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Taking your children on holiday isn’t just a way to let them have fun. It can also be an education – and not just in an academic, museum-visiting sense. So-called ‘soft’ skills are as important to your children’s future quality of life as any qualification they might earn. Indeed, some of them, like time-management and communication, will undoubtedly improve their prospects in school, too.
So, what are the key life skills improved by travel? Let’s take a look.
Confidence
When you’re travelling through an unfamiliar place you’ll need to occasionally speak to complete strangers. Despite the advice you might have heard, talking to strangers is an essential life skill, and it’s important that kids pick it up as early as possible. If you’re around to oversee things, this is a risk-free activity. Have them talk to waiters, ticket inspectors, and air hostesses.
Communication Skills
By the same token, speaking to new people will help to build their communication skills. The ability to communicate with others is critical in just about every workplace, as well as in social situations. Travel will also help your family to understand one another’s idiosyncrasies, and help you to work better as a team. This experience will make it easier when your kids come to form part of other teams.
Responsibility
Wherever your child ends up in life, they’ll do better if they have a sense of personal responsibility. Responsibility is a lot like physical exercise; the more of it you take on, the better at it you’ll get (unless you take on too much at once). An activity holiday where you’re learning how to do a potentially dangerous activity in a safe way might provide just the right learning opportunity. Kayaking, canyoneering, and windsurfing are all suitable suggestions.
Adaptability
On holiday, you’ll be presented with a stream of unusual customs, climates and buildings. For some, this can be a source of anxiety. But if you’ve gotten used to the idea that not everything will be inside your comfort zone, you’ll be able to be more adventurous, and react well when things don’t go entirely to plan (as they often do when you’re travelling). An RV ranch or campsite can be a great way to give your kids a different experience to the average holiday.
Time Management
If you’re on an active holiday, then time-management becomes a vital skill. A failure to properly plan will see you rushing from place to place, and missing connections. Worse yet, you might end up overcompensating, and spending large chunks of your time waiting around with nothing to do.
If there’s a train from London St Pancras to Bedford leaving at ten in the morning, then you’ll need to be at the station with your luggage in-hand. Once your kids have developed this skill, you can expect them to have an easier time with homework, and getting out of the house on time every morning.
