Traveling with kids is always an adventure, and you can never truly prepare for everything. But we’ve found that trips go much more smoothly when our kids know a little about where we’re going and have something they’re excited to see or do.
Before we travel, we read books, watch movies, try some of the food, learn a few words of the language and talk about what we’ll see. It doesn’t have to feel like homework. The goal is simply to make kids part of the trip before you ever leave home.
After years of traveling with our three boys, these are the things that have helped us prepare our kids for a trip and turn them into excited participants instead of kids who are simply being dragged along.
How to Prepare Kids for a Trip at a Glance
Build excitement
Read a book or watch a movie set in your destination
Introduce the food
Try a few foods from your destination before you leave
Learn the basics
Practice a few useful words if another language is spoken
Get out a map
Show kids where they’re going and how they’ll get there
Give some context
Introduce the history, culture and major sights they’ll encounter
Give them a choice
Let each child choose at least one thing to do
Set expectations
Talk about flights, walking, different foods, schedules and what may feel unfamiliar
Know your child
Prepare differently for anxious kids, picky eaters and kids who need more independence
Read books about the place you are visiting.
I read Anne of Green Gables to my boys on our way to Prince Edward Island (my husband was driving, not me!). A history book or even a fictional book that takes place in your destination will allow them to feel invested in this new place. You can also watch a movie at the very least. The Pippi Longstocking movie before our trip to Sweden was more interesting to my kids than the book.
Find recipes to make and sample some of the food typical of where you are going
When I was 18 my parents, my 4 siblings and I drove from Amsterdam to Amman, Jordan, over the course of 2 weeks.
However, my poor little 6-year-old brother subsisted at the time on an exclusive diet of hot dogs and Doritos and could find nothing he wanted to eat. He refused all food on the basis that it smelled weird. I think he was pretty miserable until my parents found some chips that sufficed. The chips worked because they were familiar.
We now have a picky little eater of our own. We have done research before we go anywhere. We made sure he like meatballs with gravy before we went to Sweden. We got Icelandic yogurt at the grocery store to prepare him for Iceland. If you want some ideas of food to make before your trip visit My international recipes Pinterest board.
Most cultures have some food that parallels the food your children like. For example, french fries are fairly universal and, although it won’t be the healthiest option, it will keep them fed.
Also, grocery stores are very likely to have familiar foods, so have a grocery store dinner every now and then.
Get conversational
If another language is spoken in your upcoming vacation spot, download Duolingo, or watch a movie from the country to where you are headed. Teach your kids how to say “hello” and “goodbye” at the very least. If they are older, teach them how to say “I am lost”, “please call”, etc. If the language is written differently than yours, teach them some letters as well.
Our favorite for learning languages on the go is Duolingo.
We are working on learning Norwegian right now, and we love to challenge each other on Duolingo.
Give some context
Talk about and read about the sites they will be seeing. I get so much more out of something if I have some background information. Your kids have less general knowledge then you so give them bits they can handle. Capitalize on their passions, and give them something to look forward to that is theirs alone!
The best and free way to do this with your kids is through my articles for kids where they can learn all about Morocco,Russia,Greece and more.
Show Them Where You’re Going
Before a trip, show your kids your destination on a map. Find your home first and then trace where you’re going. With international trips, we also look at the countries nearby and talk about how long it will take us to get there.
This is especially helpful for younger kids who may have no concept of whether you’re traveling 200 miles or halfway around the world.
Let Them Choose Something to Do
Kids are much more invested in a vacation when at least part of it belongs to them. Let each child choose one attraction, activity, restaurant or even dessert they really want to try. We have done this as our boys have gotten older and done some amazing things. We did a VR tour of what a Viking village would have looked like while in Ireland. We have gone on hikes off the side of the road that turned out to be our favorite.
You don’t have to turn over the entire itinerary. One choice gives them something that is theirs to anticipate and gives them a little ownership of the trip.
Talk About What Will Be Different
Some of the things adults find exciting about travel can be unsettling to kids. Talk ahead of time about anything that will be noticeably different: unfamiliar food, another language, public transportation, small hotel rooms, lots of walking or eating dinner much later than they’re used to.
Knowing what to expect can make something unfamiliar feel much less overwhelming when it actually happens.
Prepare for the Kid You Actually Have
If you have an anxious child, show them the basic agenda. If you have a willful one, give them some input into the things that you do. If you have two that always fight, make sure they don’t sit together on the airplane or in the car. We have found that by tailoring things to our children, we have happy participants instead of grumpy obstructionists!
The more you can prepare your children for your trip, the smoother it will all go. Instead of dragging them along, you are making them part of the excitement and ensuring their cooperation. Not only that, you are giving them context to the world that they will carry with them for their lives.
Traveling with kids can be one of the most rewarding experiences, but it does take a little more work. But the work will pay dividends to you and your child.
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