Have you ever thought about packing the car for a family road trip and decided it all sounds too hard? Well we’re not going to say that travelling with kids isn’t without its challenges, but it is all worth it for the truly remarkable experiences you can have as family that are simply irreplaceable.
Travel Writer Robin Esrock told ABC News that travelling with kids is “a gamble” but that shouldn’t deter you from rolling the dice on it because travelling with kids is amazing.
Sometimes there is a preconceived notion that travel is over when you have kids but Esrock disagrees with this and says it shouldn’t be the end of the road and “it just needs to change. It needs to adapt.”
No strangers to living on the road with kids are Justin and Bec Lorrimer who are better known as the Trip In A Van family with their three children Jack, Billy and Charli who are aged between 3 and 6. After packing up their lives and living the dream on the road since 2015 they know a thing or two about travelling with kids.
“Travel with your children comes with its own set of opportunities and challenges” writes Trip In A Van on Travelling with Kids.
“Travelling as a family is so important to us as we’ve seen the benefits of travel within ourselves and our beautiful kids.”
When you can step outside into vast and different environments, the world becomes a playground and the games the kids play are only as wild as their imaginations.
It is often said that parenthood and childhood have changed a lot since the more carefree decades between the 1950s and 80s where kids would play together in the street until the sun went down. However, in this busy world with more and more structure, there is so much value in getting the family together for a road trip adventure.
There are many great places to stop and soak in the beauty of WA and if you are staying in a caravan park with your family you will see some wonderous things happen because caravan parks create a sense of community and the tablet screens are left forgotten inside and kids imaginations are sparked and friendships are forged.
Trip In A Van writes, “Travelling has boosted their (kids) confidence, learning and social interaction, nothing beats watching their outgoing little personalities.”
“Yes, being with your kids 24/7 can have its downside at times, but you will learn to make this work and allocate time for yourself. Kids also need time to themselves so scheduling a down day is hugely important as they cannot go go go!”
Robin Esrock says there’s just no right or wrong way to travel with kids and believes it is essential… as is a little forgiveness for the inevitable micro disasters along the way!
He also suggests that when we don’t travel “the world becomes scarier” and travelling really breaks you out from a closed loop and allows you and your family to be opened up to a world of experiences.
Doing this with children allows you to see the world differently and as Esrock describes, “it really fuses the whole thing with excitement and joy.”
“I can’t tell you how many days were just the best day ever.”
In addition to not only being an affordable and enjoyable holiday option; travelling with kids also have a myriad of positive benefits for families.
Caravan Industry Association of Australia’s Real Richness report revealed:
· 75% of campers feel close to their children compared to 63% of noncampers.
· 85% of campers felt close to their spouse compared to 65% of non-campers.
· 93% of campers believe it brings families closer together and 92% of campers believe it is fun for the whole family.
Some of the best lessons take place outside the classroom, and taking the family on caravan and camping trips lend themselves perfectly to this.
The Real Richness report found significant educational advantages to caravan and camping trips, with 97% of campers surveyed believing it allows children to learn about the environment.
94% agreed that camping trips enable children to engage socially and even 69% of non-campers believing camping teaches children important life skills.
So there you have it; getting out and travelling with kids could be the perfect way to combine learning, fun, and quality time together as a family!
Find out some tips for travelling with children from Trip In A Van and Caravanning with Kids.
