Does your teenager spend time on public transport travelling between home and school every day? It might seem like wasted time, but there are lots of things your teen can do during their travel time that will support their learning.

Hit the homework

It’s surprising what kinds of homework can be done while travelling. Help your teen think of activities that will work for them, taking account of how they travel, how long the trip is, what subjects they are doing, and what they will have with them. Here are a few ideas to get started:

• read a set text
• plan out an assignment
• edit a draft essay
• use a language app
• revise for a test.

Motivate your teen by pointing out that by getting homework done while travelling, they are giving themselves more free time when they get home.

Revise and practise

Travel time is great for the kind of regular practice that often gets left undone – for example, revising a language vocabulary list. Encourage your teen to set a weekly challenge, such as spending ten minutes on three trips a week on revision. It won’t feel like much time each day, but that half hour a week is likely to make a noticeable difference to their learning!

Pursue a passion

Travel time is a great opportunity for teens (and adults!) to pursue their own passions and interests. Encourage your teen to read or listen to audio books about their areas of interest. Puzzles such as crosswords and sudoku can also turn commute time into a mental challenge.

Turn off (and tune in)

Our lives are so busy and switched on these days that your teen may rarely just sit and daydream, or observe what’s going on around them. Encourage them to sometimes just completely switch off, gaze out the window, and tune into their own thoughts and surroundings. The down time will help refresh their brains and make space for reflection and creative thinking.

Catch up

Don’t discount the value of your teen using travel time to catch up with friends – having a balanced life and good relationships is important for learning too!