Before I started planning this journey through Latin America with my three kids, I had never heard the term worldschooling. I just knew I didn’t want to be tied to a rigid school calendar or location anymore. I wanted freedom, flexibility, and a chance for my kids to learn through real-life experiences—not just textbooks.

As I started researching, I stumbled on the word worldschooling—and I immediately thought, Yes. This is exactly what we’re doing.

So, what is worldschooling?

At its core, worldschooling is using the world as your classroom. It’s about allowing travel, culture, history, nature, people, and everyday life to shape your children’s education.

Some families worldschool by traveling full-time. Others stay in one place but build their learning around global awareness, experiential learning, and curiosity. Some follow a strict curriculum, and others lean fully into unschooling.

There’s no one way to do it—and that’s the point.  

Worldschooling isn’t a method. It’s a mindset.

Our Version of Worldschooling

I’m not an expert, and this is my first time homeschooling. But after months of preparing and packing an SUV full of books, curriculum, printers, activity kits, and early readers, I feel like I’ve created a structure that works for us.

For the core subjects—like math and language arts—I’m using a structured, workbook-based approach. I want my kids to stay on track academically and be able to reenter traditional school later if we choose to.

But for everything else—science, history, art, geography—we’re letting the world teach us.

We’ll learn about animals by visiting wildlife reserves.  

We’ll explore geography by hiking through mountains and rainforests.  

We’ll study history by walking through ancient ruins, talking to locals, and watching videos together.  

We’ll use activity kits, nature journals, cooking, YouTube, and whatever else sparks curiosity.

It’s structured where it matters and open-ended where it doesn’t have to be rigid.

Why I Chose This Path

I wanted to spend more time with my kids. I wanted less rushing, fewer obligations, and more freedom to live life on our terms. I wanted my kids to learn in a way that’s rooted in real life, not just worksheets and standardized tests.

I also want to be honest: I’m not trying to do it all alone.  

We’ll have daily help with cleaning, and if I need a babysitter or extra support, I’ll hire someone. The houses we’re staying in are smaller and easier to manage than our home in Georgia, and help is more affordable in Latin America. These things make worldschooling more sustainable for me—and that matters too.

If you’re curious about worldschooling…

You don’t have to sell your house or leave the country to try it.  

Worldschooling can happen in your own neighborhood, on a road trip, or during a summer abroad. It’s about being intentional and open to learning in unexpected places.

For us, worldschooling is about slowing down, staying curious, and trusting that kids don’t need to be in a classroom to learn deeply and meaningfully.

This isn’t an escape from learning—it’s a different kind of education.  

And honestly, I’m learning right alongside them.