My family recently returned from a two-week trip to Europe with kids (ages 5 and 8), visiting London and Paris for our first trans-Atlantic journey as a family. My wife and I had both studied abroad in college and travelled together before kids, so we had some experience – but going with kids was a whole different kind of trip! We had a few for-sure things to do/see, but tried to gave ourselves lots of options. We definitely didn’t always make the right choices, but we had a great time -- and learned a lot about the places we visited, ourselves, and what we’d want to do the next time. Here are five of those lessons:
1. Pack practically. We had to get over the fact that a) we were going to look/act like tourists no matter what; and b) we were not going to fancy restaurants or places. Key items – kid headphones for the plane, and packing cubes to compress and organize little clothes. We used day packs for when we got there were useful to carry water, snacks, warmer clothes, and to pickup souvenirs. And doing laundry halfway through the trip made it all work without having to check bags.
2. Get out of your comfort zone –without being (too) uncomfortable. We tried to find a balance between activities and places that were: a) unique/cultural (ie, where we might learn/see something different that we couldn’t do at home); b) fun and interesting for the kids; and c) not crazy expensive or complicated. We picked a few must-dos based on our kids interests – a macron baking class in Paris, a theater show in London’s West End (if they liked sports I’m sure a soccer match would have been great), and built our days around a few neighborhoods and a few nearby sites. But, don’t overlook the little things-the kids also loved finding a local bakery, seeing a street performance, taking the subway, trying a different playgrounds, and finding small souvenirs for grandparents.
We also learned that if it was famous, photogenic, expensive, or interesting (to us) - that did not necessarily translate (international pun intended) to kids. The Rodin sculpture museum in Paris was a great mix - interesting art for all of us, plus a fun scavenger hunt for kids, plus modeling clay and other activities to play with after seeing the art. Other examples:
- Kensington Palace in London = not that interesting. Jumping off the benches and running around the benches, trees, and sculptures in nearby Hyde Park in London = very interesting.
- The Louvre museum or massive churches and monuments, not as interesting. Playing hide-and-seek in the well maintained gardens next to the museum, fun!
- We also had more success at food halls/markets or takeout where we could try something new, but still have the kiddie food option rather than sit-down restaurants.
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3. Manage Expectations –for everyone. Of course, you can’ do/see it all. We did a decent job of seeing a variety of neighborhoods, landmarks, and local spots. And though a few places made it easier than with hands-on activities or explanations, we tried (and usually failed) to describe historical/cultural sites, “why were the people stuck in the jail…who is Shakespeare?”. We did make time for one parent to explore on their own – for me it was a morning jog to see different areas, and for my wife to try a few cafes without wiggly kids! We emphasized how everyone got to pick certain activities, and gave ourselves a few options to call audibles as needed – and of course the bribe of a treat at the location went a long way!
4. Talk to Local People. Both before and during the trip – reaching out to people we knew had visited with kids gave us some great inside tips. And while there, talking with people at parks, on the subway, in the cab, really anywhere gave us some of the most interesting moments to hear what it’s like living in a place --- and what they think about the U.S. Kids were easy icebreakers, making it easier to start the conversation.
5. You can do it. One of the most empowering lessons is realizing that traveling with kids is totally possible. It might require more planning and patience, but the experiences and memories created are worth the effort. Other tip – my parents got the kids travel journals, which was a fun way to recap each day (and often hilarious to hear what they thought was the best thing they saw – pigeons made the list one day). Seeing the world through their eyes also helped us with perspectives and have a deeper appreciation for the journey.
Overall, we learned that travelling with kids is not only possible, but can be incredibly rewarding (ok, not talking finances here) and memorable. It just took some practical packing, balancing your sense of adventure and comfort, managed expectations, a willingness to connect with locals—and making plenty of time for treats. Only downside -- there wasn't a MacaroniKID site in London or Paris to help us out!
