Taking vacations without kids is a dream come true for many parents. Once you have children, it’s increasingly difficult to find time to relax when you need it most. For many parents, getting a babysitter and spending a week far away from home is the goal. Nonetheless, there are many benefits when you travel with your kids.
While traveling alone is certainly refreshing and necessary, here are seven reasons why traveling with your kids ought to be something you look forward to.
1. They’ll learn organization skills.
Organization skills usually take years to develop, and only develop when a child takes an active part in learning how to organize.
Whether your child actively resists organization or not, traveling with your kids is a great way to solidify this important skill.
For instance, traveling is a great opportunity to teach your child how to pack a bag and a suitcase properly. It’s easier to teach kids how to organize and pack luggage than a backpack since a suitcase allows them to see everything more clearly.
This will be a great foundation for teaching them how to organize their backpack for school.
When you’re packing up to leave, teach your child to organize their suitcase so they can easily access everything they need. For example, clothes can go on one side and toys can go on the other side.
Teach them how to use the outer pocket to their advantage. For example, suggest stashing something they will want to access easily, like a snack.
2. You might spark a lifelong interest in traveling.
When kids get a taste of traveling to fun places, there’s a chance they might develop an active interest in traveling.
This can really benefit them in the future if they want to visit interesting places and might otherwise be hesitant to venture out beyond their comfort zone.
Plenty of adults experience a fear of flying and that might partially be rooted in not having much, or any, experience traveling.
When you get your kids used to flying at a young age, they’re more likely to feel comfortable getting on a plane without feeling intense anxiety over being out of control.
3. Kids love adventure.
Kids see the world through a different lens than adults. To them, everything is new and exciting.
Visiting Yellowstone National Park over and over again can be the greatest experience in the world for a child. Adults might find it lacking after they’ve already been there once.
4. Kids love new experiences.
Life is exciting for kids, especially young kids. They usually want to dive into adventures full force, and traveling can provide the new experiences they crave.
The fun, new experiences kids can have while traveling isn’t limited to structured tours, although those can be fun.
Even simple things like trying new foods, experiencing a new type of park, or eating lunch on a terrace on a warm day would be considered a new experience for kids.
5. Traveling is a great way to teach kids diversity.
Traveling to foreign countries is an excellent way to teach kids about diversity, especially when you don’t have much cultural diversity where you live.
There are many kid-friendly international travel destinations across the world, including:
- The United Kingdom
- France;
- Canada;
- Italy;
- Spain;
- Norway;
- Thailand; and more.
Many kids love exploring new cultures, especially when the locals speak their language. Perhaps you only speak English in your household. If so, consider visiting a country where they teach English as part of the school curriculum so you’ll have an easier time communicating.
6. Traveling is highly likely to make kids happy.
Traveling with young kids will give them some amazing memories that will last for a lifetime. Those memories will bring them joy and that joy will color their lives at school and at home.
If you never take your kids anywhere fun, and all they do is sit at home in front of a screen or the television, they’re probably not going to feel much satisfaction in their lives.
Kids need adventure and stimulation to feel an appreciation for life, and traveling can fill those needs.
7. Traveling makes great memories.
Of all the activities you could do with your kids, traveling will create some of their fondest memories.
It’s also a great opportunity to bond with your kids and really get to spend quality time together.
Next time you think about going on vacation alone, consider changing your plans to include your kids — at least once in a while. They’ll carry those memories with them forever.
