Traveling With Children

You may have heard other people say you should do all your adventure travel before you settle down and have kids. Well, now you have kids. Does that mean you can't do any more adventure travel? Absolutely not. Adventure travel can mean different things to different families. An adventure can be a weekend hike at a nearby park, or a weeklong camping trip. For some families, adventure means a month- or yearlong trip camping, biking or boating all over the world. No matter what your adventure, travel should be personally challenging, rewarding and fun for both children and parents.

Why You Shouldn't Stay Home

Children are good travel companions because they are so adaptable. They quickly learn to fit into different cultures and pick up languages faster than adults. Here are some other reasons why you should travel with your children:

• Family bonding. A cohesive family that respects each other plays an important part in, and is the result of, a successful adventure.
• Children are natural ambassadors. Children bring out more hospitality and warmth from people than you would ever see on your own. In cultures where it might seem that you have little in common with others, children can help bridge the gap. People around the world can readily identify with young ones.
• A better education. Travel is an excellent educator. Your children will learn firsthand about things they'd otherwise only experience in books.

Getting Started

Deciding to take a trip is the first step. No matter how long you plan to be gone for, the following tips will help you prepare.

• Do your homework. Read as much as you can about your destination. Guide books, magazines and tourist offices are all excellent sources of information. The more your children are involved in the planning, the more excited they'll be about the trip. Make sure the whole family has the skills needed for the adventure you have in mind. If this is the family's first outdoor experience, start small and work up to that epic adventure.
• Choose your adventure. Camping, hiking, backpacking, biking, bike touring, sailing and canoeing are all excellent adventures to do with children. As constant participants in travel, rather than observers from a vehicle, they're much less likely to be bored or irritable. When doing these activities, don't rush or hurry your children but don't underestimate them, either.
• Take time off work. If you want to travel for longer than the typical 2 or 3 weeks most of us have for vacation, you can. Many employers today recognize the value of travel. Just don't expect a paycheck.
• Pack light. Travel reduces your worldly needs down to what you can carry on your back. With fewer clothes and toys, your children will be less likely to take things for granted. Traveling light keeps you mobile and means less work for everyone — fewer clothes to wash and fewer toys to pick up and keep track of. Children should have their own daypacks with a few toys, books, special blanket and "friend" to sleep with at night. Babies especially don't need an arsenal of paraphernalia — keys, cooking utensils and other everyday items are excellent sources of entertainment.

Tip: The shorter your trip, the more important it is to make sure you'll have good weather. Nothing ruins a weeklong trip like 5 days of rain. It's also important to pick a place you know you'll like, since you don't have the luxury of time to seek out a better location.

On the Road

Children are typically comfortable and happy to explore a new environment as long as the parents are comfortable and happy. Here are some tips for making travel easier with children:

• Make it fun. No matter what your activity, make-believe, imaginative play and telling stories can all make a travel adventure more fun for children. When doing an outdoor activity, choose an interesting route. Most children are interested in what they can see along the route, rather than what's at the end of the road or trail.
• Create a special place to sleep. Whether you're spending the night in a tent, on a train or in a hotel, create a special place for your children to sleep with a favorite blanket, pillow and toy. This can give them a sense of security like a familiar bed.
• Find playmates. When traveling, the only guaranteed playmates children have are siblings and parents. Teach your children to play with each other, even if they are very different ages. However, you should still expect some friction. The few toys your children packed will work as excellent icebreakers with other children you meet during your travels. Children can find playmates in foreign countries, too, since language isn't much of a barrier for play.
• Keep your privacy. Even when camping with your children, it's possible to maintain some privacy. Set some rules early on. Designate first thing in the morning and the time before bed as "quiet time." Provide your children with snacks and a few toys or books, and enjoy a little bit of time to yourself.
• Bring school work. If you're traveling with your children during the school year, bring along assignments from their school or consider homeschooling them. As long as a few hours each day are devoted to school work, your children won't fall behind. And remember, they get the added benefit of learning from travel.

Calming Those Travel Fears

At first, children can be afraid of a new environment or strangers. Let your children stay close to you if they want. Given some time, they'll likely lose their inhibitions and gain confidence to explore and interact with people.

Strange food can be another instant turnoff for children. Don't force them to try something they are dead-set against. Once they see adults enjoying foreign food, they'll likely want to try it, too.

Being in a new environment can cause some parents to worry more about their children. When doing outdoor activities, pick a safe route, teach your children some basic rules and let them go. Most of the time, travel in a foreign environment is no more dangerous than being at home. Sometimes, it's safer.

Travel Tips

The most important thing when traveling with children is to avoid overdoing it. You can still cover a lot of miles — it's just going to take longer. Avoid long travel times for short activities. Children are much happier with shorter drives and more time for activities. Here are some other travel tips:

• Start early. Children quickly get tired in the afternoon. Take advantage of their energy in the morning and start your activity early.
• With babies, start late. Plan your travel time for when your baby's energy is the lowest — afternoon nap time. If your baby is most active first thing in the morning, it's best to stay in one place and let her play.
• Take breaks. Plan on taking a lot of short breaks. Also allow time for play, especially during a long outdoor activity.
• Bring snacks. A well-timed snack can offset a squabble or sour temper. Kids tend to misbehave more when they're tired, hungry or thirsty.

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