We love our holidays. I honestly don’t know how I’d get through the year without a getaway of some kind and we’re lucky enough to manage one summer holiday a year.

Little H is 7 and so far we’ve made it to Spain, Florida and Gran Canaria. We have a lot more places on our list but it doesn’t matter where we go, we just need to get away for a week or 2.

When we took Little H to Florida she was 5 years old some people commented that she was too young as wouldn’t remember it. We disagreed and 2 years later she still talks about the trip. We are currently on holiday in Spain and I would argue with anyone that travel isn’t wasted on young children.

Travelling can cost a lot of money and it can be hard to plan around small children. If you’re not sure whether it’s worth going abroad with your kids while they’re young, here are some important reasons why travel isn’t wasted on young children…

Family fun

The top reason on my list is that travelling is fun. You go on totally different holidays with children compared to when you’re a couple, and it’s fun to plan family adventures whether that’s theme parks, museums, or something a bit more adventurous.

Of course, you can have fun at home but a new location offers new experiences.

Change of scenery

A change of scenery can be a fantastic way to unwind from the stresses of work and school. Taking your mind off any problems back home can help you to see things more clearly.

The same is true for children. We can sometimes underestimate how anxious or worried they can get about school, and forget they need to unwind as well.

To unplug

If your child is anything like mine, tearing them away from computers, tablets and the TV can be nigh on impossible. Going away forces them to unplug and actually spend time outdoors and be active. It also gives you more opportunities to talk as a family.

They might complain for the first day or 2, but I bet after that they’re having so much fun they forget all about the lack of screens.

Experience new cultures

Wherever you visit there’s going to be differences between the way of life there and that back home. This may be down to religion, language, music, food or living conditions. It’s good for kids to see first hand how other people live and experience it for themselves.

Who knows, they might even find something they enjoy that they wouldn’t have experienced at home.

Try new things

A different country is a great chance to get your children to try something new. New food is an obvious one, but you may also be able to get your kids trying an activity such as a watersport, zip lining, camping or seeing animals up close.

Make memories

Your kids might not remember everything about your holiday in years to come but they’ll remember it in the short term, and they’ll definitely remember how much fun they had. Photos and souvenirs are a good way to help little ones to remember these experiences as they grow older.

An Education

It can be hard to explain to small children just how big the world is and how far away other countries actually are. When they’ve had to sit on a plane for hours or go on a road trip it can help them to understand this a little bit better. Buy an atlas or a globe to show them where you’re heading in relation to where you live.

No matter where in the world you visit, you can teach children about the history of the country or city. Go to museums, castles, churches and learn about the old days.

Encourage kids to dream

I have a very long list of places I want to visit in my lifetime and Little H has started one of her own. She wants to return to places we’ve already visited and places she’s read about or seen on TV.

Show them that hard work pays off

Travelling isn’t cheap and the cost is what stops many people from experiencing it. If you are lucky enough to be able to travel, it’s a good lesson to show your children how hard work and saving up allows you to do amazing things.

 

Have you managed to travel much with your children, or do you have plans to travel?