Travelling with children: The many hidden learning benefits
Study International Staff
31 Dec 2019
The school year is over and holidays are upon us. But that doesn’t mean your children’s learning experiences can’t continue.
If you’re planning an overseas trip with your family, you’re in for many benefits. Research shows travel has a positive impact on mental and physical health, and family relationships.
Travel is also an educational opportunity. It’s a rich experience seeing different parts of the world and understanding other cultures. And there are several things you can do to support your children’s learning.
How travel educates
The way children learn while travelling is in many respects comparable to what educational researchers call play-based learning. Play-based learning and travel stimulate children’s minds by boosting their creativity and imagination. Both can also help develop social and emotional skills and encourage language development.
Travelling exposes children to new scenarios and problems to solve – such as following a certain route on a map. They explore new food, encounter people communicating in a different language, notice cars driving on the opposite side of the road and billboards showcasing products they have not seen before.
All of their senses are challenged as they go through these new experiences.