Was Delaying Our Homeschool Year a Mistake? Why Our Colorado Trip Was Worth It
We started our 2026–2027 homeschool year later than we ever have before.
For our family, that’s saying something. We’re in our tenth year of homeschooling, and I’m usually pretty rigid about our schedule. I like to start early, build in time off, take it easy in December, and know that we’re moving toward the goals I’ve set for the year.
This year, though, we made a different choice.
We delayed our homeschool start so we could take a family trip to Estes Park, Colorado. One child was beginning ninth grade, our other was entering fifth grade, and I knew we had a lot of school ahead of us. I also knew we had an opportunity to spend meaningful time together that might not come around in quite the same way again.
Was I worried about starting late? Absolutely.
Was it worth it? A month into our homeschool year, my answer is yes.
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Why we delayed our homeschool year
Our summer was full. Both kids had active, interest-based commitments, including intensive activities and camps that took considerable time, energy, and planning.
We also knew the fall was going to be busy. If we wanted to take a family vacation, we needed to make a deliberate choice about when it would happen.
Our last vacation had been back in January, and we try to make room for trips throughout the year. We value those experiences as a family, not just as a break from our usual routine.
Then we had an opportunity to go to Estes Park, Colorado.
My husband’s family has a long history with Estes Park. His grandparents have had a second home there for decades, and generations of the family have spent time in the area. His grandparents are still able to enjoy that home, and we realized that gathering everyone together under one roof was something worth prioritizing.
We had the chance to bring four generations of our family together.
I couldn’t assume that we’d always have the same opportunity. And I didn’t want to let my preference for an early homeschool start make the decision for us.
So we delayed school.
But what about starting high school late?
This is where the decision felt uncomfortable.
We weren’t simply moving the start date for a child in the early elementary years. We were beginning our tenth year of homeschooling with one child entering high school and another in the final year of elementary school.
High school brings a different set of responsibilities. I care about credits, academic progress, and making sure we’re working toward the goals we’ve established. I don’t believe flexibility means that nothing matters or that every deadline can be ignored.
I also know myself. I like having a plan, and I like feeling that we’re on track.
Starting late meant I had to accept that we wouldn’t be as far along as I wanted us to be. I couldn’t pretend that the stress wasn’t there.
But I had to weigh that discomfort against the opportunity in front of us.
We could adjust our schedule. We could work through the school year differently. We could make a plan for the work ahead.
We couldn’t guarantee that we’d have this same chance to gather four generations of family together again.
That distinction mattered to me.
What made our Estes Park trip educational?
One of the things I appreciate about homeschooling is that learning doesn’t have to be confined to a particular room, time, or set of assignments.
We didn’t travel to Colorado with the intention of turning every moment into a lesson. We went to spend time together, explore a beautiful place, and make memories. But our approach to travel naturally creates opportunities for learning, too.
We researched wildlife before our trip. We thought about the hikes we wanted to take, the places we wanted to explore, and the experiences that would interest our family.
And then we learned by doing.
Wildlife and Rocky Mountain National Park
We saw elk, deer, marmots, chipmunks, gophers, and blue jays. We watched wildlife in its environment and learned more about the animals that live in the area.
We visited Rocky Mountain National Park, explored the scenery, and took advantage of opportunities to learn from people who work in the parks.
We also visited ranger stations and explored the kinds of resources that help children understand the natural world. Junior Ranger activities and discovery packs can turn a hike or a visit to a visitor center into something more engaging, with tools for identifying animals and observing the environment.
For kids who are interested in wildlife, this kind of experience offers something different from reading about an animal in a book. You can observe, ask questions, make connections, and build a better understanding of what you’ve learned.
And sometimes you don’t see the animal you’re hoping to find. I really wanted to see a pika, but we didn’t spot one. That’s part of learning in the real world, too.
Learning the science behind glassblowing
One of our favorite experiences was learning about glassblowing in downtown Estes Park.
We got to see the art and science behind the process, including how heat, air pressure, force, and different materials come together to create a finished piece.
It was the kind of experience that connects subjects we might otherwise study separately. Science and art weren’t competing with each other. They were working together.
Because we visited after the usual school start dates, we also had a quieter experience than we might have during a busier season. We had time to pay attention, ask questions, and really engage with what we were seeing.
Making chocolate and learning where it comes from
We also took a chocolate-making tour and learned about the cacao plant, from growing and processing the pods to tasting cacao nibs and understanding the chocolate-making process.
It’s one thing to enjoy chocolate. It’s another to learn how it begins, how the ingredients are processed, and how those ingredients become something familiar.
Again, we weren’t sitting down to complete a lesson. We were having an experience that naturally brought together science, food, agriculture, and a little bit of history.
History, engineering, and unexpected discoveries
Estes Park has plenty of other opportunities to explore. We learned about the area’s history, discovered interesting connections to the Stanley Hotel and the story of The Shining, and explored local attractions that offered their own lessons in engineering, technology, and the arts.
We’ve also enjoyed experiences such as horseback riding and the alpine coaster on previous visits.
Not every activity has to be a formal educational experience to be worthwhile. Sometimes the learning comes from asking questions, talking to the people who work somewhere, or discovering something you didn’t know you were interested in.
That is one of the things I value most about traveling with my kids.
The education wasn’t just about academics
The trip wasn’t only about wildlife, chocolate, glassblowing, or the history of Colorado.
It was also about being together.
We played mini golf, rode go-karts, explored, and spent time simply enjoying one another. We had conversations and experiences that don’t always fit neatly into a school plan.
And we got to sit down and play cards with great-grandma.
That may sound like a small thing, but it isn’t small to me.
The kids had time with family across generations. They got to share a house, a vacation, and ordinary moments with people they love. Those moments are part of their childhood, and they’re part of what I want our family life to make room for.
I don’t want to measure the value of our time together only by what we can turn into an academic outcome.
Yes, the trip had educational value. It also had emotional value. It gave us a chance to connect, build memories, and enjoy a family opportunity that we didn’t want to take for granted.
Both things can be true.
Does homeschooling make this kind of flexibility possible?
For our family, yes. The flexibility of homeschooling made it possible to delay our start and take this trip when the opportunity arose.
That doesn’t mean every homeschooling family has the same freedom. Work schedules, finances, caregiving responsibilities, activities, and educational needs all shape what a family can realistically do.
We’re fortunate that this particular trip was possible for us, including having family accommodation available. I don’t take that for granted, and I wouldn’t suggest that everyone needs to travel to make their homeschool experience meaningful.
The point isn’t that every family should delay school for a vacation.
The point is that our schedules are tools. They help us work toward our goals, but they shouldn’t automatically take priority over every other part of our lives.
For us, homeschooling creates room to make decisions based on the needs and opportunities of our actual family. Sometimes that means keeping to the plan. Sometimes it means adjusting the plan.
This time, adjusting the plan was the right decision for us.
Was it worth delaying our homeschool year?
A month into the school year, I can say that I’m glad we did it.
That doesn’t mean I stopped caring about our schedule. It doesn’t mean I no longer worry about academic progress. And it certainly doesn’t mean I’ll never question a decision like this again.
I still have goals for the year. I still want us to make progress, especially now that we’re navigating high school. I’ll continue to evaluate what is working and adjust where we need to.
But I don’t regret making room for this trip.
We got to spend time in a beautiful place, experience things we wouldn’t have experienced at home, learn about wildlife and science in meaningful ways, and gather four generations of our family together.
We made memories that matter to us.
And I was reminded that an education is bigger than the assignments we complete or the number of weeks we’ve been in session.
A childhood is bigger than that, too.
I’m not saying to abandon your plans or that every opportunity justifies putting school off. I’m saying that sometimes an important opportunity comes along, and it’s worth considering whether the schedule can bend to make room for it.
We had that opportunity, and I’m grateful we took it.
What would you make room for?
If you’re a homeschool parent, especially one who likes a predictable schedule, I understand how hard it can be to start later than planned. It can feel like you’re already behind before you’ve even begun.
But I hope we can also remember why we’re making these choices in the first place.
We’re not only trying to complete schoolwork. We’re raising whole people, building relationships, and creating a family life that reflects what matters to us.
Sometimes that means working steadily through the curriculum. Sometimes it means going on the trip, visiting family, or taking advantage of an experience that may not come around again.
For our family, delaying homeschool for Estes Park was worth it.
I’d love to know: What have you postponed your usual routine for that became a core memory for your family?
It doesn’t have to be a big vacation. It might be time with grandparents, a special event, an unexpected opportunity, or a day when you chose to be together instead of following the plan.
Sometimes the things we remember most are the things we made room for.
And sometimes, learning happens when we step away from the schedule.
Together, let’s keep making everyday magic.
