When we left Singapore, we had a four and a two year old. Neither was school-age by any formal measure. That gave us a grace period and frankly, an opportunity, a year or so where "education" could just be reading books, playing on beaches, and learning about the world by living in it.
Then our eldest turned five, then six, and suddenly the question stopped being theoretical. What are we doing about school? Not as a concept, as a plan. With benchmarks and structure and all the things that keep you up at night when your kid is learning to read on a boat.
Here's what we tried, what worked, and what I'd change.
The early years: worldschooling by default
For the first eighteen months, we didn't follow any curriculum. We just lived. Our eldest learned maths by helping Ben calculate fuel consumption and provisions. He learned geography by looking at charts and pointing to where we'd been. Our youngest learned language by talking to everyone in every port in whatever language she felt like attempting.
It sounds idyllic and sometimes it was. Other times it was me trying to get a four-year-old to practise writing letters while his sister screamed because she'd dropped a crayon overboard and the boat was rocking and I hadn't slept properly in three days.
Worldschooling is not a holiday. It's education without walls, which also means education without breaks, without colleagues, and without anyone to hand the difficult moments to.
Finding structure: the approach
By the time our eldest was five, we needed a framework. Not because he was "behind", (he wasn't and it's not really a thing to focus on!) but because I was losing confidence without some way to track whether we were covering what he needed.
I landed on emphasising short lessons, living books (real literature rather than textbooks), nature study and using the world around us. It fit our life perfectly. We could do formal lessons in 90 minutes each morning and then the rest of the day was exploration.
A typical day looked like:
- 8:30 to 9:00: Reading practice (our eldest) while our youngest did puzzles
- 9:00 to 9:30: Maths using real-life problems, counting money in different currencies, measuring ingredients
- 9:30 to 10:00: Nature study or history, usually tied to wherever we were. Ancient ruins in Greece, marine biology while snorkelling, Turkish history in Istanbul
That was it for formal work. The afternoon was swimming, exploring, playing with other boat kids, or just being children. Our youngest joined in gradually as she got older, mostly through stories and drawing.
What I got wrong
I compared too much. I'd see Instagram posts from homeschooling families with beautiful workbooks, Montessori setups, and children who apparently sat quietly for two hours doing calligraphy. Our reality was marker pens, torn workbooks, and a maths lesson interrupted by a swim. I wasted energy feeling inadequate about something that was, by every objective measure, working fine.
When I eventually found the online worldschooling community, it changed everything. Other parents shared resources, swapped tips, and provided the reassurance I needed. There are good communities on Facebook and WhatsApp, and many families use the same online platforms (Khan Academy, Twinkl) which makes it easy to share lesson ideas.
What worked well
Tying lessons to real life made the biggest difference. When we visited Ephesus in Türkiye, that was our history lesson for the month. When we sailed through the Corinth Canal, we learned about its construction and the engineering involved. That kind of context sticks in a way that textbooks can't replicate.
Reading was the other thing. We carried about thirty books on the boat and rotated them when we met other families. Our eldest became a strong reader because there wasn't much else to do on long passages. That reading ability then unlocked everything else.
And letting the kids lead. Our eldest developed an obsession with fish identification. Instead of fighting it, I turned it into science, art etc, and writing. Following the child's interest works!
Transitioning back to formal school
When we settled in Spain, both kids went into school. We had an 8 and a 6 year old.
They weren't behind, they weren't in front but they had experienced a whole world of interesting experiences.
Both kids had been used to learning one-on-one or in small groups with other boat children. A classroom of 25 was overwhelming for the first few weeks. But kids adapt, and by the end of the first term both were settled.
What I'd tell you
If you're considering homeschooling or worldschooling your kids during a transition, here's what I know now:
- Pick a framework, any framework, so you have a rough structure to follow.
- Keep formal lessons short. 60 to 90 minutes a day is enough for primary-aged children.
- Connect with other families who are doing the same thing. The isolation is the hardest part.
- Stop comparing. Your boat/van/rented apartment is not a classroom and it doesn't need to be.
- Document what you're doing. Some countries require evidence of home education and having a simple log makes that easier.
If you want help talking through education options for your transition, that's something I love working on. Book a call and we'll figure it out together.
