How to Raise Kids Who Love to Travel

Most families take the occasional trip to Disney World or spend a week at the beach in the summer. But there’s so much more to our world than this! If you want your kids to grow up with an appreciation for culture, you need to raise little humans who love to travel.

The Benefits of Travel for Young Kids

The average family spends their time trying to avoid travel disasters with kids. But if you want to raise well-rounded children, it might be worth ditching your comfort zone and thinking outside the box. Here are some of the top benefits of travel for young kids:

• Destroys stereotypes. It’s easy for kids (or anyone) to have a stereotype of specific people groups or countries based on a TV show they saw or a meme on social media. But when young kids travel the world, they’re able to experience different cultures up close and in person. This destroys stereotypes and humanizes the world.

• Hones problem solving skills. Traveling doesn’t always go well. There are hitches, changes of plans, and uncomfortable moments. When your kids travel with you, they get exposed to the good, bad, and ugly. This ultimately hones their problem solving skills and shows them how to think outside the box. 

• Encourages social skills. Traveling puts children in close proximity with other people and forces them to engage. This encourages the development of social skills and helps kids get out of their own shells.

• Promotes flexibility. Children who travel have to be adaptable to different situations and circumstances. This flexibility usually transfers into everyday life.

These are just a few of the benefits. There are literally dozens more. And if you raise kids who love to travel, you’ll see plenty of positive fruit. 

Tips for Raising Kids Who Love to Travel

The benefits of traveling are clear. The question is, how do you raise kids who are passionate about traveling the world? Here are our top suggestions:

• Just Do It

Do you want to know the best advice? Just travel. Don’t overthink it. Just plan a trip and make it happen. There will be hiccups and moments where you think, ‘What are we doing?’ But then there will also be moments where you smile to yourself and think, ‘We’re really doing it!’ The best thing you can do is take action. Little trips here and there will help your family acclimate to these experiences and be better equipped for bigger trips in the future.

• Build Anticipation

When kids are really young, you want to do your best to build anticipation in advance of your trip. This gets them excited and sets you up for a successful vacation. You know your child better than anyone, so you’ll have a pretty good idea of what this looks like. However, here are some suggestions:

• Buy your child a new luggage set and let them pick it out. Kiddietotes has some amazing designs ranging from unicorns and robots to penguins and puppies. Your kids will love traveling when they have fun luggage.
• If you’re traveling to a foreign country or destination that your child has never visited, let your kids watch age-appropriate YouTube videos to learn more about it in the weeks leading up to the trip.
• Let kids plan an activity or part of the trip. This gives them ownership over the trip and makes them feel like a part of the process.

• Travel Light

Most families make the mistake of over-packing when they travel with young children. And while it’s definitely a good idea to come prepared, you don’t want to feel like you’re burdened by stuff. Traveling light frees your family up to experience the culture and soak in the surroundings (rather than being so focused on your own personal belongings).

• Let Kids Explore

Having an itinerary for your travels is great, but don’t structure every single moment of your trip. Leave time in the schedule for kids to explore. This cultivates a sense of adventure and, once again, gives them some ownership over the trip experience. 

Set Your Kids Up for Success

Kids who travel the world from a young age tend to be much more grounded and better socialized than their peers. They’re also more adaptable and appreciative. This combination of characteristics usually leads to greater success in life. The moral of the story is clear: Travel more often!