How Our RV Travels Shaped the Way We Learn (and How We Still Homeschool Today)

When we made the decision to hit the road full-time in our RV back in 2019, we thought the biggest adventure would be the miles we traveled, the landscapes we explored, and the places we would temporarily call “home.” But what I didn’t expect was that one of the most beautiful, transformative, and challenging adventures would become homeschooling.

I never imagined we would become a homeschooling family. Before RV life, it wasn’t even on my radar. I assumed our kids would follow a traditional classroom path. But when your entire world shifts and your address changes every few weeks, you start to rethink what “school” can look like. So, we jumped in — nervous, curious, hopeful, and determined to make it work.

And here’s what surprised me the most:
Homeschooling didn’t just work… it became one of the greatest gifts of our RV lifestyle.

Even now, after hanging up our full-time traveler hats and settling our roots in Texas, homeschooling still remains part of our family rhythm. We may no longer wake up under red rock canyons or beside oceans and forests every month, but the lessons we learned on the road still guide how we homeschool today — simply, intentionally, and with an openness to explore the world around us.

This is the story of what homeschooling looked like for us during our RV years, what changed once we transitioned into a home base, and the curriculum that helped anchor our learning through every season.

How RV Travel Led Us Into Homeschooling

When we packed up our lives in 2019 and hit the road, everything felt new — new challenges, new routines, new expectations. Homeschooling was one of those “new” things. And truthfully? It terrified me at first.
I wasn’t trained in education. I didn’t have a plan. I didn’t have the perfect setup.
But I did have three curious kids, endless places to explore, and a dream for a simpler, more present lifestyle.

RV life has a way of stripping things down to their essentials, and education was no different. Instead of focusing on what homeschooling “should” look like, we focused on what learning could look like:

• outside under the trees,

• on a hiking trail with a notebook in hand,

• inside the RV bunkhouse on rainy days,

• at museums, parks, and historical sites across the country,

• or baked into real life — chores, travel days, conversations, community, sunsets and stargazing.

Homeschooling became a blend of structure and spontaneity, curriculum and curiosity.

And that’s when I discovered something important:
kids learn deeply when the world becomes part of the lesson.

RV life didn’t just make us homeschoolers. It made us intentional learners.

The Blend: Structured Curriculum + Roadschooling

In those 5.5 years of full-time travel, we used a mix of structured curriculum and what many call “roadschooling” — learning through the places we were exploring.

We relied on some curriculum to give us consistency, especially in subjects like math, language arts, and handwriting. But the road? The road gave us the magic.

We learned about:

• ecosystems by touching tide pools in California,

• geology while hiking the hoodoos in Utah,

• American history standing where history actually happened instead of reading about it on paper,

• weather patterns by living through them rather than studying diagrams,

• wildlife by meeting it face-to-face — respectfully and from a safe distance, of course,

• community by connecting with other traveling families, rangers, locals, and fellow explorers.

Our kids didn’t just memorize facts — they experienced them.

Our curriculum served as the bones of our homeschooling, but the road gave it soul.

Transitioning From Full-Time Travel to Texas Roots — and Still Homeschooling

After 5.5 years of RV travel and roadschooling, our family began a new season: planting roots in Texas.

One of the first questions we faced was, “What does school look like now?”
And honestly? We didn’t want to lose the intentional, flexible, meaningful education we had created on the road.

Even though our travels slowed down, our passion for homeschooling didn’t.

We still homeschool today because:

• we love the slower mornings,

• we love tailoring each child's education to who they are,

• we love pausing for teachable moments,

• we love weaving travel into learning when we do adventure,

• and we love the freedom to learn at our own pace, wherever we are.

Now that we're in Texas, our “roadschooling” looks different. Instead of learning from ever-changing national parks and historic towns, we learn from our local community:

• nature trails,

• museums and science centers,

• small businesses,

• hands-on activities,

• day trips,

• and our own backyard.

We still value experiences over speed and curiosity over perfection.
The RV taught us that learning is everywhere — and that truth didn’t disappear just because our wheels stopped rolling.

Our 2025 Homeschool Curriculum Lineup

Math: Abeka + Singapore Math

Math has always been a subject where I love having structure. During our travel years, math was one of the few things we stuck to consistently, no matter where we were geographically.

Abeka gave us:

• strong foundational review,

• predictable practice,

• and straightforward teaching.

Singapore Math gave us:

• problem-solving skills,

• conceptual understanding,

• and real-world math thinking.

Using both together has been the best of both worlds:
Abeka provides the repetition and clarity; Singapore builds strategy and deeper understanding.

Language Arts: The Good and the Beautiful 

Language Arts is where our mix-and-match style truly shines.

The Good and the Beautiful brings:

• beautiful imagery,

• wholesome stories,

• creative reading and writing approaches,

• and lessons that feel more like connection than worksheets.

Science: Kids Science Kit Experiments + The Good and the Beautiful Marine Biology

Science during RV life was often hands-on just by stepping outside. But when it came to structured learning, we had two approaches:

1. Kids Science Kit for experiments

These gave us simple, ready-to-go experiments perfect for RV living and now our home base. They’re straightforward, fun, and give just enough structure without overwhelming.

2. The Good and the Beautiful Marine Biology

We chose this during our RV years because we were spending so much time near coastlines, oceans, rivers, and lakes. The kids could see what they were learning in real life — sometimes the same day.

We still love this curriculum today because:

• it's fascinating,

• beautifully illustrated,

• and helps kids stay curious about the world.

 Geography: VIA Travels

One of our favorite resources from the road — and still relevant even now with a home base — is VIA Travels.

This curriculum allowed us to:

• explore different regions,

• dive into cultural studies,

• learn geography through storytelling,

• and supplement our travels with more context.

Even now in Texas, it keeps the spirit of travel alive in our homeschool routine.

History: Oh Freedom! from Woke Homeschool

This curriculum is a beautiful, inclusive, accurate, story-based resource that helped us ground history in:

• real voices,

• real experiences,

• and perspectives often missing in traditional textbooks.

Spelling: Harcourt Family Learning Workbook

Simple, straightforward, and great for independent practice.
The kids enjoy it, and I love that it doesn’t require a ton of prep.

Handwriting: The Good and the Beautiful

One of our favorite handwriting curriculums because:

• it's visually beautiful,

• the lessons are short and manageable,

• and it integrates character, poetry, and creativity.

Spanish: Rosetta Stone

Because RV life introduced us to so many families and cultures, learning a second language felt important. Rosetta Stone has been the smoothest, most consistent way for us to keep language learning going — even today in Texas.
It’s immersive, simple, and easy to use independently.

Homeschooling on the road was a season we’ll never forget. It stretched us, challenged us, and bonded us deeply. But homeschooling at home — in Texas, with routines, roots, and community — is just as beautiful in its own way.

Wherever you are — on the road, in a home, in a new season, or unsure of what comes next — homeschooling is simply a way to say: