2020 has been quite the year for everyone. I know I’m not the only parent who was quite stressed at the start of virtual schooling and just trying to get their lives together while acclimating to their new normal. Honestly, for me, it wasn’t the virtual schooling aspect, not just because my kids are teens and more self-sufficient, but because it’s what I’ve wanted for a few years now. To not have the confines of my kids being taught strictly for a test throughout most of the day or, and I know I’m not alone here, trying to figure out how to manage family vacations around school breaks and holidays. This year, schoolcations were born and they’re everything I knew they could be.
What Are Schoolcations
So, I’m not going to lie, I thought I’d made this term up until I saw an article around them being the new travel trend shortly after we’d returned from our very own schoolcation to Orlando. Whomp, whomp. I’ll just assume I was before my time but late talking about it.
Schoolcations, as I define them, are a hybrid of vacation and school. Taking a trip where everyone still has fun and enjoys their new surroundings, but the kids also dedicate a portion of their time to get down to business and do their school work, attend their zoom classes, etc … I’m sure homeschooling parents have been doing it for years and it’s something I’ve wished I could do at Thanksgiving when my parents and uncles go to Myrtle Beach various times throughout the year, but my kids were in traditional school and it’s never been the kind of school where even if the trip is educational, it would count for anything other than an unexcused absence.
Separating the School from Vacation
As previously mentioned, we took our first, and surely not our last, schoolcation to Orlando. We used points from our Hilton Grand Vacations timeshare and stayed for a week where we would have access to a kitchen to cook the majority of our meals. A grocery store is conveniently located at the particular property we stayed at, but I’ve also become a huge fan of Walmart grocery delivery. Fun fact for SNAP users – you are now able to get your groceries delivered, so you can avoid the stores as much as possible.
There was ample space in our one-bedroom suite where my daughter was able to use the pullout sofa bed for sleeping or as a living room office to do things like her Spanish quiz via Zoom – true story and she aced it. One day, we went out on the balcony and she did classwork with the sound of a lake water fountain in the background, feeling the warm breeze on her skin in comparison to the rainy days that were happening back at home.
Most of her work she was splitting between doing in the morning and then picking it back up later in the evening after giving herself a break. Pretty much her exact schedule at home. Some days we stayed in altogether if she had a test coming up and wanted to devote the day to studying. On the days, and times, we did do something, we spent it watching movies, separated from others by the pool, or strolling around Springfield and Hogwarts at Universal Studios.
Vacationing On Our Schoolcation
Earlier in the year, we’d taken a road trip to Florida and stopped in Orlando on our way back up from exploring the Florida Keys and Naples. Universal Studios was running a promotion where you got 3 additional months on a new season pass, so we took advantage of that and the monthly payment plan where I pay less than I’d pay on a fast food meal each month. We’d only gotten to use it once on the trip we purchased it but took this opportunity to go back and do what felt like a “free” activity.
I know, I know, going to a theme park during a pandemic seems like a disaster waiting to happen but … hear me out .. there was basically no one there. Of course, there were other people there but nothing like you’d think when you think about a theme park. We were able to walk through Springfield solo, walk through the line for Gringots with no one in front of or behind us, and all the rides we got on where other people were in line (socially distanced of course) separated parties so you were riding solo. Rides, rails, and places people may even think of touching were constantly being cleaned. Masks were being used and if you even thought of putting it below your nose, there was a worker nearby alerting you to think again.
It was new and different to go on a trip during a school day but definitely doable. The change of scenery is nice even if you stay in your room the whole time and having comforts of home like a full kitchen, washer and dryer, separate bedrooms, etc … makes it easier to stick with home routines. If you’ve got children have you considered doing a schoolcation? Please, let me know in the comments and, as always, thanks for reading!
