Step 2
With your family’s travel vision in place, it’s time for the next crucial step: bringing your little crewmates on board! Getting your children involved and excited from the start transforms the trip from “Mom and Dad’s plan” into “our family’s great adventure.” Their enthusiasm will become your secret weapon, lifting you up when the planning gets tough.
How you share the news and involve them depends on their age, but the goal is the same: make them feel like valued members of the expedition.
Break the big news
Timing and presentation are everything when you announce the journey of a lifetime.
- For little ones (under 7): Their concept of time is fluid, so telling them a year in advance will feel like an eternity. Wait until the plans are more concrete, a few months before you go. Frame it in simple, exciting terms: “We’re going on a giant adventure on an airplane! We’re going to see real monkeys and play on a hundred different beaches!”
- For older kids (8+) and teens: Involve them much earlier, maybe even during the initial brainstorming. They’ll appreciate being part of the decision-making process. Talk to them about your ‘why’ and show them how this trip will be an incredible experience for them, too.
Planning tip: Make the announcement an event. Pinpoint your first destination on a big world map during a special family dinner, or create a treasure hunt that leads to the big reveal.
Turn planning into playtime
Make the preparation phase an adventure in itself. This builds anticipation and gives kids a sense of ownership over the trip.
- Create a visual hub: Hang a huge world map in a central spot. Let the kids mark potential destinations with stickers, draw your route with colorful yarn, and pin up pictures of amazing animals or incredible temples.
- Start a countdown: Make a paper chain or a visual calendar to count down the days until departure. The daily ritual of tearing off a link makes the trip feel real and exciting.
- Give them a research mission: Assign each child a country on your itinerary. Their mission? To find the coolest playground, the weirdest local snack, or a fun fact about the wildlife. Let them present their findings to the family.
- Assign travel roles: Make your older child the ‘Chief Navigator’ in charge of looking at maps, or the ‘Official Photographer’ for a certain day. Younger kids can be the ‘Snack Manager’ or ‘Sticker Collector.’
Listen to their worries and manage expectations
Just like you, your kids will have their own set of anxieties. Creating a safe space for them to share their fears is essential. Common concerns include missing friends and grandparents, being scared of the unknown (strange foods, new beds), or falling behind in school.
- Acknowledge their feelings: Never dismiss their fears with a quick “It’ll be fine!” Instead, say, “I understand it feels scary to leave your friends. Let’s figure out how we can all stay in touch.”
- Brainstorm solutions together: For homesickness, plan regular video calls and let them pack a small photo album of loved ones. For fear of the unknown, watch fun travel vlogs about the places you’ll visit.
- Be honest about the challenges: A world trip isn’t a perfect holiday every single day. Explain that there will be long travel days, moments of boredom, and times when things don’t go as planned. This honesty builds trust and makes them more resilient when challenges arise.
Planning tip: Create a ‘worry box.’ Let kids write or draw their anxieties and put them in the box. Once a week, open it together and talk through the worries. Just the act of writing them down can make them feel smaller.
Bring the trip to life—right now!
Make your future travels a part of your life today. This builds familiarity and turns up the excitement dial.
- A taste of travel: Cook a meal from a country on your list. Let the kids help with the shopping and preparation. It’s a delicious and low-stakes way to introduce new cultures.
- Language fun: Use a fun app like Duolingo to learn a few key phrases for your first destination together. Mastering “hello,” “thank you,” and, most importantly, “ice cream” will feel like a huge achievement.
- Explore your own backyard: Go on mini-adventures at home. Visit a neighborhood with a different cultural vibe, try a new type of food, or go on a hike. This builds your family’s ‘adventure muscle.’
By turning the preparation into a shared journey, you’re not just planning a trip; you’re building a stronger, more connected family team, ready to take on the world together.