Travel Schooling Explained: Learning with The Slow Road

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About this episode

What happens when you swap the classroom for the open road? In this episode of the Future Learners podcast, we meet Kirianna from The Slow Road family, who shares how they balance education with adventure while living in a vintage 1962 Volkswagen Combi. Currently travelling in Japan with her husband Lockie and their three children, Kirianna offers a glimpse into the world of travel schooling.

Kirianna discusses their philosophy of “slow learning,” practical strategies for offline education, and how they integrate real-world experiences into their Euka curriculum. Her insights provide inspiration for families considering travel schooling or simply wanting to bring more flexibility and real-world connection into their homeschooling journey.

Key Points:

Travel Schooling Definition:

Family of five travels in 1962 VW Combi “Izzy”
Currently based in Japan; children aged 9, 6, and 3

Philosophy of Slow Learning:

Taking things at life’s pace; learning through play and exploration
Flexible scheduling that works with each child’s natural rhythms

Practical Strategies:

Print worksheets and box resources by term for offline learning
Integrate real-world experiences (markets, monuments, trains) into curriculum

Euka Support:

Downloadable and printable resources suit travel lifestyle
Responsive support team; YouTube tutorials for getting organised

Introduction to Travel Schooling

The world really can be your classroom. For Kirianna and her family of five, this isn’t just a motto—it’s their daily reality. Living in a vintage 1962 Volkswagen split-screen Combi named Izzy, they’ve discovered that learning doesn’t need four walls. It just needs curiosity, flexibility, and the right support.

Currently in Japan with her husband Lockie and their three children—Riley (9), Alba (6), and Elsie (3)—Kirianna shared how they balance exploration with education, and why travel schooling has become their family’s way of life.

The Slow Road Family and Their Journey

Kirianna and Lockie’s journey into travel schooling wasn’t always the plan. Both coming from aviation backgrounds, they’d always had the travel bug. They started travelling just before COVID, initially wanting to see more of Australia.

What began as an adventure evolved into something more permanent when they realised their son Riley needed an education approach that suited his active, outdoorsy nature. “We just tried to search for ways where we could educate him to be an outdoorsy boy, still get out and explore the world, but also have a stable homeschooling background,” Kirianna explained.

Their research led them to Euka. The COVID pandemic, while challenging for many, actually helped normalise their lifestyle choice. “Everyone could see that kids could still be outdoors and learn, or still travel,” Kirianna reflected. This shift in perspective gave them confidence to commit to travel schooling as a long-term approach.

“Learning is just a part of life. We are all natural learners and enthusiastic learners.”
— Kirianna, The Slow Road

Philosophy of Slow Learning

The family’s approach centres on what Kirianna calls “slow learning”—a philosophy that extends beyond education into their entire lifestyle. Living in a vintage Combi naturally takes you back a few years, she notes. The family tries to live like they’re back in the 1960s: getting muddy, learning through play, and connecting with different cultures.

“I think the slow aspect comes from just taking things as life can,” Kirianna shared. “From a little boy, we figured that he just needed to take his time with his learning and really grasp his surroundings. That would build this foundation for him to grow and learn at his own pace.”

This philosophy recognises that children—particularly active boys like Riley—often need flexibility. Rather than forcing extended periods of desk work, the family works with their children’s natural rhythms. A morning worksheet, followed by time to run, swim, and explore, then returning to learning when energy has been expended and focus is restored.

Integrating Learning with Travel

One of the biggest questions families have about travel schooling is practical: how do you actually blend education with exploration? Kirianna shared how they make learning relevant by connecting it to real-world experiences.

When Alba had a geography worksheet about Cairns, she could draw on her experience of actually snorkelling there. In Japan, the children learn about currencies and money by using train cards and shopping at markets. They visit monuments like Tokyo’s Sky Tree and connect those experiences to their Euka lessons.

“A lot of the times we will go on an excursion and somehow, without even realising it, it kind of falls into our Euka learning,” Kirianna noted. This approach answers the question children naturally ask—”Why do I need to know this?”—immediately and tangibly.

“Riley needs the flexibility to play and then come back. We see a lot more improvement from his behaviour when he’s able to do that.”
— Kirianna, The Slow Road

Offline Learning Strategies

What happens when you’re crossing the Nullarbor or somewhere without internet? Preparation is key. “Everything that we have for a term is boxed up and put into packaging, so that we’re ready in case we don’t need to use our devices or have internet,” Kirianna explained.

The family prints all worksheets ahead of time and accumulates hands-on materials and creative supplies—purchased from Japan’s excellent dollar shops—that allow learning to continue anywhere. Riley, who learns best through hands-on activities, particularly benefits from this approach. “If he can do with Play-Doh and create something as he’s learning, it sits better for him.”

The children have containers with all their worksheets organised by subject, so they know exactly where everything is. “A lot of the times they don’t even know that they’re learning something because they’re being creative,” Kirianna noted.

Living in a Small Space

Life in a vintage Combi with three children requires creativity and intentionality. Yet Kirianna sees the constraints of small-space living as opportunities rather than limitations.

“I’m really lucky because the children have all grown up in a small space,” she explained. The family has established clear boundaries: the caravan is for sleeping, while eating, playing, and learning happen outside. “Their playground is always out playing on the beach or at the front of the caravan.”

This approach means outdoor learning becomes natural. Morning walks help children expend energy before quiet activities. Rainy days become opportunities for reading, colouring, and conversation. “Let’s get out for a morning walk. Let’s get out and let our energy burst. So that when we are cooped up, we can kind of have some quiet time.”

Travel Highlights and Cultural Experiences

The family has travelled extensively, including time in Hawaii, throughout Australia, and multiple trips to Japan. Each destination offers unique learning opportunities that simply can’t be replicated in a traditional classroom.

In Japan, the children navigate train systems with their own travel cards, learning mathematics through real transactions. They explore cultural landmarks and bring those experiences back to their curriculum work. “When they are sitting down to research or fill out their worksheets or learn something new given by Euka, they can kind of picture it and it makes sense to them.”

Support from Euka and Future Plans

While travel schooling offers incredible flexibility, having solid educational support matters. Kirianna uses Euka to provide structure and ensure her children’s learning aligns with curriculum expectations. The platform’s flexibility—allowing resources to be downloaded and printed—makes it particularly suited to their lifestyle.

“Every time that we have needed any assistance or support, it’s been very quick,” Kirianna shared. She particularly appreciated the guidance available when first getting organised, including YouTube tutorials on how to set up filing systems. “I’ve never been without a folder. I’ve always been able to ask questions and seek help.”The family has also written a book, The Slow Road Van Life, which shares their travel tips, recipes (Kirianna is a fire cook), destination recommendations, and insights into how they manage homeschooling on the road. It’s available at bookstores throughout New Zealand and Australia, as well as on Amazon.

Key Insights for Families

Kirianna’s experience highlights several truths that resonate with families exploring alternative education approaches:

Learning through play is essential, especially for younger children and active learners. Children don’t need to sit still to absorb information—sometimes the opposite is true.

Flexibility leads to better engagement. When children can learn at their own pace and in their own way, they often exceed expectations. “If I was to just sit him there for two hours of English then maths, I wouldn’t get the best out of him.”

Real-life experiences enhance learning. Connecting curriculum to tangible experiences helps children understand why what they’re learning matters—and makes it stick.You need less space than you think. With intentionality and organisation, education can happen anywhere—including a vintage Combi.

“Riley needs the flexibility to play and then come back. We see a lot more improvement from his behaviour when he’s able to do that.”
— Kirianna, The Slow Road

Your Family, Your Journey

You don’t need a vintage Combi or plans to travel the world to embrace the lessons from Kirianna’s story. The core message is simple: learning is just a part of life. When we integrate education with our family’s unique circumstances—whatever those may be—children thrive.

Whether you’re travelling the world or doing your homeschooling at home, Euka is there to empower you and your family on your unique journey.

If you’re curious about how homeschooling could work for your family, we’re here to help you explore the possibilities. Your world really can be your classroom.

Transcript

Meet The Slow Road Family

Ellen: Today we’re talking about “The World is Your Classroom”—travel schooling and van life with The Slow Road. You may have already been following The Slow Road, or perhaps you’ve read their book. I’d love to introduce you to Kirianna, who can tell us about her family and how you can be part of that journey.

Ellen: Maybe you could start by letting us know who’s in your family and where you are right now?

Kirianna: We are a family of five—myself, my husband Lockie, and our three children: Riley who is nine, Alba who is six, and little Elsie who’s three. Right now we’re actually in Japan, which confuses a lot of people! We spend quite a bit of time here. This is where we do a lot of our preparation—collectively gathering all our schoolwork before we jump back into the van and start travelling again.

Ellen: So I believe you have a vintage kombi with a special name?

Kirianna: Yes! In the community of Volkswagen lovers, we all name our vehicles—it’s been a trend since they were first developed. We drive a 1962 vintage split-screen kombi, and her name is Izzy. Our whole family believes she’s part of our family too. There’s six of us, and we rely on her to get us everywhere!

How They Got Started with Travel Schooling

Ellen: Let’s talk about your travel philosophy and where that started—the idea of travelling, doing your schooling, and doing your family life in this way.

Kirianna: We started travelling right before Covid. We’re both from aviation, so we’ve always had that travel bug. That’s what brought us to Japan originally. We decided we needed to see more of Australia, and that’s how we ended up in a van.

As Riley grew older, he clearly needed schooling. We searched for ways to educate him while still being an outdoorsy boy who could explore the world, but also have a stable homeschooling background. That’s where it got confusing for us, and we had to figure it out. Our research led us to Euka, thank God.

We never anticipated being on the road for as long as we have. Once we were into our Covid world, it became familiar for everybody. There was so much more encouragement—everyone could see that kids could still be outdoors and learn, or still travel. That’s when we decided it was going to be a long-term situation.

The “Slow” Learning Philosophy

Ellen: Can you tell me about the philosophy behind slow learning—that seasonal, local, organic, whole kind of lifestyle?

Kirianna: By living in a kombi, it takes you back a few years. My husband and I always say we try to live like we were back in the 60s—getting muddy, learning through play, learning through other children and cultures.

The slow aspect comes from just taking things as life comes. With Riley, we figured he just needed to take his time with his learning. Really grasp his surroundings. That builds a foundation for him to grow and learn at his own pace, which was a major thing for us.

Different Learning Styles: Boys vs Girls

Ellen: Having had four boys of my own and then a girl, I’ve found that boys often have a different pace of learning to girls. How has Euka helped with that homeschooling and travelling journey?

Kirianna: Euka is very flexible. We have all our resources available online. I print all of our documents and worksheets, and then in the morning, generally speaking, we’ll work through a worksheet or read a book. He feels like he’s accomplished something. Then we can let him free—run out, exert all his energy.

Riley really loves the water. We get him out swimming, being creative, in nature. Then he comes back in and I find he can concentrate on the schoolwork at his own pace.

This is very different to the girls. The girls could sit for two hours happily doing their worksheets, concentrating, colouring, and tinkering away. Whereas for Riley, Euka has enabled him to be the free spirit that he is, but then still come back and completely focus on his work.

Connecting Curriculum to Real-World Experiences

Ellen: I love that merging of natural life with well-rounded opportunities for learning. How do you blend the opportunity of travelling with the curriculum?

Kirianna: Euka is really great because there’s a lot of geography. Alba recently had a worksheet on Cairns, and she was able to say, “I’ve been there and I’ve snorkelled!” She can bring that experience back to what she’s creating with Euka.

Here in Japan, we’ll go exploring for food, but then we’ll stop at the Sky Tree tower in Tokyo. They can mix the two together. When they sit down to fill out worksheets or learn something new, they can picture it and it makes sense to them. It’s more exciting.

A lot of the time we go on an excursion and somehow, without even realising it, it falls into our Euka learning.

Ellen: Learning is just a part of life. We’re all natural learners and enthusiastic learners. Learning should never really be separate from family life.

Kirianna: When we sit with Riley and Alba, we say, “We’re learning about money or currencies.” They can practice that in real life. We go to markets and the girls buy fruit and vegetables and figure out their change. In Japan, they use train cards and tap around the place. Then we bring that back to our lessons and it makes sense—they understand the purpose of what they’re learning.

Learning Without Constant Internet

Ellen: A question parents often ask is: what about when you’re offline? How do you handle that, like when you’re in the middle of the Nullarbor?

Kirianna: You have to be really prepared. Everything we have for a term is boxed up and put into packaging, so we’re ready in case we don’t have internet. In Japan, we go to the dollar shop and both kids have big containers with all their worksheets and everything organised.

A lot of the time they don’t even know they’re learning something because they’re being creative. When we’re in the middle of nowhere, we pull out our boxes and all the different activities for each subject. There’s a lot of hands-on learning which makes it easier for both Riley and Alba.

Managing Homeschool in a Small Space

Ellen: Here’s the question everybody asks: how do you handle schooling with the space constraints of living in a kombi?

Kirianna: I’m lucky because the children have all grown up in a small space. They’re constantly outside—their playground is always on the beach or in front of the caravan. When we got the kombi, we stressed that this is their sleeping quarters, and we eat and play outside.

We always get out for a morning walk, let our energy burst. So when we are cooped up, we can have quiet time—read a book, do some colouring. Of course, there are times where you go, “I need five minutes!” But it doesn’t matter how big your house is, you feel like that when you’re a parent.

We’ve talked a lot about communication. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, if you need a minute or want some one-on-one time, you say it. Alba likes moments by herself, so we’ll take her for a walk or she’ll pick some sticks and make potions. That goes for Lockie and me too—when things are getting heavy, we say, “I’m at 70%—you stick and I’ll go have some time to myself.”

Getting Support from Euka

Ellen: What has been your experience with Euka’s support?

Kirianna: Every time we’ve needed assistance or support, it’s been very quick. At the beginning, when I was trying to figure out how to organise everything, I found the Help section and YouTube videos showing how to place everything in files. I’ve never been without an answer. I’ve always been able to ask questions and seek help.

Where to Find The Slow Road

Kirianna: We have a book called “The Slow Road: Van Life” which is full of information about how we travel, our hot tips, how we manage life on the road, and different destinations. I’m also a fire cook, so there’s lots of recipes. We also talk about homeschooling and how we utilise Euka throughout our journey.

The book is available at Dymocks, Amazon, and most bookstores throughout Australia and New Zealand. You can also find us on our website at theslowroad.com.au.

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Brett Campbell, CEO Euka Future Learning

Brett Campbell is a leader in education, serving as the CEO of Euka, an innovative company building the future of education. He’s a successful entrepreneur and author with a passion for lifelong learning. Beyond his professional achievements, Brett is a devoted family man and the host of the Future Learners Podcast, where he shares his ideas about education’s potential to empower people and create a brighter future.

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Ellen Brown, Founder Euka Future Learning

Ellen Brown is the founder and driving force behind Euka’s educational philosophy. With over 25 years of teaching experience, she designed Euka’s curriculum for grades 1-12, emphasizing individualized and practical learning. Her expertise is recognized by major media outlets, and she is frequently sought after for her insights on the future of education.

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