Always a fun topic at random birthday parties: long distance travels with kids … Whenever we share our travel plans with friends or family we always hear the same thing: “what’s in it for him, he won’t remember any of it when he gets older”.
From colleagues that discovered travel fever way back I often get the same reactions, for instance: “Travelling far with kids? Kids would much rather be on a camping site in the south of France where they can make friends and enjoy swimming.” Of course that’s fun and everybody should do what feels best for them. But it’s also true that travelling through and to faraway destinations can create fond and lasting memories for your kids. Of that, our own kids are living proof.
Long distance travels with kids
Kids do not prepare themselves in detail for a trip. They don’t read up about where they’re going and often have no idea what route is taken to get there. I find that quite clarifying to be honest. They just board the plane with an open mind and find themselves in situations or encounters without any judgement.
I’ll never forget what an impression the Grand Canyon made on us. Just the immense size, the depth and the outstretched view… At the end of the day I asked Fynn (3 years old) what his thoughts were and what he liked best that day. His answer? “The squirrels mum.” Travelling can be that simple.
Even now, weeks after our return, he still talks about the blue ice cream he enjoyed and the tipper he played with on the beach in Canada. It’s not the same things as adults that stick but it’s clear they made a big impression.
Snorkling & elephants
My colleague Sindy taught her 4 year old daughter snorkelling. Of course that wasn’t a big success at the time, it was pretty exciting having those goggles on and seeing all the colourful fish in the water. This past year they went to Sri Lanka and she really had the taste for it on Pigeon Island as she and daddy were away for hours on end. The reef shark they saw made quite the impression. Small, but it was the highlight of the trip!
Our colleague Marloes went on a trip to Thailand with their sons of 3 and 5. The elephant sanctuary made a huge impression on the boys. Even now after a year they still talk about it weekly. Their favourite animal? An elephant. What the oldest wants to be when he grows up? An elephant keeper. And the looks on their faces while visiting the elephants is unforgettable.
Teenagers
The daughters of Leonie, another colleague, are 15 and 18 years old already. Squirrels just don’t cut it with them anymore of course. They had conversations with students from Yogyakarta (Indonesia). What’s it like being a student over there? A lot of differences of course, but also similarities. The social life and having a few drinks in the evening and just ‘hanging out’ together.
Did you know how pineapples grow when you were a child? Or how tortillas are made? We teach those kinds of things to our kids during our travels. As far as we’re concerned it’s the best advertising for the world. They experience first-hand how it is to live on the other side of the world by seeing, tasting and smelling. And of course we also hope they learn to appreciate life at home because coming home to ‘hotel mum’ after a long trip is not that bad…
Would you also like to discover the world, enjoy long distance travels with kids? With RiksjaKids we visit destinations you can travel to safely and where English or Dutch speaking partners are ready for you on the spot if you need any help or have any questions. Our travels are made individually but you might enjoy the company of another family briefly. You’re not part of a group but you have contact with other travellers with kids. You won’t find large touring cars with us but you can travel by your own car, by plane, train or minibus (with private driver). We want you to feel free during your travels so you can adjust your trip to your liking. From our own travel experiences with (young) kids we know how important that is.
This ” long distance travels with kids ” guest blog is written by the travelling mums of Riksjakids.
