I spent my Labor Day Weekend introducing my children to New York City. Since they are still young and play is the most important thing to them both, I made sure we had free time to just play in Central Park, which meant they mostly climbed the rock “mountains,” as well as Madison Square Park, near our boutique hotel. (Hotel Giraffe, by the way, which had a cute kids’ package of a stuffed giraffe, cookies and milk at turn down for the kids, cheese and Prosecco for adults, subway passes and tickets to Central Park Zoo, as well as complimentary breakfast daily. LOVED IT!)
Of course, as an introduction, I planned for some biggies. We went to the top of the Empire State Building, rode the ferry to visit the Statue of Liberty, had frozen hot chocolate at Serendipty, filled up our candy bags at Dylan’s Candy Bar, and rode many taxis. My 6-year-old daughter loved hailing taxis and I even let her try her hand (pun intended) at hailing one on her own, which is did!
While I mixed the kid fun with the two pillars of a first-trip to New York, I explained a bit of America’s history as we pulled into the dock for Ellis Island. We didn’t stop in, as at 5 and 6 they wouldn’t appreciate the visit, but I explained how long ago their great-grandmother came by boat, first witnessing the Statue of Liberty, and arriving on the island to receive a new name and become an American. I explained how many people had come from other countries in search of a better life, and my daughter quickly replied that she heard lots of different languages in New York and that people from all over the world must really love the city. (She also asked if she could learn a foreign language!)
At the top of the Empire State Building, where I haven’t been since 1995, I was shocked by how much I missed seeing the World Trade Centers in the view. (I often drive through and around New York, so the skyline hasn’t been a surprise to me for some time.) So I told the kids how there used to be two buildings that climbed high into the sky that were knocked down by very bad people. They had lots of questions, and I answered in ways that were appropriate for young kids, but I was happy to begin their history education, days before my daughter started first grade.
Since the trip, they both shout out when they see New York in a movie or when I’m watching “The Today Show” in the morning. They yell, “That’s New York! We’ve been there!” And I smile.
My favorite part of travel is what I learn about a city, state or country’s past. Travel is not only fun but educational, and it can make learning fun. I’ve been looking forward to the day my children would be old enough to take educational trips since my first pregnancy. As they start learning in school, I plan to take them on trips that coincide with their studies. When they learn about pilgrims, I’ll take them to Plymouth. When they start learning about the American Revolution, I’ll take them to Boston, Concord, Lexington and Bunker Hill and help them make their history books come to life. When it’s time for the Civil War, we’ll head to Charleston and Gettysburg.
And because I’m an avid reader, I’ll help them connect to literature through travel. Taking a ride along the Mississippi River on a steamboat after reading “The Adventures of Huck Finn,” and seeing the prairies from “Little House on the Prairie” made my childhood in the Midwest more poignant. I plan to do the same for my children.
So, what’s got me thinking of all this today? I’ve been working on stories about taking kids out of school to travel, and heard from some who feel travel is education. Particularly one woman blogger who, along with her husband, has decided to home school their daughter while traveling the world, giving her a first-hand glimpse at world history, languages and arts. I find her stories fascinating! (Check her out at SoulTravelers3.) Another blogger has taken her three kids out of school for a full year to travel the 48 contiguous states. As she says, one van, two adults, three kids, 12 months, 48 states. (Check her out at Year Long Adventure.)
I just love to hear how parent’s are making travel an educational part of children’s lives. Are you doing anything different and/or blogging about travel as education for your kids? By all means let me know so I can read all about it!
