I’ve always taken my kids on holidays abroad since they were really small. I don’t think that it’s so uncommon now but at one point people would question why. “Why take them to Greece, they’ll never remember it.” “Why are you going to Australia with a 3-year-old, you must be mad!” The truth is, kids benefit in so many ways from travelling abroad, even from a young age.
By the time our youngest was 5, He’d been to many countries including Thailand, Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, Greece and Spain. Now at 11 he still speaks about things he remembers from all of these trips.
1. Broaden Their Horizons
Choosing to take children abroad has many advantages. Firstly, it broadens their horizons. If you never leave where you live, you’ll never know what else is out there. It doesn’t have to be far either just to know that there’s more than just their little spot of land. Travelling to Spain for instance as many British kids do exposes them to a different language, different foods plus lots more.
As well as learning and picking up different things, children tend to develop empathy and appreciate diversity a little more. It really makes a difference just to see something else is out there.
2. Creates Lifelong Memories
The way that these trips can create lifelong memories cannot be overlooked. taking children on holidays abroad are big deals and things that kids will last a lifetime. Spending time with family in a different environment is a great way to build bonds. Away from the distractions of home, kids bond with each other and parents on a much deeper level.
Our youngest was 3 when we went to Australia. We went to Perth, Melbourne, Sydney (just for 1 day), Cairns and Brisbane. It was a wild busy trip, we were walking 20,000 steps a day so he was probably taking 60,000 with his little legs! What he remembers is seeing the Opera house and that I found $5 on the floor and gave it to a homeless man. He remembers all the little things, going on a train, going on a few boats, stroking kangaroos. What he didn’t miss was TV and sitting around at home.
3. Encourages Adaptability and Resilience
Taking kids on holidays helps to teach them how to adapt to changing situations. When we are home they do tend to get stuck in a routine and if that goes out the window things fall apart a bit. Being able to see first-hand that changes aren’t a big deal if you just adapt when you’re on holiday teaches them that it’s fine.
When we were in Malaysia we went out on a bus ride in Penang one day. We hadn’t planned much but the spontaneity of the day showed the kids that we don’t need a plan all of the time. My picky eater eldest was worried when we ended up in a food hall that the locals ate in. He was a chicken nuggets and chips kinda guy, but the pineapple rice dish he chose is now a firm favourite meal for him!
4. Enhances Education Beyond the Classroom
It drives me wild that the British government will fine parents for taking children on holiday in term time. Not only that but now there’s a threat of a criminal record. I understand some people do take the Michael and I understand that education absolutely is important but so many things can’t be learnt at home.
All three of my kids have excelled in Geography with the eldest 2 both choosing it as a GCSE subject. I truly believe that’s from an interest in seeing and learning about the world that we live in as they have experienced a lot of it already. One year we visited Kefalonia in Greece, and the holiday overlapped with the school holidays by a day or 2. During these extra days of holiday, we bumped into a team researching turtles in Argostoli harbour. They spoke about how a turtle’s eye will dry up if it’s out of the water too long. My then 4-year-old has never ever forgotten that!
5. Promotes a Sense of Adventure
Travelling helps kids of all ages be curious. It shows them things they wouldn’t see at home. I don’t know about you but there aren’t many Elephants roaming around Sheffield in the wild or surfers on the River Don. They see things like surfing or snorkelling and become curious and want to give it a go. They see people trying different foods to what is readily available at home and want to try. Curiosity helps people to grow at any age, we should encourage that. Curiosity is the opposite of boredom, encourage it.
6. Strengthens Family Bonds
I’ve said it a million times, I can’t stress enough how time with family at home and when travelling are two totally different things. At home, we all have various distractions even if it’s just to wash clothes or something. When travelling, no matter how near or far those distractions are gone. We get to unplug from the daily grind and connect. We can focus on each other, we can show our kids something new and just be with them. I love sitting together and playing cards on holiday, but at home, there’s always something someone else would rather be doing.
Taking kids on holidays is a great way to build those bonds. We have things that we did together as the five of us that no one will really ever understand. We Sit and chat about things like “Do you remember seeing those fire dancers in Singapore”, it was a fleeting thing but one thing we all saw together. Remembering and reminiscing helps to strengthen those bonds.
7. Improves Social Skills
When we travel we meet lots of new people, even if it’s for a few seconds or a brief interaction, it’s there. The kids are always meeting someone new from the moment we enter the airport usually. When we take our kids on holidays to places with other kids, they make friends from all over the world. Again this is something they wouldn’t be able to do at home generally. They have friends from all over the world and in turn have learnt various ways to communicate in different languages. These interactions build confidence which then translates into more confident kids at home too.
8. Encourages Gratitude and Perspective
Taking kids on holidays encourages gratitude. Some people may think it would be the opposite but they are wrong. They have their eyes opened to what is around them, to see how others live is a game changer. Travelling to Asia showed my kids that not everyone has a PS5 or a TV, they realised how lucky they really were.
9. Teaches Problem-Solving Skills
I mentioned earlier but takings kids on holidays really helps them to become more adaptable. Plans don’t always go as you expect, it might be a flight delay or a rainy day putting a halt to what was arranged. Adaptability is a great skill that not everyone possesses. Things that might seem inconvenient can be a great learning curve.
10. Inspires a Lifelong Love of Travel
My kids were all very young when they first went on holiday. I am a massive travel fan and still have a curiosity about the world, there’s so much more I want to see and learn. I was excited to show my kids the big wide world and now that they’re growing into teenagers and young adults I can see how my love for travel has been passed on.
The oldest 2 have plans to travel and see more of the world when they have finished college, and I couldn’t be happier for them. This love of travel and exploring is a good thing, there are so many more addictions. The way I see it is this; If they spend all their money on travel, there won’t be any left to spend on drugs!
There are far more benefits than negatives when taking kids on holidays, most of which I have listed above. Open their minds, let them be adaptable, compassionate people in a way that only travel can nurture. Spend time with them outside of the house and get to know who they really are. Travelling doesn’t have to mean going halfway across the world with a backpack, start small and keep within your means. But do get out and explore the world. It’s an amazing place and there’s so much to learn.
Where are you taking kids on holidays next? It’s Türkiye for us, a new destination in the beautiful country so I’m very excited about that. Let me know where you’re going, I’d love to know.
Becky x