Why Kids Should Travel: 7 Ways Traveling Helps Children Grow
When I first started traveling internationally with little ones in tow, I got a lot of skeptical looks—and a lot of questions. “Won’t they be too young to remember?” “Isn’t it exhausting?” “Why not wait until they’re older?”
I get it. Traveling with young children isn’t glamorous, and it definitely doesn’t always go to plan.
As a mom of two, a former Peace Corps volunteer, and a public health professional with years of experience supporting child development and family resilience, I can tell you: travel is one of the most powerful, real-life tools we have to raise adaptable, curious, and compassionate kids.
This isn’t just anecdotal. Research shows that travel enhances cognitive development, boosts emotional flexibility, and deepens family bonds in ways that few other experiences can.
I’m sharing 7 powerful reasons why kids should travel—especially in those early years. You’ll find personal stories from our family’s life abroad and child development insights, backed by science.
It doesn’t take luxury hotels or picture-perfect itineraries to make it worthwhile. Sometimes it looks like a toddler trying a local dish or making fast friends on a playground halfway around the world.
Whether you’re planning a big move, a short family getaway, or just dreaming of a different kind of family rhythm, I hope this helps you see that yes, travel with young kids is messy, but also magical and meaningful.
Travel Builds Adaptability in the Real World
As a parent who’s traveled internationally with two young children—and as someone with a background in public health and social work—I can confidently say: adaptability isn’t just a nice-to-have trait, it’s a core life skill. And few things build that muscle quite like travel.
When our firstborn was a baby, we were diligent about routines. He napped every day at noon, in his crib, without exception. We shaped our entire lives around that two-hour window—sightseeing, meals, even conversations with friends.
And honestly? It worked for him, and it worked for us. There’s no shame in protecting structure when you need to.
But then came baby number two—and a very different reality. Now naps happen in noisy tuk tuks, in my favorite baby carrier, hiking a volcano, or in the arms of new friends halfway across the world.
We’ve learned to be flexible, and so have our kids. Our young children are growing up watching us pivot, troubleshoot, and keep going when plans shift (nothing quite like an emergency evacuation to force you into being adaptable)—and they’re learning to do the same.
Adaptability doesn’t come from a perfectly curated travel day. It comes from the mess: the rainstorms, the flight delays, the snack you thought you packed but left behind.
Research supports this—children develop resilience not in the absence of challenge, but in their ability to navigate and recover from it. Travel offers these opportunities in small, manageable doses, especially when kids are young and still forming their understanding of how the world works.
For toddlers, this might look like trying a new breakfast in a foreign country, accepting that their favorite playground isn’t available, or finding joy in unexpected changes—like rain-soaked monkey sightings outside your hotel window. These aren’t always perfect moments, but they’re real, formative, and incredibly valuable.
You don’t need to be a full-time travel family to build adaptability. But if you’re wondering whether international trips are “worth it” with little ones—this is one of the biggest reasons they are. The world teaches flexibility in ways even the best parenting books can’t.
2. Travel Sparks Curiosity and a Love for Learning
One of the most beautiful things about travel with young children is how naturally it ignites their curiosity.
We’ve watched our two young children lean into the world with wide eyes and a thousand questions. Our 6 year is full of wonder: he might ask why people eat with their hands in one country, why there are goats on the road in another, or what a call to prayer means echoing through the sky at dawn.
Imagine your little one lighting up as they watch someone cook flatbread over an open flame, or hearing their own name pronounced with a new accent. Travel gives our kids the gift of perspective—not in some abstract future, but right now, in the most everyday of moments.
They start to realize:
- “There’s more than one way to eat breakfast.”
- “There’s more than one way to say ‘hello.’”
- “There’s more than one way to be a kid.”
When we invite children into unfamiliar places, their brains and their hearts grow. They learn to ask, to listen, and to celebrate difference—not just tolerate it.
And those little questions they ask along the way? They’re the seeds of empathy, critical thinking, and a lifelong love of learning.
3. Travel Fosters Friendship and Empathy Across Borders
Kids are natural connectors. They don’t need a shared language or matching clothes to become fast friends—they just need play.
I’ve watched our make up games with kids in Guatemala, play in ball pits with friends in the Congo, and giggle his way through a game of tag in a plaza in Portugal. Sometimes they share a few words, sometimes none at all—but the joy is unmistakable.
One of the most powerful gifts travel gives our children is the realization that people—no matter where they live—are more alike than different.
It’s in these shared moments that kids begin to develop empathy. They see that not everyone eats the same food, dresses the same, or sleeps in the same kind of bed—but everyone laughs. Everyone plays. Everyone loves.
For parents raising children to be kind, emotionally intelligent, and open-hearted, this kind of global exposure is a quiet, powerful teacher.
Even hard moments—like when our kiddo felt left out at a pool where he didn’t understand the language—became rich opportunities to talk about emotions, resilience, and how we can show up bravely in new spaces.
4. Travel Teaches Families to Be a Team
Before we ever land in a new country, we’re already practicing teamwork: packing the essentials, making travel choices, navigating airports with snack-stuffed backpacks. Travel, especially with young children, naturally builds a strong family.
It’s not always glamorous—sometimes it’s a meltdown in customs or a suitcase lost in transit—but those shared challenges become part of your family story.
You learn how to problem-solve together, support each other, and laugh when everything goes sideways. (My oldest still talks about that time we got caught in the rainstorm in an amazing Hungarian playground with no umbrellas and ended up dancing through puddles.)
I’ve noticed that when we’re on the road, our kids look to us—not just for comfort, but for cues. They see how we react when we’re lost, tired, or confused. And little by little, they learn:
- “We figure things out together.”
- “We can be brave, even when it’s hard.”
- “It’s okay if we don’t have all the answers—we’ll figure it out as a family.”
It’s the mindset that matters: travel is a team effort, and every member, even the tiniest, is part of the adventure.
What I hope you take from this is that you don’t have to be a globe-trotting supermom to raise globally-minded kids. You just have to be willing to show up, together, and say: Let’s try.
Your child doesn’t need a perfect itinerary (although good travel gear does help!). They need you—present, curious, and growing right alongside them.
5. Travel Enhances Cognitive and Emotional Growth
Beyond the joy of new experiences, travel plays a significant role in a child’s cognitive and emotional development. Early life experiences like travel can shape children’s cognitive, social, and emotional growth, leading to lifelong benefits.
When children explore new environments, they encounter unique challenges that promote mental agility and critical thinking. Navigating unfamiliar places, trying new foods, and adapting to different cultures encourage problem-solving skills and resilience.
Moreover, travel exposes children to diverse languages and customs, enhancing their communication skills and cultural awareness, essential traits for building healthy relationships and understanding various perspectives.
6. Travel as a Catalyst for Brain Development
Scientific research underscores the important impact of complex and stimulating environments on brain development. When children travel, they are immersed in novel experiences—new languages, diverse cultures, unfamiliar sights and sounds—that challenge their brains to adapt and learn.
In essence, travel often provides children with enriched environments that stimulate brain development, enhance cognitive abilities such as problem-solving, attention, and memory.
7. Travel Creates Lasting Family Memories
Family vacations are more than just a break from routine—they’re opportunities to create cherished memories that last a lifetime.
According to a survey conducted by the U.S. Travel Association, 62% of adults recall their earliest memories from family vacations taken between the ages of 5 and 10.
Remarkably, 49% of these adults describe those memories as “very vivid,” surpassing recollections of school events or birthday celebrations.
Children also value these experiences deeply. The same survey found that 64% of youth participants agreed they get to see and do new things on family vacations that they’ll remember for a long time. Additionally, 53% strongly agreed that vacations bring their family closer together.
Envision your child years from now, reminiscing about the time they explored ancient ruins, tasted new foods, or played with local children in a beautiful village. These shared experiences not only strengthen family bonds, but also become stories passed down through generations.
Why Kids Should Travel: It’s Worth Every Messy, Magical Moment
Traveling with young children isn’t always easy—and that’s exactly why it’s so valuable. From teaching adaptability and sparking curiosity to building empathy and creating unforgettable family memories, these early experiences lay a foundation for resilient, compassionate, and open-hearted global citizens.
I know it can feel daunting, especially when routines get turned upside down and naps happen on bumpy tuk tuks instead of cozy cribs. But as we’ve seen with our own two kids, those imperfect, unexpected moments become the best stories—and the most powerful lessons.
So, if you’re wondering whether it’s worth it to take your little ones on a trip, the 7 reasons above prove that the answer is a wholehearted yes.
