Traveling with Kids- The Key Life Lessons They Learn
Thinking about taking a gap year or embarking on extended travel with your kids but feeling overwhelmed by the idea?
You’re not alone.
As parents and teachers, we know how daunting it can be to step away from traditional schooling and embrace the unknown. The planning—packing lists, flights, accommodation, health concerns, insurance—can make you question if it’s all worth it.
But here’s the thing: it absolutely is.
Traveling with kids isn’t always easy (and it’s definitely not all sunshine and rainbows), but the life lessons they gain are priceless.
Beyond the traditional classroom, the world becomes their teacher, offering experiences that build resilience, empathy, and confidence in ways no textbook ever could.
In this post, I’ll share the key life lessons our kids have learned from being on the road. These lessons have not only enriched their education but also helped them grow into well-rounded individuals.
So, if you’re debating whether to take that leap into family travel, read on. You might just find the inspiration you need to turn those travel dreams into reality.
The World Became Their Classroom
Traveling with kids turns the world into their classroom, where every destination is a new lesson.
Forget textbooks—our kids have learned history by walking through ancient ruins in Greece and explored science by mummifying oranges (and no, we didn’t try it on the cat!). Each adventure offers a hands-on education that traditional classrooms just can’t match.
Our girls, for example, are massive fans of the Greeking Out podcast by Nat Geo. When we planned a month in Greece, we brought these stories to life.
We held our own mini Olympics in Olympia, wandered through the Acropolis searching for Athena’s Olive tree, and let our voices bounce around the Ancient Theatre in Epidaurus.
All of these activities enriched their understanding of history far more than any classroom lesson could.
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Life Lesson 1: Resilience and problem solving
The Challenges of Travelling as a Family
Let’s be honest—traveling as a family is not always easy. There are the inevitable hiccups, like missed buses or getting lost in a new city.
But these challenges are part of the journey and, in hindsight, often become the stories we laugh about the most. The key is to embrace these moments and use them as teaching opportunities for your kids.
Take the time we missed the last bus back to our hotel in Hvar. Instead of panicking (okay, there was a bit of panic), we worked together to find a solution—negotiating with local taxi drivers until we found one willing to take us back at a lower rate.
It wasn’t the outcome we planned for, but it was a valuable life lesson in resilience and problem-solving for all of us.
We all know that things can go wrong in life, and our kids get to experience that first hand.
We were in a situation that could have been avoided but we made a mistake, we picked ourselves up and worked out our options. It’s key that kids understand that mistakes happen to everyone, we learn from them and move forward.
Life Lesson 2: Negotiation
Travelling Helped My Kids Feel More Confident
One of the most rewarding aspects of family travel has been watching our kids grow in confidence.
Whether it’s navigating a bustling market or ordering food in a foreign language, each new experience builds their self-assurance. It’s amazing to see how they handle situations that might have intimidated them before.
For example, after two years of full time travel, our kids have become expert negotiators.
Haggling is a way of life in many countries, and they’ve learned the art of bargaining with a smile. Sure, there are still the occasional mathematical slip-ups (those extra zeros can be tricky!), but they’re beginning to understand value, worth, and people skills.
They work on communication skills- always smiling and enjoying the process. They are beginning to understand a fair price considering the workmanship which goes into something.
This process has become even more valuable as they are spending their own money which they earn weekly. Much more thought is put into a purchase knowing it’s comes out of their piggy bank!
Life lesson 3: Understanding where we have come from
Travelling Gave My Kids Perspective
Travel opens your eyes to how big and diverse the world really is. For our kids, it’s given them a broader perspective on life and the understanding that not everyone lives the way we do. This kind of insight is priceless and something that can’t be fully taught in a classroom.
We spent a month in Egypt, and the history and culture at every turn was truely mind-blowing.
The kids were inspired to try mummification (with fruit, not the cat!) and create their own hieroglyphics. It was one thing to read about ancient Egypt in a book, but to actually stand in front of the pyramids and explore tombs—it gave them a deeper understanding of where we’ve come from and how cultures have shaped our world.
The girls are also massive fans of Greeking Out podcast by Nat Geo and that inspired a month in Greece to bring these stories to life, you can read about it here.
Life Lesson 4: Respect and tolerance
Our Kids Learned That the World Is Full of Kind People
One of the most beautiful things about travel is the people you meet along the way.
Traveling with kids how allowed them to learn that, despite the differences in language, culture, or lifestyle, kindness is a universal language.
From strangers offering help when we were lost to locals inviting us into their homes, these encounters have shown our kids the goodness in the world.
We want to raise global citizens. With tolerance and respect for others regardless of differences. With travel comes exposure, both positive and negative, to different cultures and ways of life.
Difficult but vital discussions are had.
We talk about the village of weavers where all girls will stay home and weave from age 10-100 and consider the importance of opportunity: we discuss plastic pollution when we see kids throw cups into the rice fields and how important education is and seeking out alternatives and we talk about poverty and the complications.
Just to be clear, these are huge conversations so we introduce these ideas in an age-appropriate way.
Want to make a difference? Our kids are given small amounts of money to use as microloans to help underserved communities thrive. Check it out here
Life lesson 5: Developing empathy
Understanding and appreciating a different perspective is so important for widening and understanding the world around us.
- It helps them to build a sense of security and stronger relationships
- It encourages tolerance and acceptance of others
- It promotes good mental health
- It promotes social harmony
And these benefits continue into adulthood too.
Life lesson 6: Adapting to different situations
This is a big lesson to learn. Traveling will continuously expose your kids to new situations. From the patience of an airport line, to the seriousness of passport control and bag checks to moving from the tropics of Asia to the winters of Europe, kids need to be able to adapt!
Adaptability may take a little getting used to but it will make your child more resilient to changes in life and encourages them to embrace such changes.
Life lesson 7: Independence
Traveling with kids can help to develop a sense of independence.
They may need to do things on their own, such as packing their bags (for younger kids, provide a packing list checklist or do a final check to make sure they didn’t sneak that stray kitten they found in) or navigating around a new city (buy them a compass!).
This helps massively with confidence and also helps them to understand the importance of their contribution.
Life Lesson 8: Communication and Social skills
Inevitably, we meet people who don’t speak our language but we still need to learn to communicate.
What the kids learn is language is so much more than words, they grasp the importance of gestures and body language too.
They also become much more creative at making friends. Play is the best at bringing kids together. We love the card game Taco, Cat, Goat, Cheese, Pizza for bringing kids of all nationalities together for a game.
Life Lesson 9: Presence
Travelling as a Family Helps You Slow Down & Be Present to Life
One of the greatest gifts of family travel is the ability to slow down and truly be present. Away from the distractions of everyday life, you have the chance to focus on what really matters—spending time with each other and experiencing the world together.
Travel has helped our family to be more mindful and intentional in how we spend our time. Whether it’s a quiet morning watching the sunrise or a long train journey through the countryside, these moments of stillness are when we’ve felt most connected to each other and the world around us.
Could Travelling as a Family Make Your Kids Entitled?
It’s a fair question—could all this travel make our kids entitled? We’ve certainly had to think about it. The truth is, travel can be a double-edged sword if not handled carefully. While it offers incredible experiences and privileges, it’s crucial to balance that with teaching humility and gratitude.
We make it a point to discuss the realities of life in the places we visit. We talk about the challenges people face and the importance of giving back.
By involving our kids in charitable activities and encouraging them to reflect on their experiences, we aim to raise them to be compassionate, grounded individuals who appreciate their opportunities without taking them for granted.
Life Lessons Recap: Travelling with Kids
Travelling with kids isn’t always easy, but the life lessons they learn along the way are worth every challenge. From building resilience and confidence to developing empathy and mindfulness, these experiences shape them into well-rounded individuals ready to take on the world.
Travelling provides an amazing classroom which goes beyond the four walls. There are opportunities for learning all around us which go beyond the core school subjects and help to develop our kids into awesome little humans.
In the end, the world truly is their classroom, and the memories we’ve created together will last a lifetime. So, if you’re on the fence about whether to take that leap into family travel, I say go for it. The lessons your kids will learn are priceless, and the adventure of a lifetime awaits.
Want to read more on the benefits of travel with kids?
Family tourism improves parents’ well-being and children’s generic skills – Science Direct
A literature review of many studies on family travel
Is traveling with kids safe?
Traveling with kids can be safe and rewarding. Research destinations, ensure vaccinations are up to date, and pack essentials like first-aid kits. Trust your instincts and stay aware of your surroundings, just as you would at home.
How do you manage school while traveling?
Many families choose worldschooling, homeschooling, or use online educational resources to keep kids on track. Need some guidance? Speak with the Worldschool coach.
What are the best destinations for family travel?
Family-friendly destinations include places with a mix of culture, nature, and activities for all ages. Work out your priorities for travel and go from there or use our epic destination guide.
How do you keep kids entertained on long journeys?
Pack a mix of activities like Kindles, games, and tablets with pre-downloaded content. Snacks are crucial, if you think you have enough, you don’t. Pack more. Audiobooks have saved us on many a journey.
Meet the author
Jak is co founder of Boston Tribe Travels. He has lived and travelled abroad for over 15 years with his family. He has taught in International schools around the world as a primary teacher and leader. He now travels full time with his family, worldschooling and coaching other families to follow their worldschool dream.
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