Before Your Trip - Get the Kids Excited!

You've done the research, figured out the details, and the trip is all planned.  Now what?  Starting getting the family excited!  There are several different areas that I like to use to get our kids excited before a big trip; geography, food, language, music, and customs.

GEOGRAPHY

This one probably sounds a little obvious, but the first thing I do when we have a trip planned is I get down our globe (or map-ball, as our daughter used to call it when she was little).  I don't pull up Google Earth, I don't open Google Maps on my phone, but I get out an old-fashioned globe (preferably not too old, the countries do tend to change a little over time). 

We sit down and find where we live (of course adjust all of this to fit your kids ages), find where we're going, and talk about the distances and differences between the two.  Some questions to start with are:

  • Are we going to be on an ocean?  In the mountains?  A desert?
  • What are some nearby big cities?
  • How many timezones will we pass through?
  • What bodies of water will we fly over?
  • What continent are we going to?
  • Will we be north or south of the Equator?

If your flight has a connection or two, you can also talk about the route you'll be taking and any place you might be stopping.

FOOD

One of the most fun ways I've discovered (for the kids and me!) for getting excited about a new country or region, is through food!  A month or two prior, I'll start researching typical foods for the area, and also any special dishes they are known for.  I'll start incorporating some of the foods into our weekly menu's so we can start traveling through our tastebuds before the trip.

Preparing local cuisine is a good way to get an idea of what people eat in another country, and what are some common ingredients and spices, and it gives you an idea of what foods you definitely need to try during your trip.  It's fun to see how closely the recipe, and your cooking, did representing the local cuisine once you arrive and order the dish at a local restaurant.

LANGUAGE

  • What language do they speak where you're headed? 
  • Does anyone in your family know the language already? 
  • What alphabet do they use?
  • How do you say some common phrases?

There are several great web based programs and apps that can help your little one get a jump-start on learning some of the local lingo before you embark on your trip.  Some of our favorites web-based are Dino Lingo for the younger kids, and Rosetta Stone for the older kids and adults.  For app-based programs we like Duo Lingo and Babbel.

Even if you're venturing to somewhere that the primary language is your native tongue, each country will often have it's own slang and jargon that you can familiarize yourself with prior to your trip.  If you live in the US, you probably are familiar with chips, fries, and cookies; however, if you're headed to England, you'll want to order crisps, chips, and biscuits to get the items you're expecting.  Learn some of these little difference before your trip to make navigating the menu's abroad a breeze.

If where you're headed doesn't speak your language, or rather you don't speak theirs, it's always a good idea to learn a few of the basics.  A few that will surely come in handy are:

  • yes
  • no
  • hello
  • goodbye
  • please
  • thank you 
  • learning to count from 1-10 is a bonus!

Engaging your kids in the language before the trip is a sure way to help them feel connected with the upcoming adventure.  Also, seeing their parents fumble through a new language is fun too.  Our kids get a kick out of hearing the adults trying to pronounce words in other languages!   What's even more fun is when everyone learns enough before a trip to recognize a few words once you are in the country.

MUSIC

Are you heading on an Australian adventure?  Listen to a little Aboriginal music before you leave home.  Going to Peru?  Put on some Andean panpipe music.  Will your travels take you to Argentina?  Get grooving to some Argentine Tango!

Although much of todays modern music around the globe may sound similar (there are definitely some exceptions), if you research the traditional music in a particular region you will get a little glimpse into the history and culture of the area.  Often, the traditional music from an area tells a story of the countries history; many warmer places have slower traditional music so the dances were slower, and colder climates have faster music and lively dances to help stay warm!  While this is not a hard and fast rule, it's fun to listen to traditional music and picture what type of dancing might have been done. 

We will often play traditional music while enjoying a home-cooked local meal we are trying.  It really sets the scene and makes it extra fun for the kids!

LOCAL CULTURE & CUSTOMS

In Sweden, instead of crossing your fingers for good luck, you hide your thumbs.  In Japan, you great people with a small bow.  In Indonesia, it is considered rude to wave or eat using your left hand.  All these little cultural and custom differences are what make travel so wonderful and interesting.  Learn as much as you can before you leave on your trip and talk about it with your kids. 

  • Which side of the road do they drive on? 
  • How do locals greet each other? 
  • Are there any gestures that are considered rude? 
  • What are some local superstitions?
  • Is there something special they invented?
  • What was the traditional dance like?

READING & SUBSCRIPTIONS

Take a trip to the library or book store and see what age-appropriate books you can find for where you're going.  Headed to Denmark?  Pick up some Hans Christian Andersen.  Are you traveling to Nepal?  Read about Mount Everest and the Himalayas.  Going to Germany?  Read some Grimm Fairy Tales before the trip.  Read some local authors and books about places you'll visit.  There are lots of kids books about different countries that will help to get your family excited about the trip, and to help make some meaningful connections while you're traveling.

There are some really fun subscription services out there that can get the whole family excited about an upcoming trip.  While not all of the subscriptions allow you to select a specific country or region, these boxes are sure to get your whole family excited about upcoming travel!

Global exploration boxes for kids:  Little Passports, Atlas Crate by Kiwi Co., Womple Box, Our Little Globe, Geo Journey, Little Global Citizens

Food exploration boxes for kids and adults:  Universal Yums, Eat to Explore, Try the World, Spice Madam

World travel book subscription for the parents: The Wordy Traveler