When parents thing about the type of education they wish their children to receive, they usually come up with phrases such as, “well rounded, knowledge of other people and cultures, experienced, self-confident,” etc. There is a reason it was a tradition amongst higher classes of people to send their children for a “year abroad” when they hit their later teens, because most of them had never left their hometowns and seeing different countries, tasting different foods, hearing different music and living in different climates was really eye-opening and, usually, humbling!
What do people eat for breakfast in Belize? Is the Mona Lisa really that beautiful close up and in person? How fast does a metro train go? And wouldn’t it be weird to have your main mode of transportation be… a bicycle?
These things and many more are subjects that your children can experience and enjoy with the entire family. Making saving up the money for a family trip abroad can be a great summer project. Planning your trip a year in advance and buying the tickets as far in advance as possible is a great way to save on the costs. Working together to make this work will draw the family closer together and work as a team.
Why travel in the fall? Summer is always tourist season, because people have time off from work, school, etc. and the weather is great for traveling and getting out and about. By the time everyone has had their fill of vacation and travel, and are happily skipping back to school and the office, there are still the beautiful autumn months with milder weather ahead of you, and if you can block a slot off from work and other obligations, fall is a perfect time to travel!
Here are a couple family friendly ideas for traveling abroad:
Amie O’Shaughnessy, founder of Ciao Bambino, has these tips for you (and many more at her site).
“You’ll be traveling seven to twelve hours on airplanes (excluding connections). This is an eternity with kids. Don’t bother going unless you can spend ten to fourteen days on the ground. Time change adjustments are tough for everyone. Know that the first few days may be spent doing just that … adjusting. Create a schedule with plenty of time to enjoy your destination once everyone has settled into the new place and routine.
Uber-travelers like nothing better than seeing as much as possible in a short period of time. That works well for adult-only trips. Keep the itinerary simple with as few accommodation changes as possible. One of the challenges of traveling with young kids is that they need so much stuff—don’t exacerbate the issue by having to repack and move all time.”
What countries are the most family friendly to visit? Most people choose to visit the top three, Paris, London, and Italy, but this article may surprise you with other ideas! Read 10 Most Family Friendly Cities in Europe to get an idea of what traveling with your family could be like.
Paris is number one, and French is still a popular language to learn in school. Test out your French phraseology and take some really awesome walking tours with Paris Foot Walks. Not only do they offer personal, unique, one-on-one foot tours of some of the best little nooks and crannies of Paris, but they have a great Facebook community that you should be part of. Like them on Facebook, and stay tuned for upcoming giveaways.
Isn’t traveling expensive? Well… a new living room full of furniture is also expensive, but for a once in a lifetime adventure that is not only educational and something that your children and you will remember your entire lives, perhaps keeping your old furniture would be worth it! Or not getting a new car for a couple more years… or not buying some of the name brand clothing you were planning to purchase. Families in the US today are spending thousands of dollars on luxury items that they consider necessities… perhaps your family can be different, and you can cut out a few things to make the money work for a wonderful trip!
You might also like to read:
Things to do in NYC
Things to do with kids in Chicago
Things to do with kids in Philadelphia
Things to do with kids in phoenix
What do people eat for breakfast in Belize? Is the Mona Lisa really that beautiful close up and in person? How fast does a metro train go? And wouldn’t it be weird to have your main mode of transportation be… a bicycle?
These things and many more are subjects that your children can experience and enjoy with the entire family. Making saving up the money for a family trip abroad can be a great summer project. Planning your trip a year in advance and buying the tickets as far in advance as possible is a great way to save on the costs. Working together to make this work will draw the family closer together and work as a team.
Why travel in the fall? Summer is always tourist season, because people have time off from work, school, etc. and the weather is great for traveling and getting out and about. By the time everyone has had their fill of vacation and travel, and are happily skipping back to school and the office, there are still the beautiful autumn months with milder weather ahead of you, and if you can block a slot off from work and other obligations, fall is a perfect time to travel!
Here are a couple family friendly ideas for traveling abroad:
Amie O’Shaughnessy, founder of Ciao Bambino, has these tips for you (and many more at her site).
“You’ll be traveling seven to twelve hours on airplanes (excluding connections). This is an eternity with kids. Don’t bother going unless you can spend ten to fourteen days on the ground. Time change adjustments are tough for everyone. Know that the first few days may be spent doing just that … adjusting. Create a schedule with plenty of time to enjoy your destination once everyone has settled into the new place and routine.
Uber-travelers like nothing better than seeing as much as possible in a short period of time. That works well for adult-only trips. Keep the itinerary simple with as few accommodation changes as possible. One of the challenges of traveling with young kids is that they need so much stuff—don’t exacerbate the issue by having to repack and move all time.”
What countries are the most family friendly to visit? Most people choose to visit the top three, Paris, London, and Italy, but this article may surprise you with other ideas! Read 10 Most Family Friendly Cities in Europe to get an idea of what traveling with your family could be like.
Paris is number one, and French is still a popular language to learn in school. Test out your French phraseology and take some really awesome walking tours with Paris Foot Walks. Not only do they offer personal, unique, one-on-one foot tours of some of the best little nooks and crannies of Paris, but they have a great Facebook community that you should be part of. Like them on Facebook, and stay tuned for upcoming giveaways.
Isn’t traveling expensive? Well… a new living room full of furniture is also expensive, but for a once in a lifetime adventure that is not only educational and something that your children and you will remember your entire lives, perhaps keeping your old furniture would be worth it! Or not getting a new car for a couple more years… or not buying some of the name brand clothing you were planning to purchase. Families in the US today are spending thousands of dollars on luxury items that they consider necessities… perhaps your family can be different, and you can cut out a few things to make the money work for a wonderful trip!
You might also like to read:
Things to do in NYC
Things to do with kids in Chicago
Things to do with kids in Philadelphia
Things to do with kids in phoenix
