We know what works. The research is clear. We know that children learn best through meaningful, hands-on experiences that engage both their minds and their bodies. We know that play builds language, problem-solving, creativity, and resilience. We know that curiosity and relationships drive learning far more deeply than repetition or test preparation ever will.
And yet, somehow, it’s still not happening.
Outside of private schools, preschools, and some homeschools, the kind of learning children truly need is increasingly rare. Where is the time for language building? For fine motor development? For cultivating a genuine love of learning? Why does learning still take place in boxes, in rooms where children sit for hours, moving from one subject to the next before they’ve had the chance to think something through? Why do they most look forward to recess, the one part of the day that allows freedom, movement, and imagination and ironically one of the shortest time periods?
It doesn’t have to be this way. Children can love math. They can love science. They can engage deeply in reading and writing when their work is rich, relevant, and hands-on. It’s not about introducing a new workbook or a new curriculum every year. It’s about creating experiences that invite children to explore, to experiment, to build meaning from the world around them.
But in so many schools, the structure of learning itself is the obstacle. Time is broken into forty-minute segments. Lessons are interrupted, transitions are constant, and children receive fragments of information without the opportunity to make connections. In some places, administrators even clock the minutes spent on each subject, ensuring every class matches the next. I know this first-hand; I was a school administrator for eight years. I never did that, and I never will. Because it’s madness.
Children need time. Time to explore an idea until it makes sense. Time to construct and reconstruct. Time to talk, question, and imagine. Time to play.
Choice. Autonomy. Time. These are not extras; they are the foundation of real learning.
This is exactly why we created Van-Go Wagon Co.
We wanted to provide children and families with access to what is so often missing, authentic, hands-on learning experiences that invite play, creativity, and curiosity. The Van-Go Wagon was designed to bring materials and inspiration directly to communities, giving children space to explore, experiment, and make. Our approach encourages mixed-age learning, collaboration, and discovery. There is no rush, no rigid schedule. Just time and opportunity.
We believe in learning that is alive. Learning that grows through conversation, movement, and creation. Learning that begins with an invitation, not an assignment.
We built Van-Go Wagon Co. because we know what works and we’re done waiting for the system to catch up. Children deserve access to meaningful, open-ended learning now.
It’s time to stop pretending we don’t know what they need. We do. The question is whether we’re ready to give them the space, the freedom, and the time to do it.
