3 months in Europe Oct-Dec

[Sassypants77!]

Hi all - I have the once in a lifetime opportunity to take an October- December trip around Europe with my 9 year old. We have fantasised about it and now it looks like I might have the money and the time to do it! Does anyone have any tips about travelling this time of year, itineraries also how I convince the school to let him out of school? He’s a history nut so very interested in Italy, Greece and this would be an amazing experience for us both.

 

[Azteccamper]

Hi all - I have the once in a lifetime opportunity to take an October- December trip around Europe with my 9 year old. We have fantasised about it and now it looks like I might have the money and the time to do it! Does anyone have any tips about travelling this time of year, itineraries also how I convince the school to let him out of school? He’s a history nut so very interested in Italy, Greece and this would be an amazing experience for us both.

Sounds like a great trip. Couple of things:
The weather might be a big factor in how you plan your route and the availability of sites - I know Italian sites can close as early as September. Regarding school, your best bet might be to say your are good to home educate for a term - I can’t think of any school / local authority allowing you to go on a ‘holiday’ with the current emphasis on school attendance. You just rejoin a school on your return (remember that the current one might be full when you get back).

 

[Sunshine&Snow]

Sounds like a fantastic idea! I'd go to the school with a clear plan for home schooling and agenda for the trip - making the case that it's an educational and cultural experience, not a holiday. I'd do a 'project plan' for the itinerary and schedule learning for each week... I'd sign a mock 'contract' with my kid and the teacher, making it clear that they have to study too.

Making the case for home schooling -
Maths: Khan Academy - sign up for a duel tutor and parent account. Schedule topic. Khan academy is awesome as the video teach the maths really well!
English: Anton (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.solocode.anton) is a great home schooling app for English. There are others that I'm sure are great too.
Plan an Ancient Rome project and commit to hand the school the workbook (Ancient Rome (Eyewitness Workbook) https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0241485975?tag=eliteelect-21) when you get back.
Itallian: a 9 year old can learn. Language on Duolingo. Mine was stubbornly learning Italian at 9 when French made more sense. I'd start with duolingo before going to the school and show that it's already inspiring them to start learning a language.

Good luck! I hope you get to go.

 

[B J G]

Site closures plus weather can be pretty extreme now as previously mentioned.

Plus may be using out of season accommodation plus Air B&B might be an option.

Check your Insurance as some have a 45 day or less trip maximum even if 90 days per annum.

 

[ChrisTravel]

Could perhaps just go in school summer holidays and not disrupt his education !

 

[kurienp]

Hi all - I have the once in a lifetime opportunity to take an October- December trip around Europe with my 9 year old. We have fantasised about it and now it looks like I might have the money and the time to do it! Does anyone have any tips about travelling this time of year, itineraries also how I convince the school to let him out of school? He’s a history nut so very interested in Italy, Greece and this would be an amazing experience for us both.

Ignore all naysayers. Just go! This will be the best experience you can give him and have yourself and trust me, you will not regret it.

If one campsite is not open, another one will be. You have sufficient time to plan and make it happen.

Start with a worksheet with start and end dates.

School - just tell them that you are planning a history tour and share with them a draft list of places and dates. Don't tell them much, just what they need to know. If you want to draft up a plan to submit to school, I am sure many on here will be able to help write up a plan to submit.

I mean, just do it!

We have travelled during the peak Christmas season and it has been wonderful.

Ok, so let's start with a list of places/historical sites you would like to visit. Put that on here and then we can help plan the route and campsites.


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[DessyParkerWigWam]

Hi all - I have the once in a lifetime opportunity to take an October- December trip around Europe with my 9 year old. We have fantasised about it and now it looks like I might have the money and the time to do it! Does anyone have any tips about travelling this time of year, itineraries also how I convince the school to let him out of school? He’s a history nut so very interested in Italy, Greece and this would be an amazing experience for us both.

Sounds great - just go for it - last October i took mine on overnight ferry - Hull to Rotterdam and had a night in city centre campsite in Rotterdam - then on through Belgium, lille and down to Sancere - in France - weather was great - campsites no problem..... If you go down through Italy - you can get ferry from Brindisi (I think) across to Corfu and then onwards to Athens - will be amazing experience.

 

[ThomasHJ]

Do it! Regardless of any obstacles (perceived or real). You guys will make memories that last a lifetime. We travelled through Europe for 4 months when the kids were 2 and 4 and even though they were young, it had a lasting impression on them (and us). Would do it again tomorrow if we could.

Keep in mind that many camp sites will be closed, so I would do a bit more research (compared to high season) into places to stay beforehand. Perhaps you could check networks similair to Brit Stops, like France Passion and Espana Discovery. Check here.

I assume spain and Portugal have area's where a lot of tourists spend the winter time so they might have more sites open.

I agree with @kurienp that when you have a global route we can be of more assistance regardings sites, etc.

I'm not in the UK so can't say much about the school-issue. We discussed it openly with school and they were accommodating. They gave us schoolwork to bring along and suggested we'd videocall into the class. Our kids we're younger then yours and they were both excelling which might have helped. Remember, 3 months really isn't that long if your child has no problems keeping up at school. I hope the school looks at it that way to.

 

[Lambeth Cali]

Given he is at primary, I think most schools see travel as educational. It obviously depends on the head but I think ours has approved similar things.
It does seem an odd time to go, but then I am a fairweather camper.

 

[ThomasHJ]

Your 2 and 4 yr old children were excelling. Good stuff

Did I not word it correctly? Or did you feel I was bragging?

Either way my comment was meant to help. It may not always be fair, but teachers / school staff may indeed keep a student's previous school results in mind when deciding to grant permission to leave school for 3 months.

 

[Sassypants77!]

Thanks everyone lots of food for thought here

 

[kurienp]

We left Britain behind to ‘world school’ our children around 23 countries

A family of four who ditched the rat race to travel around Europe share tips on how to see the world while educating your children

www.telegraph.co.uk

An interesting article.

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[Viktorgeorge]

Did I not word it correctly? Or did you feel I was bragging?

Either way my comment was meant to help. It may not always be fair, but teachers / school staff may indeed keep a student's previous school results in mind when deciding to grant permission to leave school for 3 months.

You worded perfectly, and helpfully, the problem was elsewhere.

 

[Calimili]

There's plenty of campsites that are open in winter, of course not the ones by the seaside. But there are plenty open especially in the mountains. I've literally just got back yesterday from Italy, slept even in -7°C , no issues. You need winter tires or at least snow chains, two -18°C type sleeping bags, some sort of extra insulation for the roof and the collapsible pipe to bring the heat from the diesel heater upstairs.