Have you been dreaming of travelling to a foreign country but just not sure it’s worth it with a baby or toddler in tow? After all, you spend all that money and they might not even remember it.
But the benefits of travel for children go far beyond the memories they take home. From experiencing different cultures and foods to navigating unfamiliar environments, travel gives children opportunities to learn, adapt and develop in ways that simply aren’t possible when life follows the same routine every day.
Traditionally travel has always been a way of broadening the mind. As Mark Twain wrote; ‘travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.’ In the 17th and 18th century when the average person didn’t travel further than their own village, English nobles went on ‘grand tours,’ to advance their education.
Now, thanks to mass air travel and other forms of transport more and more people can enjoy the mind-expanding benefits of exploring different countries and cultures. That’s not just good for adults. There are plenty of benefits of travel for children too.
Travel exposes us to different food, and routines in the different cultures we explore. For example, In Italy and Spain people traditionally take a siesta at lunchtime and smaller shops still close till late afternoon. In Spain dinner is served late in the evening. In some parts of south East Asia people eat with chopsticks and share large dishes of food, whereas in the UK or US people tend to have their own individual dish.
These differences all contribute to the benefits of travel for children. It helps adults and children alike to be open to different ways of doing things, which teaches resilience. It also helps brain development on a more structural level.
Scientific studies have found that novelty and change are vital for healthy brain development. When the brain discovers something new it rewires and forms new neural connections; this promotes intelligence and neural plasticity which helps your brain adapt to change and different situations throughout life. Too much routine can cause learning to stagnate, and boredom to set in. A break from the usual routine could be just what’s needed to help your child’s development.
There are other benefits of travel for children that may help to facilitate their brain development. Being happy and relaxed creates the optimum environment for learning. Holidays are fantastic for this, as parents can escape the stresses of daily life, they have more attention for the kids which in turn makes them happy too.
There’s really no age restriction on travel’s ability to expand the mind, whether someone is 9 months old or 99! Older kids can learn about different cultures and practise saying hello and thank you in a different language. With younger kids just the simple fact of you being there with more concentrated attention than in regular daily life can be highly beneficial.
Here are some things you can do to optimize the benefits of travel for children.
Follow Your Child’s Lead
Relaxed time doing what a child loves is vital for ‘attachment play.’ While you might want to see the sights, factor in time for what the kids want to do. It might be just chilling at the hotel pool, or playing with their toy cars. It might not look like very much at all but doing what children love and showering them with quality 1-1 attention, is vital for development. When your child feels well-connected to you they feel safe and relaxed which is the best environment for learning.
Keep Stress to A Minimum
While change and novelty can be good for the brain, too much difference can spill over into stress and anxiety. Getting the balance right is vital to tap into the benefits of travel for children. Gently stretch them to explore new places and cuisines, but also back off it gets too much. Balance newness with chill out days for child-led play or the beach or pool. Pack some familiar snacks from home for when their tastebuds are craving something familiar.
Balance Safety With Adventure
If a holiday was spent doing only what the kids want, it might lead to them staying in their comfort zone, doing the same things they’d do at home, and not benefiting from the newness of their environment. If you notice your child being in their comfort zone, or not being very open to explore them, then give them a little extra encouragement to dive in and try something new whether it’s a different activity, like swimming or surfing in the ocean, climbing a mountain, or trying a new food.
Why Not Hire A Babysitter on holiday?
Inevitably there’ll be times when what you want to do is at odds with what your kids need. The benefits of travel for children isn’t just about little ones having fun, but adults getting some much needed respite too.This is exactly why Tripsitta was founded; to give adults the time they need on holiday to do what they want, while knowing the kids are in safe hands. If your holiday isn’t meeting everyone’s needs for play, adventure and relaxation, then a Tripsitta babysitter could be just what you need!
