Adventures with My Young Explorers: Why I Don't Regret Traveling with Kids

There are things I wish I would have done differently when my children were small, but traveling is not one of them.

There are things I wish I would have done differently when my children were small.

I wish I had done more Montessori-style chores with them or exposed them to a second language at a younger age. But one thing I do not regret is traveling with my young children. 

My son was one year old when he took his first airplane ride, and my daughter’s first cross-country trip was at five weeks. 

Initially, we traveled out of necessity. We lived far from our family, so we flew or drove to see them. (We drove a lot when my son was a baby, but an eight-hour road trip was my max. When we moved to the coastal South, our Midwest family was farther than an eight-hour road trip, so we flew often.) After traveling to see family, we saw how capable our kids were at traveling. We extended our miles and took our first International trip as a family when my kids were ages four and *almost* two.  

People chided me, saying my kids wouldn’t remember. “It’s a waste of money,” they said. “It’s too much work to travel with young children.” And sometimes, in my tiredness, I agreed. 

Last month, we flew to Arizona. It differed from our previous trips because my kids are now nine and six. They carry their own bags (well, mostly). They know the travel rules, like not wandering off when we’re trying to catch our flight. We still boarded during family boarding, but this will probably be our last time. My daughter just made the cut-off age.   

As I travel with my “big” kids, there are things I noticed beyond the fact that we no longer lug around car seats and strollers (which, I won’t lie, is a benefit of traveling with older kids). First, my kids know what to expect. As mentioned above, my kids are familiar with the travel routine. They may not remember their first time on an airplane, but they are excited about liftoff. They know to swallow and drink water to pop their ears. They know there are toilets on the plane if needed, but only when the “no seatbelt” sign is on. They know to stay with us in a crowd and what to do if we get separated. 

And notedly, since we’ve been traveling since they were young, they know traveling is an adventure.

We use the word “adventure” loosely in our family. 

Adventure Example #1: Mom took a wrong turn on our drive home. I guess we’re going on an adventure!

Adventure Example #2: We planned an adventure at the state park. We want to do x, y, and z, but if it rains or something else alters our plan, we might do l, m, n, o, p instead. 

Basically, when we use the word “adventure,” it means anything can happen. We might pivot from our original plans, but that’s all part of the journey. And from my experience, the attitude of “adventure” is the best place to operate in when traveling with kids!

When we travel, my kids taste unusual foods and have new experiences. Making it an adventure gives them the courage to try things outside their comfort zones. And the more things they try, the more connections they make to other memories. 

And what about our previous travels they were too young to remember?

Even if they don’t remember those experiences, they see pictures. They hear our stories. But most importantly, I remember.

I remember telling my son in Scotland, “Don’t put a scone in your sister’s boot!” (Something I thought I’d never say.) I remember the delight when my daughter saw trained dolphins leaping out of the water for the first time. (She couldn’t stop screaming her delight!) Or when I leaked through a shirt while nursing my daughter at the Chicago Zoo (which ended up being just a minor, embarrassing inconvenience, as I had packed an extra shirt in the diaper bag). But later that day, because we were traveling, my husband and I watched as she took her first steps! (Something that wouldn’t have happened at home because my husband would have been at work.)

Traveling is a pause from our everyday. It’s a test on my husband and my teamwork—an opportunity for our whole family to grow in memories and experiences and friendships. And, sometimes, it’s the only way we see family and friends who live far from us.

Yes, we travel because I want my kids to experience beautiful places and new cultures. I want them to see the different ways people live and learn the history of our world. But most importantly, I want them to see that God is with us no matter where we go. He is with us when things go wrong and with us when we turn up an unexpected, delightful surprise. We are his representatives. There is a whole global church that loves Jesus, just like us. As my husband and I teach our kids to love others well, we can learn from the hospitality of people around the world. It’s the best souvenir to take home and share with our local neighbors and friends.

When my kids were babies, we traveled.

We had strollers and car seats and extra diapers and clothes in case anyone threw up. I can tell you all the tips on how to keep a toddler occupied and a baby soothed. I won’t tell you it was easy, because really, it’s the same work at home, only in an unfamiliar location. 

But I’ll tell you, it can be the start of a lifetime of adventures. It was worth it for us (and other avid family travelers will tell you the same). 

And now that our kids are older, I can’t believe how easy it is! 

How about you? Do you enjoy traveling? Have you traveled with young kids? What are your pros and cons? Favorite place to travel with kids?

If you are still in the season of traveling with young kids, here is a piece on my favorite traveling gear and here is a piece on staying healthy while traveling. Or if you aren’t able to physically travel, there are other ways to travel….

Happy traveling!