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Photo credit nik radzi and Tim Mossholder

Why travel is good for kids...and for parents!

When you’re a young couple, many people urge you to travel as much as possible because, they say, “Once you have kids… that’ll be the end of it” - you’re tied down, strapped in and you won’t be able to leave the house again until they’re full-grown adults themselves. And you’ll believe them - I mean, who wants to deal with tantrums when you’re supposed to be lounging on the beach? And, honestly, will the kids even remember, or value, any of it anyways?

The answer to that may surprise you. There are a number of reasons why travelling with your kids may actually be an enriching experience - for them AND for you!

Travel is good for kids because:

It broadens their education - When they travel, kids learn by context about different cultures, languages and historical events. This kind of learning experience will probably stay with them longer than whatever they may read from school textbooks.

It helps with their communication skills - You will come across all kinds of people from different places and of different ages. Kids will be able to develop important communication skills when they meet these different people, eventually learning some words in different languages.

It makes them more flexible - Travel makes kids get out of their comfortable routine and try different things, making them more flexible and allowing them to learn to adapt to different situations more easily. All of which may go a long way when you’re back home.

Travel is good for parents because:

Kids force you to slow down - Although this is usually seen as a negative aspect of travelling with children, it’s actually a positive one! Kids force you to be realistic about how much time you should spend in one place to really explore it, and that may make all the difference on your holiday!

You get to spend all day with them - When you’re back home, you’re probably busy with work and catching up with friends and going out for groceries and walking the dog… But a family vacation allows you to spend as much time as you want with your kids with the great added bonus that you’re creating new and unique memories with them!

It’s just more fun - Children are totally unpredictable and travelling with them will open new doors that would otherwise be shut to you. You’ll meet different kinds of people, get invited to different kinds of events and just get to witness (and be a part of) those silly moments that make family life so special.

Travelling does not have to end once you start your own family. Of course, there are challenges. Flight delays with children are a challenge but can be overcome. Similarly, some children get homesick when on a 2-week holiday. But the positive FAR outweigh the negatives. Go for it! Not only is travel actually good for your children, but it’s also a great experience for you when you travel with them. In fact, family holidays provide a unique chance for broadening the horizons of your little ones and making truly special memories.


Picture of Andy

Posted by Andy
on 16th July 2016 and
updated on 8th March 2021

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