Getting Your Toddler Ready For Their First Trip

An Adventure Awaits!

Traveling is an exciting part of life for individuals of all ages. However, traveling for the first time can be a little scary for a child. This may be their first time going away from home for a long time, or it might be the first time they are going somewhere and meeting a lot of strangers, as opposed to seeing other members of your family. Here are some parenting tips for ways to ease any anxiety when traveling with kids and prepare them to enjoy their travels! 

1. Involve them in planning

Our first parenting tip is to ask your child what kinds of places they would be interested in visiting. Do they want to go to the beach? Explore nature? Be in a city? By asking them about their interests, you can begin involving them in the process of choosing and planning the trip. 

2. Find media about the places you’re going

If your travel destination is a popular one, there’s a good chance there are books, movies, or videos about it. By engaging with media about the places you’re going, your child will begin to feel more familiar with the location, and they might just become excited that they can be just like the people in the books and movies they’re read and watched!

3. Make downtime fun and educational

Traveling with kids can include a lot of waiting around, so finding ways to combine education and entertainment for an “edutaining” way to keep your child’s mind active is a great way to combat boredom or acting out. This parenting tip is all about finding DIY for traveling activities to do during downtime. Having something creative to do while traveling is great as it can produce something your child can bring with them and show off while on vacation (or capture memories of vacation to bring home)! 

4. Find fun activities to do

Finding specific activities that your child will enjoy is a way to not only help schedule your trip itinerary while traveling with kids, but give them things to look forward to! If your child has specific interests, finding ways to incorporate those into the locations you visit can get them excited, (like visiting a local aquarium if they love sea creatures), and give them a sense of comfort.

5. Encourage exploration

Packing things like binoculars or a disposable camera while traveling with kids is a great way to encourage your child to explore wherever you travel. Find games to play that require them to use the binoculars, or ask them to photograph their favorite thing in whatever location you’re in. This will keep them engaged and entertained while exploring somewhere new!

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