Tips on Traveling With Children Beyond Disney World
As I researched this article I learned many people are traveling with their children and what’s more, they have been for years. Why, as I was at the library checking out books about my destination, Africa, two women working behind the desk noted my choices and proceeded to give excellent tips on traveling with families. One had spent a month traveling in Europe years ago with her now-grown children. She suggested a children’s book explaining simple words in the language of your destination. Great idea! The other had spent significant time traveling the states with her kids. She advised getting hold of your destination’s currency pre-trip and learning to calculate its worth in order to negotiate independently in markets. This turned out to be a very fun suggestion, indeed.
Here are a few more tips on traveling with children:
âÂ?¢ Brainstorm your greatest, wildest hopes for the trip (and don’t be surprised when most come true – after all, you must dream it first to live it). For example, for my trip to Africa my greatest hopes were to see primitive tribes, safari animals and to visit a local school. I searched the web for family safari companies, e-mailed representatives to tell them my budget and particular hopes for the trip and soon discovered all of my dreams were within reach and particularly attainable in the eastern nation of Tanzania. I double checked my first choice safari company’s credentials (Unique Safaris) with the country’s tourist board via e-mail and even called the city in Tanzania where the company’s headquarters were. All of these contacts took mere seconds to find on the web.
âÂ?¢ Children loved learning pre-trip to say a few words in the language of the nation they’re visiting, especially “hello” and “good-bye”. Sit back and marvel as your child picks up a much more authentic accent than you do as you interact with the locals. Children are ambassadors of good will wherever we go.
âÂ?¢ Ask teachers what they’ll be covering in your absence. Also ask if any lessons are planned on the computer accessible via their web site or the school’s web site. I do not ask the teacher’s to do any more extra work than to provide us with papers that already have been prepared, or to let us know the general subject they’ll be working on while we’re gone. After all, during early school years, parents are pretty capable of covering the topics.
âÂ?¢ Children typically don’t experience jet lag to the degree that adults do. Still, some families try to prevent it by going to bed and rising one half hour early (or late depending on your direction) a week or so before they’re scheduled to leave.
âÂ?¢ When you’re traveling in a country with street signs in an unfamiliar language, it takes a few tries to navigate your destination correctly. Some children feel nervous you’ll all become lost. Reassure them by pointing out things familiar to their own culture: “Oh, look at the lady walking the dog.” “There’s a school.” “There are lots of hotels around here. We’re getting close.” “There’s the town library!”
� Markets are a banquet for all senses and children love to discover the art of negotiating. Soon they feel like experts! Explain to them your strategy for getting your price then set them loose to come up with some of their own. Watch as they become real experts� in their eyes� which are the only eyes that matter in these situations.
âÂ?¢ Of course, keep a close eye on children at all moments. You don’t want to search for your lost child in a country whose language you don’t understand. Be sure to explain the extreme importance of children not wandering off – make it clear why they must stay with you.
âÂ?¢ If you are traveling to a locale where you get a chance to visit a school or small village with children, a great bridge for your children is to bring gifts. But, as Meg from Unique Safaris says, “Presents for children are always a challenge. We usually suggest something that the entire school can share or use as a group, such as sports equipment. Soccer balls, basketballs (all deflated and then inflated when you are there), handballs, Frisbees, hacky sacks, are all great ideas. The school will own the equipment and provide it to the kids at recess times. Pens are always a choice item for schools.
âÂ?¢ Plan to stay at hotels with pools if at all possible. It’s a great way for kids to blow off steam at the end of the day.
âÂ?¢ Kids should be encouraged to ask questions of their guides (plan some questions in advance of your trip) to find out about their driver’s families, lives, interests and for some older children, to ask questions of history, education and conservation.
âÂ?¢ Keep kids writing by turning photos processed en-route into postcards with a stamp on the back. Or, use your hotel’s Internet to keep contact with school, family and friends via e-mail.
There are so many reasons for taking your children when you satisfy your own wanderlust: giving them the great privilege of seeing the rich tapestry of nations and peoples and wildlife their earth has on show; the self-sufficiency a whole family gains when they make their way through a city whose native tongue sounds foreign; a saturation of quality time from spending every waking (and sleeping) moment together. And, that last item which I can’t put my finger on, but comes somewhere close to being sharing the thing you love most with the people you love most, or maybe having the people you love most with you that makes those exceptional moments in your life that much sweeter.
