Custer’s Last Stand too. We talked about bison and reservations,  nomadic peoples and the similarities and differences between Indigenous Americans and our First Nation’s peoples here in Australia.

I also explained that the encyclopedia I was reading from had been published some 50 years earlier. We talked about how facts can remain the same, but how our language around those facts can evolve and change as our understanding does. The kids looked at a map my sister-in-law had lent us.

They looked at the different nations names and areas. I asked Mr 11 to get out the Book of Centuries timeline book and he wrote down a few important dates that we read aloud as we went.

I suggested we pack ourselves a picnic and go down to the river for some lunch.

Learning over lunch

Mr 11 got excited and started to make a homemade fishing rod. He made it out of a piece of wood in the backyard and some jute. A hook was fashioned out of a metal paper fastener.

He tested the length of the line in the backyard and then made some adjustments. Zeeki then packed extra ‘line’, some scissors (in case the line got snagged) and some extra ‘hooks’. Lastly, he went into the kitchen and made his own sandwiches.

We chose a nice spot by the river and as they ate, I read aloud some more from the Braiding Sweetgrass book.

After lunch, Mr 11 had the chance to throw his line using some bread as bait. He didn’t catch anything, but while there we chatted about the little wrens and swallows we could see by the water. He observed the current and some of the flowers by the river’s edge which we hadn’t seen before.

Now, years ago, I wouldn’t have classified this type of day as ‘productive’. I would have called it relaxing, but now with the gift of perspective, I can see it as being both. 

Seeing these simple activities in educational terms

Assessing – Zeeki assessed the situation (that we’d be going fishing and decided to make the most of that and make a fishing pole).
Estimating – He estimated the materials and resources he’d need and brought them with him.
Research – As we read through the encyclopedia, we discussed the importance of reliability of our sources when we are researching.
Processing – There was lots of new information to process as we read about the Sioux, about culture that has been lost and as we discussed assimilation here in Australia too.
Observation – We observed new birds and flowers by the river.
Identifying – The kids identified some of the territories and nations of the Indigenous Americans on our map as we read aloud.
Brainstorming – Zeeki brainstormed ways to create the best kind of fishing pole he could.
Contributing – All 3 of the kids contributed their thoughts on our discussions based on the readings.
Conversing – There was lots of good conversation all day!
Listening skills – The kids listened as I read aloud.
Efficiency – We worked together to get ourselves out the door with a picnic lunch, snacks, books and drinks for everyone.
Independence & self-regulation – While at the river, the girls went and made autumn leaf throwing videos for themselves and asked to walk to McDonalds and get some drinks to bring back for us all.
Imaginative & resourceful – Zeeki showed this in his fishing pole activity.
Thoughtfulness & integrity of thought – We had lots of chats about colonization.

I’ve learnt over the years that learning is always happening. Even simple activities like the ones I’ve just described can be packed full of amazing opportunities for our children to engage in their interests, with each other and with the world around them. I hope this might encourage you in some way.

What’s Your Homeschool Mom Personality? Take Jamie’s quiz now and receive a free personality report to help you organize your homeschool based on what your type needs most!

Historic Homes: The Perfect Place for a Field Trip ~
Written by Amber O’ Neal Johnston 

When my oldest daughter was very young, I didn’t regularly pursue opportunities to visit historic homes. In fact, it wasn’t on my radar at all. But eventually, our field trips became predictable and a bit stale as we repeatedly visited a limited number of places.

One afternoon, I picked up a flyer advertising a few historic homes in our area and decided to give them a try. I apprehensively took my little ones to the William Root House near us. This 1850s home offers a glimpse of life for an average family living in antebellum Georgia. We received a detailed tour of each room and the garden, and my entire family was fascinated.

My children engaged with the docents and asked questions during the tour and on the car ride home. They told my husband all about it as soon as he got home and eagerly looked forward to visiting another “old-fashioned” house.

Since that time, I’ve regularly incorporated visits to historic homes locally and across the country (and world) whenever our schedule and travels allow.

Sometimes I align the visits with the historical time period we happen to be studying and other times we just go wherever an opportunity presents itself. Either way, we always walk away with a greater understanding of the home and how the people inside may have lived.

If you’d like to incorporate historic homes into your field trip rotation, here are a few ideas to help you get the most from the experience:

1. Do a little research ahead of time.

Because of America’s history of slavery, many of our country’s preserved historic homes thrived under the forced labor of enslaved Black people. I understand why some families may want to avoid these properties, but many of these homes have done incredible work to include difficult and beautiful stories of enslaved people who endured on the land.

And there are also many African American historic homes in the U.S. and abroad where free Black people – famous and little-known – lived, and they’re fabulous places to visit.

If you aren’t sure about a particular home, check the website to get a sense of how they speak about the homeowners, the enslaved, and their intertwined stories. Call the site and ask about the tone of the tour and the details shared with visitors.

I’ve certainly visited places that need to do a much better job at honest storytelling, but most of the time, I’ve been pleasantly surprised.

2. Read a related book before (or after) visiting.

I enjoy pairing picture books and historical fiction novels with our historic home visits. Reading a story that takes place in the same time period as a historic home helps my family connect with what we see.

For example, when a tour guide pointed out a pie safe to my kids, they immediately turned to me and smiled because we’d just read a story that mentioned the same type of cupboard.

3. Ask questions about the preservation process.

When my children were younger, we would just soak up the stories shared within the historic homes, and that was more than enough. But now that I have a teen and tween (in addition to younger kiddos), we spend more time inquiring about the story behind the story.

We like to find out about architecture, which parts of the home and its furnishings are original, and what’s been done to preserve and protect the home.

4. Check out the National Register of Historic Places.

This is where I find leads on many of the historic homes that we’ve visited, especially the ones in other cities and states. Armed with this list and a few quick google searches, we’ve happened upon some of the most remarkable homes tucked away in unassuming places.

5. Revisit the same home.

This one may sound like a waste of time, but I assure you that revisiting the same home multiple times is a rich experience. The Swan House is a 1920s historic home in our area, and my kids have been so many times that I’m certain that they could lead a fabulous tour themselves.

We bought a membership to the larger property when they were younger, and we visited frequently because it was free and air-conditioned to beat the Georgia heat on days when I wanted to get them out of the house.

But as they explored and listened, they developed a relationship with the home and its stories, and that’s a gift that I never expected.

Exploring historic homes has given my family and I an added depth to our learning experiences and lives. I hope that you can share similar experiences with your family while touring historic homes. You will be glad you did!

What’s Your Homeschool Mom Personality? Take Jamie’s quiz now and receive a free personality report to help you organize your homeschool based on what your personality type needs most!

Never, when I dreamed up the Read the World Summer Book Club back in 2016, did I imagine it would become an annual event–one that readers would ask me about as May rolled around each year.

If you’re new to the concept, it’s when we visit and learn about each region of the world with our families through the summer–using books as our passports and plane tickets.

It’s brought me so much joy to serve as your global tour guide, as over 10,000 families from six continents have taken part since we first began!

Would you rather listen to this post?

And never, when I first created this club, did I ever envision a summer where so many of us would not be going on our planned vacations, and that some of us might not have even left our homes in over 60 days.

I think a virtual adventure is exactly what we need, don’t you?!

2020 marks our 5th summer book club, and this year there are TWO options for how to participate:

Option #1: A Self-Guided Tour–open for registration!

This option is open to anyone who owns a copy of my book, Give Your Child the World: Raising Globally Minded Kids One Book at a Time.

Those who sign up for the self-guided tour will receive:

* Specially-designed book club printables, including a log to keep track of your family’s summer book reading, motivational coupons, printable maps, and an end of club certificate of completion

* Access to a private page with global books for all ages–available electronically (via YouTube, Audible, Kindle, or the library app Hoopla) so you can enjoy the world this summer even if you can’t get to a library (Plus you’ll be able to find more using my book!)

* My Give Your Child the World downloadable coloring book

Find out how to sign up for the self-guided tour at the bottom of this post!

Option #2: A Global Group Tour, with Jamie as host and guide–currently closed

Our global group tour will take place within my Introverted Moms’ membership site, which just reopened for enrollment, and will remain open for new members through Sunday, June 7th!

Those who choose this option will receive all of the benefits in the self-guided tour, as well as these special features:

* We’re spending longer in each region, and heading in a different direction

In the past I heard again and again from participants that one week was not enough to visit a whole continent! So this year I’ve spread out our eight stops to allow for more relaxed exploration.

Also, the last time I ran the club, members suggested that it would be fun to begin in Australia and end with Multicultural Week (instead of the other way around). That’s the plan this year!

Check out the calendar (PDF version here):

• June 8th – Australia, Oceania, & Polar Regions
• June 18th – Latin America
• June 29th – North America
• July 9th – Middle East
• July 20th – Asia
• July 30th – Europe
• August 10th – Africa
• August 20th – Multicultural Week

* 3 emails each week, with the day’s itinerary sent straight to your inbox

You’ll get reminders three times a week, pointing you to that day’s book links, video clips, and beyond (think recipes, music, and more)!

This will be less overwhelming that getting an ENTIRE unit study for each region in one big chunk, and having to figure out what to do when.

I know I don’t want to have to think TOO much in the summer; I’d prefer someone to tell me: click here, then click here, then click here, LOL. I’ve got ya covered!

* A Pen-Pal Exchange

Sign your kids up to exchange at least one note, postcard, or letter over the summer with another book club member their age. (You could also call this a “postcard exchange,” but I know it might be tough to find postcards right now.)

Maybe some of them will enjoy writing to each other so much that they’ll continue and form a lifelong friendship!

* 2 Live Author Visits

We’ll have visits with Caroline Starr Rose and Mitali Perkins, authors of May B. and Rickshaw Girl (both titles are family read-aloud picks for the summer), where we’ll get to chat about their books and the globe together. (These ladies have lived so many places!)

Your kiddos will even be able to ask them questions!

* A Multicultural Celebration

At the end of our club we’ll have an event where we join in from our corners of the world to celebrate our successful adventure around the globe. More details coming soon!

* A Special Introverted Moms’ Book Club Pick

I hadn’t originally planned on choosing a special title for mamas to read this summer, but I just couldn’t help myself! After all, summers are for moms, too.

We’ll read and discuss in our forum a beautiful YA novel throughout the summer, Forward Me Back to You (also by Mitali Perkins), and if you happen to have teens, it’s the PERFECT book to invite them to read along with you!

* 8 mini-outreaches that go along with our adventure

Each stop on our journey you’ll have the chance to give back in some way–whether it’s to your neighbors or someone on the other side of the globe.

These are simple challenges your family can complete, even if you are not able to leave home.

* Our private (not on social media!) Introverted Moms’ forum

A safe space where you can discuss the book club, yes, but also chat, meet kindred spirits, and get advice on all things motherhood, homeschooling and beyond, AND…

* Access to all the content from the 1st semester of Introverted Moms

As soon as you sign up you get immediate access to ALL the content from our first semester of Introverted Moms’ membership! This includes:

4 video mini-workshops on a variety of topics, one live event replay, 9 episodes of my members-only Literary Snapshots podcast, one extensive unit study on Victorian England, and more!

Check out the full list here.

How to sign up:

To Sign Up for Option #1: The Self-Guided Tour

First, order your copy of Give Your Child the World  if you don’t already have one! If Amazon is out of stock, you can find it at: ChristianBook, Book Depository, Rainbow Resource, or of course Kindle!

After you’ve ordered, fill out this form and you’ll be all set!

Check your inbox (& spam/junk if necessary) to find an email with everything you need to get started! It should arrive within 24 hours of filling out the form.

for Option #2: The Global Community Tour

Introverted Moms’ enrollment is currently closed, but you can add your name to the wait list here for when it opens again in September!

In these very unusual times, I’m so grateful that we can still connect with the globe–and each other–this summer. I hope you’ll join me!

What’s Your Homeschool Mom Personality? Take Jamie’s quiz now and receive a free personality report to help you organize your homeschool based on what your personality type needs most!

For several years, my friend Caroline and I have talked about going to Prince Edward Island in search of our favorite author, Lucy Maud Montgomery (known as “Maud” to friends and family).

We’re avid fans, having read all the Anne books several times through, many of her other novels, all five volumes of Maud’s journals, as well as the newest extensive biography released about her life.

Well, sometimes dreams do come true! Back in July we drove for 13 hours from my home in Connecticut to PEI–and spent four magical days drinking in the sights and beauty there.

It seems like as soon as I mention this trip, many readers swoon and say “I want to do that!”

My advice? Do it! Plan your trip with help here, and check out Caroline’s post on the top 10 places for Anne/Maud fans to visit.

But why wait? Gather the Anne fans in your home and come to the Island with us today:

Stop 1. Green Gables Heritage Place

Head to Green Gables on Google Earth. If you check out the satellite view you can zoom in and see both the house and the path Lover’s Lane behind it!

When you visit Green Gables fact and fiction start to blur. I had to keep reminding myself that Anne had not actually lived in this house.

Maud’s cousins, the McNeills, owned this home, which was within walking distance of Maud’s own residence. Situated on the way to her beloved Lover’s Lane, this property inspired her enough to become the setting for her famous novel.

Take a tour of Green Gables (5 min video):

Stop 2. Lake of Shining Waters

Head to the Lake of Shining Waters on Google Earth. I included a screenshot of the actual pond above, as well as a zoomed-out version so you can see how the location relates to Green Gables and the rest of the Island. Zoom in on satellite view to get a great view of the lake–called “Campbells’ Pond on the map.

You’ll find the Lake of Shining Waters on the grounds of Park Corner. This 110 acre farm belonged to more of Maud’s cousins, the Campbells, and Maud had some of her happiest life moments here.

You can tour the house if you visit today, and you can even get married here! Park Corner serves as the setting for the Silver Bush series and Maud’s book The Story Girl.

Take a peek at the Lake of Shining Waters (4 minute clip):

During our visit, Caroline and I made a vlog combining passages from Anne of Green Gables with some of the spots featured in the book. The Lake of Shining Waters comes in at the end!

Read the World: North America from Jamie Martin on Vimeo.

Stop 3. The Red Cliffs of the North Shore, PEI

Head here to view the red cliffs on the North Shore of Google Earth. Nearly the entire North Shore of PEI is part of a national park and beyond stunning! Of course the red cliffs and roads also continue throughout the Island.

As a young teen I fell in love with the red cliffs/dunes of Prince Edward Island most from the Anne of Green Gables mini-series, which brought the Island’s beauty to life in my eyes. Finally seeing them in the flesh, especially at sunset was pure magic!

See for yourself (4 minute video):

Stop 4. Dalvay by the Sea Hotel

Head here to view Dalvay by the Sea on Google Earth.

Die-hard fans of the mini-series will recognize Dalvay by the Sea from the opening sequence of Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel. While Anne daydreams, the loose sheets of her novel blow away. As she goes to collect them, a charming hotel can be seen in the distance (see 2nd pic above) and she first meets the charming Morgan Harris.

Fans of Road to Avonlea will also remember this building as the White Sands Hotel, featured in many episodes. (See it in the opening sequence of this one at 32 seconds!)

If you make it to Prince Edward Island one day, you can stay at Dalvay by the Sea or just go for the incredible food, view, and ambience like Caroline and I did!

Take a tour of Dalvay by the Sea Hotel (3 minute clip):

Stop 5. L.M. Montgomery’s Birthplace

Head here to see L.M. Montgomery’s birthplace on Google Earth.

L.M. Montgomery was born in the upstairs bedroom of this home on November 30, 1874 in Clifton, New London. Due to her mother’s illness and death, she grew up with her maternal grandparents in Cavendish.

Check out this lovely story from Maud’s journals about her mother and this home in Clifton:

Take a tour of Maud’s birthplace (1.5 minute video clip):

Stop 6. Cape Tryon Lighthouse

Head to Cape Tryon Lighthouse on Google Earth

Upon hearing what huge L.M. Montgomery fans Caroline and I are, the lovely folks at PEI Tourism suggested we visit Cape Tryon Road and walk the red road to the lighthouse with its breathtaking views!

This spot inspired Maud when it came time to create the setting for Captain Jim’s lighthouse in Anne’s House of Dreams.

Stop 7. Anne and Gilbert: The Musical

Our second night on the Island, we had the chance to drive to The Guild Theatre in Charlottetown for Anne and Gilbert: The Musical. In all honesty I was a bit skeptical, as I always am about adaptations of favorite books. But this show surpassed all my expectations!

I was completely taken with the music and storyline (based on Anne of Avonlea and Anne of the Island) and downloaded the album the next morning.

It made me think through scenarios I’d never considered, like how thrilled the girls in Avonlea would have been that the handsome Mr. Blythe was going to be their teacher, and how disappointed they might have felt when hearing he had given up the school for Anne Shirley.

Take a listen to one of the songs:

4-min clip of “Island Through and Through,” performed a few years ago at Green Gables:

Still haven’t had enough?

At 18 minutes long, this bonus video might not hold your kids’ interest, but if you’re an avid Anne/Maud fan, it’s a must-watch when you have the time.

It includes many of the PEI connections mentioned in Maud’s books, all set to the instrumental “Anne’s Theme” fans of the miniseries love:

I hope you’ve enjoyed this virtual field trip! Massive thanks to Prince Edward Island Tourism for helping us navigate our trip, and for giving us all the inside scoop about where to go to experience Maud’s Island for ourselves.

It did not disappoint, and I hope you have the chance to explore it for yourself one day! In the meantime, why not read your way around Canada and beyond?!

You never know what peace is until you walk on the shores or in the fields or along the winding red roads of Prince Edward Island in a summer twilight when the dew is falling and the old stars are peeping out and the sea keeps its mighty tryst with the little land it loves.

You find your soul then. You realize that youth is not a vanished thing but something that dwells forever in the heart.” ~ L.M. Montgomery

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What’s Your Homeschool Mom Personality? Take Jamie’s quiz now and receive a free personality report to help you organize your homeschool based on what your personality type needs most!

Welcome to our global link-up! We’re so glad you’re here – think of this as a free trip around the world, right from the comfort of your dining room table!

Take as long as you want to globally “hop” from one post to another and travel the world, meeting fellow  families from around the planet!

Thank you for traveling the world with us. It’s been unforgettable, and we hope you’ve enjoyed it as much as we have!

Have fun exploring the world with each of these posts:

Dangerous animals, fun expressions and more make up this family’s home – Australia!

The Georges are a homeschooling family of 7 that lives in a caravan and spends most of their time in Far North Queensland, although they are nomads. In fact, many people in their home country are!

Kelly shares that and many other fascinating facts about Australia with us today. Check out her blog Fearless Homeschool for more inspiration from down under!

Tell us a little bit about your family.

Hi! My name’s Kelly, and I’m married to Daniel. We have five children. Gabrielle is 12, Holli and Asha are identical twins and are 11, Rex is 10, and Forrest is 7.

Daniel is studying nursing, I’m studying nursing and running a website, and the kids are all homeschooled and studying the things they’re most interested in.

Tell us a little bit about where you live and how long you’ve lived there.

Right now we’re living in a caravan!

This is not uncommon in Australia, especially for people who have retired – we call them grey nomads. We call ourselves rainbow nomads, as we’re not grey yet, and our caravan is very colourful.

We spend most of our time in Far North Queensland as Daniel is studying here. It’s a beautiful place-it’s the only place in the world where two World Heritage areas meet (Great Barrier Reef and Daintree Rainforest).

There’s crystal clear creeks surrounded by lush rainforest, sugar cane and banana farms, and beautiful beaches.

What do you think is unique and special about living where you do?

We have a very low population density. Australia averages 3 people per square kilometre, while the United States averages 35.

Most Aussies live on the east coast. That combined with our climate means that we can spend a lot of time in nature (we call it ‘out bush’). There are places you can camp and not be able to hear or see another person. It’s something that many people do regularly-the Indigenous Australians call it ‘going walkabout.’

We’re also very multicultural. Just under a quarter of Australians were born overseas, and 43% have at least one parent that was born overseas.

Growing up, I had friends who were Croatian, Vietnamese, Greek, Persian, Sri Lankan and Chinese. It was very normal to go over to a friend’s house and their parents not speak English very well, and to get served unidentifiable but absolutely delicious food!

Lastly, we have very unique animals. All of our mammals are marsupials, which means they all have pouches. The platypus and echidna are mammals that lay eggs – and the platypus is venomous too!

When Captain John Hunter sent a platypus pelt and sketches back to England in 1798 they thought he’d sewn different parts of animals together to trick them-they couldn’t believe such a thing existed!

Photo by Matt Chan

We have an awful lot of dangerous animals too – we have 21 of the top 25 venomous snakes (including the inland taipan, the most poisonous snake in the world), the most poisonous jellyfish, crocodiles, sharks, bird eating spiders … but it’s actually really safe here, promise!

What languages are spoken there? If it’s different from English, can you help us learn a few common phrases?

English is the only official language, and most Australians aren’t bilingual unless they’re immigrants or the family of immigrants.

There’s even a joke about it:

What do you call someone who knows three languages? Trilingual.

What do you call someone who knows two languages? Bilingual.

What do you call someone who only knows one language? Australian.

We do have our own special version of English though – here are some funny expressions you may hear in Australia.

• Crikey! and Strewth! Are expressions of surprise.
• G’day mate, how ya goin? Hi, how are you?
• Go off like a frog in a sock. Go crazy!
• Spit the dummy. Have a tantrum.
• No worries. Don’t worry about it.
• Ripper! Or You beauty! That’s fantastic!

What are some traditional foods there?

With our short history and immigrant population, we don’t have many ‘Australian’ foods.

Native Australian food, which we call bush food, typically tastes pretty terrible!

Macadamias are delicious, but Davidson’s plum and lilly pilly aren’t fruits you’d eat by themselves, they’re very astringent.

We eat kangaroo, but it’s not common – most of the meat eaten is lamb and beef. But we can get all sorts of exotic food here.

We also claim Vegemite, lamingtons, meat pies, and pavlova as ours (but the Kiwis say they came up with pavlova).

Tell us about the climate where you live.

Most of Australia has a great climate – it only snows in the high places, and even then it’s not reliable. Australians who like to ski and snowboard usually fly to New Zealand!

Cairns has a wet tropical climate – it’s hot and wet in summer, and slightly less hot and wet in winter. There’s lot of vegetation and beautiful flowers, and lots of wildlife-including geckos, crocodiles, and giant pythons.

Right now it’s the middle of winter, but we’re still all wearing shorts and T-shirts, and going swimming!

What does school look like for the majority of kids where you live?

We have a National Curriculum now, so it’s the same all over Australia. Most kids go to kindergarten at four. School starts with Prep at five years, then grades 1-6 at primary school, and 7-12 at high school.

The day starts around 9, and finishes around 3.30. We start our year in summer, in January, and finish in December. There’s four terms of around 12 weeks, with a two week holiday between each term, and a longer summer holiday.

After that you can go to university, with a degree taking at least three years, do an apprenticeship, or go to TAFE, which trains people in more practical skills, such as hospitality and trade work. 

What does school look like for your family?

We homeschool, so our days suit us! We usually do most of our bookwork on Monday and Tuesday. We really like English, history, and science so we spend the most time on those.

We have a weekly work list on the wall with the work each child needs to do for that week, and they choose when to do it and tick off the work as it’s done.

Right now Friday is for homeschool group, which is always great fun.

We typically work until we’re tired, usually about 6-8 weeks, then have a few weeks off until we’re ready to get back into it again. Our work all gets done in the end without too much stress.

Are there any special festivals or traditions you’d like to tell us about related to where you are visiting?

Australia doesn’t have many festivals. We have a short history, and a somewhat shameful one, in how we’ve treated our native people.

Many people celebrate Australia Day on Jan. 26, which is the day the First Fleet landed in 1788, but other people call it Invasion Day and refuse to celebrate, as this was the day the Indigenous Australians started to lose their homeland.

ANZAC day is April 25th, and it commemorates the landing of the Australian and New Zealand troops at Gallipoli in 1915. There are services in every town to remember all the Australians who have served, fought and fallen in all of the wars. We usually go to the dawn service.

If you moved countries, what would you miss most?

The weather, and the outdoor lifestyle. We’re outside for most of the day, every day.

It’s also very casual-people don’t care too much about what they look like. Everyone just wears shorts and T-shirts, and it’s normal to go out barefoot. When we went to Melbourne recently we kept forgetting to wear shoes, and it’s not normal to go barefoot there – we got a lot of funny looks!

I think I’d also miss the Aussie sense of humor – if you’re friends with someone you tease them a lot. I have to be careful with my friends who come from other countries, as they might think I’m being mean!

Do you have a favorite book that takes place in your region/country?

• Snugglepot and Cuddlepie, by May Gibbs
• The Muddle-Headed Wombat, by Ruth Park
• Bushland Stories, by Amy Mack
• The Silver Brumby series, by Elyne Mitchell

We also love Australian poetry. Our favorites are:

• The Man from Snowy River, by A. B. ‘Banjo’ Paterson
• Our Country, by Dorothea Mackellar 

Fast Facts about Australia

• The capital of Australia is Canberra
• Share this Gold Coast Australia, Cool Things for Kids video and you’re family will want to head to Australia NOW!
  

Thank you so much, George Family!

The Weary Family is a homeschooling family of four that wanted to experience expat life. So for nearly two years they’ve been driving throughout Mexico and Central America.

They’ve now visited each country, and have things they love about every place they have stayed including the food, the clear blue water and the animals they’ve encountered.

Tell us a little bit about your family.

My name is Mickelle. I am a former school teacher with a specialization in math. I am currently a homeschool mom.

My husband, Ken, is a technology geek and avid learner. He spent years working his way up the corporate ladder and as a result had to spend time on the road away from our family. Today he works with remote clients wherever we are.

My daughter, Ela, is 10-years old and loves all water activities. She earned her scuba diving certification in Honduras last November.

My son Tag is 7-years old and rarely stops talking or moving, except when he’s sleeping (and not always then). He is obsessed with Legos, sticks, rocks and collecting the odd objects that appear in his path.

Tell us a little bit about where your travels and where you’ve stayed.

We crossed the US/Mexico border, in our car with license plates from Washington State on Aug. 5, 2014. Since then, we’ve driven in and through every country in Central America and Mexico.  

Our first destination was Panajachel, Guatemala. I took a job at a small, International school, where English is the primary language used for teaching, for 10 months so that we could ease into expat life slowly. The kids attended the same school and, as it turned out, I was Ela’s teacher.

My husband took a year off, recharged his batteries, and spent a lot of time with the kids, especially Tag who was only in school half-days.

During that year, we spent Christmas break traveling through Panama. In the summer of 2015, we spent 3 months housesitting in Costa Rica.

From there, we spent 2 months living in Nicaragua and 1 month in Honduras.

After a bit more moving around, we have fallen in love with Mexico. So far, we’ve lived in the mountain town of San Cristobal de las Casas, spent 3 weeks in Oaxaca and 4 months in several places along the Yucatan Peninsula.

After a border run to Belize, we are now settled for the next 3 months in Playa del Carmen, where there is a strong homeschooling/worldschooling community.

Our current plan is to return to the States for a visit during the month of October. After that, we don’t know! We may head to Columbia in South America, but we’re also exploring the possibilities of Europe.

What do you think is unique and special about where you have been living?

Every place we visit leaves us with special memories. Guatemala left us with an imprint of Mayan life – women carrying baskets full of vegetables on their heads, a lively Mercado with all varieties of fresh foods and the beauty of Lake Atitlan surrounded by several pueblos (towns) all unique in their own way.

Our up-close experiences with white faced monkeys and a three-toed sloth, both in the wilds of Costa Rica, make us laugh and smile simply thinking about them.  

The island of Roatan, Honduras, will forever be the place Ela and I learned to scuba dive and had our first adventures exploring the Meso-American Barrier Reef 40 feet under the water.

I can still hear the noise of the main square in Esteli, Nicaragua, where a loud siren sounds at 6 a.m. and noon every day, telling the workers when it is time to start working or break for lunch. Our apartment building overlooked this square and we saw first-hand the locals celebrating, demonstrating, performing and worshipping special events at least 5 days a week.

The mountain town of San Cristobal de las Casas reminds us that Mexico isn’t all hot and watery. We walked everywhere often on cobblestone roads and uneven sidewalks exploring this colonial town. My senses taste the hot chocolate with mint or cinnamon and see the small amber bracelets warding off evil spirits and protecting babies throughout town.

I associate the Yucatan Peninsula with water – Swimming in cenotes, water holes that have opened up just below the surface of the Earth; long, tranquil days lounging in the Caribbean Sea and snorkeling adventures where I’ve seen a shark, baby turtles, a stingray and a seven-foot barracuda.

While Mexico is the place my family spent 30 minutes feeding manatees at an animal rescue sanctuary, Belize is where we saw a baby manatee in the wild playing in the turquoise green waters of the Caribbean Sea.  

Not everything is roses though. South of the US is the land where toilet paper is not flushed, the internet can be undependable, and tap water is not drinkable.

Long drive days involve several police checkpoints, highways with speed bumps and cattle grazing on the side of (and sometimes on) the road. I can’t forget the kids born in poverty, begging for scraps of my left-over dinner when I eat in restaurants.

Recycling and composting are not common. Burning garbage is. Hand washing clothes is as common as washing machines. Clothes dryers, microwaves, and dishwashers are rare.

The unique and special things we see in every destination are both amazing and often sad.

What languages are spoken there? If it’s different from English, can you help us learn a few common phrases?

The primary language in Mexico and Central America is Spanish. However, other prevalent languages include numerous Mayan dialects, Creole (along the Caribbean) and English.

On learning Spanish — I thought the kids would easily pick up Spanish. Not so. Our youngest refuses to speak it. Outright refuses. He’s quite stubborn so we have to wait him out and simply hope that there’s Spanish working in his brain that will come out some day.

Our daughter is slowly learning some Spanish, but it’s not coming easily. That said, she can order the most sophisticated desserts in Spanish. Her sweet tooth is clearly her motivation.

If we had to do it all over again, we would have tackled the language in a totally different way. We would have signed up for weekly or bi-weekly classes and inundated ourselves with it. We wouldn’t have counted on the exposure of our surroundings to have a big impact. But the kids and I have gotten by quite easily with English.

Some of our most used phrases:

• I want chocolate ice cream. – Yo quiero helado de chocolate.
• Where is the bathroom?  – ¿Dónde está el baño?
• Do you have… – Tienes…
• I am looking for… – Busco…
• How much is this? – ¿Cuánto es?
• Iced venti decaf vanilla latte please – Venti helado de vainilla latte descafeinado por favor

What are some traditional foods there?

Avocados are everywhere. Tortillas, rice, beans, Tacos al Pastor, chicken dishes, pancakes, fresh squeezed juices (pineapple, orange, mango, watermelon, papaya), daily made bread, coconut water and coconut milk, fresh fruit with picante on it, corn on the cob with mayonnaise and ketchup, plantains, and limes are just a few of the foods we find all over Central America.

Tell us about the climate where you live.

The climate varies depending on how high above sea level we are living.

Many mountain towns have spring-like conditions year round. The nights are breezy and can be cold at 50 degrees F. The days are as high as 80+ degrees F.

The coastal land is far warmer, with daily highs in the 90s. Nights cool off a little, but we never need lightweight sweaters or socks.

We’ve not lived in a place with an indoor heating system. Fireplaces exist in the highlands and individual air conditioning units are often available along the coasts (but running them a lot can be very expensive).

What does school look like for the majority of kids where you live?

Public schools are often free to attend in elementary but not so at middle and high school levels. They often have religious affiliations and students wear uniforms.

Students commonly go to school Monday through Friday for a half-day, either in the morning or in the afternoon. At mid-day, the morning students and their teachers go home and essentially another school, with different teachers and administrative staff, use the same building for the second half of the day.

Most public schools do not have air conditioning, nice desks or big, green luscious fields for recess.

Students get to school by walking, biking, driving motorbikes or taking taxis. School buses are not commonly used for taking students to and from school.

At break time, many vendors will wheel their carts near the school fence and kids can be seen buying treats such as chips, soda, fresh fruit with spices and ice cream. Often, the families of students are expected to provide all of the school supplies that the teacher deems necessary, even if the family has little money.

What does school look like for your family?

We don’t have a typical day, and there is little structure to our current educational approach.

Math – I have a supplementary set of math materials for grades 1-6 that I use when I feel Ela or Tag is ready for it. This particular curriculum, Contexts in Education by Cathy Fosnot, is meant for classroom use, includes real-world type problems and follows the constructivist philosophy. When we’re working on one of these books, we try to do 1-2 lessons a day.

Other times, I’m following where the kids are developmentally (I am trained to recognize mathematical development) and providing activities that I believe are appropriate and fun for them. However, if they ask for a particular strand, we will do that too.

Reading – We bought an annual subscription to Reading Eggs/Reading Eggspress. Tag was highly motivated to be in the more sophisticated platform (Reading Eggspress) because he wanted to be doing the same thing his older sister was doing. Therefore, he finished all the lessons in Reading Eggs (noted to end at grade 2) within a couple of months.

The kids download several books from the library each week. Ela asks me to wake her up early so that she has at least 30-60 minutes to read in the morning before her brother wakes up (and starts talking to her). Tag prefers listening to audio books, often on double-speed. My husband and I read to the kids every night, often for 30-60 minutes. 

Writing – I’m pretty much ignoring writing this year. My daughter despises writing (a result of school life) and my son isn’t ready for it. I taught him cursive simply to improve his small motor skills. When we do approach writing, it will be with a strong nod to social media and 21st Century needs.

Science & Social Studies – We chose to study the cycles of the Earth, the Moon, and the Sun last fall after Ela was asking questions about the different seasons. “Why does Seattle have winter, but Central America doesn’t?”

We’re currently studying the ocean (salinity, buoyancy, corals, animal life, water currents, etc.) because we live next to it. The entire family has been working through the video series Blue Planet.

Finally, we live social studies. We’ve lived in 6 countries in the past 2 years and visited others. They see how people live life differently. They understand the concepts of climate changes, landforms, water forms, city v. urban, etc. because travel and change is their life.  

Are there any special festivals or traditions you’d like to tell us about related to where you are visiting?

My favorite festival that we’ve participated in is the Day of the Dead as it is celebrated in Sumpango and Santiago Sacatepéquez, Guatemala, on Nov. 1.

Long grasses, flowers, and candles are used to decorate the grave sites of loved ones where family members picnic and celebrate past family members. At the same time, groups of Guatemalans have spent the previous weeks and days constructing giant 6-meter-wide kites out of bamboo, homemade glue and tissue paper.

The kites often share important political messages about women’s rights or the environment. At dusk, many of the kites are flown high in the air where the wind eventually whips them to shreds.

The Mayans believe the kites bridge the gap between the world of the living and the dead, and allow them to share brief messages with loved ones who have moved on.

It would be hard for any other holiday to match the carefully planned architecture and colors of the kites, the beauty of the graves, and the hearts of the people and their celebrations.

When you leave a location, what do you miss most?

Usually, we miss the friends that we’ve made along the way the most. However, many of them are constantly moving and we have high hopes of meeting some of them again somewhere in the world!

I tend to miss small towns the most, those where everything is within walking distance and our car is not needed. Ela and I will miss the Caribbean Sea when we venture too far away from it.

We’ve decided that we’re island people and may need to settle on an island someday.

I’ll also miss the architecture. The beauty of historic old buildings and towns can be stunning.

Fast Facts about Mexico and Central America

• Central America is made up of of seven countries: Belize, Guatemala, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras, and Panama
• Parts of Central America are bordered by the Pacific Ocean, The Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico.
• Hang out with another “worldschooling” family in this video as they hike the tallest mountain in Central America:
  

Thank you so much, Weary Family!