“When you travel with your children, you are giving them something that can never be taken away, experience, exposure and a way of life.” – Pamela T. Chandler
At a young age I quickly learned my parents saw the value in travel and giving experiences over materialistic things when there weren’t a ton of presents under the tree from Santa. The best part about that was, there was always money in the budget for a little adventure. I noticed at a young age that my parents were curious about going to different places, enjoyed learning about other cultures and openly welcomed people from other countries into our home. Their ways rubbed off on me which has definitely contributed to the person that I’ve become. My travel experiences are what I remember most from my childhood and not the barbie doll present I received when I was 8. This left me curious to see the world and learn about other people different than myself and it hasn’t stopped.
There is no doubt that no matter what age you are, traveling is one of the best ways to learn how to be responsible and independent. You are put in situations that force you to take responsibility for things that come your way that would never happen if you stayed in your little bubble. This is a priceless skill that we can give our kids with the help of travel.
Travel is a fantastic way for people of all ages to learn and grow because there are countless opportunities to discover and learn in different ways. Educational experts often refer to this type of learning as play-based learning, which is especially common during kids’ travels. When children engage in play while traveling, it sparks their imagination and boosts their creativity. It’s been shown that travel also helps with reading, language skills, and making friends. That’s why travel is an amazing educational experience for everyone, young and old alike.
Research also shows that travel has a positive impact on physical and mental health all while making family connections. Isn’t that what we want most for our kids and family?
If you grow up living in the same place your whole life and never leave, I can imagine it’s hard to picture what life is like outside of your little bubble. It’s normal to feel the comfort and sense of security of home and where you grew up. If you’re given the opportunity to get out and explore at a young age, chances are, you’re going to catch that travel bug and want to keep exploring.
The life skills that are taught while traveling are priceless. In my opinion as a teacher, being street smart is more useful in many real life situations than being book smart. Traveling teaches you these life skills and turns you into a more well-rounded person. It gives you the opportunity to meet new people, develop meaningful life skills and adapt to new environments and situations. You also appreciate other cultures while learning more about yourself by getting outside of your comfort zone.
One of my many trips to Europe with kids as a chaperone
I’ve taken countless trips to Europe chaperoning high school students so I’ve seen firsthand how life changing a two week trip can be for these kids. Many of them are ready to plan their next trip even before we got back home. Some have gone on to study abroad in college. They become curious about what’s out there in the world and want to learn from people that are different than themselves. At the same time, they learn about themselves and their own culture. One thing that I love most is to watch, are the friendships they create with the other kids in the group that they never would imagine they would. They were brought together through traveling and they create these special bonds. This is what traveling is all about.
Many people would probably question your sanity if you listed all of the benefits of traveling with kids. I get it, I question it myself. Many times our minds go straight to the headaches that can be caused by all of the screaming, the extra money, the fighting, moving at a slower pace, etc. But think about how it can build a stronger family relationship as well as benefit you and your travel experience. When you travel with kids, it brings out the inner child in you and you do fun things that you wouldn’t if you were without kids. That is so freeing!
We are also always rushing around in our daily lives. Traveling with kids forces you to slow down and that’s not always a bad thing. You typically notice things that you might not normally see and gives you the opportunity to really soak it all in. This all might take a little rewiring of the brain, but focusing on the positives can help you
There are so many teachable moments when traveling. You definitely will get more of this traveling abroad because there are more differences when it comes to how people look, what they eat, how they live, different social customs, etc. But you don’t need to travel abroad to get all of the benefits. Include your kids on making up the itinerary, have your kids pack their own bags, give them a task like being the family photographer on the trip, put them in situations where they need to be social with others, etc.
Who would have thought there were so many benefits to travel?! Giving the gift of travel to a child gives them the opportunity to have fun while learning. They become well-rounded citizens. So stop stressing just thinking about it, pull the trigger and do it! It’s not always going to be easy, but it will give you and your family lifetime memories and experiences!
“There are no seven wonders of the world. There are seven million.” – Walt Straightiff