Backpacking With Kids for The First Time: Tips For Newbie Travelers
Every parent wants their kids to expand and experience the world. Having your children discover new things, meet new people and face new experiences is every parent’s dream.
All over the globe we come across many family friendly travel destinations such as Europe, America and Australia- all ideal places for first time backpackers with kids. Of course there are also some popular backpacker destinations that are not very child friendly, like South America or India.
It really is up to you on where you want to explore with your children, but no matter what there are always things to consider before traveling with kids for the first time. When it comes to backpacking with family for the first time, parents need to remember everyone’s safety.
To help parents with their concerns, here are some Tips For Newbie Travelers when backpacking with kids for the first time:
1) Be on the lookout for ticks!
Ticks can appear in dark places like long grasses and forests so be sure to check your children’s bodies thoroughly after they go outdoors. Tick bites can leave children with fever, headache or rashes.
2) Let the kids have their dignity.
An easy way to have fun with your children is to pack some games for them to play during the day when they get bored of sightseeing. Games like mini golf and cards are great ways to pass time when traveling with a family and to let your children maintain their identity and dignity.
3) Talk with other parents before the trip.
The most important thing you can do when traveling is talk to parents who have traveled with kids before. They are great sources of information on how to best prepare for the situation at hand. Talking with other parents can keep you from making mistakes when backpacking with kids for the first time.
4) Keep track of your children!
Kids can be easily distracted and this is a problem if you’re traveling in a foreign country where they don’t understand the language. Make sure to keep an eye on your little ones while exploring places because it would be terrible to lose them in a new city while sightseeing.
5) Have a basic understanding of the language before backpacking with kids for the first time.
It is always best to have an idea of what’s going on even if you’re not able to fully understand it yet. This will keep your children from getting distracted by people around them who are talking too fast or too strange for them to understand.
6) Try new things.
This is the perfect time to expose your children to new cultures and activities. This way they will have more experiences to remember when they grow up. It also makes the trip exciting for everyone!
7) Keep their stomachs strong.
When packing food for the kids, always pack some antacids and water purifiers. Although your children may be used to a certain type of food in their own country, they will have a hard time adjusting in a different land. Antacids help soothe upset stomachs while water purifiers kill bacteria in tap water.
8) Make sure you have the right gear.
When packing for your kids, make sure to bring clothing that they can use whenever it gets cold outside or if the weather suddenly changes while traveling. Also make sure you have enough clothes with you in case of any accidents. Bring some hand sanitizers too because you never know what kind of germs are out on the streets. Of course, these are just some recommendations for you to remember when traveling with kids for the first time. Remember that this is not a one-size fits all article so keep in mind that parental instincts are always right!
The tips we’ve provided in this article should help get your family ready to go out and explore new countries while maintaining everyone’s safety, dignity, stomachs strong, gear appropriate, and more!