As a mom, and now grandma, I am always amazed when I hear people say they “haven’t traveled since the kids were born.” Like having kids means you are destined to be a homebody. I am here to say my friends, that is one of the biggest myths in parenthood.
While some may believe that traveling with kids is a waste of time because they won't remember any of it, that's not always the case. Many don't realize that traveling with kids is just like any other experience—be it reading to them or going to the playground. You're creating priceless character-shaping possibilities, learning opportunities, and unforgettable memories. Here are my top 7 reasons why you should ditch the myth and experience traveling with your young kids.
1: Travel enhances a child's developmental milestones
From the moment they're born, babies and young children never stop learning. Traveling opens the door to many colors, faces, languages, sights, smells, and sounds. Your child might say their first word during a trip or discover that they love the feeling of swaying in the water while on a cruise.
2: Traveling helps children become adaptable and flexible
Traveling helps children feel comfortable sleeping anywhere from beds to on an airplane to outside underneath a blanket. They'll adapt to eating while sitting on your lap to in a highchair at a restaurant. Exposure to a variety of cuisines helps prevent them from being picky eaters.
3: Travel teaches children that a fun way to experience the world is through multilingualism
As you travel more with your children, they'll become more inquisitive regarding the language locals speak when visiting different countries. Your child learns that people speak different languages throughout the world. Even with other languages children always find a way to relate to each other.
4: Travel shows children that we are all the same even though we all look different
Traveling offers an excellent opportunity to teach your child about diversity. Young children might ask why people have different skin colors. Use this opportunity to teach, even though people look different outside, we are all the same on the inside.
5: Traveling makes children curious and instills a love for adventure
Traveling with your child helps ignite their imaginations and engage in creative play. While it might seem unnerving to travel to a foreign country with children under age five, their imaginations run wild once you explain what's on the agenda.
6: Traveling encourages children to try new things
Traveling with your children encourages young children to say yes to new experiences more often and try new things. No matter if it's camping in the desert or ziplining in the jungle, there are endless possibilities to become open to new ideas and not be afraid of trying new things.
7: Traveling increases a child's interest in airplanes, geography, and world maps
When you travel with your children, that means you're exposing them to airplanes, geography, and world maps early in their lives. From the beginning of their life, they understand that there's much more in this world than their surroundings.
How much your child enjoys traveling has everything to do with your mindset. Plan for hiccups, don't expect perfection and focus on creating life-long memories. Trust me, your kids will thank you for it later!
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