Planning a staycation doesn’t have to be hard. You don’t have to spend hours researching or prepping. No need to spend a ton of money.

In fact, a family staycation is one of the most budget-friendly travel options you can find.

And since you don’t have to spend the time traveling (no TSA lines!) or the money on lodging, you can focus even more on what’s important: spending time together. These staycation ideas are perfect for making memories together!

So what are you waiting for? Read on for the ideas and tips you need to plan an unforgettable family staycation.

Staycation meaning??!

First, let’s define staycation.

A common staycation definition is this: A vacation taken without traveling far from home.

I use the staycation meaning in a similar but subtly different way. When I define staycation, I think of a mindset more than a list of specific things to do on staycation.

That means that you don’t actually have to stay at home. Consider day trips, excursions, outings, activities—basically anything that gives you the feel-good buzz of a vacation without having to spend the night away from home.

I’ve been thinking about at-home vacations a ton lately—so much so that I wrote a book about it! 50 Fun Staycation Adventures for Kids is full of fresh ideas and experiences for family weekend ideas. (Of course you can use these staycation ideas any day of the week!) Download the e-book or order your paperback by clicking the image below:

Now that you’re all jazzed about the idea of getting the benefits of a vacation—without having to research or pay for lodging and plane tickets—read on for planning a staycation.

1. Get staycation supplies

No matter if you’re planning a staycation in your neighborhood or a town several hours away, you’ll need some basic supplies.

The good news is this core list of things to bring applies for just about any family staycation you plan! Make sure to bring:

• Hand sanitizer and wipes
• Extra masks
• Water
• Sunscreen
• First-aid kit
• Optional: 50 Fun Staycation Adventures for Kids

These are likely things you have handy anyway. If you want to be ready to go on a family staycation at the drop of a hat, keep these supplies together in a small bag or kit. That way you can grab it and go!

In addition, make sure you do these things before you leave the house:

1. Fully charge your phone
2. Fill your car’s gas tank
3. Let someone know where you’re going and what you plan to do
4. Check the weather

2. Adopt an adventurous attitude

Like so much in life, the right attitude can make or break a fun staycation.

If you go into it thinking it’s going to be lame, your expectations will come true!

If, however, you start a staycation by thinking of it as an adventure—well, then you’ll get yourself an adventure. (Don’t just take it from me, though; check out this Amazon review of my staycation book.)

So how do you adopt the right attitude for the staycation?

So don’t think of a staycation as a runner up. It’s not something you settle for because you’re not traveling at the moment. Rather, it’s an opportunity to experience and explore the area near you in a whole new way!

3. Approach a family staycation like a vacation

I have a question for you. What makes a vacation a vacation?

On vacation, you see new places and try new things. You treat yourself. You spend quality time with your loved ones.

The same can all be said for an at-home experience, as long as you approach planning a staycation with the right mindset!

As you decide on what to do in a staycation, keep in mind the feelings you get while traveling and the experiences you plan. Aim to recreate those at home.

For example, let’s say one of your recent family trips involved horseback riding on the beach. You don’t have to duplicate that—in fact, you may not live anywhere near the ocean!

Instead, hunt for the feeling and experience underneath that activity.

You and your kids might have felt exhilaration while horseback riding. If that’s the case, look for an activity that would make you feel the same way.

If horseback riding on the beach was memorable because it was a new experience, look for something new to try as a family.

4. Plan fun things to do in a staycation

When you’re planning a staycation, you might feel overwhelmed by all the options. On the other hand, you might draw a blank of what to do in a staycation.

You can brainstorm fun family staycation ideas in these ways:

• By passions. Do your kids love one thing in particular? Whether it’s farm animals, emergency responders or dinosaurs (my kids’ favorite!), you can build a whole family staycation around a few activities.
• “I’ve always wanted to…” Are there things to do and places to go near you that you haven’t yet explored? Whether it’s visiting a local history museum or going antiquing in a nearby town, turn it into a staycation.
• Do a crawl. Pick a food or drink your whole crew loves. Then hit up the places that serve this goodness. Try it with donuts, french fries, smoothies or another favorite food. Visit several in a day (exploring the neighborhoods you visit, of course) and vote for your favorite.

If you’re having trouble coming up with fun staycation ideas, don’t worry! My book 50 Fun Staycation Adventures for Kids is all the inspiration you need. In the book, I share staycation adventures and instructions to make them fun for everyone.

The book is for busy parents of elementary aged kids, helping you plan out of the box and unforgettable outings for the family. It’s stuffed full of ideas of things to do near home, no matter where you live. Click here or the image below to get your e-book or paperback copy!

5. Document your adventures

Are you as into documenting your travels as I am? I absolutely adore taking photos, making photo books and doing other projects to remember our trips together.

This doesn’t have to turn into a massive scrapbooking endeavor! Just make a point to take some photos (including ones with you in the frame). Collect items from your staycation adventure, from menus to fallen leaves. Draw or write a few sentences of something memorable from the activity.

Do these things with your kids’ involvement. They may get really into it!

I love this step of a staycation because it keeps the feel-good travel buzz going even after you return home. Plus, you can look back on whatever you create to remember your fun staycation!

What do you think? Are you ready to plan a family staycation? Remember, if you want all the fun without having to come up with ideas on your own, grab a copy of 50 Fun Staycation Adventures for Kids. Click to get yours today!

The post Fun Family Staycation: 5 Ways to Plan the Ultimate Vacation at Home appeared first on To & Fro Fam.

If you’re looking for family time ideas, this post will show you why travel is so amazing for bonding with your kids. I’ll also cover family activities that transform these insights into family time ideas you can do on vacation!

Spend quality time together

Get this: Nearly 100 percent of parents would give up something they love to spend just an hour more with their kids every week.

Feeling time-starved for QT with your kids has probably changed since the pandemic began. But the feeling is still there: It’s hard to get enough of these important humans!

Kids agree. More than half of kids say that spending time as a family on vacation is a way to make up for not enough together time at home.

The pandemic has also demonstrated that it’s not only the quantity of time but the quality of time we spend as a family. Chances are, you and your littles are spending more time than ever under the same roof. That might not mean you’re connecting more, though.

The wonderful thing about travel is it removes most of the distractions and commitments that come between you and your kids. It’s easier to spend undistracted time together, which is one reason why it’s my favorite way to bond with kids.

To put this into practice on your next trip, be intentional about building in device-free time. Now, I’m a big fan of tablets (Max and Edie are too!). But when everyone comes away from their favorite screen, you’re able to focus on each other and soak up that together time.

Try something new—together

The last time I visited Bend, OR with my kids, we tried something new to all three of us: We rented a four-person bike.

I pedaled us up and down the riverfront path. Max and Edie thought it was absolutely hilarious when I struggled to power us up hills. By the end of our outing, I’d gained some sore quads—and a fun memory of bonding with my kids.

Turns out Edie and Max aren’t alone in loving trying new things on vacation. More than two-thirds of kids like vacations because they get to do things they can’t do at home, reports one survey. (Are your kiddos the same?)

That’s not surprising, since research consistently shows that novelty—or doing something new—is a big part of why travel is fun.

Doing something new doesn’t have to be epic, like zip lining down a mountain. Try something out of your routine like attending a cooking class to whip up the local cuisine, digging for clams on the beach or staying up late enough to see a shooting star.

Learning alongside your kids is a wonderful way to bond as a family.

**If you’re having trouble deciding where to go together—or you don’t have time to research + compare spots—Vacay in One Day can help! This step-by-step strategy guides you to choose a spot for an unforgettable family vacation in an hour or less.

Family vacation memories last a lifetime

Think back to your childhood. Do you remember family trips?

I certainly do. There was the time we road tripped through Yellowstone and got stuck behind a bison that didn’t care it was blocking the road. There was the time we hiked down hair-raising switchbacks to get to the river where we went whitewater rafting. And we still talk about the trip to the Oregon Coast during a storm, when my younger sister swears she was lifted off the beach by the wind!

Chances are, you have similarly indelible memories of family trips. Research shows that vacations are more memorable than anything else—even birthdays!

Put this insight into action to bond with your kids. Make vacations even more memorable by keeping a travel journal together. Spend a few minutes at the end of each day on your trip to add to the journal. You can write down something funny your kid said, tape in ticket stubs, make a bullet list of the best things of the day or have your kids draw what they did.

For more ideas, check out my post on recording family travel memories.

Vacations create family traditions

When you think of family traditions, chances are you imagine opening presents during a holiday or taking pictures of your kids on the first day of school. But vacations can offer an amazing chance to form family traditions.

Why does that even matter? Research shows that traditions help families bond, kids feel secure, and pass on important values throughout the generations.

If you want to turn family travel into a tradition, you don’t have to return to the same place year after year (though that can be fun too!). Maybe you build in family rituals that strengthen your connection or up-level the fun.

For example, on every road trip I ever took as a child, we played the game Is It Bigger Than A Breadbox? My siblings, parents and I still crack up over memories we made over the year playing road trip games. (If you want to make this a tradition in your family, check out my book, Road Trip Games & Activities for Kids!)

One mom I help with family travel now gets donuts with her son on every family vacation. The simple act of getting a donut together is like a signal that they’ve transitioned from life-as-usual to vacation mode.

Think back on past family vacations. Chances are, there’s something common throughout. Whether it’s buying sugary cereal as a special vacation treat or discussing the day with travel-related conversation sparkers, you might have been building a family tradition without even knowing it!

If you haven’t had a chance yet to form a tradition together, this is a great time to start. See if you can be intentional about something you want to repeat each time you travel as a family. You’ll be surprised at how much the experience helps you bond with your kids!

Do you have ideas? What ways do you bond with your kids? Do you remember family vacations from when you were a child? Let me know in the comments, and don’t forget to pin this post for later!

The post Why travel is the best way to bond with kids (+ vacation family activities) appeared first on To & Fro Fam.

All these holiday activity printables for kids are fun for the whole family. (It’s hilarious to hear both a grandparent and child answer “What’s the hardest part of being your age?”—one of the prompts in my holiday conversation starters printable.)

If you’re looking for a fun activity or icebreaker for after Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, or you’re hunting for a holiday travel printable for kids, these holiday activities, games and cards are right up your alley. Maybe you’ll be like my family and make these a part of a new holiday tradition!

(Another new tradition: taking goofball Christmas-themed photos in front of a wrapping paper backdrop!)

And speaking of new family holiday traditions, I’m obsessed with our matching Christmas jammies from Shinesty. We had so much fun goofing off and taking pictures using the timer function on my phone! Snag your own matching family jammies (affiliate link).

Shinesty’s offbeat patterns perfectly inspired us to go full-on ridiculous. The level of goofiness in this new Christmas tradition is up to you.

In this post, I’ll share downloadable printables, along with recommendations on how to use them, for:

• Holiday conversation starters. Print out these 42 questions for kids and adults to spark both funny and deep conversations.
• Family gratitude booklet printable. Filled with gratitude prompts for kids and grown-ups, plus fun thankfulness activities and quotes, this printable is a fun family activity to do together.
• Holiday Bingo cards. Everyone loves Bingo! It’s fun to play this holiday-themed game whether you’re taking a road trip or just driving around town.

Download the free holiday Bingo cards here!

I’m so excited for you and your crew to do these fun holiday activities for the whole family. Try them in person or over Facetime and Zoom.

I’m wishing you a joyful season, no matter what it looks like this year.

Holiday Conversation Starters printables

The other day, Edie asked how we’re going to celebrate Christmas. We’re still working out how to make it special, but Edie was very concerned about not having our extended family over to celebrate.

“But Christmas is all about being together with your family!” she said.

The holidays are all about family. And one part of the holidays I most love is having the opportunity to slow down and spend quality time together. I made these holiday conversation starter prompts to spark memorable discussions—in person or over Zoom.

I adore lingering at the dining table long after everyone’s plates are clean. It seems as if a full belly helps the conversation flow. My family and I can spend literally hours talking, laughing and joking after a holiday meal.

These holiday conversation starters are meant to help your family do the same.

The questions are all-ages appropriate and will take you beyond the standard questions (like “what are you grateful for?”). And these interesting questions will get everyone in the family, from kids and teens to parents and grandparents, chatting.

I recommend printing these holiday conversation starters on paper that’s thicker than printer paper. That way they’ll hold up for Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s and beyond. And you can store them with your other Christmas decorations so you can use them again next year.

And even if you’re celebrating apart from family and loved ones this year, you can still use these questions to prompt interesting conversations! Use them over Facetime or Zoom when you virtually get together this holiday.

Download my holiday conversations starters cards here!

Gratitude printable + prompts

In my family, we try to talk about what we’re thankful for at most meals. Maxine loves thanking the sun and rain for helping grow the plants we ate. Edie, bless her heart, usually thanks me for cooking (even if the extent of my cooking is warming up leftovers).

I’m pretty sure you’re like me in that you take your gratitude practice up a notch during Thanksgiving and Christmas—and the whole holiday season.

I designed this family gratitude booklet so families could answer gratitude prompts together. As you fill it out, you’ll create a kind of gratitude journal that everyone contributes to. It makes an amazing keepsake.

Filled with gratitude prompts for kids, this booklet asks families to reflect on what they love about each member of the fam. I also included gratitude quotes and other fun activities.

My family and I are filling this gratitude journal between now and Thanksgiving. By answering gratitude prompts over the course of a week or so, no one gets burned out on thankfulness. Ha!

The free gratitude printable helps us pause during a busy time of year like Thanksgiving. That way, we all stay mindful of what’s truly at the heart of Thanksgiving: gratitude, family and togetherness.

Download the gratitude printable book here!

Free holiday Bingo printables

My family typically alternates between hosting a big family Christmas at our house and traveling to spend the holiday at my parents’ home or flying to relatives’ homes in the Midwest. Along with everything else in 2021, this year looks different.

We’ll be celebrating Christmas just the four of us.

We’re all sad, which is why I’m thinking extra-hard about ways to make this holiday special. I’m also considering how we can carry on family traditions—with a twist to ensure we keep our loved ones and community safe.

So this year, although we’re not traveling anywhere for the holidays, I’m still printing out these holiday Bingo cards to play as a family.

I originally designed them to be played on a road trip or while flying. They can just as easily be played while driving around town or running errands.

My own kids love the excitement of looking for a menorah or someone in a Santa hat. They are totally jazzed about marking off each spotted item, whether they get an actual Bingo or not.

This season, I’m going to keep these holiday Bingo games in the car with us all the time. That way I can hand them back to the kids whenever we’re going on a drive. They can look out the window to spot a wreath or a snowman. They stay entertained—and I don’t have to answer my kids’ favorite question, “What can I do that’s fun for me?” #eyeroll

I sometimes get really down about how much has changed this year. But I do my best to refocus my energy on the wonderful opportunities we still have to make memories and have fun as a family.

The holiday Bingo cards are one way to do that!

I designed a set of four different Bingo cards so kids will mark off different squares, even if they both spot a candy cane or mistletoe. I recommend sliding them into a clear plastic sleeve: Kids can mark off the squares they find with a dry erase marker, and you can reuse the sheets time and again.

Download the holiday Bingo cards here!

Fun + free holiday activity printables for kids

If I hear the phrase “the new normal” one more time, I may scream. But the reality is we’re all adjusting to how the holidays are different this year. You might be going all-in for a holiday blowout. You might be paring down for a super-simple celebration. You might fall somewhere in between.

Either way, these holiday family activity printables will help keep this holiday season merry and bright.

So if your budget could use a load off, I know you’ll appreciate these free and budget-friendly activities. Download the holiday conversation sparkers, holiday Bingo cards or family gratitude journal—or all three! I’ve already heard so many touching stories from families who have filled out the gratitude booklet together.

So go ahead and get your copies. Please check back in once you’ve had a chance to use them. I’d love to hear how they added to your family’s holiday celebrations!

The post Holiday Conversation Starters, Family Gratitude Book + Free Holiday Bingo printables! appeared first on To & Fro Fam.

Max and Edie have been semi-obsessed with Australia lately. They ask to watch YouTube videos about the Great Barrier Reef, the Outback, Sydney, Australia’s beaches and—randomly—the unique spiders found here! (Just check out peacock spiders and you’ll understand why.)

So my kids and I have been exploring Australia from home. I’m excited to share our ideas on Australia virtual travel for you and your family to try!

(If you want even more ideas to explore other places from the safety of your home, check out my book, Virtual Travel Activities for Kids!)

Write a poem about Australia

Edie, my second grader, and I did this project together. (Maxine, who’s in kindergarten, was less than interested.)

We started by watching a few videos about Australia. Edie picked a few that caught her eye.

Then we brainstormed a list of words relating to Australia, based on what we learned. Edie suggested words and phrases like big sky, island, beach, Outback, stars, ancient rock art and more. Then she came up with some sentences about traveling there, like “I will get to see lots of animals and take pictures with my camera.”

Next, we matched words that rhyme, like didgeridoo and Kakadu. 

Then we began to build descriptive stanzas of a poem around these. Full disclosure, I helped more with this part. 

Edie was so proud of the poem we created!

I want to Go to Australia

by Edie + Catherine

From big wide sky and waterfalls
To red desert rocks and white sands,
This continent has so much to see
Within the diverse island.

Listen for the unique sound 
Of the famous digeridoo.
Then look for creatures found only here:
Wombat, peacock spider and emu.

I will get to see lots of animals—
Platypus, dolphin, kangaroo.
We can visit Aboriginal sites
Like sacred Kata Tjutu and Uluru.

Filled with clown fish, coral, sharks
And sea turtles: The Great Barrier Reef
Is beautiful but in danger,
A wonder beyond belief.

I want to go to Australia!

Uluru & Kata Tjura National Park, Australia. Photo by Ondrej Machart on Unsplash

Create your own pictographs like those in Kakadu National Park

One of the first videos we watched during our virtual travels to Australia included a short clip about Aboriginal rock paintings. That sparked the girls’ curiosity so we explored more.

We first watched a short video about Aboriginal rock art so we could learn about this tradition dating back 40,000 years in Australia.

We learned about the Dreamtime and how the rock paintings of Australia depict stories. This initial step—education and context—is important. I want us all to learn about and appreciate the culture this art comes from, rather than appropriate it without understanding any of its history.

Next, I cut the bottom off paper grocery sacks so they made long, flat rectangles to represent stone walls. Edie and Max used brown, red, peach and black crayons to mimic the colors of the rock paintings in Kakadu National Park in Australia.

Maxine drew a kangaroo (with a joey in its pouch!), a lizard and a mammoth. Yes, I know mammoths didn’t live in Australia, but who was I to correct her?

We then crumpled the paper to make it look bumpy like a rock wall. Using tacks, I hung the paper bags on the wall.

Maxine and Edie then used a magnifying glass to discover and study the cave art!

I can’t wait to visit the most impressive examples of Aboriginal rock art in person. In the meantime, we’ll continue to explore our own petroglyphs, just as an archaeologist would.

“Photoshop” your kids into Australia pictures

When we do virtual travel from home, my kids love to see themselves in the destinations where our imaginations travel. That’s why I “photoshop” their picture into a scene from the country we virtually visit. I wrote a step-by-step tutorial on replacing backgrounds in your photos. It explains how to do it in a few easy steps without special software or any tech skills.

Here, Maxine and Edie are swimming in the crystal clear waters of Green Island. This island is off the coast of Cairns on the Great Barrier Reef.

Edie and Max also wanted to see koalas so we “visited” a eucalyptus grove. Maxine researched koalas for a homeschool preschool project and has fallen in love with these adorable critters. Look closely and you’ll see her mama and baby koala toy. (This is the koala stuffie Maxine bought with her own money she’d saved up—affiliate link.)

My kids are beyond goofy when it comes to posing for pictures. This is what they do when I say “Ok, pose!”

And when we eventually visit Australia in person, we’ll definitely explore the Outback. In the meantime, as we travel from home, Maxine and Edie rode their scooters in the gorgeous red desert.

Recreate dot art

When I think of traditional art in Australia, I imagine dot art—the detailed and intricate Aboriginal style of painting. That’s why we wanted to make our own versions of dot painting.

First, we watched this video about Aboriginal dot painting.

We learned that these paintings communicate stories, and that symbols often represent ideas, places or things. 

Edie also remembered that a group would typically paint only one type of animal. She decided our family group would paint turtles. 

This technique is quite easy.

How to do dot painting: 

1. Draw an outline, or print out a silhouette, of an animal.
2. Dip a cotton swab in paint and press the tip of the swab onto the paper to make a dot. 
3. Continue making paint dots around the inside edge of the animal outline. 
4. Choose another color of paint. Start another line of dots inside the first line.
5. Continue painting dots until the silhouette is full.

Learn about Australian currency

One of my favorite things about traveling to another country is looking at the currency! I love taking in all the details, from the colors to the words to the entire design. 

We aren’t physically going to Australia (yet) but I wanted Max and Edie to see Australian money anyway. So I incorporated money play into our Australia virtual travel activities.

I printed out a custom Australia currency worksheet from Homeschool Math. (It’s free!) Edie had a hard time adding up the currency, since she’s not familiar with the different coins. We ended up just cutting out the money and playing store.

You can download the Australian Money Worksheet we used here.

You can also learn a lot about a country by looking closely at its currency. For example, the AU $5 banknote depicts a young Queen Elizabeth II. Why would Australia have the monarch of the United Kingdom on its currency?! This is an opportunity to explain the British Commonwealth and the UK’s former colonization of what is now Australia. 

Did you know: The Australian dollar replaced the Australian pound in 1966!

Go on an Australia scavenger hunt

Who doesn’t like scavenger hunts?! This twist on a virtual travel scavenger hunt incorporates things we learned about another country—in this case, Australia.

First, my kids picked and watched two videos about Australia. We talked about a few things we learned, what they liked most and what they found surprising.

Next, I gave them “clues” relating to Australia they had to then find. (Note: You can have your kids bring the item to you or take photos of the items with your phone. I recommend using pictures because there’s much less clean-up afterwards!)

For example, I said, “Find something the color of the water in the Great Barrier Reef.” Other clue ideas include something

• the color of eucalyptus leaves
• the shape of an emu’s eyes
• the color of the Sydney Opera House
• that is surrounded by water

My final clue: “Find something the shape of platypus teeth.” Edie scrunched up her face in thought for a moment. Then Maxine announced, “Platypuses don’t have teeth!” Hahaha, it was a trick clue!

Track Australian animals

Australia is home to some of the world’s most unique animals. Most marsupials (such as koalas, wombats and kangaroos) live on this island/continent. And nearly all of the world’s most venomous snakes live here too!

To start, we watched this video about Australian animals. Push play or find another video if you prefer.

Then tell your kids you’re going to create animal tracks. They can choose one animal (Maxine is semi-obsessed with koalas) or many (Edie never half-does anything).

Start by doing a google image search for that animals’ footprints or tracks. Your kids will use this as a resource.

Practice by drawing the tracks on a piece of paper. Meanwhile, cut a piece of craft foam paper into small pieces. Ours were about 2 inches x 1.5 inches.

Next, draw the footprint on the piece of foam with a ballpoint pen. Color it in. The color doesn’t matter so much as pressing down on the foam. An adult can help younger kids color the entire inside—it’ll stamp better that way.

Finally, press the piece of foam footprint-side-down onto a stamp pad. Lay the piece of foam ink-side down on a piece of paper and press it flat, being careful to not move it around (or else it will smudge). Carefully lift up the piece of foam. Now you have an animal footprint!

Chances are, you’ll be like us and want to go to Australia even more after your virtual travels. Whether you’re looking for homeschool ideas or activities to supplement your online learning, these travel from home projects will keep you and your kids exploring the world—even if you can’t leave home.

The post Australia virtual travel activities for kids: 7 homeschool lesson ideas appeared first on To & Fro Fam.

I’m pretty sure you already know the many benefits of raising global citizens: Kids who are globally minded have the communication skills, flexibility and appreciation of diversity they’ll require when they grow up.

Practicing these skills through fun activities will also lead to smoother trips once you can travel internationally again. The activities are also an excellent add-on for distance learning or homeschooling. You can incorporate them into other lessons or create a unit on global travel!

Finally, these virtual travel activities are just plain fun. If quarantine has used up all your ideas to entertain the kids, this post will give you some fresh activities to try!

And if you haven’t already, go ahead and download the free sample chapters of my book, Virtual Travel Activities for Kids. These chapters will give you a taste of what to expect in the book as well as fun activities you can use to virtually explore any country in the world.

This post contains affiliate links. Clicking through and buying nets me a small income at no extra cost to you. This helps me continue to bring you free family travel content here on the blog.

Go global at dinner

If your family is like mine, then dino nuggets and mac n cheese probably make a frequent appearance on your table. No matter how picky your kids are, introduce global flavors.

If your littles are used to the typical kid fare, they’re unlikely to dive into a delicious curry dish right off the bat. Instead, start with tastes of side dishes or different takes on foods they already like.

To be transparent, my kids still don’t eat much of what I do. But the simple exposure to the Moroccan lentil soup and huevos rancheros that I eat makes them more likely to try those tastes later on.

As you eat your delicious meal, talk a bit about the culture and geography where the dish originates. Does it include ingredients unique to that country or region? Is it a typical food or a special occasion dish? These conversations will help your kids learn about other cultures and also practice eating unfamiliar foods—which they’ll need to do when traveling internationally.

(Do you have picky eaters in your family, too? If you do, then I know you’ll get a lot out of my post on traveling with picky kiddos.)

Print a passport

I love using passports as a conversation starter with kids because they help make international travel feel more concrete. Young children don’t have an easy way to understand abstract concepts like borders or global politics. But give them something to hold—especially something with awesome stamps—and they get it.

You can even download my passport printable in the To & Fro Fam freebies section. That way, each of your kids can have their very own pretend passport.

Every time you virtually visit a country (e.g. with the hundreds of activities in my book, Virtual Travel Activities for Kids), draw a picture of something that represents the place. You can also print a picture of the country’s flag or design your own “stamp” using colors, symbols and destinations related to the country.

Your kids will have fun “collecting” countries!

Travel via your library

Especially during times when you’re not able to travel—whether that’s from budget limitations or a worldwide pandemic—books can open the world to kids.

If your family is interested in a particular place, search for books set in or about that country. We also love books about the nuts and bolts of travel (e.g. The Airport Book) and about many places and cultures (like Walk This World).

“Books are the plane, and the train, and the road. They are the destination, and the journey.” -Anna Quindlen

Many libraries will collect books you request for pickup, even if they’re not open for browsing. And read aloud videos on YouTube share books your family will love.

If you’re not sure where to start—or you want fresh ideas on what to read—find inspiration in my post on our favorite children’s books about travel.

Be a tourist in your hometown

I’m pretty sure you’ll agree that it’s easy to overlook the place where you live. But traveling around your town like a tourist can be a wonderful travel experience—and teach your kids some of the skills they need to become world travelers!

Start by researching, just as you would before an international trip. What kinds of things do visitors most enjoy about your town? What are the must-do activities? What have you always meant to do but never gotten around to?

Next, plan a day’s itinerary. This helps your kids practice planning and also understand that they can’t do absolutely everything. That helps them prioritize—an important skill when there are more things to do than time allows!

Then set out for your staycation trip. Really try to soak it in like a tourist who might not get another chance to visit.

For extra fun, buy post cards and send them to friends about your “vacation.” You can also take pictures and make a trip photo book, or do some of the other no-pressure vacation memory projects I recently wrote about.

A trip throughout your hometown may not feel nearly as exciting as an overseas vacation, but it will help teach your kids to be world travelers.

Bring out the atlas, globe and Google Earth

I have vivid memories of playing with my family’s globe when I was a little kid. We’d spin the globe, close our eyes, and stop the turn with a finger. Wherever the finger pointed, we’d pretend to go there.

Exploring the world from home—via an atlas or globe—is a terrific way for your family to do virtual travel.

Check out another country’s terrain, roads and cities in an atlas. Compare distances by measuring with a string between various countries on a globe. Zoom in and out of a location with Google Earth.

To develop their critical thinking skills, compare how each of these represents one country. Why are they visualized differently? What information does each convey? When would you use each?

Let your kids navigate

When we hike, we often pause at a fork in the trail. “Which way should we go?” I’ll ask my kids. Letting them pick signals we don’t always have a defined itinerary and helps them look at travel as an adventure.

You can do the same when exploring a city. Let your kids take point and see where they lead you!

After all, when your kids are world travelers, they’ll be in situations where you’re lost or don’t know which way to turn. They’ll need to be ok with uncertainty and with just taking a leap—or at least a step—into the unknown.

Find friends abroad

When I was little, I loved writing letters to pen pals. By the time I reached middle school, I corresponded with friends in Indonesia, Singapore, New Zealand and Costa Rica.

Your kids can make friends across the world, too. They can go old-school and send letters or post cards. But technology makes finding global friends even easier! They can chat over WhatsApp or Marco Polo, email, or chat on a messenger app (with an adult’s supervision).

(I really like the book Same, Same but Different. It tells a story of two kids getting to know each other via letters. This children’s book is a terrific way to introduce the concept of pen pals to your littles.)

If your kids are interested, you can ask your friends or social media followers to connect you with another child. Or you can sign up with Interpals, where people go to connect and practice their language skills.

Learn about friends’ backgrounds

Most people have family roots from another place in the world. Some have long histories in the country where you live; others are recent immigrants.

Either way, encourage your kiddos to ask adult friends about their cultural heritage. Your kids will learn about other countries and how interconnected our world is.

Practice the language

The neuroplasticity of kids’ brains means that it’s way easier for them to learn a language than it is for you and me. That means now is the best time to practice another language!

For example, Max and Edie learn Mandarin in school, and Hubs and I have tried to learn alongside them. So when I ask Maxine how many pancakes she wants, I encourage her to answer in Mandarin. The everyday use helps us all practice—which will come in handy once we’re able to reschedule our trip to China and Taiwan.

Even if you don’t have any upcoming trips—or the budget to fly halfway across the world—learning a bit of another language helps your kids grow into global citizens.

And if you do travel abroad, the practice will pay off: It’ll help them orient a little better when they’re immersed in another culture.

Embrace different

I have a real sensitivity around my kids saying “yuck” about food; I have very strong feelings that belittling someone’s food can equal belittling their cultural heritage. So serve your kids food they might not like, and practice alternatives to “yuck.” In our house, I remind them to say, “I don’t care for that.”

That might seem like an insignificant switch, but it’s one step to teaching kids that different doesn’t equal bad.

Children need to learn cultural intelligence to thrive in the 21st century. Cultural intelligence allows us to interact, learn from and appreciate people with different cultural backgrounds.

So any time you hear them (or yourself!) saying that something is “weird” about another place, check yourselves. Come up with a different way to talk about it. Try:

• “I had never thought of doing it that way before.”
• “I wonder why we do this differently.”
• “That’s neat! I wonder if people in other places have even more ways of doing this.”

This one is my favorite:

• “Isn’t it cool that there are so many ways to do things! The world would be a pretty boring place if we were all the same.”

Teach them about their roots

No need to go in-depth with your 23 And Me results (unless your kids are a little older), but you can talk to your kids about where your family comes from. It’ll all be abstract to littles, but understanding that just about everyone comes from somewhere else will expand their idea of the world.

Once you’ve IDed where your ancestors come from, explore those places virtually. You might know the city, town or region where your ancestors came from—if so, check it out through Google maps, videos on YouTube or the websites of cultural attractions there.

Even if you know only the country, learn about what it’s like there today and what it was like during the time when your ancestors left.

The post Family virtual travel: Help your kids become world travelers from home appeared first on To & Fro Fam.

These “photoshopped” pictures are a huge hit: My kids love them, I wish I could turn this into a job, and friends are asking me to make them for their kids. I bet you’ll have a blast with replacing backgrounds of photos, too.

And these images make it easy to travel from home in a time we can’t explore like we want to.

Here’s the deal: You can do this digital wizardry with only a few clicks. You don’t need Photoshop or another expensive software. You don’t need any tech skills. Seriously: This takes about 2 minutes to do. And they’re so fun!

Without further delay, here’s your instructions to replace the background in photos in just a few simple steps.

10 steps to replace the background of photos

If you could go anywhere in the world right now, where would you go? You don’t need a passport, a plane ticket or an industrial-sized pack of disinfectant wipes to travel now. Simply follow these steps to “photoshop” your family into a scenic photo.

1. Take a photo

You can either use an existing digital photo or take a new one. This is easiest if the background is plain, but any background or photo will do. Upload the picture to your computer.

For extra fun, you can dress up like you’d need to if you were actually on vacation in your destination.

One final tip: If you’re using a photo of kids, take the photo from your kids’ eye level. If you take it from above, their feet and legs will look strangely small (because of foreshortening). When taken out of context and put into a photo that’s snapped straight-on, your kids’ legs will look weird.

2. Pick a photo of your destination

Next, choose a photo taken in the destination you’d want to visit. You can look online or search through your own photos. My favorite free source of gorgeous stock images is Unsplash.

Simply type the destination name into the search bar and find a photo you like. Download it to your computer.

Photo by Nicolas J Leclercq on Unsplash

I found this one of the Northern Lights in Iceland from Nicolas Leclerq.

3. Upload photo

Go to the free Photo Scissors website. Click the button that says “Upload Photo.” Select the image of you/your family.

It will automatically load to the next step.

4. Check the foreground

Photo Scissors will automatically select the foreground, aka the subject of the photo—in this case, the people you want to transport to a distant land! It automatically removes the background, leaving the selected part of the photo highlighted in green.

Generally, it does a good job of automatically selecting all—or nearly all—of the parts you want to keep in the photo.

Look at the image on the right to see if there are more parts of the picture you want to remove, or parts you want to add back in.

5. Remove unwanted parts

Select the eraser tool, which is immediately to the right of the green plus icon. This will remove unwanted parts of the photo.

Slide the black dot over the bar to get the size eraser you need. You may need to make it smaller than its default.

Then hold down a click and move your mouse to draw over the unwanted parts of the selected foreground. You can see it disappear from the background-less photo on the right.

For more detailed removal of unwanted photo parts, zoom into the image. Click the icon of the magnifying glass with a plus in it. Then click the icon with the four arrows. Click and drag to move the photo until you see the section you want to adjust.

6. Add in missing parts

Next, take a close look to see if the tool automatically took away parts of your photo you want to include. Click on the icon with the arrow in the green circle. Hold down a click and move your mouse to draw over the parts of the picture you do want. As you draw, you can see those sections get added back in on the right.

If you need to see more closely, follow the same instructions in step 5.

Hooray! Now you’re ready to replace the background of your photo!

7. Replace the background of the photo

On the far upper right of the screen, you’ll see icons with two squares. Up until this point, you’ve been using the icon with the dark square in front—the foreground setting. For the next step, click the icon beside that one. It has two squares with the dark one behind the light one.

Under “Background,” you’ll see a drop-down menu. Its default is “transparent.” But you don’t want to travel to nothingness! Click the dropdown menu and select “Image.” Then click the blue “Select Image” button and choose the image of your destination from your computer. It will pop up behind the people!

8. Adjust the background of the photo as needed

Chances are, your original image won’t perfectly fit into the background automatically.

(ACK, my kids’ legs have been chopped off!!!!)

To see exactly what you’re working with, click the icon of the microscope with the minus in it to zoom out. Drag the background until it’s in a good position relative to the foreground.

Note: If you want to drag the foreground—the people—simply select the icon with the dark square on top. Then you’ll be able to move the foreground.

9. Adjust the size of the photo

Your original image may look to big or too small relative to the background. You can easily shrink or expand it.

Click on the foreground icon (the one with the dark square on top). Click and hold one of the back dots at the corners of the rectangle surrounding the foreground image. Drag to make it smaller or bigger.

It’s ok if part of the foreground goes beyond the edge of the background image. It will be cropped out.

10. Save your “photoshopped” image

Once you have the image just how you want it, it’s time to save. Click the blue icon of the floppy disk in the top right corner of the screen. (Do you remember floppy disks? I sure do!)

Here you have two choices. You can either register and pay for a high-resolution file or do the free version. You only need the high-resolution image if you plan to print it. If you intend to use it digitally—sharing on social media, for example—the low resolution version is just fine!

Congrats—you replaced the background of a photo in just a few easy steps! I told you it wasn’t hard.

Travel from home

On a more serious note, I’ve been struggling with the quarantine. (Duh—I know we all are—but hear me out.) We have it good compared to so many people. Yet travel is my favorite thing to do. It lights me up inside, makes me feel like I’m filled with fizzy champagne inside. I’m happiest and most alive when I’m exploring an unfamiliar place, learning about another culture and seeing the world anew from my kids’ perspective.

I don’t know when I’ll be able to do that again.

Today looks drastically different than a few months ago. Back in January, I had trips planned to China, Taiwan, Ethiopia, Japan, Denver, San Diego, Bend, OR and more. Now my calendar is filled with scribbled-out plans.

Some days I’m really sad. I’m mourning everything that has changed, including my family’s love of travel. We don’t yet know how everything will shake out and when we’ll be able to return to nearby road trips, let alone international jaunts.

In response, I’ve been leaning into anything that makes us laugh and brings us joy. If you follow me on Instagram, you’ll see that we’ve been getting wacky on the regular. We’ve been doing all the activities I wrote about in my post on social distancing fun for kids.

Replacing the backgrounds on photos is one of those things that makes us giggle uncontrollably.

I’m guessing this easy activity will bring you joy, too. When you make your own, post them on social media and tag me (@toandfrofam) so I can see where you traveled!

Question: Where will you go first during your virtual travel from home? And where will you go first when we get to travel again for real?

The post How to replace background of photos for virtual travel (zero tech skills needed) appeared first on To & Fro Fam.

Any other busy folks out there? I’m raising my hand, too. (Even during quarantine, most parents aren’t brainstorming ways to fill their time. We’re plenty busy now, too.)

Truth is, you don’t need tons of time or art talent to create gorgeous ways to preserve your travel memories. You can organize your vacation photos, display souvenirs and remember what you did on that trip—just with a few minutes of time and, sometimes, a little planning.

That’s why I wrote this post on 8 ways to use all those ticket stubs, city maps and chocolate wrappers you stuck in your purse while you were on vacation. You know, all that stuff you told yourself you’d make into a scrapbook “someday.”

Well, someday has arrived, because you don’t need a ton of time to pull together these easy projects for vacation photo organization, souvenir display and more!

Here’s how to organize your vacation photos, display travel souvenirs and ensure you never forget the special moments of your trip.

This post contains affiliate links. When you click and buy, at no extra charge to you, I receive a small income that enables me to publish free content on To & Fro Fam.

What to collect for your travel journal: ephemera

“Ephemera” is the fancy travel journal word for all the small pieces of paper and whatnot that collect in your pockets and purse while you’re out of town. Instead of throwing all this stuff away, save it! Ephemera make a phenomenal addition to these projects to organize vacation photos and travel memories.

Not sure what to keep and what to toss? As a general rule, I look for things that are visually interesting. Color, pictures, interesting fonts, anything with a cool logo on it, unusual shapes—these are all factors for ephemera that will add to your travel journal or other vacation memories project.

Here are things I typically collect for my travel journal and other projects:

• ticket stubs
• boarding passes
• maps
• food labels or wrappers (clean, without any food on them, of course)
• menus
• to-go coffee sleeves
• pages from a local newspaper
• pictures from local tourism magazines
• brochures
• receipts
• coasters

Remember, too, that once you’re ready to put travel ephemera into your project, you don’t have to use the whole thing. So if you have a trifold brochure from the museum, consider cutting pieces of it for your travel memories project. If you saved the bag from the baguette shop, you might want to just rip off the logo stamped onto the paper.

There is no right or wrong with travel journals and other projects to keep your travel photos and memories. So no pressure—just fun!

Easy projects to organize vacation photos + more

1. Vacation smash book

Smash books are like the busy person’s scrapbook; vacation smash books are a way to corral all the stuff you pick up on vacation without putting in the time of a scrapbooker. No need to have fancy scissors, die-cut punches or a trillion kinds of decorative paper! That’s right: You don’t need any special supplies—or hours of free time—to make a vacation smash book.

Simply glue or tape all the bits and bobs (also called “ephemera,” if you want to get fancy) into a notebook. When you get home, print some images to add in.

One of my favorite, super-easy smash book techniques is to take a map and glue it to the whole page. (Most places that see tourists have plenty of spots to pick up free maps.) Then you have a visually interesting background to glue onto.

Level 10 travel tip: Bring along an envelope or one of those coupon organizers to keep all the little papers and stuff tidy. If all the ephemera you want to use is in one place—instead of scattered between your carry-on, suitcase and purse—it’ll be easy to pull it out and make a travel smash book when you get home.

2. Vacation photo books

When you get home from a trip, make a photo book of all your vacation pictures. It’s like a highlight reel of the best parts of your vacation.

I do this with Shutterfly. This photo book company gives you credits for one free 6×6 photo book per month. (You can get a free 8×8 photo book with this link, too!)

The important thing here is to get photos off your phone and computer. When your vacation pictures are in a photo book, you can actually look at them with your family. My kids love looking at our vacation photo books!

Level 10 travel tip: Don’t wait until you get back home to make a vacation photo book. On the last day of your stay, or while waiting for your plane home in the airport, pull up an app or bust out your computer and make one! That way, you’ve created a vacation picture book before you get caught up in the busyness of life after your return. Plus, that reminder of your vacation will arrive just a few days after you get back—beating the post-vacation blahs.

3. Planner vacation collage

When I go on a trip, those days in my planner used to stay blank. After all, I didn’t have work to-do lists or meetings filling my days when I’m on vacation! (Thank goodness.) So I started filling those spots in my planner with a vacation collage, made of all the things I’d collected on my trip.

(I use a Happy Planner similar to this one. I love how it lays flat, the grid format and all the cute stickers you can get to fancy it up!)

I usually take about 45 minutes one night after my trip to stick in the museum ticket stubs, maps, brochures, tea bag labels and everything else I squirreled away during my vacation. Don’t they turn out wonderful?

Making a vacation collage in my planner gives me a handy way to look back on those memories when I most need them: When I’m busy bulldozing through my work to-dos. Remembering my trip gives me an extra boost of energy and happiness I channel into my work, earning more money for our next vacation!

Finally, I love that making a planner vacation collage reflects the fullness of my vacation days.

4. Send yourself a post card

Remember how I’m a huge, huge fan of sending post cards? Sending yourself a post card is a wonderful way to record memories from your vacation.

Buy a handful of post cards when you’re out and about. Then take 5 minutes to write yourself one. This can be while you’re waiting for your food at a restaurant, while you’re lounging by the pool or during my favorite time to write post cards—on the plane ride home.

My kids are getting into writing post cards too! They dictate to me what they’d like to write, and as you know, they love getting snail mail.

Not sure what to write? Here are some ideas:

• Your highs and lows
• What you hope to remember forever and ever
• Something that surprised you
• Something that challenged you
• A list of what you did one day
• A quick sketch or drawing of what you see while you’re writing a post card

5. Make a travel art journal

When I travel, I love bringing along a small art journal and a travel art journal kit. I feel most inspired when I travel, which isn’t a big surprise, since research shows travel makes you more creative.

So I take 30-45 minutes a few times on a vacation to work on a travel art journal. I use pieces of tickets, maps, labels and such from my trip and combine them with magazine pages, paint and even string. I love looking back on my travel journal pages. They bring me right back to the moment when I created them.

Level 10 travel tip: When you’re exploring, stop at a used book shop. Buy a small used book with a pretty cover. It doesn’t matter if you can, or want, to read it. Use it as your travel journal notebook instead!

6. Vacation shadow box

What if some of the things you collected are big or bulky? They won’t fit in a vacation smash book—so create a vacation shadow box instead.

For around $10 at craft stores or here on Amazon, you can buy a shadow box—like a picture frame except with the space to display thick items.

Print out some of your vacation photos and display them at the back of the shadow box. Then put in everything else—a seashell, a carving you bought at a souvenir stand, a paper fan, anything that reminds you of your vacation!

I love this because it displays your vacation like a piece of art. Instead of sticking that piece of driftwood or a jar of sand in some drawer, you put it out for everyone to see.

7. Kids vacation memory book

This one requires a tiny bit of forethought but otherwise it’s super easy. Just bring along cardstock or other sturdy paper cut in 4×6 rectangles. Most craft stores have these papers pre-cut.

Then, when you’re on vacation, ask your kids questions. Write down their answers on one side of the paper.

Finally, when you’re home, print a bunch of photos from your trip. Using craft glue, secure the photos to the backs of the papers with your kids’ memories written on them.

Your kids might also want to make drawings about the trip on some of the papers.

Your last step is to bring the stack of pages to a Kinko’s or other office supply store. For a few bucks, they’ll bind it into a book! Your kids will love that their faces and words appear in an actual book.

8. Family travel journal time

Want to encourage the whole family to record travel memories? Buy everyone in the family their very own travel journal. This doesn’t have to be fancy! I love these blank kraft paper notebooks because you can buy them in a bunch (so everyone gets the same one), the covers are easily customizable and there are only 30 sheets in each one. That means no one feels pressured to fill it with pages and pages and pages.

Then take 15 minutes every day to work in your travel journals as a family. Even if your kids can’t read and write yet, they can draw or collage in their book. Ask them if they want you to write for them or label what they’ve created.

You can even have a travel journal prompt to spark everyone’s creativity. Ask if there was something they learned, or show everyone an art technique. For example, they could draw what they see out a window, or sketch something without lifting their pencil from the paper.

Level 10 travel tip: Make kids their own travel journal kit. Ideas of things to include: Washi tape, scissors, glue stick, markers, watercolor paints.

Bring the travel journals on all of your trips together. When they’re full, you’ll have a gorgeous record of all your family vacations!

Minimal work travel scrapbooks

I’m not about to spend three hours on a single page of a travel scrapbook, but I do love handwriting and actual, physical photos. I found a way to make a physical scrapbook without a time commitment with Project Life scrapbooks.

This system has clear plastic sleeves and perfectly sized, pretty papers where you can add a bit of pizzaz to the pages and write down memories. Then you add photos—and have a scrapbook page in minutes.

I use the Wander Edition Core Kit, which is all about travel (naturally). Another thing I like about the Project Life scrapbooks is that these little cards are small—therefore portable. So I bring them on family vacations and jot down notes, what we did on a given day, funny things Max and Edie said, anything.

Throughout the trip, I “favorite” some of the best photos I take on my phone. Then on the last day of a trip, I print these favorite-d photos on Amazon Photos. They arrive in my mailbox a few days later.

That’s how I take vacation photos and memories and organize them into a scrapbook we love to look at.

Get out there and record your memories!

I’m not a big gambler—casinos seem like a giant waste of money to me—but I’d wager you’re feeling inspired by these tips to make travel journals and other easy ways to organize vacation photos! Not only do you have ideas on how to use up the pictures, souvenirs, ticket stubs and other things you collect on vacation; you also feel like these travel journal ideas are doable.

After all, you don’t need a ton of time to pull these together. You just need some paper, a little glue and a little creativity—and your vacation photos, of course. I know you have those!

I can’t wait to see what you create. Snap a picture of your travel journals or the way you display vacation photos, then tag me on Instagram. Let the creativity flow, friends!

The post 9 low-pressure tips to organize vacation photos, travel memories + souvenirs appeared first on To & Fro Fam.

We’ve been lucky in that this week has been gorgeous. We’re spending a lot of time outside in the sun, which definitely helps everyone’s mood. So I’m sharing family-friendly outdoor activities that are social distancing-approved.

I know spring, though, and this beautiful weather isn’t here to stay permanently. I know we have rain in our future, so I’m also including ideas for indoor activities. (I guarantee your kids will have SO MUCH FUN with #10!)

So when boredom strikes, turn to one of these fun social distancing activities for kids. They’ll help your family have fun—while staying safe and healthy.

Outdoor social distancing activities for kids

Research consistently shows that being outdoors is good for your immune system AND your mental health. Has there been a more important time to boost your body’s ability to fight germs and keep your mood up?

So if weather (and local regulations) allow, get outside!

Of course you’ll need to maintain 6 feet between you and others you encounter outside. But the good thing about the Great Outdoors is that it’s big!

Here are some of our favorite social distancing activities for kids you can do outside.

1. Go on a hike

Is there a hiking trail nearby? A nature preserve? Lace up your shoes and go out for a hike. Walking along in nature will take all your minds off the constant COVID news.

2. Do a nature scavenger hunt

Sometimes my kids have more fun outside when they have a project to focus on. That’s why we love nature scavenger hunts. The other day I made a booklet for Maxine, with categories for things to find (round, crooked, green, beautiful, etc.). The booklet also included space for her to draw what she observed and a few lines for her to write some notes (or, since she’s a pre-reader, get a grown-up to write it for her).

I also like these nature scavenger hunt printables from Have Diapers Will Travel.

3. Post encouraging signs outside

This health scare is the perfect time to band together as a community—from a distance, of course. You can let your neighbors know you’re thinking of them by posting encouraging signs outside.

Have your kids draw a picture or write a positive message on a large sheet of paper or poster board. Then post it on a telephone pole or another public spot outside. The message will make your neighbors smile!

4. Chalk an activity path

Lots of other families are taking walks in the neighborhood. Give them something fun to do by making an activity path with chalk!

On your sidewalk, draw hopscotch, spots to jump, a windy path—anything that will encourage other kids to have fun. Don’t forget to test out the activity path yourself!

5. Egg hunt for friends

It might not be Easter, but you probably have some plastic eggs around. Put a few pieces of candy, stamps, costume jewelry or toys inside a handful of eggs. Head to a friend or neighbor’s yard and hide the eggs. Then text a video challenging your buds to find the eggs!

6. Nature art projects

Take homeschool art outdoors. You can even incorporate science into your art project by observing and using things you find outside.

Want some ideas? Check out my post on 32 fun nature art activities.

7. Rock painting

Start by collecting a handful of rocks and wash them. (This step is one of my kids’ favorites!) After they dry, set out some newspaper so you don’t get paint on any surfaces. Then you and your kids can go to town painting the rocks!

Acrylic paint works the best for this project but it does stain, so wear clothes you don’t care about. I also have the “paint talk” with my kids, telling them the paint can only go on the rocks or paper. Other paint, like tempera or finger paints, will wash off.

You don’t have to stop at paint, either. Glue on sequins, googly eyes or other bits and bobs you have in your craft box. Then set them outside where others will see them—and smile!

8. Nature survey

This project doubles as art, math and science, for anyone still trying to stick to a homeschool schedule. (More power to you!)

Go into your yard or another outdoors area. Set a timer for one minute and have your kids run around, drawing a picture or making a note of every kind of plant life they see (dandelions, clover, grass, maple tree, etc.).

Then set the timer for five minutes (or longer, if your kids are older). Have them move around, tallying the number of each type of plant. You can teach them to make tic marks and how to count by fives. (See? Math! #homeschoolmasters) Then discuss which type of plant life is more common. Did your kids find the same kinds of plants? The same numbers?

For really ambitious kiddos, you can then visually show the diversity with a bar graph.

9. Plan a treasure hunt

What’s better than pretending you’re pirates or jungle explorers searching for hidden treasure?

First, pick out some things your kids would be excited to find. I like pulling together costume jewelry and dress-up stuff. Put it in a container small enough to hide.

Then make a map for your kids to follow. You can even set up little activities at each “stop” around the yard, like doing ten jumping jacks or answering a silly would you rather question.

Your kids will be so excited to search for actual treasure!

Indoor social distancing activities

If the weather is crummy, you probably won’t be spending a ton of time outdoors. When your kids have gone through all the homeschool curriculum you’ve planned—or haven’t—get going on some of these fun indoor activities.

10. Bubble wrap dance party

Chances are, you’re doing more online shopping now that you can’t get to the store as much. Whenever something is nestled in bubble wrap, save it—for a dance party!

Using painter’s tape, secure a stretch of bubble wrap to the floor. (This will only work on hard surfaces, so not carpet.)

Then put on your kids’ favorite music (we have been rocking out to JoJo Siwa lately) and dance it out on the bubble wrap! It’s so freaking satisfying to hear the pop pop pop!

11. Finger paints in the bath

This activity is not for the faint of heart—but I promise your kids will never, ever forget it.

Start by putting a crummy towel on the bottom of your bath tub. Then squeeze out different colors of finger paints onto plastic plates. Get your kids into the bath (with no water) and let ’em at it!

My kids loved painting the wall and themselves. We just had a rule: no paint in the hair. They were actually really good about this!

After they were done, we used the removable shower head to rinse of kids and the bath. The finger paint comes right off.

12. Swing from the ceiling—literally

I posted about this social distancing-safe activity on my Instagram the other day and was bowled over by the response! Y’all were really into our favorite indoor activity: swinging from the ceiling.

A while back we installed bolts into a beam in the ceiling of our downstairs living room. Then we tied old sheets to the bolts. My kids now use them to swing, Tarzan-style, and do Cirque du Soleil-worthy stunts.

We take the sheets down during movie night so we can see the screen. When the sheets go back up, the kids are just as excited as ever.

13. Makeovers

Backstory: Edie really likes the idea of makeup. She likes watching me put on makeup. She likes to ask me if I will buy her makeup 100 times a day. I always tell her no.

Then coronavirus happened. I was facing down potentially months of social distancing with two young, active, outgoing kids. So I bought some cheap makeup—and surprised the kids.

They just about lost their minds when I told them we were going to give each other makeovers with real makeup.

Have you ever done makeovers with your kids, during social distancing or other times?

14. Write post cards to shut-ins

My grandma lives just a few minutes away but we haven’t been able to see her in person for weeks. The assisted living facility where she lives asked no visitors to come to protect residents, who are more vulnerable to coronavirus.

So we began sending her post cards nearly every day.

That got me thinking about all the other people who are homebound. About how lonely they must be. So I started writing post cards to friends’ relatives. Then I joined this Facebook group, where people post their loved ones’ mailing addresses and requests for mail.

If it feels weird to write to a stranger, draw something (or have your kids draw) instead. I usually doodle a little something, share a sentence or two about what’s going on in our life (“We’ve been watching a jay build a nest in our yard”), then sign it “your friend from Oregon, Catherine.”

I send about five cards a day—a great way to use up all those post cards I buy on our travels. And it makes me feel good to help brighten someone else’s day.

15. Make movies

Want an activity that can take up most of the day? (Of course you do. I get you.) Challenge your kids to make a movie!

They’ll need to pick a topic, assign characters and write a script (or at least hash out the plot). They can either act out the movie themselves or set up toys and move them around. Once they’re ready, you can offer to record it. Or set up your phone on something stable, hit record and do one of the zillion things you haven’t gotten to. (Or lie down and read a magazine.)

If your kids are like mine, they’ll have a blast!

16. Make “street art”

Grab a roll of kraft paper and tape it to your wall or kitchen island to make a giant “canvas!”

With such a large space to let their creativity flow, your kids can think big. Let them make a mural or try their hands at “graffiti.” (Want some inspiration? Take a peek at my favorite street art post.)

If you get a nice day, you can do this activity outside, too. We recently tacked the paper to the side of our deck and painted in the sun!

17. Window art

Before you start this activity, make your kids agree that they’ll wash the windows afterward. (Bonus, they’ll be roped into doing chores!)

Hand out dry erase markers and let your kids draw on the windows. They can sketch whatever is in their imagination or—my favorite—”trace” whatever they see outside.

Dry erase marker wipes off glass. If it’s stubborn, just spritz it with glass cleaner and wipe it off. The windows will end up even cleaner than when you started!

Social distancing with kids doesn’t mean you can’t have fun

Yes, the coronavirus outbreak has changed all our lives. School is canceled, children can’t play with their friends, and pretty much all parents have a mini-panic attach whenever a kid coughs.

All this uncertainty doesn’t mean we have to surrender to a boring life, though!

To keep things interesting—and keep your kids entertained—have fun with these social distancing activities for kids.

As always, be safe and follow the local guidelines to slow the spread of coronavirus. And of course use common sense to keep your kids and community healthy.

Tell me: What have you and your kids been doing during this time of social distancing?

The post 17 fun social distancing activities for kids: Unique ideas for quarantine times appeared first on To & Fro Fam.

My own kiddos love playing while we travel. If we’re in an airport, chances are we’re playing I Spy or even Hide and Seek, if the terminal isn’t too full. But when I break out the physical games and printables, that’s when Max and Edie get truly excited.

I have a feeling your kids might be the same. So simply download and print out these Holiday Travel Bingo games before your next trip. If you’re sitting, you can use anything to mark the squares—coins work well. Or if you’re en route, kids can X the squares off with a crayon or pencil. Either way, this free holiday Bingo game will help pass the time for the whole family!

I’m crossing my fingers for you and smooth travels, zero delays and friendly seat mates. But don’t leave your kids’ travel entertainment to chance. Use these Holiday Travel Bingo games to keep your whole family feeling merry and bright this holiday season.

It’s not just you—holiday travel IS busy

On average, travel is about a quarter busier than average around Christmas. And last year, an estimated third of Americans traveled during the holidays. That’s 112.5 million people on the roads, rails, runways—maybe even sleigh trails—according to AAA.

I’m not sharing those stats to scare you into staying home! I’m just validating your sneaking suspicion that holiday travel really is busier than normal.

The potential of winter weather delays also makes holiday travel feel busier than normal. (After all, when people aren’t moving when expected, that means roads and airports are more congested.)

One study researched a year’s worth of data on weather delays and found these to be the most delayed airports in the US:

Worst U.S. Airports for Weather Delays

1. San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
2. Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)
3. Chicago O’Hare international Airport (ORD)

Now you can’t always choose which airport to fly out of, and you can’t miraculously change the weather in your region. But if you are flying out of one of these hubs, keep in mind winter weather delays are more likely than not. Then make sure you’re prepared—including having things on hand to keep kids entertained, like this Holiday Travel Bingo game!

Holiday Travel Bingo game to keep kids entertained

So much of parenthood is recognizing the difference between what you can control and what you can’t, then moving on from there.

Family travel is the same. You can’t control snow and ice, nor can you control how many other people hit the road when you do. But you can control what you plan to keep your kids entertained during holiday travel.

So why wouldn’t you want these free Holiday Travel Bingo cards? They’re easily portable, so you can bring them along wherever you go. They have a good mix of festive and regular travel squares. They’re usable for air travel as well as road trips. (If you’re driving, make sure to be on the lookout during rest stops and potty breaks!)

How to use this holiday Bingo printable

Travel can be complicated. You have to book your trip, get to the airport on time or pack up the minivan for a road trip, deal with traffic and other delays, and keep track of everything from boarding passes to your actual children.

Luckily, using my holiday Bingo printable is easy peasy lemon squeezy (or “easy peasy yemon deezy,” as Maxine says, with her adorable pronunciation).

Here’s how to make the most of this free travel Bingo printable:

1. Sign up to get the free holiday Bingo printable delivered to your email inbox—right away!
2. Print the holiday Bingo cards. I think color is more fun and festive, but black and white is fine, too. Print the right number of cards for the people in your family. The PDF you’ll get includes 4 different cards!
3. [optional step] Laminate the Bingo cards. This is a great option if your trip is long, or if you want to play holiday travel Bingo on the way to and from your destination. Bonus tip: If you laminate, bring along dry erase markers, which you can erase from laminated pages and then reuse!
4. Hand out the holiday Bingo cards to everyone in your family who wants to play. They can mark off squares with crayons or use coins or pompoms as markers.
5. Decide if there will be a prize. You might want to stash some Hershey’s Kisses for winners, or dole out little toys. Or you can just play for funsies!

Make holiday travel easier with fun and games

No matter if you’re visiting loved ones this holiday or going on a getaway that doesn’t involve family and friends, I know you’ll agree you could use all the help you can get making holiday travel a tad bit easier.

I’ve definitely been there, after all. I know firsthand that smoother winter travel makes for a better family trip overall. So I am sure you’ll have as much fun playing this free holiday Bingo game as I did creating it!

Let me know when you use it and tag me on Instagram. I can’t wait to hear all about your holiday travels!

In the meantime, tell me: Are you heading out of town this holiday or staying put at home??

The post Holiday Travel Bingo: Free printables for family travel this holiday appeared first on To & Fro Fam.

We don’t travel all the time. But during the weeks we’re at home, we still like to send our imaginations to far-off lands. That’s why reading is such an important part of our daily life.

Whether your kids are already world travelers or are just starting their adventurous ways, I’m pretty certain they’ll love these travel books for kids. I put together a list of the best children’s books about travel because I believe what we read shapes us. These travel books are all about inspiring curiosity, learning about other places, embracing diversity and embracing wanderlust.

I can’t wait to hear what you think about our favorite travel books for kids!

This post contains affiliate links. Clicking and buying earns me a small income at no extra cost to you, helping me continue to bring you free family travel advice!

Children’s books about traveling the world

Atlas of Adventures

The Atlas of Adventures is a sturdy, thick book for a reason: There are so many things to do, see and explore on this wide world of ours, and this travel book for kids shows many of them!

I like this children’s book because each two-page spread shows a detailed scene of life someplace in the world. From bathing elephants in Thailand to ice-skidding Emperor penguins in Antarctica, the adventures that await are too numerous to count.

The colorful illustrations in Atlas of Adventures will inspire your kids’ imagination and wanderlust.

Everything & Everywhere

This children’s book about the world is perfect for curious kids. It is jam-packed with illustrations and facts about different places, from Hong Kong to Paris. (You will come away with tidbits of knowledge, too, that you might just be able to use at trivia night!)

Edie and Max loves this style of book, which includes a treasure trove of detail. They pore over the illustrations, pointing to each one and asking me about it—”Why is that guy dressed like that? Is that animal nocturnal? Have you ever ridden a yellow taxi?”

Each time you flip through Everything & Everywhere, you’ll find some new detail to explore.

A Ticket Around the World

I fantasize about doing an around the world trip. I haven’t made that happen for my family (yet!) but in the meantime can pretend we’re doing so with A Ticket Around the World, a children’s book about travel!

In this book, a young boy takes us along as he visits 13 countries on 6 continents. And in each destination, he makes a local friend who shares some of the best things about their home.

Each page is based on a map, so kids get the beginning of a geography primer, too. More of interest to most kids, though, are the fun details about every page—like the monkeys that live outside one child’s house in Costa Rica and how people cross the desert in Morocco.

I like that at the end of the story, the main character asks questions that challenge readers to recall details from each country. It’s a terrific way to not only “travel” from the comfort of your home but learn about countries around the world.

Gifts

Gifts, by Jo Ellen Bogart, is a book that gets me right in the nostalgia muscle. It’s a sweet story about an adventurous grandmother who brings back something special for her granddaughter from her travels. But these aren’t typical souvenirs. The girl asks for true experiences of travel—like the feeling of mist, the kiss of a warm sunrise, a gentle breeze.

The grandmother visits places all over the world, from Australia to Mexico’s pyramids. Meanwhile, the little girl grows up and the grandmother gets older and frailer.

You and your kids will love the gift on the final page. It got me right in the feels.

Maps

If your kids like diving into detailed books, they’ll love Maps—a book of 52 intricately detailed maps covering every region of the globe.

Yes, these maps display a country or continent’s geography, with mountains, cities and rivers. Each map is also filled with illustrations of what makes that place special. Animals, native plants, famous people, fun facts and awesome things to do—you and your kids will finish this travel book knowing so much more about the world!

Barefoot Books World Atlas

I love having reference books at home. We rarely sit down to read them start to finish but rather dip in and out, learning a bit each time we crack it open. The Barefoot Books World Atlas is like that: It’s dense, so you probably won’t want to bring it out at bedtime, but it’s an absolute wealth of information.

My favorite thing about this kids’ World Atlas is it’s a terrific introduction to geography for kids. Its bright, colorful maps and fold-out pages invite kids in, taking away any sense of intimidation they might feel. And the book introduces kids to concepts like continents and borders, making later discussions about travel a lot easier.

Whether you occasionally take this book home from the library or add it to your own bookshelves, the Barefoot Books World Atlas will be a book you return to for years as your kids grow.

Here We Are

My kids and I love Oliver Jeffers, so I knew I’d adore Here We Are. And I was right! This travel book for kids applies his wry sense of humor and distinctive artistic style to a very big topic: the world!

From the macro (space, the atmosphere) to the micro (people who come in all shapes, sizes, colors and headwear), Jeffers addresses what it’s like to live on planet Earth.

In his signature conversational style that makes it feel as though he’s sitting on the couch talking to you, he addresses the things you’d expect in a world book, like regions that are hot and cold, and the many animals that live here with us.

He goes beyond, though. He puts in important messages, like to be kind to animals and to protect our resources.

We could all use a reminder of the closing message: “Well, that is Planet Earth. Make sure you look after it, as it’s all we’ve got.”

Travel books for kids about getting there: Planes, trains and automobiles!

The Airport Book

The Airport Book is one of our favorites. It shows everything a family does, from leaving their front door through flying to their vacation destination. This book was how I prepped Max and Edie when they were little when we were getting ready for family trips.

Kids sometimes get nervous or scared about things they’ve never done before. And some parts of travel can be extra-unfamiliar. So it helps to have a fun, colorful book about airports to help them feel more in control of the plans ahead.

Max and Edie’s favorite part about this book about travel is the youngest child’s stuffie. While the family is going through security, getting on the plane and getting their luggage, the stuffie is having an adventure of its own!

Are We There Yet?

Road trips start out as exciting—but for a bored kid in the back seat, they can get pretty tiresome after a while. In Are We There Yet, a child lets his mind wander while his family drives cross-country. And instead of time dragging on, it moves him back in time!

The road trip suddenly becomes a lot less boring when he finds himself in the Wild West and, eventually, the time of the dinosaurs!

Are We There Yet should be required reading for kids about to go on a road trip. It shows the power of imagination—and what can happen when you let a bored imagination roam.

Planes Fly!

Transportation—getting from A to B—doesn’t have to be boring! Planes Fly! is one way to bring a ton of excitement into the prospect of travel.

I like not only this transportation book’s active, energetic illustrations but also its rhymes. Through the rhythmic text, kids will learn all about air travel. Ask your kids which of the planes they’d most like to fly in!

How Airports Work

This Lonely Planet Kids book invites littles to literally look behind the scenes at the airport. Toddlers and even elementary aged kids will have fun lifting the flaps through How Airports Work to better understand everything about air travel.

From how security works to where luggage goes after you check it, this informative kids book about travel answers dozens of questions about the airport.

For children nervous about flying for the first time to transportation nuts who are wild about planes, this airport book is terrific for everyone. My own kids love to fly (I think it has to do with the movies they get to watch on their tablets, as well as other fun things to do on a plane!). This book makes them love to read about it, too.

Travel books for kids about people

People

Earlier this year, Edie cracked her chin open while trying (and missing) a scooter trick. When she got the stitches out, she distracted herself by looking at a Where’s Waldo? poster on the doctor’s wall. She loved the irreverent crowds. If your kids do, too, they’ll adore People as well.

The simply titled People, by Caldecott Medal winner Peter Spier, shows the many, many ways people can be, act, dress and look all over the globe. The level of detail in each page makes me want to dive in for hours.

Aspects of people and their culture, from religion to pets, features in this iconic book about travel.

Good People Everywhere

Good People Everywhere is not only a wonderful children’s book about people who live all over the world but also a good reminder for grown-ups that people are generally good. (I’m pretty sure I’m not alone that the news cycle makes me wonder sometimes.)

I love that this children’s book emphasizes that, essentially, we’re all cut from the same cloth. No matter where you live or how you grow up, you’re not terribly different from others. Parents have babies. People build homes. Musicians and dancers perform.

What’s more, kids immediately connect to the relatable acts of kindness in Good People Everywhere. They, too, have helped a friend who fell down or taken care of a sibling.

Emphasizing similarities as well as differences helps kids grow their empathy and embrace diversity. This ability is crucial for kids who travel.

The simple message of Good People Everywhere resonates with families who love to travel—and anyone who wants to emphasize that there is more good than bad in the world.

This Is How We Do It

This big, beautiful book shows a day in a life of children who live all over the world. I love its simple, matter-of-fact text. After all, even if there are infinite ways to grow up, each is completely normal and unremarkable to the ones living it.

This Is How We Do It focuses on the parts of a day kids are most interested in. The kids’ travel book highlights where each child lives, their family, their school and, of course, how they play!

The book’s rhythm—each child covers the same topics in the same way—reinforces the underlying message that although we live in different places, eat different food, have different color skin and write in a different language, we’re more similar than not.

Finally, This Is How We Do It is a terrific way to discuss diversity and culture around the globe to young travelers.

Walk This World

The bold, graphic illustrations in Walk This World make this book an instant favorite. Each page takes kids to another place and culture, where they can explore what makes us similar and different.

This is a terrific starting travel book for kids because it’s a lift the flap book! Toddlers (and older kids, too—including my 4 and 6 year old!) love lifting the flaps to see surprises underneath.

Why We Live Where We Live

For older kids with plenty of “why” to go around, Why We Live Where We Live is chock-full of answers. It explores why humans live where they do—in small villages and megacities—and what they need to thrive.

Its no-nonsense, straightforward sections explore everything from how humans adapt to their landscape to where they get food and what kinds of dwellings work best in the local climate. After reading Why We Live Where We Do, your curious kids will have a much better understanding of global geography and culture.

This travel book for kids is also an excellent one to read before traveling to a location where the culture is different from your own. Using it as a touchstone, you and your kids can discuss questions your kids have about your destination—why do the houses look different? why are the roads like this? why are people speaking so many different languages?—using knowledge gleaned from the book.

Hello World! It’s a Small World

This colorful board book is the perfect way to introduce babies and toddlers to people and places around the world. On each page, people say “hello” in their local language. (Don’t worry, there’s pronunciation help for adults!)

I like that Hello World! It’s a Small World is a fun, relatable way to introduce diverse cultures to even the littlest learners (and future travelers). It’s also a terrific way to start conversations about similar and different. Like, what is similar in what we and people from India wear? What’s different about where we live and where this boy in Brazil lives?

This board book about travel is one in the Hello World! series. There are plenty more to explore that introduce kids to concepts in science, nature and geography.

Same, Same But Different

When I was a kid, I loved to write. (Are you surprised?) I had dozens of pen pals over the years, so Same, Same But Different really struck a chord with me. It’s the story of two boys who strike up a pen pal relationship and share what their lives are like, learning that, yes, they’re same, same but different.

This book is laid out in a series of letters back and forth, though each one is more painting than words. (Sounds right for kids!) The text feels so authentic to how young boys would write to each other. On one page, the boy from India asks his American counterpart if he lives in a tree. The innocence and curiosity—and total lack of judgment—make this travel book for kids a great way to learn about others.

Plus, your kids may end up wanting to find a pen pal of their own!

All the Colors of the Earth

We adults tend to think of colors of skin in a very literal way. All the Colors of the Earth turns that on its head, using gorgeous poetry and paintings to celebrate skin color in a whole new way.

We know that children as young as babies see differences in skin color, so the whole “we don’t see race” approach simply doesn’t work. In fact, it can backfire, making important discussions around race, equality, diversity and more difficult to have.

I love that All the Colors of the Earth celebrates our differences with expressive language and descriptions. For example, the whispering gold of summer grasses describes one person’s skin, and another one is the “roaring brown” color of a bear.

Kids (and adults!) need language to comfortably talk about differences and similarities, especially when we travel. This award-winning book provides a new, and beautiful, vocabulary to do just that.

Everybody Cooks Rice

Food is integral to culture and identity, which is why I’m super sensitive about the girls making faces or saying “yuck” about anyone’s food. Still, they stick with their macaroni and cheese while I eat colorful salads, stir fry, refried beans and curry.

Even if I can’t get them to develop more adventurous tastebuds (yet!), I can help them explore other people’s food through books.

Everybody Cooks Rice follows a young girl wandering through her neighborhood at dinnertime. Each family she visits is from a different country—and each is using rice in their meal in a different way. After all, rice is one of the most-eaten foods in the world.

And if your kiddos are willing to explore just a little farther, Everybody Cooks Rice also includes simple recipes so you can make meals featured in the book right at home.

Whoever You Are

“Little one, whoever you are, wherever you are, there are little ones just like you all over the world…“

This comforting message is how Whoever You Are begins. This board book about the people of the world emphasizes diversity as well as commonalities.

After all, sometimes kids feel like they’re alone, weird or unlike anyone else—I know my kids have felt that way before. So it’s a lovely reminder that we’re never, in fact, alone.

Travel book series

Larry Gets Lost in _____

Larry the adorable dog has a serious case of wanderlust—and a habit of getting lost! He accompanies his family on trips all over the place, from Washington, DC to San Diego.

Every time, something draws this distractible dog away from his people. In his attempt to find his way back, he discovers what makes each place unique. During the journey, kids will learn about a place’s history, culture and people.

I love the Larry Gets Lost series and recommend you find a copy for the city where you live—or where you’re traveling to next!

This Is ____ Series

The iconic This Is ___ series (This Is Rome, This Is Paris, This Is New York) was originally published in the 1960s. It has stood the test of time, showing that these terrific travel books for kids are worth bringing to your bookshelves!

The bold, graphic paintings bring famous cities to life. From famous landmarks to the people who live there and even the stray cats (!), what makes each city unique is lovingly illustrated for young readers.

And if you want to visit more places in one book, check out This Is The World! The same creator takes readers across the globe in one book.

All Aboard! series

For the littlest travelers, the All Aboard! board book series takes them all over the world, through cities, countries and U.S. states. One of my favorite is All Aboard! National Parks. (I just bought it for my youngest niece. Shh, don’t tell!)

These board books are simple, since they’re for itty bitty readers, but that doesn’t mean they’re dumbed down. The All Aboard! books still share plenty of details and fun facts about each featured destination, from Paris to Texas.

After all, it’s never too early to inspire wanderlust in kids.

Living In ______ Around the World series

Kids are naturally curious. I know my littles want to know everything! That’s one reason why I love nonfiction books like the Living In _____ Around the World series. Each one introduces readers to a child in a different country and shows what life is like there.

These Level 2 easy readers are just above Edie’s independent reading level, so she’ll be able to read them on her own soon. In the meantime, I am happy to read to both her and Max about life in Australia, South Korea, Russia and other countries.

The friendly illustrations in Living In ____ books immediately invite readers in to the story. And while they’re nonfiction, they’re anything but boring.

Kitty Cat, Kitty Cat, Where Have You Been? series

In the Kitty Cat, Kitty Cat, Where Have You Been? travel book series, a friendly grey cat travels to cities across the United States and the world. Stopping in Rome, Paris, Washington DC and beyond, Kitty Cat explores not only each city’s important landmarks but also teaches why that place is significant.

For example, in Washington DC, Kitty Cat visits the White House. Not only are the illustrations of landmarks like the president’s residence incredibly detailed yet approachable, these pages pack a lot of information into a few rhyming lines. Concepts as complex as the federal government are a little easier to understand with Kitty Cat’s straightforward explanations.

Before you head to a new city, see if Kitty Cat has been there before you. She can help your kids learn about the destination even before you set foot on a plane!

The Katie Travel Book Series

Multigenerational travel is having a heyday, for good reason. We often travel with both sets of my kids’ grandparents, and Katie—the title character in the Katie series by James Mayhew—is the same.

“Fortunately Grandma was the sort of grandma who liked an adventure,” the book writes—because Katie and her family are always getting into adventure on their vacations!

Take for example Katie in Scotland, where they get an unexpected tour guide. (I won’t spoil the surprise but trust me, it’s fun!)

Other Katie books travel throughout the United Kingdom as well as famous art, including paintings by Van Goh and Monet. (Maybe some of which you’ll see in art museums while traveling with kids?)

A Walk In ______ series

Walking around a new place is my favorite way to explore a new place, so this children’s travel book series is right up my alley!

The A Walk In _____ series shows cities worldwide through a child’s point of view. It takes readers through a day of walking around, from wandering around the Eiffel Tower in Paris to marveling at the tippy top of the Empire State Building in New York. (This skyscraper is so tall, in fact, it requires a fold-out page, which kids love!)

I like that these books take kids through a city, literally step by step, while tossing in fun tidbits of information. (Did you know more hot dogs are eaten in NYC than any other place in the US?!)

Kids’ feet get tired, of course, so these books have sitting breaks, too. Where will the characters pause to have a rest? Will they write post cards, listen to live music, find a beautiful park?

Whether you’re going to one of these cities or want to walk through one vicariously, these travel books for kids are fun adventures.

Children’s books about travel: Wanderlust

The Snail and the Whale

In this charming book, a humble sea snail wants to leave its rock and explore. The other snails scold it, but a kind whale offers some kindness—and its tail—to help the little snail.

The Snail and the Whale takes the title character (and little readers) all over the ocean, from deep sea caves and crashing waves to tropical beaches and frozen glaciers. We see so much of the world via this ocean trip.

Children’s books about travel tend to focus on land, but the earth is actually 71% covered by water. The Snail and the Whale offers a refreshingly different take on exploration, then, while encouraging kids that it’s ok to want to see the world—even if others want to hold you back.

Letters from Felix

In Letters from Felix, disaster strikes at the airport: A little girl loses her favorite toy bunny. But this tragedy turns into adventure when that bunny, Felix, begins traveling the world—and sending letters back to the little girl.

The story takes us along, traveling to Egypt, France, the U.S. and beyond.

Best of all, the story is written in the form of actual letters. My kids love any interactive books, and opening up an actual letter to read a story definitely fits the bill!

If you and your kids fall in love with Felix and his wanderlust spirit, you’re in luck: Felix continues his adventures! There’s a whole series of Felix books plus a cartoon. You can find Letters from Felix videos on YouTube.

How to Make an Apple Pie and Travel the World

We talk a lot about problem solving in my house, and this book’s approach to a problem—a closed grocery store—is hands-down hilarious. In How to Make an Apple Pie and Travel the World, the main character wants to make dessert and ends up traveling all over the globe to collect the needed ingredients.

Wheat in Italy, fresh milk in England, apples in Vermont, USA—nothing but the best for this apple pie!

Not only does this children’s book about travel encourage wanderlust and a can-do attitude; it also teaches kids about where food comes from. In an age when we can get pretty much everything and anything at the market any time of year, it’s important to recognize that people work hard to grow the food on our table and the effort to get it to us.

Explorers: Amazing Tales of the World’s Great Adventurers

This nonfiction travel book for kids is written for older kids, but its large illustrations and short sections of text make it easy for kids to dip in and out. With dense books like these, I read just a few lines per page to Max and Edie, keeping their interest and essentially skimming the story.

Explorers introduces kids to history’s adventurers who crossed oceans, scaled mountains and dove deep underwater. I appreciate the emphasis on explorers from across time and geography.

Most of all, I’m glad this book doesn’t whitewash the often immoral actions of explorers. In a child-appropriate way, the book covers crimes they committed during their travels. After all, it’s a nonfiction book—it needs to teach kids the truth, not a sanitized version that erases the trauma many peoples endured.

Overall, though, Explorers is a book of inspiration. In fact, at the end, it highlights places that have yet to be fully explored! Your own kids may end up dreaming of exploring Mars or deep sea vents after reading this children’s book about travel.

Around the World with Mouk

At the beginning of Around the World with Mouk, two animal friends ask Mouk if they want to play. “I’m sorry, I can’t. I’m going on a trip around the world,” the little bear replies. And that’s how this vibrantly illustrated travel book for kids starts out!

Mouk travels all over the globe, including places not typically covered by children’s books about travel. (How many other globetrotting children’s books visit Lapland, Norway?)

Every spread introduces kids to a new place and the customs there. The pages are filled with animals going about their daily lives, which reminds me of the Richard Scarry books I loved when I was a kid. The animals’ little conversations are super fun to read with kids.

Toot & Puddle

Toot and Puddle are best friends, and this adorable book shows that friendship can withstand even a year of distance.

Toot decides to spend a year traveling the world, but Puddle prefers to stay home. Toot sends post cards back home, though, keeping Puddle up to date on adventures in Egypt, the Solomon Islands and France.

We are a post card-loving family, so the structure of this story really resonated. (There’s something special about getting snail mail, even if it’s in a book!)

This children’s book ending will resonate for travelers, too. Reunions between loved ones are the best—even better than collecting passport stamps and seeing new places.

The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend

In The Adventures of Beekle, a very special imaginary friend grows tired of a child to imagine him. Instead, he sets off to the real world to find one.

He has to explore unfamiliar places where his expectations don’t quite match the reality. (What, kids don’t get to eat cake all the time, and they have to take naps?! Bummer!) But he keeps going, continuing his search for a special child who will be his friend.

Beekle’s spirit of adventure shines through and just may inspire some wanderlust in your own family, whether or not it includes imaginary friends or not.

Our favorite travel books for kids

Are you feeling inspired? Are you as excited to crack open these books with your kids as I am?

I’m betting you are. Whether you add these books to your cart or request them all from your library, I know you and your littles will enjoy them.

Let me know which ones you liked the best! And did I miss your favorite travel books for kids? Suggest them below in the comments!

The post 35 best travel books for kids to inspire them to explore the globe appeared first on To & Fro Fam.

Does that sound like a fantasy? Even if you’re used to kids clamming up or spacing out, you can get them to open up. How? By using open-ended, funny conversation starters for families. I’ve put together a set of these thought-provoking prompts that will get everyone talking, from adults on down to tots.

You’ll definitely want this free printable. It’s super easy to download and print before your next family vacation.

What we do: Cut out each question (simply snip on the dotted lines) and store in a baggie or envelope. I stash it in my purse (or my fanny pack!). Then I can break them out at a meal, or during other downtime (like driving from A to B or waiting in line). Simply let the family conversation starters work their magic!

Finally, I suggest a few ways to turn these conversation starters into keepsakes you’ll treasure for years.

Ready for your free conversation starters printable? Read on!

This post contains affiliate links, which do not add any extra cost to you. The small income I earn from affiliates helps me continue to offer family travel advice for free!

Family conversation starters for vacations

You and I know how hard it can be to get your kids talking. These conversation starters for families on vacation will help!

Getting your whole family to open up is actually good for them, too. According to research, talking about experiences—like that amazing waterfall hike you went on or simply the cool shapes your napkin was folded into at a restaurant—boosts your mood.

Are you ready to get yakkin’? Read the conversation starters below, and remember to sign up for a free conversation starters printable you can download for your next family trip right here:

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Conversation starters about vacation highlights

What surprised you today?

Who would love what we did today?

When did you feel happiest today?

What made you laugh today?

What’s been the trip highlight so far?

What are you most looking forward to on our trip?

What did you see today that was your favorite color?

Conversation starters about bummer moments

What’s something you didn’t like today?

Have you ever felt scared on this trip?

What do you miss from home?

Was there a time you wished we were at home instead? What was it?

Conversation starters that compare and contrast

What do you wish you could bring home?

Did you see anyone doing a job you would like to do?

What’s different about [your destination]?

How is [your destination] similar to home?

What was something you didn’t understand today? What confused you?

Would you rather live here or at home? Why?

If you could trade places with someone here, who would it be? Why?

How is our routine here different than at home?

What would you like to share from home with the people here?

Conversation starters about new experiences

Have you tried something new? What was it?

Did you meet someone interesting?

What did you learn today?

Did you try a new food? What did you think?

Have you made a new friend here?

Did you learn a new word today? What was it?

Make up a word that describes something here in [destination].

Funny conversation starters

What would [your pet] think of this place?

If you wrote a book about our vacation, what would it be called?

If we come back here again, how should we get here? (by boat? rocket? unicycle??!)

What would you do differently if we came back here?

What three words would you pick to describe [your destination]?

What does [your destination] smell like? Taste like? Sound like? Feel like? Look like? Try to describe it with all your senses!

What did you wonder about today?

If you could design a new hotel here, what would it be like?

When you woke up this morning, what was the first thing you thought about?

What was the first thing you noticed when we went outside today?

Let’s make up a song about [destination]!

Record what your kids say to remember this vacation forever

Your kids may surprise you by what they come up with! These family conversation starters about travel will surely spark some memorable discussions.

But you know how it goes: You swear you’ll never forget the adorable things your kids say, and then poof: It slips your mind.

If you’re intentional, though, you can write down what they say so you’ll remember their responses forever!

1. Write them on a post card

You know those post cards you bought at the museum or gift shop? You might not send them all, so use one to write down your kids’ responses to your conversation starters.

2. Put them in your travel journal

I love keeping a notebook with me when I travel. Sometimes I just jot down the name of a restaurant I want to try or directions to the metro. Other times, I write down interesting things I saw or thoughts that occur to me while I explore.

You can also use a travel journal or notebook to record what your whole family says in response to these questions!

3. Write them in your calendar

Some folks keep their planners or wall calendars as records of their year. You can jot down notes to record in your calendar or planner once you get home, since you probably don’t bring them on vacation. Then you’ll always remember the day your munchkin tried wasabi for the first time or befriended the guy who opened fresh coconuts with a machete.

4. Take videos

Press “record” on your camera’s video settings before you ask the conversation starter of the night. You never know what you’re going to capture your kids saying!

5. Record them in your Project Life travel binder

Right now I’m super into the Becky Higgins Project Life system. It’s kind of like scrapbooking, but waaaaay less involved. I’ve been working on creating a Project Life Travel album, using a 12×12″ album and the Wander Core Kit, which has a huge variety of travel-related add-ons.

Oodles of travel-themed conversation starters for kids

Now that you have all these conversation starters for kids—plus loads of ideas on keeping their answers to treasure forever—are you feeling even more excited for your next family getaway?

I love that my kids are just brimming with excitement and new ideas when we travel as a family. They’re always so eager to share what’s on their mind and rehash the day’s adventures.

Whether your kids are chatty or quiet, I’m gonna bet these family conversation starters will get your whole crew talking. Make sure to get your kids conversation starters download here:

Get Your Conversation Starters Download Now!

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Download this conversation starters printable and let me know how it goes: Do you and your kids have livelier discussions??

The post 38 conversation starters for families on vacation (+ free printable!) appeared first on To & Fro Fam.

]]> https://toandfrofam.com/conversation-starters-kids/feed/ 26 3266 https://toandfrofam.com/traveling-with-dogs/ https://toandfrofam.com/traveling-with-dogs/#comments Wed, 09 Oct 2019 12:48:19 +0000 https://toandfrofam.com/?p=3588 Whenever I tell my kids we’re doing something as a whole family, Max and Edie ask, “And Finn?!” After all, our 11-year-old rescue mutt is as much part of the...

The post Traveling with dogs: 17 tips for dog car travel, pet-friendly lodging + more appeared first on To & Fro Fam.

]]> Whenever I tell my kids we’re doing something as a whole family, Max and Edie ask, “And Finn?!” After all, our 11-year-old rescue mutt is as much part of the family as any of us. While Finn can’t come on all our adventures, we definitely like to bring him along. Whether you’re heading to the beach, the mountain or a nearby city with your own pup, I’m happy to share these easy tips for traveling with dogs.

Because even though traveling with dogs brings a lot of joy, it can also add a bit of hassle to your vacation plans. This post covers finding pet friendly lodging, keeping dogs safe en route, dog car travel and easing dog anxiety.

We’ve traveled with Finn all over the country and have some wonderful stories to share (like meeting another dog who could have been his double on a California beach) as well as some doozies (like when he got sprayed by a skunk the day before we took a road trip from Oregon to Michigan).

Whether you’re heading near or far with your pup, I’m happy to share these tips for traveling with dogs. They’ll help you and your four-legged friend enjoy your vacation together!

This post contains affiliate links. By clicking and buying something, I earn a small income—at no extra charge to you. Thanks for helping me continue to bring you travel tips for free!

How to travel with dogs

Regardless of the kind of travel you’re doing, these tips will help if you’re traveling with dogs.

Exercise before your trip

When we plan traveling with our dog, we make sure the day before is filled with exercise. Typically, Hubs takes Finn out disc golfing, or we’ll all go on a hike as a family.

(This tip is equally helpful for our kids!)

No matter what kind of exercise your dog prefers, build it into your routine the day before you travel. He’ll be nice and tired out for the next day when he’s stuck in the car or on the plane.

Keep your dog hydrated on the go

Always keep a water bowl handy when you travel. That way, you can offer water to your pup at every opportunity.

When you and your dog are out exploring—walking around a new city or going on a hike, for example—bring a collapsible water bowl. We use a collapsible dog bowl similar to this BPA-free one:

I find it really convenient that they have carabiners, which makes it easy to attach the bowl to my backpack. That way, I don’t have to put it back inside my bag when it’s still wet.

We keep a collapsible dog bowl in the car at all times. That way we never have to remember to bring it when we’re traveling with our dog.

Get outdoors with your dog

The outdoors are inherently dog-friendly—and that’s why we always incorporate outside activity when traveling with dogs.

Even when we travel to a city with Finn, we look for hikes, urban parks and other opportunities for him to explore outside. I swear he likes it as much as we do. Though instead of checking out the architecture or looking for street art, he’s all about sniffing all the new smells!

So when you plan a trip with your dog, search for nearby hikes and dog parks. You and your pup will appreciate the time outdoors!

Find a pup-up (a dog-friendly pop-up experience)

After you decide where you’re going, do a bit of googling to see if there are any dog-specific events or pop-ups.

Not too long ago, for example, my friend produced a hugely popular pup-up in New York. At Dogville, “the waggiest place on earth,” dogs and their owners explored a whole building of adorable and Instagrammable sets, tried human and dog treats, and met a bunch of other dog-lovers. There were also dogs available for adoption.

We weren’t in New York for this dog pop-up event, but we’ll definitely be looking for other pet-focused pop-ups on upcoming trips.

Wear out your dog when you arrive

If you’ve been traveling for a few hours or more, plan for a lot of dog-friendly activity when you arrive. You could head out for a hike, walk around the neighborhood where you’re staying or find a nearby dog park.

Whether you went on a plane with your dog or took a road trip, she has probably been less active than she typically is at home. What’s more, she might have a lot of nervous energy from being cooped up. Let your dog release all that energy by getting lots and lots of exercise.

Look up a nearby vet

Chances are, your dog will fare just fine on vacation. But you should know of a nearby vet and emergency clinic for pets just in case.

Do your research even before you leave home. Then take a photo of the vet’s address, phone number and contact information. That way you’ll always have it with you, since you take your phone everywhere.

Find a dog-friendly restaurant

I love searching for pet-friendly restaurants when we’re traveling with dogs. We don’t always find one that’s near where we’re hanging out for the day, but sometimes we hit a jackpot!

That’s what we found when we all ate at Norm’s, a dog-friendly restaurant in Seattle‘s Fremont neighborhood. Max and Edie were thrilled that Finn got to come inside the pub, and Finn got to “order” off the dog menu. (Ok, I ordered for him—and Norm’s even options he could eat in spite of his many allergies!)

Level 10 travel tip: If restaurants nearby don’t allow dogs, take your food to go and eat in a park. Your dog is definitely allowed there!

Staying in pet-friendly lodging

When I talk to friends and readers about traveling with dogs, often their biggest concern is finding pet-friendly lodging. It can be hard enough to find a decent hotel or home rental within your budget; adding the extra requirement that it be pet-friendly makes it even tougher.

That’s why I’m sharing these tips about traveling with your dog and staying in pet-friendly accommodations.

How to find pet-friendly lodging

Whenever we travel with our dog, I make sure to use the right filters to find a hotel or home rental that allows pets. Here’s how to find it on AirBnB:

Click on “more filters” and scroll down to House Rules. Click “pets allowed” and continue your search. (If you want $40 off your first booking on AirBnB—and really, who doesn’t?!—use my referral link!)

On Hotels.com, this is where you find the pet-friendly lodging filter:

We have had great luck finding pet-friendly lodging. I even wrote about our favorite dog-friendly hotel in Bend, Oregon, where they not only allow pets but also give a doggy welcome basket to each furry friend!

Some hotels and other lodging have requirements (e.g. that the dog weighs less than 50 pounds) or extra fees (like a $25 per pet add-on).

Level 10 travel tip: When you book a hotel with your dog, ask to stay on the ground floor. That makes it much easier to simply step out the door to walk your pup!

Keeping your pet-friendly lodging clean

When we travel with our dog, we always keep a towel by the door. That way we can wipe off Finn’s paws before he comes into the room. No hotel or home rental needs dirty paw prints all over the place!

Also, if your dog gets on the furniture, cover it with a sheet. That way, your dog won’t leave behind hair on the sofa.

Finally, put a towel under your dog’s food and water bowls. If they’re anything like Finn, they make a bit of a mess when they eat. I’d hate to leave bits of food for someone else to clean up!

Keeping pet-friendly lodging clean is not only the courteous thing to do; it can also help you avoid additional cleaning fees.

Dog-proof the room

Just as you would childproof a hotel room or home rental, go around your lodging and make sure it’s safe for your dog. Hide away cords especially if your dog’s a chewer. And look under the beds and furniture to make sure nothing unsafe has been overlooked.

Finn is notorious for eating Kleenex—we theorize he used to eat tissue and paper to fill up his belly when he was a stray, *sob*—so we always double-check there are no tissues lying around. And we keep the bathroom door shut so he doesn’t go in and feast on tissue.

Dogs and car travel

Are you heading on a road trip with your dog? These tips will help you drive from A to B with your dog in the car—safely.

The safest way to travel with a dog in the car

Veterinarians typically recommend you use a dog harness for car travel to keep your pups safe. If you do, make sure that you choose a system that attaches to a harness, not a collar, so your dog isn’t choked if there’s an accident.

I like that this dog harness for car travel easily clicks in to a seatbelt, and the harness is wide and comfy for a dog. The wide and lightly padded chest portion also distributes the resistance over a larger area, so the harness doesn’t cut into your dog’s chest.

To be completely honest, we don’t travel with Finn in a crate or on a harness. We do, however, make him a cozy bed in the back, where he snuggles down and naps while we’re on the road.

Take breaks often

Hubs laughs at me because my bladder is smaller than Edie’s and Max’s, so we have to stop often when we’re on a road trip—for me more than the kids! All those rest stops might not be good for getting to our destination faster, but they’re great for Finn.

Whenever we stop, we let Finn out of the car. That way, he has a chance to move, pee and drink some water. The last thing you want is for your pup to be uncomfortable during dog car travel!

Don’t feed your dog before a road trip

If your dog gets car sick, do not feed him before you start a road trip. Traveling on an empty stomach helps dogs feel better if they’re prone to road sickness.

Thankfully, Finn doesn’t get car sick. So we keep him on his regular meal schedule when we travel. If we leave after lunch, we’ll feed him before that, and it hasn’t been a problem.

Tips to ease dog anxiety when traveling with dogs

Dogs can become anxious when they’re somewhere new and don’t know what to expect. That’s why it’s a good idea to use these ways to help dog anxiety when you’re traveling with dogs.

Keep the same schedule

If you typically feed your dog at 8am and 5pm when you’re at home, do the same when you’re on vacation, too. Ditto going for walks and anything else you do at the same time time while you’re traveling.

Sticking to a routine helps your dog feel more comfortable. When he knows what to expect, he doesn’t feel as anxious. This definitely helps Finn when we travel together.

Bring something from home

When Finn goes on vacation with us, we bring his dog bed from home. It’s familiar and comforting to him, and he sleeps on it whether we’re in a hotel or at an AirBnB.

So if your dog has a special blanket, chew toy or bed, bring it along (as long as you have room). The scent and familiarity will help your dog feel at home on vacation.

Bring a brand-new toy

A new toy can help distract your dog from feeling anxious in a new place. Especially if your pup is really into toys, he’ll be too busy playing to realize he is nervous!

I especially love introducing puzzle toys, like a puzzle feeder. You can put treats or kibble inside it, and your dog has to work to get the snacks out! These kinds of toys are even better for super-smart and working dogs, who thrive when they have something to occupy their minds.

Back before we had to switch Finn to a specialized raw diet, we used a puzzle feeder like this one. It kept Finn occupied forever!

Bring your dog along

Dogs tend to get most anxious when they’re left behind, especially if they’re in a new place. So whenever you can, bring your dog with you!

You’ll be surprised at how many dog-friendly activities you can work into your vacation itinerary.

Just make sure to never leave your dog inside a car. A parked car can heat up 20 degrees in just 10 minutes—hot enough to injure or even kill your dog.

All the tips to make traveling with dogs easier

I’m pretty sure that by now, you’re feeling inspired to get out and explore with your pup. And with all these tips for traveling with dogs, you have the know-how to make the vacation easier and more fun for everyone—including those with four legs.

You’ve learned how to make dog car travel safer and more comfortable. You now know how to find pet-friendly lodging—and avoid extra cleaning fees. Your dog’s anxiety will be helped by tips to keep him happy even when he’s away from home.

In short, you and your dog are ready to explore the world!

Do you have ideas and tips for how to travel with dogs? Please share them in the comments, below. And if you travel with your dog, let me know how it goes!

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