Think your kids aren't ready for travel?

Yeah.  Sure.  Think what you want.

Kids love to travel.  Sure they whine and complain on those long car rides, but so do we.  As parents I think we often do a great job underestimating our kids.  We often assume they won't be able to handle something.  We are protective by nature.  We imagine the worst.

I just wonder what happens to our kids when we stop making decisions for them.  When we let them decide.

What if we just opened up the world to our kids and said,

HERE IT IS.  NOW CHOOSE.

What would they choose? 

 

A bunch of traveling families I know on Facebook asked their kids,

"If money was no object, where is the first place you would go?"

Here is what they had to say.

 

SPACE: THE FIRST FRONTIER

Of course most kids first blurted out that they were heading straight off to the moon.

Or maybe Pluto.

Or maybe Mars. 

Mom, Is it hot there?

Some even just wanted to float around in space for a while.

You think when kids imagine going to the moon they are wearing a spacesuit?

What do they imagine one eats in space?

My guess is cheeseburgers.

 

WHY FAST FOOD RULES THE WORLD

I went to wake up my kids the other day and was asking my dazed daughter,

"Hey, one place you want to go, where would it be?"

OLD MCDONALDS!

What?  Who?  Sam - You're awake?

I going to Old McDonalds!

As if my 2-year old son had been waiting a month to answer this question he jumped right out of bed and started his day off 100% convinced we were going to McDonalds.

What is it with kids and McDonalds?

It is comforting to know my kid is not the only one.  Dairy Queen, Pizza Hut, Sonic - Anywhere you can get a quick food fix and fries, kids are all over it.

Survey says the kids are happy to throw a cool million to Ronald and his pals any day of the week.

Now I know why those guys pay a million for a 30 second commercial at the Super Bowl.

Cause it WORKS!

 

SINKING CITIES GET THEM EVERYTIME

It seemed almost every 10-16 year old girl wanted to go to Italy.

Sure it could be the pizza and pasta.

It could be the ruins of Rome.

It might be the simple fact that people speaking Italian just sound cool and on TV they all seem to dress and comb their hair to perfection.

But my guess - the canals.  It is pretty romantic to float around in a city such as Venice.  Look at the picture!  Now what girl, or guy, wouldn't want that?

 

OLD SCHOOL ADVENTURE

Every kid wants to walk The Great Wall.  Why wouldn't they?  It's insane!

Just make sure you don't do it on Chinese Holiday - you won't be able to fit all the tourists in this picture.

The Pyramids, Ancient Greece, Mayan Ruins.  Kids love exploring.  And when they can learn a little bit as they go, well that makes it even more of an adventure.

 

I TAKE IT BACK!  DISNEY RULES THE WORLD

I don't blame the kids one bit on this one.

McDonalds?  Bleck!  But Disney?

Every kid loves Disney.  Or at least they should.  I love it, why wouldn't they.

No surprise here, Disney is WAY, WAY, WAY up on the list for kids and at least with this grownup.

 

TAKE ME ANYWHERE YOU CAN RIDE AN ELEPHANT

C'mon.  Every kid wants to ride a horse.  But every kid needs to ride an Elephant.

Look at this!  It is like this boy is out taking his dog for a walk.

So many kids said they wanted to ride elephants in India, Thailand, Africa.  I get it.  Elephants are big and sweet.  Giant teddy bears that can kill you in one big step and poop mountains.

What is not to love?

 

THE HALLS OF LEARNING?

I know many of you worldschoolers out there won't take to kindly to the imagery here, but at least 3 tykes said they wanted to head off to the land of lockers.

I think it just goes to show kids want to learn and be social.  I guess it is up to us to show them how.

This picture is a little scary though.

It doesn't seem nearly as inviting as Mickey or the Thai Elephant.

SAILING THE OCEAN BLUE

Like space, the ocean just gives kids all that open space they need.  Maybe it's the same for grownups.  Most travelers I know long for the sea.

I don't think kids can imagine a 20 foot swell or the size of a whale shark.  I wonder if reality would set in quick for a youngster out on the open water.  But nonetheless, I am up for it.  If a kid can dream it, we can try it.

Well, maybe we can't try going to Pluto, but you get the point.

 

THE WEIRD AND WONDERFUL

 

Some of the things kids say and do need to be put out there all by themselves.  And so we have the individual adventurous dreams of some special youngsters.  Those who could not be categorized - on paper or in life.  Good for you guys!

If I had a million dollars to go anywhere I would  . . .

• find X marks the spot
• Go Poop!
• Go to Poutins!
• Travel around the World in 80 Days
• Go to Hawaii
• Find a Big TREX
• Visit Grandma
• Head off to the Library
• The NEW Tesco Shopping Centre
• Go to see Large Bear Tracks
• Visit Australia
• Climb Everest
• Drive a Big Giant Truck to Africa
• Drive to Connecticut
• Play video games in Japan
• Everywhere, I can't decide!
• Hang out in France
• Go to Legoland Headquarters in Denmark
• Visit the Police station
• See Dada!  I mean see Nara Dada, Pakistan.  No, I mean see Dada, I think.

 

I see a whole lot of traveling in the future for our young guys.  I know as parents it's our job to make sure our kids do not take the whole Peter Pan thing to far and jump out the 3rd story window, but we can give them some slack right.  Kids need to be adventurous.  They need to see all that life has to offer.  If we hold them back too much, well, just think of all the french fries, pyramids and large bear tracks they will be missing out on.

 

I want to thank those who participated.  Check out their blogs and see if all these childhood hope and dreams actually pan out down the road.

The Edventure Project

Our Travel Lifestyle

Livin on the Road

Family Travel Bucket List

Family on Bikes

Worldschool Adventures

Almost Fearless

Travels with a Nine Year Old

Break Out Of Bushwick

Raising Miro

Nomadic Jesters

Canfield of Dreams

Dropout Diaries

1 Dad 1 Kid

At Home In The World

A Ten Years Old's Travels

Wandering Educators

Carried on the Wind

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All The Best in Your Adventures!

 

Main Image from groovelock