Tag Archives: traveling with a toddler

Traveling As Part of Holistic Education

We may be considered liberated or unconventional parents here in our neighborhood because we are thinking of homeschooling Dindin. While many people all over the world are already doing this, this concept is relatively new in our society.

Read related story: How to Improve Socialization Skills of Homeschooled Children

It is just that we do not want Dindin to be pressured to conform in a singular educational system. We would like to expose her to different things, different experiences, different peoples, and also cultures. We let her imagination expand by taking her to book shops and buying books for her to read at home. We let her watch educational but fun videos, take her to parties, outings, and also when we travel.

Yes, for me, one good way to learn about the world and how it operates is by traveling. The places you go to opens doors of wonders for the child. When we travel, it is just normal for us to point out things to Dindin. It not only keeps her occupied but this activity increases her learning and stimulates her to think.

One of the places that I would like Dindin to visit is Orlando, Florida. I have stayed with an aunt there for almost a month and I thoroughly enjoyed my visit there because of the sites to see. And these sites are just wonderlands for children. These places of course include the hundreds of acres of fun that Disney World is offering, the marine attractions at Sea World, and of course, the many other parks and entertainment centers all over the area. Looking at Orlandovacation.com, I am drawn to the many available packages should we want to travel.

The only problem is, we have to travel to America in order to go to Orlando. It is not like we are just living in another state and we could have a road trip there anytime. Well, I guess someday, we can do it. But for now, we will just have local travels and weekend trips with family and friends. These will provide so much learning experience for Dindin already.

Going to School

Nope, we are not yet sending Dindin to school. But in our recent trip to Mambukal, we thought it to be a good educational experience for her.

Along the way, we also passed by several public elementary schools and I quickly pointed them out to Dindin.

Mama: Baby, that’s a school.
Dindin: School.
Mama: And look at those kids going to school, they are called “students.”
Dindin: Students (while signing the number 2 with her fingers).

Then she mentioned about “one-dent”, which she probably thinks is the singular of students. And when we got to Bacolod, she coined a new word, “three-dent”, probably for students more than 2. bwahahahaha

Lessons for…from Dindin

The other day, we went to Mambukal Resort. On the way there, I thought it would be a good learning opportunity for Dindin, pointing out to her the sugarcane fields, the rice fields, and the big truck that carries sugarcane to the sugar central. We told her that sugar comes from sugarcane and it is what makes ice cream, cake, milk, and cookies sweet. And then she said, “Great!”

When we were nearing Murcia, I started seeing bridges and immediately pointed them out to Dindin. She can recognize a bridge in pictures but it is different when you are passing by them, especially the small ones. Since then, every time she would see those ledges at the side of the road, she would immediately say “bridge”, even if they are not bridges at all. Okay, that’s fine.

I thought of bringing the bridge lesson a bit further by telling her that whenever there is a bridge, then there is a river that flows under it. What Dindin asked back ruffled my feathers and gave me a nosebleed, “What about the stream?” Where the heck did she learn about the stream? LOL And how did she relate it to a river? Anyway, I just told her that maybe if it is a small bridge, then there is a stream under it.

WAAAAAAAAAAA