Traveling with children

Trips begin when you start dreaming them

We live in a world that moves faster than ourselves, where the small moments with the most important people in our lives are neither appreciated nor found, often because of long working hours. And the moments we spend with them are usually governed by new technologies, which means communication is reduced.

Traveling is something that enriches you from the very first moment; new cultures, different experiences and other perspectives of the world. Everything around you is new and in that moment time is something secondary. So, what better way to enrich family relationships than choosing any corner of our beautiful planet without having to watch the hands of the clock?

You will probably start thinking: Where can I take my child? Aren't there dangerous places? Isn't it expensive to travel with them? Will I miss out on interesting things to see when I travel? These are many questions that parents ask themselves before a trip, and it is obviously advisable to get informed before choosing a place, precisely so that there are not so many doubts when doing it. In fact there are many websites that specialize in this topic; here I leave you a link with several of them:

essential websites for traveling with children

And why travel with the little ones? What do we teach them with it?

Discovering new cultures

Discovering different traditions of the world opens any mind. And they can be cultures similar to ours, like the Italian one, or, on the other hand, we can discover cultures totally unknown to us, like the Asian one. Visiting monuments, trying their gastronomy or getting to know their customs helps to understand the place more deeply. So that children understand and accept cultural differences, it is appealing to go to educational centers and ask if they can interact with the children. Playing in the parks, connecting with a family or sharing the stay in their home are also good options so that our children come into contact with children from other places. In short, let's say it is one more way of learning.

Collecting memories

Toys eventually break, but memories last forever. Endless conversations around a fire, counting the infinite stars, trying typical dishes, playing with local children, riding a dromedary through the desert, crossing the Amazon in a canoe, seeing giant buildings, volunteering at a monkey sanctuary, these would be experiences that children could keep in their long-term memory.

Teaching them new skills

such as photography. Children love taking photos. It is a good time to instruct them in this very interesting and creative world. The fact that they can learn a skill and see that they do it well enhances their self-esteem and personal confidence, and what better way than to capture images of experiences they themselves have chosen at that precise moment.

More tolerant and respectful

The more we travel, the more different people we will meet, and that will give us a more cosmopolitan view of the world in which we live.

Traveling sounds like adventure

Discovering other places makes it as exciting as opening a book and being the protagonist of the story. Getting to know unknown lands greatly increases the child's creativity.

Reducing stress

Traveling allows us to relax without thinking about routines and schedules. The same thing happens to children, but not only because of traveling, but because we reduce our stress levels.

Becoming creators of travel guides

There are not only guides for adults but we can also get guides for them on this website written by children between 8 and 12 years old: At the same time, we can encourage them to dare to write their own experiences too.

Roles disappear

Being in a different environment makes the responsibilities of each family member fade away, allowing more freedom for everyone, which makes it easier to let go and enjoy the same thing together.

It is essential to awaken the curiosity of the little ones with the trip you are going to take together. That is why it is advisable to involve them from the planning of the adventure. Talk to them about everything you are going to do, make them part of their proposals, convey your excitement and eagerness to do it, since they greatly value what we think and feel. A good motivation is to show them photographs or attractive activities of the place; or also to provide them with websites, guides, forums, books so that they can investigate on their own.

If you want to learn more about this topic, I can recommend a very interesting book: "Viajar con niños. El manual para preparar tus vacaciones en familia" published by La Editorial Viajera. It tells you about tricks and practical tips when traveling with your children. It will answer questions like these: Are they still too young? Do we plan everything or improvise? What is essential to put in the luggage? What documentation do we need? How do we motivate them so they don't get bored? What do we do if they don't like the food? Will they handle the journeys well? And what if something happens to them or they get sick?

It matters little whether we travel near or far, traveling with children is the best way to guide them in the discovery of our planet, and doing it together gives rise to a deeper and more solid connection in our relationship with our little ones, and to walk hand in hand to travel together part of the path toward their maturity and formation as human beings. There are countless benefits and positive aspects that are worth starting with something as beautiful as discovering our planet.