Travel is the best education for kids

Why travel with your kids? Because a broad education for kids comes from travel, writes Renee Krosch.

How much knowledge is to be gained through travel?

It may seem obvious but if you stop and think of the amount of learning a child gains through travelling, it’s overwhelming.

Geography, archaeology, modern history, ancient history, current affairs, art, languages, food, risk analysis… there are endless learning opportunities, many you as a parent are not even aware of.  Who wouldn’t be interested in learning about gladiators of 80 AD after visiting the Colosseum in Rome or collecting rocks after seeing lava within an active volcano?

Quentin Long, Managing Director, International Traveller magazine remembers the wise Chinese proverb: “I hear and I forget, I see and I remember, I do and I understand.”

“It’s the ‘do’ component – that immersion – of young brains absorbing information in such a unique way.

“It’s undoubtedly one of the great educations you can give any child. So important on so many levels.

“To broaden their minds, their understanding of the human condition and their ability to empathise and see that people do see things differently.

“Travel absolutely accelerates that neural development in the brain. But there are more practical things like risk assessment, learning how to take risks.

“There are all sorts of psychological benefits, they’re much more rounded kids.”

Listen to the full interview here:

Renee Krosch is a mother of two and producer at 702 ABC Sydney.