Family Travel Adventures: Home Edition

At WAYB, we love everything about family travel: the quality time spent together, the shared experiences, and, of course, the lifelong memories.

With lots of family time happening in close quarters these days, we wanted to share some ideas to create memories at home and keep that travel bug alive for a future (well-deserved!) trip. We hope this inspires your next vacation, or at the very least, helps occupy your little ones for a bit while you finally finish that cup of coffee.

 

1. Stay inspired!

With so many places to visit around the world and so much to share – from historical landmarks to the language -- where should you start? Well, WAYB’s got you covered! What better way to introduce your kiddos to new travel destinations than a hands-on art activity? We’ve created these printable coloring sheets just for you. Each one highlights a different country around the world. Not only can your little traveler trace and color an iconic landmark, they can also learn to say ‘hello’ in that country’s native language.

 

2. Let books be your guide.

A good book might just lead you to your next family travel adventure. The “All Aboard!” boardbooks are perfect for wee travelers and a fan favorite here at WAYB. Transport your kiddos to faraway locations, like London and Paris, or spark their interest in a stateside summer road trip to the Pacific Northwest or a National Park. Pick books that highlight places you might visit next, and let your kids’ excitement be your guide. With these books as their inspiration, they’ll be expert tour guides in no time!

 

3. Take a culinary tour.

One of our favorite ways to experience a new place is through the cuisine. With all this time at home, why not try some new recipes and bring flavors from around the world into your very own kitchen? Expand your little one’s palate and give them a taste of what to expect on a future trip. You might even discover their new favorite food!

Here are some ideas to get you started:

  • Pick a destination: The world is your oyster, but go easy on yourself and pick one cuisine to begin with. Spin that spice rack to see what inspires you, or ask the little chefs to pick a spot on a map and see where that leads.
  • Run with it: Make the most of your ingredients with destination-themed cuisine nights. From Italian pasta to pizza dough, and Morrocan chicken with couscous, they’ll love the range of dishes from each locale!
  • Enlist their help: Be sure to involve your tiny sous chefs in the cooking. Start out with simple tasks like mixing and pouring, and then graduate to measuring out ingredients and even (well supervised) chopping when your kids are ready. They’ll love the time spent with you in the kitchen and gain important skills along the way. As an added bonus, kids are often more likely to try new foods when they have a hand in the preparation.

4. Camp in the great indoors.

Camping is a great way to get closer to nature, make family memories, and get away without venturing too far from home … or even your own living room. Pitch a tent in your backyard or your family room. You’ll be surprised how that tented space can change everyone’s mindset.

Here are some ideas to make it a memorable experience for the whole family:

    • Bring the outdoors to your (tent) doorstep: Take a “hike” in your backyard or around the neighborhood, gathering leaves and branches along the way for an afternoon art project. At the end of the day, hang some fairy lights at the top of the tent for nighttime ‘stargazing.’ 
    • Bring those favorite childhood camping memories to life indoors: From grilling hot dogs to roasting marshmallows, or telling bedtime stories by flashlight and cozying up in a sleeping bag with the whole family -- just because you’re not at a camp site doesn’t mean you can’t make family memories. The kids will love any uninterrupted time with you, so enjoy the time together and create new family traditions!

    About the Author: Tracy Liu is WAYB’s Smooth Sailing Chief. She’s a mother of two (age 1 and 4) and loves to try new foods, travel, and try new foods while she travels.