There’s no getting around the fact that most of us go away to unwind. That is, after all, the primary purpose of any vacation. Sun, sea, and stress-free. But, that doesn’t mean time away always has to be time off the clock. In fact, if we only unwound during our vacations, we would miss out on a wealth of lessons from our new surroundings.
You may be quite happy to miss out, but when you’re traveling with children, it’s essential you make the most of every educational opportunity. Sure, this is time away from school. But, a vacation approached in the right way can teach something they’d never learn a classroom. That’s right; holidays are full of life lessons. And, it’s down to you to ensure they pick those little gems out of the sky and get the most from their experience. And, here’s how you can make sure of it.
A new lingo
The lessons start before you even touch down. In the months leading up to your trip, it’s worth encouraging your kids, and yourself, to learn the local lingo. While you may not realize it, it’s possible to learn any language in a fairly short amount of time. Within no more than two months, you could all be in a position to have a general conversation. And, this is a lesson you can take away with you, too. By investing in a translation dictionary, you can learn what you don’t already know while you’re on the go. For young kids, this is a fantastic way to get ahead in future language lessons. For older ones, the efforts could well help their grades when they go back to school!
The power of flight
The next lesson also happens, for the most part, before you land. It is, of course, the power of flight. Or, more precisely, the ability to get themselves on a plane. While many parents forget the importance of lessons like these, teaching kids to travel is incredibly important. Instead of taking control, let your kids play an active part. Encourage them to check in their bags, and explain departure gates and so on. If they ever have to fly solo in the future, they’ll fall back on such lessons to see them through.
Time for a history lesson
Once you reach your destination, there is still more to learn. Obviously, there are the cultural benefits of being in another country. But, we’re not going to talk about those here. Instead, we’re going to talk about the historical lessons to be found in travel. No matter your destination, you can be sure that it has a history your kids don’t already know about. It’s down to you to do your research before, and book trips to anywhere of relevance. In Rome, the Colosseum would be an obvious one. In England, somewhere such as Corfe castle may be worth a visit. Again, seeing places like these could well come back to help them in their school work!
