I’ve never homeschooled before. And now I’m doing it with three kids, four dogs, and a car full of books as we travel through Latin America. It sounds a little crazy when I say it out loud, but it also feels like exactly what we’re meant to be doing right now.

Technically, we’re homeschooling. But more accurately, we’re worldschooling.

Worldschooling is a form of education that uses the world as the classroom. It often includes travel, cultural experiences, real-world learning, and a flexible approach to curriculum. For us, it means we’re not tied to a school building—or even a fixed routine. We’re allowing our surroundings, our travels, and the questions my kids naturally ask to shape a large part of what and how we learn.

At the same time, I’m also structuring our learning around core academic skills—mainly math and language arts—so that my kids don’t fall behind and can transition back into a traditional school setting if needed.

I’ve spent the past few months preparing. I’ve bought curriculum, workbooks, educational games, early readers, manipulatives, a printer, and 80 activity kits. I’ve also packed over 200 books. The majority of what we’re taking with us fits into two categories: homeschooling materials and things for the kids. Clothing and personal items make up a much smaller portion of what’s coming with us.

Each child will have their own weekly log where I’ll write down what we did that week. I’m not trying to recreate school at home. I just want to have a clear record of what we’re covering, both for my own peace of mind and in case we ever decide to re-enroll in traditional school.

We’ll have a fairly simple rhythm to our days: structured academic work in the mornings, and then more open-ended or experiential learning in the afternoons. Some days will be more academic. Some won’t. That’s okay. I want this to work for us, not the other way around.

A big part of making this sustainable for me is having support. The houses we’ve rented in Latin America are much smaller than our house in Georgia, which makes things easier in general. I’ve arranged for a daily cleaning lady, which will take household chores off my plate and free me up to focus on the kids and our life together. If I ever need a break—or extra help—I can hire a babysitter or ask for the cleaning lady to stay longer. Having that kind of support available and affordable is part of what makes this possible.

I’m sure there will be challenges. I’m sure I’ll need to adjust as we go. But we’ll figure it out.

This is what worldschooling looks like for us right now: a little messy, very mobile, and full of intention.