Why Travelling with Kids is Underrated
You may have heard the saying, “a trip with kids isn’t a vacation – its’ just looking after them in a different place.”
Yes, travelling with kids is exhausting, challenging, and for some parents – not worth the hassle.
But if you’re a parent who dreams of travelling with your kids, then I’m going to move away from the doom and gloom – and tell you why taking trips with kids is an amazing experience.
In some cases, having your kids with you while travelling adds an element to travel that you’d never have if you were on your own.
I’m going to give you several good reasons to look forward to a trip with your kids, instead of dreading it, or wishing you could travel without them.
Why should you listen to me?
- I spent years as a single parent and went on many single-parent trips internationally with my oldest daughter
- I’ve travelled with kids of all age groups – newborn, toddler, school age and pre-teen (and soon, I’ll be travelling with a teenager)
- I’ve been to over 30 countries
- I travel both with kids and without (and can, therefore, tell you what makes travelling with kids so special)
So let’s jump in. I’m going to make you really appreciate the experience of being able to explore this beautiful Earth with kids in tow.
Reasons Why Travelling with Kids is Underrated
Here are some of the reasons why the trips I’ve taken with my kids are some of the best trips I’ve ever taken
1. You slow down
Kids automatically force you to slow down and appreciate the small details that you may otherwise overlook.
I’ve stopped and noticed things that I wouldn’t have otherwise focused on, if it weren’t for my children.
I studied the details in the ruins of old buildings longer, I stopped and listened to buskers performing longer, and I’ve spotted wildlife that I wouldn’t have seen because of it.
Having my daughter with me allowed me to take in the place more.
2. Kids are an ice-breaker
Kids bring out sides to other people that you wouldn’t otherwise see. Because of this, having kids with you allows you to connect with people that you may not have under different circumstances.
When I visited Cuba with my 3.5 year old daughter, she pointed out a birthday cake that people were unloading from a truck.
The people noticed her interest in the cake, and they ended up inviting us to the birthday party – it for a little boy, around her age.
Attending that Cuban birthday party was one of the most unique, amazing experiences I’ve ever had while travelling.
3. You connect better with locals, and other travellers
You experience the warmth of locals more when you bring your children with you. Throughout our month-long trip to Italy, locals gushed over my daughter and called her piccolina.
My child played with the children of other travellers from all over the world, which allowed me to connect with the parents. I ended up practicing my French, and learning a thing or two about the countries they came from.
4. You see and experience the destination differently
Partially because you slow down and because you’re focusing on details that you otherwise wouldn’t, you experience a different side to the destination than you would if you were travelling on your own.
Different countries and places have different ways of raising and viewing kids.
For that reason, the experience of visiting with a child opens you up to the culture in a way it wouldn’t if there were no kids with you.
From spending a month in Italy with my daughter, I could tell you more about the Italian culture and family way of life than I would have if I were by myself or just with adults.
5. Seeing places at the brink of dawn
If you have young kids, you know that they’re notorious for early wake-ups. When you’re travelling though, this isn’t such a bad thing.
The early morning, just as dawn rises, is the perfect chance to go outside and see the place you’re visiting just as early dawn’s light is lifting.
Seeing a place as the sun rises is when most travellers are still sleeping, and before it gets busy. It’s totally a different experience.
My husband got some of the most beautiful photos of Riga, Latvia when he was up early.
Take advantage of those early starts with your kids, and go see these places under a light that most travellers miss.
6. Bond as a family
When we travel as a family, I make an active effort to keep technology away and focus on the experiences with my husband and kids.
It could be a hike through the rainforest, or walking through a historic town – the experience together fills my heart with joy, as we navigate the experience together.
Navigating these experiences together creates a sense of teamwork, and bonds us together.
I’m not kidding when I tell you that the adventures I’ve been on with my kids have been some of the most memorable, and the ones I’m most proud of when I look back at it.
I hope that I’ve inspired you to look forward to adventures with children.
And I won’t lie – bringing your kids to different places can be incredibly exhausting at times.
I recommend planning in advance so you can anticipate any challenges and be prepared for them. This makes the process a lot easier when you’re in the moment.
Tips for Making Any Family Trip as FUN for the Parents as Well as Kids
✅ Schedule some adult-only time
Just because travelling with kids is awesome doesn’t mean that breaks aren’t needed sometimes.
In addition, there are sometimes things that you can only do with just adults, such as extreme sports.
Be sure to schedule in some time for just you (or you and your travel partner) to take part in activities that interest you that kids can’t take part in, or to simply relax and enjoy some quiet time.
This allows you to recharge and refresh, to have more energy for continued exploration as a family.
Read my post on vacations with childcare, or sign up to get my free guide on hotels around the world that have kids clubs.
✅ Save big with some interesting budget hacks
Family travel can definitely present more of an expense than simply travelling solo or as a couple.
However, there are so many creative ways to travel the world that offer big savings.
There are farm stays, volunteering opportunities, and housesitting that offer a free place to stay – the list goes on.
These kinds of opportunities don’t just save you a ton of money, but they allow you to experience a destination in a unique way, getting to know the place more intimately than you would otherwise.
Read my post on family travel on a budget for some ideas.
✅ Start young
If I had a penny for every time I’ve heard the phrase “it’s not worth it to go when they’re under (insert age) years old, they won’t remember it.”
It’s not just about what they remember – it’s about what you remember too.
And just because they don’t remember it doesn’t mean that the experiences aren’t shaping them and helping mould them into the people that they will one day be.
So, rather than intentionally waiting until they’re older to travel, I’d recommend starting when you want to start
✅ Travel to the places that truly interest you as a parent
What kids appreciate most about travel is being able to spend time with you. It doesn’t matter so much where you go, but that you’re bonding together as a family.
So rather than assuming that you can only travel to places that are “kid friendly” like Great Wolf Lodge or Disney World now that you’re a parent, I encourage you to instead bring your kids along with you to places that you would want to visit regardless of if you have kids with you.
But realistically, there are children all over the world, and there are very few places that don’t cater to kids in some way when you’re looking for it.
✅ Use the phrase ‘family-friendly’ sparingly
I know that to some extent, it makes some sense to choose activities and destinations that are going to be safe for kids and for family travel.
In our Western culture, we tend to believe in a big divide between “kid things” things to do or places, and “adult” things.
But as a parent and a traveller, I try to mix the adult and children’s worlds together as much as possible.
I involve my children in my hobbies and things I’m interested in, rather than only dragging myself to things they enjoy but that make me miserable (for example – indoor waterparks.)
This doesn’t mean that I never visit indoor waterparks or aquariums when we go on trips – because I still enjoy seeing my kids faces light up when we visit these things.
But it means that when I visit a destination, I plan for us to do things that I find interesting too, rather than just assuming we can only do things that are labelled “for kids” or “kid-friendly.”
I’ve brought my kids on:
- a coffee farm tour in Costa Rica
- a tour through the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican
- a glacier hike in Iceland
- the Uffizi art museum in Florence
- local hole in the wall cafés and restaurants
- + so much more
I hope that this article has filled you with inspiration about travelling with kids, and helped you see why (while it may have its challenges) it presents an angle of travel that is unique only to the short time when your kids are young.
For more tips and inspiration, check out all of my resources on travelling with kids.