Traveling is an amazing way to learn something new about the world and yourself. This is an especially good opportunity for kids, whose cognitive skills are developing. The combination of new emotions and freedom gives space for development, entertainment, and some brand-new skills training.
Despite trips with children may be overwhelming, try to use this time to create unique activities and memories. From time spent on the road to activities and foreign countries, see how to combine travel activities for kids and development during vacations abroad.
The Best Activities and Games During the Trip
The best idea is to prepare for the trip together. As a parent, create an exciting atmosphere over the new destination. Google the best places and activities in your destination, including entertainment for kids. Offer your child a deal – you select the places to visit and spend time together.
Science Museums
No matter where you go, high-tech museums are a popular time of entertainment for kids and adults. Such places offer amazing ways to learn new things about the world and entertain yourself. Take part in offered activities for kids and make videos together. Watch exhibitions in a micros score, try optical illusions, and play interactive games.
Learn to Use Maps
Wandering across the new city can be a fun activity in itself. During the trip, ensure a stable Internet connection to use maps, and social media, and find any location. Seasoned travelers recommend eSIM plans as an alternative to roaming. Buy and activate the eSIM in advance to use the cheap Internet in your destination. Plus, utilize unlimited hotspots to share the Internet with your child’s device. This ensures more fun activities and safety during your stay abroad.
With an online connection over the globe, learn how to use online maps together. Select an interesting destination and let your kid be your “skipper”. This interactive activity turns sightseeing into a funny activity.
Embrace Storytelling
You may look forward to seeing historical places and museums, but children hardly understand these activities. Instead of boring walks, spend time telling your kids about the significance of visited locations. Use the Internet to prepare exciting facts about the new location:
- tell about familiar movies and shows, filmed there;
- find interesting facts about historical personalities, familiar to your kid;
- amaze kids with the history – a thousand-year pyramid seems like a miracle for both kids and adults.
Storytelling is a way to connect with kids, educate them, and show the world wonders. However, do not overdo it. Take your mind off sightseeing and relax once the kid is overwhelmed.
Create Personalized Entertainment
Vacations should feel like a positive experience for both you and your kids. Engage in activities, is interesting for adults and children. Listen to street musicians, take photos with animators, play arcade machines, etc. Remember that “boring” things may become the core memory for a small child.
Buy Travel Packs
Travel activity packs for kids are a common solution for exhausted parents. These are premade sets with art items and toys to use during the trip. All items in a travel pack are mess-free, which makes them a perfect solution for hotels, airplanes, and cars.
Spend Airplane Time with Comfort
Time spent on an airplane may be overwhelming for children who get used to activities and moving. As a parent, you can ensure comfort for you, your kind, and other passengers.
- Download your favorite cartoons and shows in advance. If your kid is allowed to use digital gadgets on boars, prepare in advance. Download their favorite TV shows, series, cartoons, etc. Instead of sensory overload videos, consider calming videos and classic cartoons.
- Choose a window or aisle seat. Consider your child’s priorities. Some prefer to look out the window and can spend some time watching the skies. Others feel more secure close to the aisle.
- Prepare coloring books and crayons. This classic choice keeps kids preoccupied for hours.
- Consider other airplane travel activities for kids. Buy sticker books, and small toys, fidget toys for relaxation, and pack a little snack. You can also play some “window games” but guess the shape of clouds.
Let your children participate in preparation. Talk in advance and explain that you have to spend some time on board. Let your kid pack their own backpack and choose activities. This way, you turn boring hours into the creative process.
Hotel Activities
Apart from the journey and sightseeing, you may need some relaxing moments in your temporary accommodation. Not only you are tired – children react to lifestyle changes even more. Time spent in a hotel may become a comfy place for both parents and kids:
- spend time watching favorite cartoons and TV channels;
- relax and play games, familiar at home;
- give your kid some space to play mobile games or watch YouTube.
Although development is important, some relaxation time won’t make any bad. Ensure you have a stable Internet connection abroad with your eSIM and give you and your child some “digital time”.
If your child is into active time and fun educational travel, select hotels with entertaining activities. This includes playrooms and events with animators. Luxurious resorts often offer free events for children. Also, check if your hotel offers babysitting services. This may be an exciting opportunity for parents to relax.
Other Tips For Stress-Free Trips with Children
Preparation is half the success. When traveling with children, we are less flexible, so ensure some safety measures in advance.
- Clothing. Pack enough items for the whole trip, including emergencies. This includes raincoats and rain boots, warm clothes, a universal scarf, a hat for sunny weather, and light jackets for nighttime activities. Always take two pairs of shoes for each family member, especially if you have bought a new pair and didn’t break it off yet.
- Toiletries. It’s never too many napkins! Put napkin packs into different bags and coats to ensure they’re always with you. Take a travel-size toothpaste, hairbrush, soap, shampoo, and any medicine your child may need.
- The first aid kit. Collect medicine for any possible occasion, from headache to food poisoning. The anti-nausea pills will save your life in a car/train.
- Snacks and drinks. You cannot plan 100% of your trip. In case you’re stuck on the road, ensure to have still water and snacks with a long shelf time. Don’t limit snakes to cookies and sandwiches, as such nutrition has its consequences. Pack nuts, long-term vegetables, and healthy dishes that are easy to store without a refrigerator.
Parents also recommend some “comfy items” to calm the child and bring a familiar atmosphere. It may be a blanket from your living room, a favorite stuffed toy, or other comfort items that make your kid feel secure.
Conclusion
Remember that children are “young psychologists” who feel the emotional state of their parents. When organizing trip activities, combine fun for kids with relaxation and positive emotions for parents. While active communication may be overwhelming, ensure you have digital activities on the plane and during train trips. While abroad, combine offline adventures with the development of digital skills. Give your kids some time and space to relax and feel at home, combining this with new activities and experiences.
Have you organized activities for your children during the trips? Tell us about your experience below! Don’t forget to share a link to this post to show the guide to more active parents.