Travel Content // A Whole New World*

There is a beautiful song in Aladdin which starts with the words “I could show you the world, shining, shimmering splendor” and this song does touch the hearts of so many.

Taking the opportunity to show your children the world is one of the greatest gifts you can give them when they are a child. You need to ensure you are choosing age appropriate trips; younger children will prefer seeing America via Disney Parks whereas older teenagers might enjoy a week in Italy looking at galleries.

Unfortunately, there aren’t many of us who have a flying carpet, which means traveling becomes a pretty expensive business. Especially once your children have reached 12 and they now cost a full price ticket on the plane. However, there are some great ways of seeing the world and saving a little bit of money too.

Firstly, the school trip. Keep your eyes on school trips and decide which ones are worth splashing out on. If your school has a few trips each year and two of them are to a gallery in your local town, it might be worth taking your child there yourself and saving the money in a pot towards more exciting destinations like Rome school trips. It is sad that your child might miss out on some of the excursions but if you don’t have the money to cover all the costs, then choosing the right ones for you will be the best option. Remember you don’t have an obligation to send your son or daughter on every school trip.

You could also consider your means of travel. There is a great website called https://www.rome2rio.com which can help you to plan out the cheapest, quickest and most efficient ways to travel anywhere in the world. These will save you lots of time checking out local connections or the cheapest flights. You might find that you can save hundreds of pounds by hiring a car and taking a ferry, instead of flying direct. You will also have the bonus of seeing far more on your trip out. A road trip is great fun for everyone.

There are various volunteering trips you can take too, which you could save you money and will also help your child see a very different side of the world. You do need to consider if your kids are old enough to come with your to countries which might need support, such as Ghana. Perhaps this is better done with your children when they hit their late teens. It is an excellent way to bond as a family and will also increase their gratitude for the life they have at home. Volunteering usually costs you money but, in return for your help, you get food, bed, and water. So it can save a lot on the costings of a more traditional holiday.

Open your children’s eyes to a whole new world and give them the gift of travel. You will increase their awareness, appreciation, and value of the world. Creating some great memories along the way too.