Why travel is the best way to bond with kids (+ vacation family activities)

I’m pretty sure you’ll agree: We parents want to connect with our kids. It’s not always easy, though. Between screens, zoom classes, extracurriculars, friends and the infamous eye roll, it can be hard to bond with your kids. That’s why I want you consider travel. Family vacations are like the secret silver bullet to create family connections, lasting memories and super-strength bonds with your kids.

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! 👇