1) TRAVEL IS THE ULTIMATE, HANDS-ON, EDUCATION.
Traveling with your kids will not only give you wonderful memories together, it will give them a unique opportunity to learn and grow into educated and thoughtful people.
It will give them a glimpse of the world that they wouldn’t achieve any other way. This type of learning help them better understand other cultures and concepts than what can be taught in a classroom.
The education it will provide them will be above and beyond what even the best traditional schools can offer. Travelling is one of the best ways to prepare them for the real world and its challenges. In traditional education, kids are put in an artificial setting until they’re 18, and suddenly thrown into the real world and expected to be capable adults. Travelling, on the other hand, is real life.
No matter where your kids travel, the journey will always be educational. Plus, there’s no better way to learn about the history of a place than to be there. What better form of education could you ask for?
2) Travel teaches children to overcome their fear when stepping out of their comfort zones.
By allowing your kids to try “new” and different activities while traveling (like swimming with dolphins or zip-lining to another tree), it will help them learn that fear shouldn’t paralyze us. Providing your kids with a great and safe environment to explore their abilities and move past their comfort zones will give them a priceless confidence boost with each challenge they conquer.
3) Travel SHOWS CHILDREN THAT PEOPLE WHO LOOK DIFFERENT AND WHO HAVE DIFFERENT BELIEFS ARE NOT SCARY.
Children are extremely adaptable, and the earlier we expose them to other cultures and ways of life, the more likely they will develop a deep sense of understanding and respect for others. It will also teach them how to comfortably interact with people from different walks of life and build relationships with.
As parents, our natural instinct is to shelter them to keep them safe. However, sheltering them might make them assume that the world is a small place and that there is only one “correct” kind of lifestyle.
By teaching our children how to make connections with others, despite barriers such as language and beliefs, they will grow up with a major asset that will be invaluable in the real world.
4) Travel promotes self-confidence, resiliency, and the ability to adapt.
Travel builds confidence in your children as they make their way through uncomfortable situations and unfamiliar settings. They learn to do things on their own and to be flexible and find solutions when something unexpected happens. Kids learn to navigate through challenges early on, which will make them tougher and more resilient.
5) Travel allows children to experience the need to overcome obstacles and challenges.
If you’ve ever travelled, you would know that a lot can go wrong. Even simple things like an uncomfortable sleeping situation, or forgetting to bring something important, or the transportation being very late, there are a lot of unexpected things that can happen while traveling.
These discomforts aren’t always bad, since they allow your kids to solve problems, develop patience, and feel grateful in new ways.
6) Travel is a life-long lesson that illuminates the truth that “the experience is the gift”.
Travel will teach children to be less materialistic and teach them to value memories over new shiny things. Our family motto, “More Stories, Less Stuff” is an embodiment of this. The memories we make during our travels will be something to cherish for the rest of our lives. When our kids look back, they won’t remember the new toys we bought them, but they will remember all the adventures they had when they travelled.
7) For parents, seeing the world through the eyes of a child is a magical experience.
Seeing the world through a child’s eyes makes you feel like everything is possible and there’s so much to learn and be excited for.
For a child, everything is new, and they want to learn as much as they can. How many times have your heard a kid ask “why” again and again? They want to know everything and don’t take no for an answer.
Children have a natural positive attitude towards things. Their imagination is limitless and the world is full of possibilities for them. They don’t dread the day. They are eager to see what new experiences the day brings. Everything is an adventure and everyone is a potential friend.
Also, children do things “just because”. When was the last time you did something “just for fun”? Adults have the tendency to be serious all the time, to always need to be doing something productive. We don’t take time for play and leisure. But why not take the time to enjoy the afternoon sun with friends and family? Work will always be there when you’re ready to get to them anyway
No matter what your worries are, just know that traveling with your kids is awesome! Will there be bumps along the way? Of course! But there are bumps on every road anyway, and what you get in return is priceless.
What do you think? Is traveling with children right for you? If you liked this article, drop a comment below and share your thoughts with us!
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