Over the Top Educational Preparation for Grandkids

[Been There, Planning That]

We're treating our families to an Alaskan cruise (mind you that's steerage cabins in the dark) in 2010 and there will be 8 grandchildren along.

 

Only a retired teacher would begin preparing so far in advance but I thought if you could find one good idea from my insane list it might help make the experience even more educational for your children.

 

Ours will be missing school so I can justify the 'sailwork/shipwork.'

1. I've ordered from Amazon.com, Alaskan colouring books for evening meals in the dining room for the youngest and Alaskan workbooks for the middle set.
   
2. I've begun to collect Alaskan picture books and novels for quiet moments and long flights to Vancouver. Unfortunately there appear to be NO French novels about Alaska and the wondergrands are all in French Immersion. Wildlife Watch by B. Whittington looks great as does Wildlife Viewing Guide from USDA Forest Service. They study these when they visit us and we'll bring at least one along.
   
3. I've downloaded several maps: ones of Canada, the west coast and the Inland route for adding to their diaries.
   
4. Each child will be expected to keep a diary/scrapbook with daily entries. I'm preparing some entry starter questions or suggestions for the younger one.
   
5. To tart up their diaries I'm gathering appropriate travel/family stickers. Hopefully I'll be able to find time to pick up some Alaskan ones when we're in port. I learned that shipping costs from Amazon.com are astronomical.
   
6. They've already skimmed The Kid's Guide to Cruising Alaska and our copy of Anne Vipond's Alaska by Cruise Ship. I wouldn't waste money on the Kid's Guide if your children are experienced cruisers, but this will be a first for each of our.
   

When the grandchildren visit us during the year, I'll get them started on diary title pages and routing and labelling on maps.

 

I've encouraged the older ones to follow the value of the American dollar against ours and begin to figure out potential costs of purchases in Canadian currency.

 

Any time one of the experts on Cruise Critic offers a good link I mark it as a favourite to share closer to sailing.

 

Crazy eh? But I'm having fun.

[Baxter]

You're awesome! I love it!

 

Have you checked with the schools in terms of their vacation policies? I know the school we're sending our daughter to has a "no vacation" policy and has extra holidays built into the year. No work is given to students who are pulled, penalties apply for all assignments, activities and assessments missed during the periods, etc. I know some school districts require the approval of the Board if kids are pulled for any length of time.

 

Because it is far in advance, I might think about asking the older kids to do some research on the port stops and journal their expectations, so they can compare/contrast their actual experiences with their pre-conceived notions. I might have the younger ones visually represent what they expect to see. It's a nice way to get kids excited about an upcoming trip.

[Been There, Planning That]

Baxter, we're clear on school policy but won't expect the teachers to assign homework. The oldest will be almost 12 so assignments aren't too heavy. Any wise teacher would simply ask for a report (which will be the diary) and evidence of research and reading.

 

I love your idea of having them describe their expectations after doing some research.

 

Unfortunately they prefer to read English, except for one family in French schools. But I've picked up some 'lite' French novels, but may even stoop to French comics to make this a fun trip.

 

It's good to know that not everyone regards this posting as one done by a 'nut case.'

 

Thanks

[notentirelynormal]

Wow, that's a lot of research for little ones. I hope they're having as much fun as you (no sarcasm meant). How about trying to get an excursion of some kind that relates to early Alaska. For example when my DS was 7 we went panning for gold. Seriously, the guy was heavily bearded, wore the outfit right up to the suspenders and pot belly. We went to a river and panned for gold. It was cool and fit right in with the history books of Alaska. The logging show they do is fun and interesting. There were a lot of souvenirs centered around totem poles. Maybe do some thing that explains what the totems actually mean.

[vbmom87]

As a former teacher, I can understand all your prep for this big trip.

 

I had my children do journals of our big trips. At the time, they moaned a bit, but once they were older and had a significant other, they would show those journals with great pride. Their journals included their written word for each day and then when we got home, I added the photos from that day and also post cards. Often your own camera just can't capture the scene as well as a post card can.

 

As you continue with your planning, I think it is important to have the children have input as to what they want to do in each port. Also, remember, there is no reason the whole group has to do the same thing in each port. As long as you have adults willing to split up and do different things, you should be able to accommodate most everyone's interests.

 

Have a wonderful trip!!

[Been There, Planning That]

Thanks Notentirelynormal for the tour suggestions. Once HAL releases their tours each of the four families will choose their top options. Hopefully we'll go as two family groups; though each family has very different interests. One will sure want to try dog sledding, another hiking or kayaking and I sure want to zip line in one of the ports.

 

VBMoms87 we too had our children do trip diaries on major trips. We took them for 6 week land holidays to Europe three times, but these were slower paced than a port intensive Alaskan cruise. We'd stay for a week in each of 5 or 6 locations and do leisurely day trips. And like your children they still have their diaries. I think it helps that my husband keeps a diary and so he wrote each night while I supervised.

 

Two of our families live out of town and their visits to us are busy ones but we'll do some research together.

[CanadianTwosome]

So... what happens if one (or more) of the kids doesn't work on their diary? Are there going to be set times on the cruise when they will be expected to be doing the 'work'? The time you're putting into preparing this project doesn't guarantee that all of the kids are going to want to do this while on vacation. If that's the case, how far are you prepared to push it - again, while on vacation?

 

To be clear, I think it's all fantastic; I just think it's good to be prepared and think about every possibility beforehand, if you can. :)

[Been There, Planning That]

Canadian Twosome, you've raised a good point but ours is a family of writers. Of the 8 adults coming along -- three journalists, a medical editor and a minister who writes great sermons -- so writing is in the genes I think.

 

I won't expect too much from the two four year olds, but a parent will label their drawings and add some of their comments. The five year old girls love any sort of artsy drawing and stickers as do the older two girls and the oldest grandson is just a great kid who will go along to please doting grandparents.

 

My husband and I plan to write a brief response to at least every second entry each evening which I think will encourage them along.

 

And we hope to find time to enjoy Alaska!

[rebeccalouise]

There are three recommendations for your trip- let each child have an opportunity videotaping each excursion. They can do a walking tour and explain where they are and what they are looking at (will be cute for you and the parents to watch later and fun for the kids)

 

Have them purchase postcards in each of the ports and write a letter to their best friend back home explaining where they are and some fun facts about the ship or whatever springs to mind. Also- take them to the local post office and have them mail them.

 

The journal- could have some "scavenger" hunt photos. Take a picture of something obvious- like a totem pole for the younger ones and ask them to count the number of totem poles they see in a port. The next day- ask how many sea planes they saw, bald eagles, whales spounting, etc. Another suggestion would be to find out from the staff or newletter- what the temperature is, how many nautical miles you are from the home port, how many hours of daylight or what time the sun rose and what time the sun set. This way they have to gather information and maybe learn other things in the process. Reward each child with $5-$10 per day upon completion of their daily journal entry. No journal entry- no stipend. Should encourage writing.

 

I look back on the journals I have written and treasure them. The kids will appreciate this later and the journal writing shouldn't be too taxing.

[Been There, Planning That]

RebeccaLouise, I really like the counting idea -- so easy for beginner counters. In fact I'm going to use your suggestions as a starter list.

 

We always send the grands postcards from our travels, some of which arrive long after we've returned. I see if we can manage time for postcard sending, but purchasing some to add to their books is a good idea.

 

Your bribes are very generous ones -- but it is an idea for spending money in ports.

 

The daily news letter should be a wealth of information for the older set and I'm hoping that HAL will have a naturalist who can relate to children.

 

Thanks

[going2oahu]

Let each child have an opportunity videotaping each excursion. They can do a walking tour and explain where they are and what they are looking at.

 

I absolutely LOVE this idea! It would be super cool if they would not only narrate as they walked and toured, but also turned the camera on themselves occasionally so that you could see their faces, reactions, etc.

 

This is on a slightly different subject but I remember going to a wedding once where the newlyweds had placed a disposable camera on each table at the reception. We were instructed to take fun photos of ourselves at the reception and then leave the cameras on the table as a gift to the bride and groom. Imagine their surprises when they took those cameras to have the film developed!

[rebeccalouise]

RebeccaLouise, I really like the counting idea -- so easy for beginner counters. In fact I'm going to use your suggestions as a starter list.

 

We always send the grands postcards from our travels, some of which arrive long after we've returned. I see if we can manage time for postcard sending, but purchasing some to add to their books is a good idea.

 

Your bribes are very generous ones -- but it is an idea for spending money in ports.

 

The daily news letter should be a wealth of information for the older set and I'm hoping that HAL will have a naturalist who can relate to children.

 

Thanks

 

There will be a delay in the post cards but it just forces the kids to relate their experiences but also makes them thoughtful of others. I am divorced and we send post cards to his father. This way his father has something tangible. One suggestion is to put postcard in envelopes and mail them with regular postage stamps- this way they get their faster. I always put something funny as the return address- like

 

Marc's Excellent Adventure

Sapphire Princess

Alaska

 

and have the addresses of the recipients on the envelopes ahead of time. A trip to the post of office is one of those off the beaten track experiences. You will probably have to talk to a local to get the info. Kids like talking with people that live in these places and you might learn a thing or two.

[CanadianTwosome]

Canadian Twosome, you've raised a good point but ours is a family of writers. Of the 8 adults coming along -- three journalists, a medical editor and a minister who writes great sermons -- so writing is in the genes I think.

 

I won't expect too much from the two four year olds, but a parent will label their drawings and add some of their comments. The five year old girls love any sort of artsy drawing and stickers as do the older two girls and the oldest grandson is just a great kid who will go along to please doting grandparents.

 

My husband and I plan to write a brief response to at least every second entry each evening which I think will encourage them along.

 

And we hope to find time to enjoy Alaska!

 

That's excellent!! I think your participation will help a lot, too. My daughter and I do our travelogue together, and we discuss the day's events as we put them together. :) I've learned, though, that just because things appealed to me as a child doesn't mean my daughter will feel the same way. I've always got a back up plan in case my original doesn't go over as well as I expect, so I thought it was important to give you the opportunity to think about it. I'm glad to hear that you have and it's a non-issue. :)

[rebeccalouise]

You know what my older son liked (at age 8)- he really enjoyed talking with the crew on the ship about where they were from. When we went to Fairbanks- he and I stayed up all night fascinated that the sun never set.

 

So you have to stop and smell the roses sometimes!

[beachchick]

Baxter, we're clear on school policy but won't expect the teachers to assign homework. The oldest will be almost 12 so assignments aren't too heavy. Any wise teacher would simply ask for a report (which will be the diary) and evidence of research and reading.

 

I love your idea of having them describe their expectations after doing some research.

 

Unfortunately they prefer to read English, except for one family in French schools. But I've picked up some 'lite' French novels, but may even stoop to French comics to make this a fun trip.

 

It's good to know that not everyone regards this posting as one done by a 'nut case.'

 

Thanks

 

For the older children, it's very likely that their teachers will be expect them to take along the assigned work and homework and to turn it in when they return. Even though that creates more work for the teachers, they generally do not want their students to fall behind in the various subjects. This is especially true for middle school and high school. The 12-y/o may likely have quite a bit of regular homework in addition to everything you are "assigning" and requiring them to do.

 

You don't say if it's early season (shortly before the end of the school year) or late season (at the beginning of a new school year). Either way, you need to ensure that none of the children will miss any standardized or other testing at school.

 

Canadian Twosome, you've raised a good point but ours is a family of writers. Of the 8 adults coming along -- three journalists, a medical editor and a minister who writes great sermons -- so writing is in the genes I think.

 

I won't expect too much from the two four year olds, but a parent will label their drawings and add some of their comments. The five year old girls love any sort of artsy drawing and stickers as do the older two girls and the oldest grandson is just a great kid who will go along to please doting grandparents.

 

My husband and I plan to write a brief response to at least every second entry each evening which I think will encourage them along.

 

And we hope to find time to enjoy Alaska!

 

That's a good thing to do, but I have to wonder if it doesn't make the trip that much more of a "school" field trip then a family vacation with education as a part of it. If you plan your whole trip around the eduction/school aspects and your "lesson plans" will you have any time to simply relax and enjoy Alaska and the family time? In fact, your final comment that you hope to find time to enjoy Alaska tells me that you're already wondering how to find a happy medium. Will the children begin to feel that they might as well have stayed in school because their days are completely centered around their "travel school"?

 

I ask this as a former school teacher (grades 1-5) and technical writer, sister of a college professor, granddaughter of a high school science teacher (way back when women were expected to marry, not get BS degrees and credentials and move out on their own), and daughter of two teachers (mom, middle school; dad, high school). We took long family trips every summer (obviously never during the school year). Mostly we camped along the way with a night or two each week in a hotel. In fact, some of my favorite camping memories are from our travels in the Canadian provinces as we made our way one year from Maine across Canada and into Washington. Wonderful! I remember my mother's discovery that her French (she minored in French) was not Canadian French, which was a language learning experience for us. We traveled all over the US and Canada, and did many things that were educational. However, we were not required to do assignments every day nor were we "graded" on our work. I remember that the joy and excitement of seeing and learning things, of having adventures, and of spontaneous "education" made our family travels that much more memorable. Sometimes children learn and remember more when they hardly even notice they are being educated.

 

Of course you should do what you think is best for your grandchildren (as long as their parents agree), but I urge you to try not to be a teacher for the entire trip and to spend a significant amount of time just being a grandparent and enjoying your family. (My mother has an extremely hard time getting out of "teacher mode" sometimes and it can get tiring, for her adult children, our DD, and the youngsters who are still in our lives.)

 

I applaud you for the care and planning you are putting into making the trip be so memorable and educational. What you've described for the pre-cruise learning is fabulous because then all of you (not just the children) will have some good background about the places you are visiting. I'm also glad that you are having fun doing it. Just make sure that your grandchildren (and their parents, for that matter) have fun as well. I think it's an excellent idea to get the older children involved in planning port days and excursions. That's sure to get them excited about it. Still, I'm sure you'd hate for your family to start to think of the cruise as "a chore" and obligation, rather than an adventure that includes learning. I'm sure you'll be able to combine both education and fun and have a memorable family trip.

 

I hope you all have a delightful time.

 

beachchick

[beachchick]

Darn it all, I tried to edit but got stuck in one of the late night dead times.

 

I wanted to add that when our family traveled, we did a lot of camping with a hotel night once a week or so. Some of my favorite memories and best learning about Canada are from the year we camped across the provinces on our way from Maine/Vermont to Washington. I remember my mother discovering that her French (she minored in French) was not Canadian French, which made it a language learning experience for all of us. Even though there was no technical "education" involved, my siblings and I absorbed it all like little sponges and it's stuck with us our whole lives. It was that year that I grew to appreciate what a lovely country you have and how much it has to offer.

 

beachchick

[beachchick]

Argh! And the DDP as well. Sorry about that.

 

beachchick

[Been There, Planning That]

Thanks for the good advice Beachchick.

 

I think I have a good handle on making things fun -- hopefully we'll be able to find a spot and work together on diaries as a family project. I sure didn't see kids slaving alone in the darkened cabins.

[beachchick]

Thanks for the good advice Beachchick.

 

I think I have a good handle on making things fun -- hopefully we'll be able to find a spot and work together on diaries as a family project. I sure didn't see kids slaving alone in the darkened cabins.

 

Excellent! Have a wonderful time.:)

 

beachchick

[Ula]

Since you have family interested in dog sledding you might want to find books on the history of the Iditarod. Libby Riddles has written some children's books on the subject.

[Been There, Planning That]

Ula, thanks for the good suggestion. I just checked Riddles out and she's available at Canadian book stores. I've found that so many of the colouring books and workbooks and such are only available at US sites with horrendous shipping charges.

 

Riddles also seems to write for a variety of ages,

 

Thanks again, I'm sure getting good ideas and advice. Hope that others can make use of it as well.

[Martini Mom]

We are pulling our two kids out of school for our cruise in November. We NEVER pull them out for anything, so this whole thing still makes me kinda nervous. This will be our first family vacation (besides local camping trips) and our kids are 9 and 12. I have decided that the exposure they will get to another culture (Mexico) will be so valuable. I don't know what work the school will require they complete during the cruise, but I bought them cruise journals to at least keep them writing. I also have them reading about the ports and learning a little Spanish.

 

I know I should slap myself on the hand for taking them out of school, but the time period we are traveling is making this family cruise possible. Life experience is important too. :)

[Ula]

There is lots to do in San Diego and Catalina. Catalina you have to visit the casino. Never was used as such, but was built as one. Has a wonderful ball room. Then there is the Wrigley as in the gum memorial and gardens.

San Diego has lots of neat places to visit. Ensenada, have yet to get off the ship. There is the blow hole people enjoy there.

[Been There, Planning That]

Martini Mom, in spite of what appeared in my initial post, I do believe in time for fun. But if you're pulling your children out of school I do think you're doing the right things by expecting a diary, a bit of Spanish and perhaps a novel related to one of the places you'll visit.

 

There are times when it's more crucial than others that children miss schools. The first month of any new term are key for perfect attendance if possible. I used to advise parents that the week or so before Christmas or a big holiday were usually best times as things would be winding down. All this changes however for high schoolers.

 

Enjoy a wonderful vacation.

[Martini Mom]

Martini Mom, in spite of what appeared in my initial post, I do believe in time for fun. But if you're pulling your children out of school I do think you're doing the right things by expecting a diary, a bit of Spanish and perhaps a novel related to one of the places you'll visit.

 

There are times when it's more crucial than others that children miss schools. The first month of any new term are key for perfect attendance if possible. I used to advise parents that the week or so before Christmas or a big holiday were usually best times as things would be winding down. All this changes however for high schoolers.

 

Enjoy a wonderful vacation.

 

Thanks :). I wasn't too concerned with my 3rd grader, but my junior high student had me worried (he's in GATE/advanced classes). I checked the schedule and there are no finals or end/beginning of semester things going on. It's so close to Thanksgiving (we leave the day school resumes) that they usually don't have major projects due. I felt better after reading that. I'm sure once he's in high school they will have projects to do over the breaks and his schedule will be too rigorous to take them out. Parents at the elementary school take their kids out all the time (for vacations) and it always drove me nuts. Mine only miss a couple days a year, due to illness. This is so foreign to me, no pun intended. I'm still convincing myself it will work out okay.