“They’re too young, they won’t remember anything”
“Travel is just too expensive with kids”
“I just think it would be way too hard”
I can go on, and I bet you can too. Excuses are easy.
Okay. That came out a little like I’m wagging my finger at you from across the interwebs…I promise I’m not.
Mum of four, remember? I’ve felt and thought ALL of this.
To be fair, I didn’t say I’d be discussing 23 reasons travelling with your kids is the easiest thing in the free world…
However, the importance of a family vacation is something that carries immense value, so I figured I’d go ahead and address some of the excuses and reasons not to–so we can just clear the air you and I, and then get down to all the reasons (yes, 23 to be exact) as to why travelling with your kids is absolutely a parenting win.
But First, a Tiny Lecture/Parenting PSA: Are You Suffering from FME Syndrome?
(don’t worry, it’s a completely made-up thing and I’m not at all a licensed diagnostician – it’s just a cheeky reference that stands for “Frequently Made Excuses” and lucky for you! All the signs, symptoms, and treatments are covered in my Does Travel Have to Stop Once You Have Kids post)
Most of the excuses surrounding the topic of travelling with kids are likely connected to the immediate feeling of overwhelm you get simply thinking about what you would even pack… let alone getting everyone on a plane on time.
(psssst, that one’s easy, I have a free hybrid packing/task list/trip countdown guaranteed to maintain your sanity)
But I get it, you’re thinking about everything that could go wrong or you’re not prepared for. Maybe you think the timing isn’t right, or your kids are too young.
Perhaps you just flat-out decide that travelling with kids isn’t in your wheelhouse, and before you know it, all your travel plans are grounded because you let those pesky FMEs convince you it was too difficult.
Adios Excuses!
So let’s skip forward to the part where you’ve kicked the overwhelm to the curb. Imagine yourself wrapped in a weighted blanket, dreaming of warm sand or powder-coated mountains, thinking “maaayyyyybeeeee?”
…and then you immediately switch back to nope land, because “they’re too young, the kids won’t remember any of it-it won’t be beneficial for them. So never mind. No trip. Let’s just wait awhile.”
Okay. Ahem, ma’am?
Pardon me… but so what?
No, really. So. What? That’s what cameras and iPhones are for!
And I hate to break it to you, but you matter too. You will remember those moments and experiences.
You and your partner will bond with each other, and with your kiddos–no matter their age.
Think about it this way: do your daily interactions with your sweet babies not matter because they’re too young to remember them? Of course not! Admit it, I’m not wrong.
Apply this same line of thinking to the “it’ll be too difficult” excuse.
Parenting? IS HARD. No matter where you are, how comfortable your environment, how deep your understanding of the next steps or where the fire extinguisher is (extreme example) or grocery delivery on speed dial ease…it’s still HARD.
That’s not going to change, so you might as well have the same teachable moments and hiccups somewhere new.
So Here We Are! Finally!
(or maybe you skipped ahead-whatevs)
23 Reasons You Shouldn’t Ground Your Travel Plans Just Because You Added Some Extra Humans to the Manifest:
1. Quality Time
You know, the thing we all truly want? The positive aspect that seems obvious? This is arguably the biggest “why” for our family when it comes to making travel a priority.
Travelling together is our opportunity to get away from battling too much screen time, or traversing school calendars and activity schedules.
We know it’s time to plan time away together when we find ourselves trying to pencil in quality time at home, but for some reason, constantly scratching it out.
2. Collecting Memories In Lieu of Things/Items
One of my favourite quotes, because it rings so true, is: “travel is the only expense that makes you richer in spirit.”
We use our family holidays as an authentic means of teaching our kids that experiences and memories hold infinitely more value than the newest toy or game.
3. Growing Your Kiddo’s Big Brains
There’s only so much the four walls of a classroom can hold, travelling allows your kids to have authentic, hands-on, experiences that can’t be replicated anywhere else.
Travel naturally integrates a variety of cultures, languages, currency, social systems, landscapes, and sensory experiences. Travel is the most organic way to stimulate your children’s brains and curiosity no matter what age they are.
4. Organic, Fundamental Experience with Budgets and Value of Money
Looking for a more situational, real-life approach to teaching your children about the value of money, and how to manage it appropriately? Take them on a trip!
I know that sounds like it could be counter-intuitive, but involve them in the process from start to finish. Include how to determine a budget, save for your trip, calculate expenses, manage money on the road, and stay within the travel budget? Well, this is the kind of real-world experience that will help them truly understand the purpose and value of money.
5. Develops Cultural Sensitivity and Awareness
Cultural sensitivity and awareness can’t help but naturally occur when you’re made to step outside of your bubble.
Your kids will not only see and experience how people live differently from them, but the commonalities humans share as well, instilling compassion and empathy, while improving communication skills and a deeper sense of gratitude.
You know… all the good stuff you just can’t teach. The stuff you have to feel to understand.
6. Supports and Encourages Independence
The kind of independence parents want their children to have, instead of a full-on rebellion or sequestering themselves in their room, kids learn necessary executive functioning skills such as planning, packing, and managing their things while on holiday; understanding and negotiating various forms of public transportation; real world practice with a spending budget and allocation of resources and time.
Travel instils the right levels of awareness and confidence in a myriad of situations that can truly create more savvy humans. I don’t think I can say enough about the benefits of this, especially as they hurtle toward their teens and young-adult times of their lives, where they’ll truly benefit from these specific skills.
7. Bonding Baby – Bonding
Oh yeah. You, your partner, your kids? That family cohesion no “Meatloaf Monday” could ever hope to create. The kind of bonding where your kids voluntarily put their devices down and the daily distractions slip away?
It’s like a movie montage of greatest mum moments, so many silver linings happen so effortlessly when we are travelling and finding ourselves all truly present with one another and our shared experiences.
8. Kids Slow You Down – In a Good Way
Have you ever felt like some of your vacations had a timer and a task list, and a medal for how much you could pack into one trip? Keep in mind that rest is also productive, and that travelling inherently offers up so many benefits, one of which? Is rest.
When you’re travelling with your kids, it’s impossible to avoid naps, playground time, and slightly more structured meals. You just can’t zip from one activity to the next in a mad rush to tick off all the boxes and win the itinerary olympics.
No.
Family travel holds so many benefits for your kids, but it also provides immense value for you. Travelling with kids forces parents to take time to relax and recharge, stop, look around, enjoy the present moment. Travelling with kids forces you to take appropriate stock of a new place or experience in a very real way.
9. Unplug
Devices. Internet. Maybe (gasp!) all of it? Go off the grid! Hide the hotel’s WiFi password. Travel teaches connection over being constantly connected.
10. Space to Open Up and Share
You know how sometimes you can’t explain why certain spaces make it easier to open up and share?
Maybe you are better at texting your feelings and reactions than speaking them, or you tend to be better at expressing yourself over a meal rather than in a coffee shop?
With so many environments, backdrops, and situations, I think you will find your kids are more apt to open up outside of their typical environment, giving them the necessary space to open up and discuss things they’d normally withhold.
11. Resilience and Flexibility (Coping Skills for the Win!)
Oh the joys of travel! Lost luggage, flight delays, language barriers, teeny tiny bugs you did NOT know you were allergic to?
The power of the pivot. And what better way to encounter all things you never saw coming than travel!
Do we want to constantly endure hurdles? No, of course not.
But this is an invaluable way for your kids to encounter unexpected and/or random situations, and develop the means to adapt to them, find solutions, and realise they’re perfectly capable of handling them.
12. Use Those Kiddo Discounts Momma!
Wave that ticket high in the air! Wherever and whatever it is that you’re booking? Tours, hotels, reservations?
Make sure you are taking advantage of any and all kid-specific discounts available. Ride the discounted “kids 12 and under” train as long as you can!
13. Everyone’s Stress Levels Lowered
It’s almost to a point where talking about stress–stresses me out.
We are ALL very well aware of how stress impacts us on a daily basis. So consider your vacation not as a stress-free zone (because that’s darn-near impossible) but it is a time when parents aren’t bringing home stress specific to their work (kids feel that) and modelling appropriate work/life balances in real time.
14. Develops an Organic Sense of Adventure and Exploration
There’s literally an entire world out there to explore and learn more about.
Curiosity: Level Ten.
New flora, fauna, culture, architecture, people, food, and history. How do you not gain an earnest approach?
Think about it this way? All the new things your kids would typically turn their nose up at? When they experience travel, kids are more likely to look at unfamiliar moments as chances for exploration and discovery.
15. Instills Confidence and a Deeper Understanding of Themselves
There will be a point in your travels where, like it or not, your kids will find themselves outside of their comfort zones, tasked with unexpected challenges, and certainly meeting new people.
While I can’t promise that those times will result in “ah-hahs!” or their ability to immediately articulate how they benefited, the results are in the works.
Travel allows them to naturally discover what they like–and don’t like. Learn what inspires them… and also what makes them uncomfortable.
These new experiences will help develop confidence in their abilities in a safe and supported environment with their family.
16. Your turn! Travel brings out the kiddo in you too!
Ever watched your kids experience something for the first time, and it felt brand new to you again as well? Travelling has a special way of doing just that.
Watching them light up over a new adventure or experience has a humbling way of reminding us adults of the things we’ve maybe taken for granted over the years.
So when you’re on family holiday, pop on a pair of Mickey Ears, take silly photos, ride the teacups 50 times, or race them on a waterslide. Vacationing with your kids allows your fun side the space to be out and about.
17. Strengthens Their Social Skills
…sometimes in a whole new language!
Travelling, be it domestic or abroad provides enriching opportunities to communicate with people from a variety of cultures, backgrounds, languages, lifestyles, and job fields.
Their ability to naturally adapt to new situations through exposure to different cultures, environments, and routines helps increase flexibility in their thinking and behaviour.
18. All of these benefits are backed by scientific evidence
Research has proven that family vacations result in happier kiddos, and improves their overall development, not to mention a correlation between children who travel and their brain development, and grade point averages.
19. Time and space to actually have fun together as a family
Even your champion eye-rolling- pre-teens will find themselves experiencing actual fun with their parents. Gross, right?
Homelife is a myriad of responsibility, screentime disagreements, homework, veggies, and general daily stressors for both parents and kids. Life on vacation is more relaxed and worry-free, giving everyone in the family the space to truly enjoy one another’s company.
20. Boosts overall family health (see reason number 13)
I’ve already discussed those ever-present stress levels; travelling is an opportunity for more fresh air, more activity, and generally, more activity, all the things healthy, growing bodies thrive on.
21. Experiences that will leave a lasting impact
Going on family holidays increases bonds between siblings, children and their parents, and of course, between the parents themselves.
The entire family will have opportunities to demonstrate confidence, bravery, problem-solving, cultural awareness, as well as engage in new creative outlets, and experience personal discovery.
Each day of vacation is ripe for impacting how your child’s personality, opinions, and overall outlook on life can continue to take shape, adding new layers to their future selves.
22. Memories
I mean, this one seems like a given, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t deserve its own shout-out.
The best part about this benefit is it doesn’t matter if you’ve booked a weekend camping trip or a two-week excursion around Europe…the kind of memories that last a lifetime happen when the entire family slows down and finds joy together.
23. Travel is a privilege and helps children become more aware of humanity
All aspects of planning and going on a family trip come with a built-in opportunity to remind both ourselves and our kids that travel is a privilege.
I feel there is a lot of value in folding these concepts into your family travel discussions. This is an intrinsic opportunity to give your kids a chance to sit with the fact that not everyone is able to experience travel, as well as ask any questions that are sure to come up on the topic.
This is probably one of the more delicate, but imperative lessons intrinsic to family travel. During our family talks, we are careful to approach the topic not from a “best be grateful” perspective, but as a chance to have authentic discussions about what our family can and can’t do in relation to others.
This is an authentic means of greatly impacting our kids’ appreciation for not only the trip itself, but also the experiences travel provides them with.
That Was Just the Short List: Family Vacations Aren’t Frivolous… They’re Invaluable
This robust list of 23 reasons on the importance of a family vacation might come off as a tad excessive at first glance.
However, I wanted to truly take the time to give a comprehensive outlook on why travelling with your kids isn’t superficial
And while there might be a list of hurdles or barriers keeping you from travelling with your family at this time, I’m gently encouraging you to never place it on the back burner.
You shouldn’t worry that it won’t be money well spent, or doesn’t hold as much value for your family as all the other things we provide to them as parents.
If you need someone to help you sort through and justify all the reasons family travel is priceless, I’ve already got the signed permission slips!
And if money seems to be your largest barrier to actually taking the trip, I can help with that as well.
You can read more about how my family of six plans and budgets our vacations on a single-income household.
I can also help you tackle your family’s money plan as a whole, and gain the confidence and clarity concerning your overall budget and relationship with money.
I offer a self-paced course that focuses on real mums, real numbers, and zero shame or overly restrictive, unrealistic ideas on how to save and manage your money.
FAQs: Importance Of A Family Vacation
How do you plan a family vacation everyone will enjoy?
It starts during the initial planning process!
Get the whole family involved, especially when it comes to choosing the destination and the activities/sights/attractions associated with the destination.
Everyone is going to enjoy the trip if you plan out a balanced itinerary, including a mix of interests and activity levels (think time to go and time to slow).
We also always consider the current ages, preferences, and individual abilities of everyone involved.
How do I organise my travel budget?
I recommend using a spreadsheet.
You can also download a variety of budgeting apps, where you’ll be able to categorise and organise your expenses from anywhere.
This way, you can list out costs such as flights, hotels, food, activities, and all the fun extras. As well as easily updating them as the travel planning truly gets rolling.
Remember, keep the big picture in mind, but don’t be afraid to make adjustments as needed.
How do you plan a family vacation step by step?
Essentials are key.
Start with everyone’s desires and expectations for the trip, this will help you develop an overall goal for taking the trip, which will naturally encourage the planning process.
Before you land on a specific destination, you’ll want to consider your children’s ages and stages, and make sure the places you’re considering align with your family’s needs.
Next, map out possible travel dates, set up your travel fund, and clarify your budget.
Booking the larger expenses such as accommodations and flights early on will allow you to focus on must-haves like health, safety, and important documents (especially if you’re planning an international trip).
Finally, it’s time to put together a dedicated family vacation planner (keeps everyone on the same page and streamlines planning), research and decide on activities, and finalise your itinerary.
How often should you take a family vacation?
This will vary from family to family, and depend on your family’s lifestyle, work commitments, and how often you can allocate savings toward your trip savings fund.
Many families strive for one longer vacation annually, complemented by shorter getaways and extended weekends when possible.
Regular vacations provide families with valuable time to bond, a break from daily routines, and encourage an overall sense of well-being.
What is a good budget for a family vacation?
I think we all know there’s no one-size-fits-all-families answer here.
The specific amount your family will realistically need in order to travel is dependent on so many things.
Your ideal location, your family’s travel style, the time of year, the length of stay… all will play a part in determining how much the trip will cost overall.
I recommend having a portion of your overall household budget dedicated to travel savings. This way, you’ll be able to comfortably save for those much-needed vacations without wandering outside the parameters of your overall family budget.
What’s the best way to involve kids in vacation planning?
This is a great way to make the trip more enjoyable for everyone!
You can start by asking for their input on specific destinations or activities they are interested in doing while you’re there.
You can provide kids the chance to vote on their favourites, and assign them age-appropriate tasks, giving them ownership over the planning process.
Involving your kids in all aspects of vacation planning will make them feel more included and connected to the trip itself, as well as build anticipation and excitement.
How can I make the trip educational for my kids?
There are countless opportunities to intertwine educational activities on any trip without sacrificing any of the fun.
Simply being in a new city provides intrinsic learning moments, but if you’re looking for something more concrete, I recommend adding in activities such as visiting museums, booking local walking or historic tours, and checking out interactive exhibits.
Natural elements are a chance to learn more about different types of wildlife and ecosystems.
Even taking public transportation gives kids a chance to understand schedules, currency, and observe social systems that may differ from their own.
One way to know they’re soaking it all in and getting true value from the trip is to encourage your kids to start and keep a travel journal and use it to record and reflect on their unique experiences.
How can I make my travel budget more flexible?
For a more flexible travel budget, identify the areas you can cut back on without sacrificing the overall quality of your trip.
This might mean choosing a less expensive destination, travelling during the off-season, or getting creative as far as activities while you’re there.
Keeping your budget flexible isn’t restrictive, it actually makes room for unexpected, unique opportunities you hadn’t planned for!
What are some hidden costs I should be aware of?
Hidden fees – those sneaky little buggers. Don’t let them get the best of you.
Always remember the first number you see isn’t likely the final number you’ll pay-especially when flights and hotels are involved.
Don’t forget to account for resort fees, local taxes, and unexpected transportation costs such as tolls.
You’ll also want to consider the cost of travel insurance, international roaming charges, and emergency expenses that are impossible to predict.
I recommend always adding in a buffer to the overall budget to account for unforeseen costs – and at the end of the trip, when you’ve planned so well that you didn’t need to dip into the buffer zone?
…you already have the savings for your next vacation started!
How to afford a vacation every year?
I fully support this as a priority btw.
Start by making travel a non-negotiable category in your household budget. Consistent contributions to a dedicated travel fund will allow you to keep that fund growing.
By doing so, you’ll also be in a better spot to take advantage of deals, reward programs, and unexpected discounts as they’re offered.
The Importance Of A Family Vacation: 23 Reasons Travel Is Good For Kids
Vacation planning with kids added to the mix usually involves a new level of overwhelm.
When you take into consideration the daily responsibilities you’re already juggling, and the needs of younger children… it’s not hard to see why your first reaction might be to simply hold off for a while.
But there are so many reasons you should take the trip, and more benefits than I could ever fit into one post as far as what the entire family stands to gain when you’re all out there, exploring the world together!
Now that you have a deeper understanding of how beneficial family travel can be, head over to my post on How to Plan for a Family Vacation: 14 Steps to Stress-Free Vacation Planning for a comprehensive guide on getting everyone out the door and actually taking that trip!
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