Do you avoid travelling with your family because it’s too expensive or too hard with kids? Already now, with just one, we get asked if we will be taking our kid. People have come to assume that you can only have a relaxing and enjoyable holiday if you leave the kids behind with a grandparent. But there are so many benefits for your family when you travel together!
While occasionally it is good for us parents to go on a little romantic getaway, travelling with your kids has many benefits for your family. It may mean taking some inconvenient toilet stops, relinquishing those late nights and travelling slower… but hey, let’s look at the positives of travelling together!
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1. Make Lasting Family Memories While Travelling
New Experiences Will Become Family Memories
One thing I have noticed from our few years of travelling as a family is that we make some of our best memories while on an adventure. Taking the time to experience a new place together creates a memory to reminisce on.
Even when the travel experience doesn’t go to plan, the bad travel stories become some of the funniest moments that you laugh about in the future.
Travelling Together is Quality Family Time
Another benefit of family travel is that it gives you a break from the daily distractions. Without the every day distractions it is easy to focus on spending quality time together.
While travelling you have more time together. There are no school runs, work commitments or birthday parties to go to. This makes room for dedicated family time where you can actively take adventures that will turn into lasting memories.
You Will Get Lots of Family Photos on Your Travels
Since you are experiencing new places and activities while travelling, you are inclined to take out the camera like you would on a birthday celebration. With all the photos you take on your family holiday, these trips easily become lasting memories. Photos are a great way to remember the experience and retain the memory.
Read More: 10 Tips for Adventure Photography with Kids
2. Your Family Can Learn & Grow Through Travel
Learn About Different Cultures & History
One of my top travel memories to date is when I was in Rome and saw the Colosseum for the first time. The feeling of seeing something that has stood for so many years, during a completely different time, with so much history was far more effective than learning about it in the classroom.
Immersing in different cultures and history is such a unique way of teaching your kids. They can literally watch the textbooks come to life!
Get Out of Your Comfort Zone
Travel is a great way to get out of your comfort zone. You are removed from your comfortable everyday life, and get to experience a different way of living. Taking a risk and getting out of your comfort zone is known to increase your creativity, self-confidence and resilience. It can open your mind to new opportunities and ways of living.
Learn Problem Solving, Communication and Teamwork
Travelling is a great opportunity to teach your kids skills such as teamwork, problem solving and communication. Whether it’s setting up a tent, packing the car or navigating the metro system your family can benefit from travel by learning to work together.
Discover New Passions (My Favourite Benefit of Family Travel)
With all the creativity and new opportunities that come with getting out of your comfort zone, travelling with your family is the perfect recipe for discovering new passions. On your next trip, try something new. Go on your first hike, try fishing, taste new foods, make a video of your experience or go camping rather than staying in the cabin. You never know what you’ll enjoy until you have tried it! Through travelling I have discovered my passion for photography and documenting our adventures.
3. Experience Travel Through Your Kids Eyes
A Renewed Sense of Adventure and Excitement
Kids have a natural sense of adventure and are great at finding the joy in the little things. Watching your kids experience something new for the first time makes it exciting all over again.
For instance, I always love visiting the zoo but seeing Koby excited about the animals made it even more enjoyable for me. Travelling with your kids can renew your passion for adventure as you watch them discover things for the first time!
You Can do all the Childish Things Without Feeling Silly
Travelling with kids is a great excuse to do all the childish things that you are too old for.
You can feed and talk to animals, play in the waves or visit childish attractions without anyone looking at you strangely… because your doing it with your kids!
4. Your Family will Benefit from Slow Travel
Your Family Will See More When Travelling Slower
We quickly learnt that travelling with kids means shifting to a slower style of travel. With nap times, early nights and hangry kids you will start to travel slower, a benefit for your family.
Slowing down also means taking the time to enjoy the scenery, stopping to enjoy a nice coffee and noticing the smaller details. Kids are great at noticing the smaller details that you didn’t see. Like that cool bird or a pool of water in the rocks.
Kids Will Keep You Busy, But You Will Have Plenty of Time to Relax
Even though travelling with kids is very busy, slower travel means you will also have plenty of time to relax. Especially with young kids who go to bed early and you can’t go out… or even make any noise in the room. So you get to go to bed early too and wake up feeling well rested for the next day!
You can also get in some good relax time during naps. Or when the kids are having some playtime in the hotel pool. These are great opportunities to read a book, research tomorrow’s activities or lay out in the sun.
5. Capitalise on the Benefits of Travelling with Kids
Kids Travel Free is a Total Benefit of Family Travel
Family travel is expensive. But don’t forget that kids often travel free, age dependent of course. They get free access to museums, transport (well not airplanes) and discounts for accommodation.
So why not utilise these benefits and travel with your family while your children are young!
Benefit From Priority Boarding & Queuing for Travelling Families
Very often families have access to priority boarding and faster queues. This is such a necessary benefit, especially when your family is travelling with young children!
We were travelling through Singapore with our 6-month old and my whole family when we were offered to skip the line at a security check. So we, and the 10 other members of our group, grabbed our bags and went through security in a matter of 5 minutes (rather than 30 minutes) all because of our 6-month old baby! I don’t think the officer was expecting everyone else to follow!
Enjoy the Benefits of Staying in Bigger Accommodation
Having kids means your family will need to stay in bigger accommodation. Obviously this will cost more, but having the extra room is such a bonus! We love staying in Airbnb’s for this reason. They are often equipped with a laundry and kitchen, which are great for saving money in other areas!
Read More: Unique Ways for Your Family to Save on Accommodation
Overall
Are you convinced of the benefits of family travel? If your still nervous about travelling with kids, remember that it is okay to start small. You can start by travelling locally or just going for a weekend away. You won’t be travelling like you did in your pre-kid days, but will need to embrace a new style of travel, one that has so many benefits for your family!
Read More: Why Your Family Should Travel in Your Own “Backyard”
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