Happy Horizons: Why travelling is important for your little ones

It might not feel like it when you’re rushing out of the house with a thousand bags in one hand, but travelling is totally worth it. Holidays are a great opportunity to relax and spend quality time with the family. Holidays also prove to be key moments in many children’s development - here’s why:

Travelling is a massive mind-opener for children

Your little one’s mind is like a sponge and when you go travelling, they are introduced to a whole new world to soak up! Experiencing new cultures and places makes your child realise how wonderful and big the world is. What better way to encourage the idea that the world is their oyster than showing them some of it.

It’s a treat for their brain

A very clever scientist at Washington State University has proven that travelling is great for areas of your little one’s brain called ‘play’ and ‘seek’. The play area is used for social skills and self-confidence, and the seek area is used problem-solving and creativity. So, every time you make a sandcastle on the beach or mess around in the pool (play) and every time you explore a city, village or forest (seek), you’re giving your little one’s brain a boost!

Holidays are great opportunities to try new things

Unless you’ve got a rowing boat and lake in the back garden or a zip wire out your bathroom window, holidays are the perfect time for your little traveller to try new things! Taking on activities outside their comfort zone encourages your little one to build confidence. So, next time your kid is looking over at that pool slide with awe - encourage them!

It teaches patience

Time works differently on holiday, which is great for your little one. They’ll have to learn that their regular routine won’t be as perfectly timed as it (sometimes) is at home!  Bedtime could be later, dinner could be earlier - whatever changes there are to the normal schedule will have to be accepted. It might take a tantrum or two to get there but eventually, they’ll learn that patience is a virtue.

The next time you’re little one is fed up in a traffic jam or causing havoc at the airport, just remember - it’s all going to be worth it. Holidays are a wonderful opportunity to leave ‘normal’ life behind and enjoy time with the family, and they’re also great for your little one to learn new things and open their mind!