When a family sets off, especially to an unfamiliar country, everyone feels the excitement. But while adults can name it “anticipation”, “logistics”, “packing”, children often sense a deep change — and cannot always explain it.
How do you help a child feel ground under their feet in a new experience? How do you turn a journey into support for their development rather than a source of stress for the whole family?
One or two weeks before: getting acquainted
The aim: lower the anxiety, awaken the interest
-
Show where you are going on a map (a globe or a children’s map will do)
-
Make a timeline or a calendar: how many days until the trip, how long you will be there
-
Play “the country”: cook a dish from it, learn three words of the language
-
Make a “traveller’s passport” — name, age, photo, where they are going
-
Read a book or watch a cartoon about the city or country
-
Act out “the airport” at home: the check, the luggage, boarding, seatbelts
-
Ask questions:
-
What are you curious to find out on this trip?
-
Is there anything that might not be very nice? (and talk about how to handle it)
-
Three or four days before: packing
The aim: involve the child, create a sense of support
-
Pack the backpack together: a toy, a book, a favourite thing
-
Let them choose one or two things themselves
-
Prepare a travel kit:
-
an audiobook or headphones
-
water, snacks
-
drawing materials, stickers
-
tissues, wet wipes, plasters
-
-
Agree the basic “safety rules”:
-
we always stay together
-
we say so if we are tired, hungry or unhappy about something
-
On the day: the change of setting
The aim: a gentle transition from home to the journey
-
A calm morning without rushing
-
Explain what is going to happen:
-
“We will go to the airport, hand in the luggage, pass the check and get on the plane”
-
-
Give the child one familiar object: a soft toy, a book or a scarf
-
Narrate as you go:
-
“Look, these are our seats”
-
“We are taking off. Can you feel it tickle in your tummy?”
-
“Now we are on the train, going to a city with good pizza and ice cream”
-
The first days there: settling in
The aim: keep the rhythm, create a sense of safety
-
Keep the usual sleeping and eating rhythm
-
Minimum activity on the first day
-
A repeated evening ritual: the same book, music, a hug
-
Get to know the place through play and conversation:
-
“Let’s find where the seagulls are loudest here”
-
“What does this city smell of?”
-
“Which direction do you think our home is?”
-
-
Name the feelings:
-
“You are a little lost — that is normal”
-
“You find it interesting and want to look at everything slowly”
-
-
Give the child choices:
-
“Shall we go to the fountain first, or to the tree?”
-
“Do you want to go now or a little later?”
-
And one more thing: the evening ritual “my travel story”
-
In the evening draw, write down or talk about what was most interesting
-
You can keep a diary with photographs, stickers and short stories
-
When you get back, make a collage or a little book
Phrases that give a child support
-
You can do everything at your own pace
-
I am with you, even when you are cross or tired
-
I can see you are having fun / feeling sad / curious right now
-
Everything is new just now, but we have our backpack / toy / book
-
I am here, and you are safe
