If you love to travel, you probably also like to learn. Learning while traveling is very simple and can be done regardless of where you are. If you have school-aged children traveling with you, education abroad is important.
The best way to encourage learning is to seamlessly weave it into your daily travels. There are five simple ways you can do this regardless of where you are traveling. Learning can be done without planning, though some forethought is recommended.
Relatable
The first tip to creating a trip that is both fun and educational is to make it relatable to the area you’re traveling in. For example, if you are going on Greek Island cruises tying in information about mythology and Greek gods would be relatable and educational.
The key to making people want to learn is to create an environment that promotes learning. Using the same example, cruising around the Greek Islands may foster a curiosity about ancient travel.
Try bringing in educational aids from the area, such as Homer’s The Odyssey. The Illiad, also by Homer, is another example of relating where you are to what you are learning.
Entertaining
Another important part of learning is making it fun. Entertainment takes a role in how well we remember things. A great way to combine entertainment and learning is to create moments. Take the time to learn where that country gets its revenue. If you are traveling to an island it is likely that a main source of revenue is tourism.
Since most islands receive a majority of their revenue from tourism, become a tourist. Immerse yourself in local shows and culture and help the country’s revenue. Educate yourself and your family on the importance of supporting the local economy.
Hands-On
Creating an environment that is good for travel and learning can be done through hands-on activities.
With a little research, you can easily find out what a country is known for if you get your hands dirty. Learning about solids, liquids, and gases while in Italy could mean learning about making pasta. To make pasta from scratch, you have to learn about mixtures, solutions, and how heat can change the chemical make-up of ingredients.
While boiling pasta, you can also learn about the different forms that water can come in. Then, since you are in Italy, you can enjoy something delicious, worldly, and educational.
Creative
Making education creative can also enhance learning while abroad. You can take this advice literally and learn about art in Paris or Venice or you can take this advice loosely and be creative with your learning.
A good example of being creative with learning is by learning about the Ice Age in Europe. Regardless of where you go in Europe, the last Ice Age has left its mark. Whether you go to the Lascaux caves in France or see the tar pits in Ukraine, it allows you and your family to get creative and imagine what life was like during the last Ice Age.
Simple
The most important advice when combining travel and education is to not push education on anyone. You have to let it occur naturally. People are naturally curious and want to learn about the world they are in.
Allow yourself or your children to ask questions and find the answers out for yourself. Immerse yourself in the country you are visiting and keep it simple. The worst thing you can do is take a curious question and try to learn everything there is to know about that question.
Don’t bog yourself down with the little details and stick to the big picture. You want to enjoy the place you’re visiting as well as learn something new.
The best way to create a positive learning environment is to be open to new possibilities and different ways of thinking. These are also traits that are necessary for traveling. This makes education and traveling the perfect duo.