For some families on the road long-term, putting kids in local schools while traveling becomes an important component of the journey. No, I'm not talking about fancy (and often expensive) international schools, although those can be a good option for some.

What I'm talking about are just the regular local schools of a city or country. With local kids speaking and playing in the local language. There are a number of benefits, and it may not be as difficult to do as you think.

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Putting Kids in Local Schools While Traveling

As many traveling families know, travel and education go hand in hand. There are hundreds of ways to approach education when traveling, but one you may have not thought about before is putting your kids into the local schools of the country you're traveling in.

This isn't for everyone, and it doesn't work everywhere. That said you may be surprised at how easy and useful it can be to put your kids into a local school outside of your home country.

Related Episodes: Putting Kids in Local Schools

This isn't the first episode where I've talked to parents who've enrolled their kids in locals schools. Some of these guests were just visiting, while others were moving there for a year or for much longer. Listen in!

• New Zealand: The North Family
• Southern France: The Prince Family (and a second episode)
• Kerala, India: The Kramer/Moore Family
• Dominican Republic: We3Travel
• Peru: Michelle Mundy
• Spain (Andalucia): The Rauch Family
• Moving to Spain: The Wagoner Family (and their first episode)
• Mexico (Guanajuato): The Luxpats
• Mexico (Tulum, Cozumel): Crystal Blue
• Mexico (San Miguel de Allende): The Elliot Family
• Mexico (Merida): The Morales Family
• Morocco: The Mouttaki Family (her first episode)
• England: The Davies Family

ABOUT TODAY'S GUEST

• Names: Stephen Lead, Gloria Tong, and their daughters, Penelope & Clementine
• Hold passports from: Australia & the UK
• Type of travel: Long-term travel
• A few places they've been: Japan, UK, Ireland, Switzerland, Spain Sevilla Mexico Guatemala, Panama, Chile

FIND THEM ON

• Their Blog: Steve & Glo

Putting Kids in Local Schools While Traveling

In this episode of Epic Education Radio, I talk with Stephen Lead, an Australian dad who has been traveling with his wife and two young girls for a year. They've put the girls into local schools in both Spain and Mexico so far. When we met in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, Stephen and I went out for drinks and soon the topic turned to our experiences putting kids in local schools while traveling.

We've done it, and so had Stephen. In fact, there are many episodes of this podcast with guests who have put their kids in local schools. I've had a few requests for more info and Stephen was keen to talk about it, and that' show this episode came to be.

TLDR: Main Points of Putting Kids in Local Schools While Traveling

• Enrolling in local schools can be quite cheap and easy in many countries
• There are opportunities for local schools in Spain, Mexico, France, Malaysia, New Zealand, India, the Dominican Republic, and more
• In general, the younger the child, the more opportunities for enrollment
• Short-term enrollment is easy for primary school-aged kids and younger.
• Some schools require some paperwork, such as a birth certificate (or a copy of one), while others require almost none.
• Don't over plan or stress over the preplanning. Some schools work out, some don't.
• Book accommodation based on convenience to town or whatever you're interested in, rather than accommodation close to the school.
• List of other episodes with parents putting kids in local schools at the end of the post.

Benefits of Putting Kids in Local Schools While Traveling

When I suggest putting your kids in a local school, your first question may be "Why?" For many families, the routines of school and work are part of the reason for traveling in the first place.

I get that. And I'm not suggesting this route for everyone. That said, both Stephen and I have learned that it added to our travels and relationships in positive ways.

Below I break down a few of the reasons why putting kids in local schools can be rewarding:

Make Local Friends

Kids sometimes need other kids. Putting your kids into a local school gives them an opportunity to interact with children their age. When kids are young (say, 9 or younger), it's much easier to play and have fun without the need for verbal communication. And yet, as they play, your child will be picking up the local language much faster than any textbook could give them.

Language Learning

Attending locals schools can be a great way to learn a new language. I won't say it's easy at first, but being around local kids is a huge boost to language learning. Sure, kids are spong