The first trip I took was when I was 9 months old and my parents went to Washington, DC. Although I don't remember that trip, I have seen pictures and when I grew up, I spent 30 years living and working in the DC area. The first trip I remember was when we went with my parents and my aunt and uncle to Florida when I was probably four. I remember thinking how funny it was that my two-year-old brother was scared of the waves and tried to make them go away. I also remember seeing the dolphins at Marineland and the water skiing show at Cypress Gardens. For the rest of my childhood, we took some sort of trip every year either piled into the back of the station wagon or in our pop-up camper. We spent three years traveling through Europe when my father was stationed in Germany.
While some may believe that traveling with kids is a waste of time because they won't remember any of it, that's not always the case. Many don't realize that traveling with kids is just like any other experience—be it reading to them or going to the playground. You're creating priceless character-shaping possibilities, learning opportunities, and unforgettable memories.
1: Travel enhances a child's developmental milestones
From the moment they're born, babies and young children never stop learning. Traveling opens the door to many colors, faces, languages, sights, smells, and sounds. Your child might say their first word during a trip or discover that they love the feeling of swaying in the water while on a cruise.
2: Traveling helps children become adaptable and flexible
Traveling helps children feel comfortable sleeping anywhere from beds to on an airplane to outside underneath a blanket. They'll adapt to eating while sitting on your lap or in a highchair at a restaurant. Exposure to a variety of cuisines helps prevent them from being picky eaters.
3: Travel teaches children that a fun way to experience the world is through multilingualism
As you travel more with your children, they'll become more inquisitive regarding the language locals speak when visiting different countries. Your child learns that people speak different languages throughout the world. Even with other languages children always find a way to relate to each other.
4: Travel shows children that we are all the same even though we all look different
Traveling offers an excellent opportunity to teach your child about diversity. Young children might ask why people have different skin colors. Use this opportunity to teach, even though people look different outside, we are all the same on the inside.
5: Traveling makes children curious and instills a love for adventure
Traveling with your child helps ignite their imaginations and engage in creative play. While it might seem unnerving to travel to a foreign country with children under age five, their imaginations run wild once you explain what's on the agenda.
6: Traveling encourages children to try new things
Traveling with your children encourages young children to say yes to new experiences more often and try new things. No matter if it's camping in the desert or ziplining in the jungle, there are endless possibilities for children to become open to new ideas and not be afraid of trying new things.
7: Traveling increases a child's interest in airplanes, geography, and world maps
When you travel with your children, that means you're exposing them to airplanes, geography, and world maps early in their lives. From the beginning of their life, they understand that there's much more in this world than their surroundings.
How much your child enjoys traveling has everything to do with your mindset. When they see you cheerfully coping with setbacks, they learn flexibility and feel more secure. Plan for hiccups, don't expect perfection. Instead, focus on creating life-long memories.
Contact me when you are ready to take your children on a new adventure.
Comments