Traveling with kids isn’t easy. But it sure is worth it. I know that sometimes we romanticize solo trips or intimate weekend getaways, but I’d like to make a case for bringing los niños WITH you on some of your future adventures. Family trips can be amazing and fulfilling especially if you plan them well.
Here are just 2 razones why you should consider them:
First, travel es una oportunidad for intentional family time. There’s nothing more special that creating memories together by seeing new things, exploring new places y comiendo nuevas cosas . It is basically time that you are committed to bonding with your kids… and having fun while you’re at it. Win, win! Life is short, el tiempo that we have with our kids goes fast… why not make the most of it?
Second, family trips are a perfect way to enrich los pensamientos de tus niños; they enrich their minds! There’s almost no better way to teach them lessons about being openminded, kind, respectful, adventurous and empathetic. It’s a natural byproduct of viajando por el mundo.
It’s widely known that children who travel son mas tolerantes and less ethnocentric (the idea of thinking that one’s own country, culture, or ideas are better than those of others). By taking your kiddos on that trip with you, you are making them better, more well-rounded human beings. O sea, what a beautiful parenting opportunity! Travel is a powerful thing y’all!
Ok, Joana… I should take my kids on more trips, got it! But how?
Mi gente, I got you! I have taken tons of viajes con mi familia, and I’ve learned a thing or two along the way. No soy una experta, I’m no expert, but I have a few tried and true tips that have helped take our family vacations from “alright” to “BOMB”. I’d really love to share them with you in hopes of inspiring you to plan your next family trip with ease.
Keep reading for my top insights for traveling with kids!
“The greatest legacy we can leave our children is happy memories.”
– Og Mandino
1. Plan WITH them
Tus niños should be involved in creating the itinerary para tu viaje. What I’m saying is, they should have a chance to help you plot out the “where and how” of the spots you will see. I know this might sound tedious and not very fun, pero es muy importante.
Including them helps the kids feel like the trip is theirs tambien, not just something they are being dragged on.
Ask them su opinión!
Give them some say in Airbnbs or hotels, in destinations, in the types of excursions you will do, in some of the restaurant reservations you plan on making. The trip is for ALL of you. Include them as much as you can (within reason). Esto hace que the kids feel a sense of ownership over el viaje. It also ensures their excitement and contentment… which ultimately makes the trip better for YOU!:)
See? Sheer genius!
Cuando fuimos to Scotland, it was the kids who asked to go on the Harry Potter Walking Tour around the city of Edinburgh. They were obsessed with the books and asked daily if we could do something related to them while visiting the place in which they were written. Especially since they brought their wands on the trip with us!
Amigos, I’m so damn glad I listened to their pleas.
First off, the tour was FREE. Segundo, it was an activity that got us moving! Y tercero, we had an incredible (albeit soggy) time walking around the city hearing about what sites inspired aspects of the Harry Potter series. They relished every minute of it and I did too! I aint even gunna front, soy tremenda Potterhead tambien. 🙂
I gotta tell you, seeing them tuned all the way in… it was invaluable. All because they got to add something to the itinerary that interested THEM.
Moral: Have your kids travel plan WITH you.
What sorts of things do you think your kids would want the most say in? The place? The activities? The lodging? The food?
2. Make time for normalcy
Fam, give your kiddos a break several times a day para la duracion of your trip, minimum once a day. Niños necesitan routine and they need to feel a sense of normalcy even when they are far from home.
Take note, that “break” might look different for every family. Para nosotros, it means a bit of media time (gaming), a break to watch a show, some time to color, or a chance to listen to their favorite playlist. It’s the little things, guys. They help so much.
Just a bit of normalidad will reenergize your kids so that they can face all of the new experiences that traveling will bring them. Be careful not to overstimulate and try not to overwhelm them… give them time to decompress. You’ll be thankful that you did. Te lo aseguro.
Y por favor, don’t feel like you are doing something wrong by handing them over a device. Drop the guilt! You are doing it for their mental health (it’s their selfcare) and YOURS. They will last longer cuando tienen un break to do the things that bring them joy.
And YOU will benefit from kids with a positive attitude! #WINNING!
What daily bit of “normalcy” do your kids need while on a vacation?
3. Rest up
Plan time for a nap. For them and for you. This is vital.
Si no es posible, and your kids don’t take actual naps, force them into at least an hour of quiet time.
Exploring is tiring and being “stuck” con tu familia for hours on end without a break can make people cranky. I know I’m guilty of this! Plan for un hora of silencio (esp. during the hottest time of the day) when everybody can find a cozy spot to decompress. This will provide for a mental health break, a time of solitude, a rest for weary feet, and energy restoration.
Parents, ya’ll need to try and indulge as well. Me OYEN? Get in on this too!! That goes double if you are traveling in places where the nightlife is an important part of the culture. Ese nap could make or break the rest of the day. It could be the difference between un meltdown y felicidad.
A rested kid is a happy kid, and we only want happy kids while we are sightseeing in a new place. Trust.
Do you stick to a “quiet time” routine? Are to keen to start incorporating one into your travel days?
4. Don’t force it!
Do not, I repeat DO NOT force your kiddos into fancy restaurants that aren’t kid friendly. I can’t stress this enough.
Te puedo decir por personal experience… it aint worth it. No amount escargo or crème brûlée is worth the agony and embarrassment that comes from a hangry kid in a place that is not suited for them. Nope. Its too damn hard. Para todos.
Kids want food that’s gunna be yummy and comforting after a long day of adventuring. Parientes want the knowledge that no one around them is gunna be pissed by their kid’s volume or playful behavior. My suggestion is to leave the fancy places for when you are traveling alone or for when you have a baby sitter. Focus in on locales que ofrecen opciones for the niños that are fun and exciting.
Make mealtimes comfortable for everyone by going to places that work for everyone.
Like Huffkins.
Huffkins Bakery in The Cotswolds region of England is a perfect place to have afternoon tea. La cosa especial is that this place offers a specialized afternoon tea just for kids in addition to their traditional High Tea. I wrote about our experience en este lugar in a previous blog post, click here if you are interested in reading more.
Listen, I’m not saying that you can’t eat at nice places. Haz lo! Do it!
Just make sure you find a compromise that works for the whole family. Meet your kids half way. Stretch their palate and teach them table manners, but understand their general inclination to play and squiggle.
Pro tip: Order their food first. CHACHO! Life saver! And IF you MUST go fancy, bring an activity book with you inside for the babies to stay occupied with while you sip your expensive cocktail.
What are you favorite types of places to dine with kids? Do you have any tricks that have helped you during vacay dinner times?
5. Know before you go
It was so worth it!
Introduce tus ninos to the culture of the place you are visiting before you go. Borrow books from the library, buy a guide, miren videos educativos, arrange chats with friends who are from that country. Do what you can to introduce your kids to the destination and it’s history before your trip.
The more they know about el lugar, la gente, the food, the events that happened there… the more they will derive from the travel experience.
Give your kids un chancé to be fully invested in el viaje. They will care more about a city when they understand what happened there and why it’s significant. Antes de ir, do you due diligence in teaching them what they need to know to really get a feel for the location/culture.
The cool thing is… you’ll benefit too!
This is especially crucial para landmarks or cultural sites. Son bien aburridos (BORING) without background.
One perfect example of this is: Stonehenge. They’re just a bunch of rocks if you don’t know their importance or historical significance. Before el viaje a England, we did a full unit study on the history of the country and it’s contributions to the world. Stonehenge was a favorite topic for my babies at home; we spent weeks apprendiendo about the people who built the site and possible explanations for the formation of the rocks.
Yo pense que my kids would be fully prepared for what was awaiting them at the prehistoric monument. Nah son. Fue tremenda cosa!
When we got there, it was pure MAGIC. They were immersed! My kids won’t ever forget that trip and I won’t forget the way their eyes lit up as we walked around those monoliths, even in the pouring rain. They felt some type of way… all because they spent time learning about them before we even arrived. WORTH IT!
Do you try to teach your kids about a place before you travel? What methods do yo find work best?
6. Bond through new experiences
It’s a good idea to think of your future travels as an opportunity to bond con tu familia over the fact that you are ALL experiencing new things together.
Todos estan on the same standing. Newbies!
You are all learners; estudiantes of this new place and it’s culture. You aren’t any better than they are. The place is NEW for all of you! Own that!
I think humbling yourself in front of your kids is important in teaching them to admit their own shortcomings or faults. Tell them about the things you are nervous about. Maybe it’s a fear of hiking the rugged mors of Scotland, or an anxiety about tasting nuevas comidas y sabores of an area, or maybe its about the fear of screwing up the native language. SHARE that.
Work through nuevas experiencias as a team. Let them encourage you as you encourage them. It will bond you.
When we went to Vancouver’s Capilano Suspension bridge, I was petrified. I’m talking SKURRED! No me da pena admitirlo! The kids weren’t, though. They were so excited about the high walk above the trees, that I forced myself to do the activity with them. I proceeded to unabashedly show them my anxiety when we traversed those bridges in the air. Heaving breathing. Slow baby steps. ALL of it! Tuvé miedo, dammit!
Anyway, they held my hand and cheered me on through each of my panic attacks. They were my support system. They gave me la fuerza to get through it.
They helped ME that day.
Believe it or not, they love that memory. They talk (and laugh about it) all the time. Pienso que fue because I was just like them that day. We were all new to this big scary thing, and we made it through with each other’s help. I mean, QUE ESPECIAL, no?
Tell me about a travel moment that you and your kids experienced for the first time TOGETHER. What did you do? Did they help you through it or was it the other way around?
7. Break time!
Make sure that you take breaks during the day to eat and drink, or just to sit. Break the day up!
I know, no es exactamente how we live while we’re at home, but while you are outside in the heat and walking for hours at a time… it’s vital. Kids (and adults) need those 15 min breathers, those snacks and potty breaks. I can tell you, if my kids are whiny or rude… it’s almost always because they are hungry, thirsty, or tired. Casi siempre.
Just be proactive about it. Carry snacks and water with you donde sea que vayas, everywhere you go. Plan for restroom breaks every hour or so. No excuses!
You just never know.
Pro tip: Have granola bars, fruit, or nuts at your disposal… lo que sea that packs a protein punch and fits in your bag. Oh, and cop a squat wherever works best para tu familia and do it often. A patch of grass, a bench, a sidewalk stoop….
Salvate! Save yourself from weary tantrums and whiny inquiries about dinner time. Arm yourself with the tools to give your kids the endurance they need to make it thru el dia. You’ll thank me later!
What types of snacks do you bring along on your adventures? How often to you stop and rest during your travel days?
“When you travel with children you are giving them something that can never be taken away… experience, exposure, and a way of life.”
-Pamela Chandler
8. Go with the flow
Sometimes shit happens.
Sometimes a kid gets sick en el medio of a fully packed travel day. Sometimes it rains when you planned a lovely day of outdoor exploration. Sometimes the kids just refuse to walk through one more museum. Eso pasa!
When that happens, just stop.
Throw out the plan for the day and go with the flow. El punto of the trip is to have fun, verdad? Well, it’s not fun when you try to squeeze a square peg in a round hole. Sometimes travel itineraries just don’t work out or just plain don’t work. A veces they are simply TOO MUCH.
It’s alright. Just stop and regroup.
You’ll all be better off for it. Confia en mi!
We had regroup after un dia intenso en London. We had just toured the Tower of London and Westminster Abbey in one morning and the kids were over traveling.
Totalmente, OVER IT!
Los niños just wanted to play and they fought tooth and nail until we caved. We ended up detouring and just hitting Hyde Park for a time. We had planned on just letting them run around por una hora solamente, but after they found the Princess Diana Memorial Playground that hour turned into 3.
The bebes were so happy playing on that massive pirate ship, we let the change of plans slide. They needed to just be kids for a minute y nosotros tuvimos a lovely time just sitting near the hanging wisteria and letting them do their thing. We held hands and got to breathe in our beautiful surroundings. Fue increíble. No rushing. No “must sees” en ese instante. Just us having a kick -ass time in London’s favorite park.
Sometimes a detour is better than the original plan.
When has a detour been worth it for you and your family?
Diana’s Memorial Playground 
9. ASK them their thoughts
Escuchame, amores. Don’t wait till after the trip to ask how the kids feel, do it while you are ON the trip.
Dig in.
Ask them sombre sus feelings. About the place, the lodging, the food, the people, their experiences. Todas las cosas!
Hone in on what they love, do more of that. Figure out what they hate, do less of THAT.
Suena simplé, I know, but so many parents fail to ask the kids their opinions. That is a recipe for disaster. Trips should be enjoyable to everyone. Make sure you have a finger on how everyone is feeling. If people are worn out, take a day to rest. If people are bored, plan more to do.
It’s ok to reevaluate and change your trip during the trip. Check in with your babies while there is still tiempo to make the vacation mejor!
Have you ever been surprised by what your kids loved/hated about a trip?
Los niños loved petting the Highland cows in Scotland, so we did more of that!
10. Give them a camera
Lil Man snapping a pic of the Capitol Building, in Washington D.C.
Let your ninos document their own travel experience.
Este es un tip that someone passed down to me and it’s been a game changer. Give your kiddos some sort of camera antes de que you begin the trip and let them chronicle their own adventures.
They have different interests than you, they have a different perspective que tu… wouldn’t that translate to wanting to preserve different sights? Different memories? Uh YES. So give them the freedom to take pictures of what they find beautiful.
My kids tomaron muchos pics of animales… I didn’t. I took a lot of video of pretty scenic views, the kids preferred to take photos of city centers and tall buildings. To each his own. The thing is, the trip is as much FOR THEM as it is for you. If you can get them to engage con el lugar en donde estas on their own, why wouldn’t you?
Cameras, yall! Get in on this!
It can be an old phone, an outdated camera that you no longer use, or puede ser un Ipad… anything will do. The pictures that they take will be the pictures they will share con amigos y familiares. What a cool way to give our babies ownership of their experiences.
Have you ever considered getting some sort of camera for your kids to travel with? If you have already jumped on this train, what did you use?
11. Plan for everything
Miren, this goes without saying but… have a plan.
Do your research, create detailed lists, take your time before the trip to plan it to the tee. No estoy diciendo that you have to go overboard, but you should know about the places you are going, and the lodging you are sleeping in, and the food nearby (along with the best reviewed places).
Also plan for worst-case scenarios. Teach your kids your full names, your cell numbers, their address etc. Ese tipo de información is vital if they get separated from you. Prepare them, just in case.
Another thing, teach your kids who is a safe person to seek help from, if they ever need it. We stick to the “find a mother with children” rule. Una mama will almost always be the best bet for a lost child; this is tried and true. Next on the safe list: police and employees of an establishment.
Being prepared is KEY to a successful travel experience.
Are you a planner? Do you tend to plan more when you are traveling con niños? What sorts of things are you extra diligent about planning ahead of time?
Sometimes you can avoid the “shoulda, woulda, couldas” by just tomando el tiempo to research your all of your options antes de tu viaje.
Nobody wants to look back on a vacay with regrets. Regrets about missed experiences are totally avoidable. Pero tienes que hacer tu research.
If you know about una experiencia or an activity that nobody wants to miss, BOOK it! Don’t wait till the last minute on that sort of thing or you could miss out. We booked way in advance for our afternoon tea/London tour with Brigit’s Bakery on a double decker bus porque we KNEW that was a once in a lifetime deal. We WERE NOT disappointed. Had we waited until we arrived in the UK to look into it, it would’ve been sold out.
Aint nobody got time for that. BOOK AHEAD!
What is one excursion/activity that you are thankful for booked head of time?
12. Teach your kids respect
I know that this is a given, pero… take time to talk to your kids about respect.
Be intentional about this BEFORE you even leave la casa. Talk to them about the world out there and what they might encounter. Tus niños may see or interact con personas who look very different than them. They may be offered comida that is very much out of their comfort zone. They may even see people act in ways that seem “weird” to them or see people who indulge en un tipo de lifestyle different than they are used to.
THAT’S OK. Teach them that.
El mundo es vast and beautiful BECAUSE we are all different. The important thing is for your babies to show kindness, to smile, and to open their minds to the world around them.
If they see a homeless man on a city street, teach them that homeless people are human and aren’t to be ridiculed. If they are offered a particularly strange meal, maybe teach them to try it or politely decline con gratitud. Travel is a learning opportunity. One of the reasons que lo amo tanto is that it can stretch humans, and leave them better than when they started.
That doesn’t come without an open mind and a respectful heart, though. Eso es KEY. If you arm your kiddos with those 2 things, travel can transform them into truly decent human beings. Just my opinion.
What ways have you seen travel change your kids? What type of things did they learn from moving about the world?
13. HAVE FUN!
One Last thing, don’t forget to see the world through their eyes.
Cut loose! Live out loud! Disfruta la vida! Be silly!
Traveling is about having fun! Stop taking yourself so seriously and give yourself permission to have a truly good time, like your kids do. Laugh loudly. Eat ice cream. Roll down a hill. Skip hand in hand. Baila en la calle to the music of a street performer.
Remember that travel is a gift you gift yourself… unwrap ese regalo with gusto. Set the example for your kids to do the same! If its all about creating memories… make sure they are good ones. You don’t wanna look back and think you could’ve enjoyed your time more.
There’s no time to waste. Disfrute the quality time that you’ve carved out para tu familia. Be present and LIVE IT UP!
What is the silliest thing you’ve ever done on a trip? Tell me about a time when you just cut loose while traveling.
Mi gente, I hope you have enjoyed and appreciated these tips of mine. They aren’t extensive, there’s so much I left out (this is already too long), but they are a good start.
Family travel is a beautiful thing. Es maraviloso, in fact. Certainly nothing to be scared of. It’s rewarding and fulfilling and so important. Like I said before, it’s intencional time that you set aside for bonding with your kids. Quality time! It is worth the extra effort to do it right.
If you’ve gleaned something helpful from these tips, please let me know! If you have a tried and true tip of your own, please share! I’d love your feedback. We’re in this together… we travel parents gotta help each other out!
Hasta pronto, fam! Los quiero!
Joana
