“They learn to regulate emotions, speak up for themselves, and interact with others. That’s real learning, too,” said Haley Sisk, who homeschools her three young children at Disney World.
A new homeschooling trend has mothers treating Disney World as a classroom, using the different themed parks as a learning environment. The Orlando, Florida, theme park has become a gathering place for homeschooling communities, with families connecting through social media groups like "Florida Disney Homeschool Meetup" on Facebook, which boasts over 2,000 members. It's where parents organize meetups, share lesson plans, and coordinate group discounts, the Wall Street Journal reported.
"We're not just doing rides and calling it school," said Haley Sisk, a former teacher who homeschools her three young children, with the eldest aged 5. "They learn to regulate emotions, speak up for themselves, and interact with others. That's real learning, too," Sisk told the WSJ.
At Epcot, families use the park's geography and history to explore different countries such as Mexico, Japan, and Morocco. Sisk said her days start with reading and table work at home before she straps her kids into car seats and heads to Disney World about three to four times per week. If her children spark an interest in learning about Paris, they go to Epcot to visit the France Pavilion.
Animal Kingdom serves as a science lab, where parents can take their kids on the Maharajah Jungle Trek to learn about African wildlife, said Sisk
Holly Leary, a former middle school English teacher, used the Pirates of the Caribbean ride to educate her 10-year-old daughter about economics, particularly whether or not piracy hurt or helped the economy, she said. Leary, who lives just 10 minutes away from the Magic Kingdom, added that instead of using bedtime alarms, she looks to the sky each night at 9 pm to see the fireworks display. That's when her daughter knows it's time to go to bed, Leary told the paper.
Using Disney World as a classroom does not come at a cheap cost for families, as expenses accumulate fast. Many of the families have annual memberships, which helps lower the cost per visit. They budget around $3,000 to $5,000 per year for park passes, food, and merchandise, according to the WSJ.
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