Traveling with children can be costly, but it is a great investment in exposing them to different and diverse cultures, traditions, and perspectives. Traveling improves a child’s critical thinking and problem-solving skills and provides opportunities for hands-on learning about history and geography. It also helps them develop social confidence.
Traveling with children helps family members build strong bonds, and it can be an escape from the normal hurried routine, which many families succumb to. One of the most valuable benefits of traveling with kids is time for reconnection with each other.
In their daily routine, many families fight off the hurriedness sickness. Traveling gives parents and children time to reflect, relax, reconnect, and slow the pace. If time permits, traveling with kids by train or automobile gives families an opportunity to stop to explore monuments and other sites along the way or have lunch at a strategic time to break up the monotony.
Traveling also offers opportunities to pass on traditions and beliefs as parents pass the love of traveling or wanderlust. When time and money are available, try exploring a new place, and invite your child to explore the wonders of new people and worlds.
If you have a limited budget, perhaps it’s time to explore your own area by planning a staycation.
Planning activities ahead of time helps ensure the best experience for family vacations. Regardless of the mode of traveling or the place you are venturing to, include children in the pre-planning activities.
Once the family has decided where to go and considered their budget and interests, parents have to decide how best to ward off the boredom monster without merely submitting to hours of unsupervised screen time. Parents should clarify the guidelines for children’s use of iPads and other devices.
Parents can use vacations as a time to help their kids get off the computer and engage with family and with a new location. But parents can use iPads or other devices for the child to capture important moments of the trip. Or parents can equip children with a disposable camera or an inexpensive camera for their use during the trip.
Congratulations to those who have successfully put in the effort to finish another school year! Maybe this summer will offer you the gift of traveling with your family.
Lucille is the author of several children’s books, including Baby, So Precious.
