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Some parents think that their travel days are over once they have children, but that’s not the case. While the freewheelin’, partying-all-night kind of travel adventure might be beyond reach, it’s not only possible to take trips as a family, but it’s also recommended.

Travelling as a young family offers a range of long-term benefits for your children, and hey, with a little bit of patience and preparation, it can be a whole bunch of fun. In this post, we’ll run through some handy tips for travelling as a family, as well as some of the many reasons why it’s worth making the effort.

How to Travel as a Family

People seem to think that travelling with children is automatically a no-go because of the added stress that it could bring. But the key part of that sentence is could bring. It’s not guaranteed! By taking a few precautions, you can ensure that you have a smooth trip from beginning to end. Well, mostly smooth. As with all travel adventures, it’s always wise to expect at least a little difficulty at some point. When they arrive, you gotta just roll with the punches.

Anyway, you’ll make things easier if you do the following:

Pick Worthwhile Destinations

The key to having a smooth trip with your young family is to pick destinations that offer a nice balance between culture and fun. Happily, there are plenty of them out there. In general, we’d say it’s best to avoid concrete jungles until your kids are a little bit older. Cities that offer culture and fun, such as Barcelona or Venice, make for excellent destinations for visiting with kids.

Make it Easy

As we said above, you can’t expect that you’ll encounter zero difficult moments when you’re travelling. They can happen anywhere, to anyone. However, you can greatly reduce those stressful moments by making your trip as easy as possible.

You’ll find the journey more enjoyable, fun, even, if you fly direct to your eventual destination, rather than taking a journey that involves layovers. It’s also much easier to explore when you’re not lugging around heavy luggage. Wait until you’ve checked into your hotel and dropped off your bags before you even think about having fun. If you arrive too early to check in and want to begin exploring hands-free, then find a deposito bagagli Venezia or consigna de equipaje Barcelona. This trick also works if you have to check out of your hotel but still have many hours until you have to go to the airport.

Mix Up Attractions

As with most things in life, travelling with your family is all about balance. It’s about finding the right note between having fun and doing things that are genuinely culturally enriching. Your kids won’t want to spend every waking hour traipsing around a museum. But they’ll likely be interested in seeing a few sights if they’re interspersed with trips to the beach or fun attractions.


Final tip: if you notice that everyone’s beginning to get a little tired from exploring, take a breather in a park and eat some food. That alone can keep many tantrums at bay.

How Traveling Benefits Kids

OK, so that’s how you can travel with kids. Now let’s get to the reasons why you should. There’s no doubt that travelling to cultural locations with kids is a little tricky, but it’s worthwhile.

The Power of Trying New Things

Kids can get the same benefit from traveling as adults do: it takes us out of our comfort zone. The only thing is, children aren’t even aware that they have a comfort zone. To them, travelling brings them adaptability and confidence, and they don’t really have to do anything other than simply be there. They’ll be tested in subtle ways dozens of times each day, and all the while they’ll be becoming more capable little humans.

Strengthen the Family Bond

Travelling as a clan is a great way to strengthen the family bond. There’s something powerful that comes from being far from home, in a country that no one really understands. While the parents will take the lead, in many cases you’ll be figuring things out together. That can really bring a great level of trust that will last well after the trip has ended.

Spark Their Curiosity

Finally, children who travel at a young age can have their eyes opened to the wonders of the world. It can spark a level of curiosity that lasts a lifetime. Ultimately, it’s an easy, and fun, way for them to think big about the world and all its possibilities.