“Take the trip,” they say. “Life is short.” But traveling with a baby or toddler is not always an easy yes. It takes planning, patience, and a willingness to let go of perfect expectations.
If you have ever wondered whether it is worth traveling while your kids are still young, you are not alone. Here is why taking the trip can still be one of the best decisions you make, even if they will not remember it later.
Key Takeaways
- Traveling with young kids can strengthen family bonds
- Early trips can build confidence as a parent
- Travel can be more affordable when kids are young
- The memories you create matter, even if your child will not remember them
6 Reasons to Travel With Kids Even When They’re Little
Traveling with young children may feel overwhelming at first, but there are meaningful reasons to say yes to the experience.
1. Vacations Strengthen Family Bonding
Whether you go somewhere that you loved pre-parenthood or jet off to a totally new destination, traveling as a family is an excellent opportunity for bonding. Stepping outside the daily routine and pressing pause from life’s little distractions allows everyone in the crew to focus on each other.
Related: Travel Essentials for Babies
2. You’ll Grow in Your Confidence as a Parent
Vacationing with a tiny traveler forces you to do things differently than you did pre-kids. From navigating airports and flights to managing naps in new settings and setting up kid-friendly activities and meals away from home, the adjustments can feel endless, even for experienced travelers. That said, you’ll feel like a rockstar after successfully completing your first vacation with your baby. Even better? Your confidence as a parent will continue to increase with every kid-inclusive getaway after that.
3. Everything Costs Less When They’re Young
Logistically speaking, traveling while your children are young can be more affordable than you might expect. Many family attractions (like museums, aquariums, zoos, and even amusement parks) offer free admission for babies and young toddlers. If you’re flying, you can take advantage of lap sitting for children under age 2 at no additional cost, as well as additional checked baggage allowances for baby gear. Plus, you can plan your vacation to be as low-key as you’d like with babies and toddlers. They’re easy to please. And they won’t feel like they’re missing out if you go the no-frills, no-tourist-hotspots route on your next trip!
Related: Travel Essentials for Toddlers
4. Parents Deserve Vacations, Too
Parenting is a hard job. The hardest, if you ask me. The fact that it doesn’t come with a written benefits package doesn’t mean time away from the day-to-day shouldn’t be penciled in. As moms and dads, we absolutely deserve to get away! While some might joke that a vacation with kids isn’t really a vacation, I’d say it still is. Especially if it involves sunshine, sand, and at the very least, a temporary escape from reality to be reminded that relaxation is within reach.
5. They’ll Still Have the Time of Their Lives
If you travel with your little ones and end up feeling like you are chasing them around the entire time, know this: they’re probably having the time of their young little life. This, in my book, is reason enough to take them along. And while they won’t remember it down the road, who says they have to? Life is meant to be enjoyed in the moment.
Related: Best Family Vacation Ideas
6. You’ll Remember and Cherish the Trip Forever
Since I became a mom, I’ve made some of my favorite memories while on vacation with my little family. And I’ll cherish these memories forever. The first time my daughter stuck her tiny, then-4-month-old toes in the sugary-soft Florida Gulf sand? Magical. When she splashed in turquoise waves, and we discovered what a water baby she was? Even more so. I’ll never forget nursing my son and snuggling up for his afternoon nap under the breeze of palm trees covering our private cabana. Try not to worry about whether your little one will remember their first vacation. If you will remember it, that is what matters most (and you will, trust me).
Book the Flight, Take the Trip, and Make the Memories
Your kids will only be little for a short time. While they may not remember every trip, the moments you share still matter.
If you are on the fence, say yes. Take the trip, make the memories, and enjoy this season while it lasts.
