SINGAPORE – While travel is a respite for adults, parents journeying with young children are usually saddled with an abundance of what-ifs, backup plans and packing lists that seem to rival what Sherpa guides carry on their backs.

I understand that travelling with kids appears counter-intuitive when you are looking for a break, but children, particularly pre-schoolers, thrive when they explore, learn and have tactile experiences – all of which are easily done when the family goes somewhere new. 

Like many young parents, I once believed that an overseas trip with my child would be far from ideal. But after a few flights and journeys, I would like to think I have cracked the formula.

Creating memories with a pre-schooler is actually quite simple – very often, kids enjoy the smaller things in life. These activities should be uncomplicated even for the youngest, considering how much shorter their attention span is.

Tip 1: Be immersed in new cultures

Experiencing a different way of life exposes everyone in the family to other customs, traditions and beliefs. Children gain insights and a new appreciation about the world beyond their own, developing empathy and respect for other people.

My kids were surprised when they saw offerings lining the roads of Bali when we were there for a holiday. Those circular or square containers, crafted from bamboo leaves and filled with flowers and fruit, sparked their curiosity. They were insistent about discovering more, so I whipped out my mobile phone to do some research. 

The gifts are known as Canang Sari and they were being offered to the gods to invite them to the island to safeguard their land. I observed the surprised expressions on my children’s faces, as they had never encountered this before.

Wherever you are, cultural immersion can enhance problem-solving skills, creativity and language abilities. Ask leading questions to find out what your child enjoyed about certain experiences. Perhaps, do sketches of a holiday activity.

Remember to emphasise that these are experiences you do not get at home, to reaffirm how special it is to travel and enjoy cultural moments.

Tip 2: Create photo books

While parents will unabashedly take many photos, especially of their children, kids usually do not have that luxury. Arm your children with cameras of their own – there are a lot of affordable digital cameras available – to snap photos of their own experiences.

After your vacation, these photos should be accessible for them to enjoy and revisit repeatedly. You can choose to print the photos and create a scrapbook with the images, ticket stubs, drawings and other memorabilia from the trip.

Or, create photo books that can be enjoyed by the whole family and visitors to your home.

Encourage your kids to tell your extended family and friends about their vacation with the help of their photo book. This can help build their confidence and storytelling skills too.

Tip 3: Get ready for fact-finding

During each trip, it is important to acknowledge the questions your kids have about any points of interest. Revisit the queries at meal times or while in transit.

It could be as simple as seeking information about the hermit crabs that your children spotted at the beach the day before and responding to their countless questions at breakfast the next day.

The conversation grows meaningful when parents realise that children may be fascinated with something that they themselves might not have noticed. 

Answering their questions on the spur of the moment can be very challenging when you are in the midst of tackling travel issues, but it is still important to acknowledge that they are trying to comprehend the new world around them.

Remember, you are the only person they can turn to among throngs of strangers and amid an unceasing stream of experiences.

Tip 4: Explore a new language

Picking up small language skills, including pleasantries in the native tongue, can help a child create memories. It is an oral and aural experience for a child that he or she will remember for quite a long time.

During my recent trip to Thailand, my kids learnt to greet and thank people in Thai and they have not stopped doing it even after returning to Singapore.

Encouraging children to use even a handful of new foreign phrases will equip them with social skills, and may even serve them well on their future travels and, eventually, in their personal and professional lives.

While languages can be learnt easily through a screen, hearing your child say a few words or string together a sentence in a different language makes parents proud.

Tip 5: Indulge in new cuisines

When families travel, it is fun to savour new dishes with the children. Even if they are not keen to try it, learning that people eat live octopus in another country, for instance, is something that will definitely stay with them.

Of course, there are “friendlier” food items that children might enjoy – desserts, regional delicacies and even dishes familiar to them, but done with a slight twist. Tasting various flavours of the world helps children create new memories.

Tip 6: Send postcards

While snail mail is a forgotten art reserved for bills and official letters these days, children find a lot of joy in mailing and receiving letters.

I used to pick up postcards wherever I went, and would draw or write on them before mailing them to loved ones – and even myself.

A friend once visited Finland and sent postcards home to her kids from “Santa” and the kids were absolutely thrilled.

With a simple act like this, children pick up multiple skills and learn new things – such as how the postal service works, how to write addresses and even surprise a loved one or two with something unexpected in the mail.

There are postcard stations at many attractions. Or you can have the hotel send the cards for you.

Tip 7: Set aside some screen time to encapsulate your trip

“The transition of that video was smooth” – this is a line that avid social media users will know. That is when an activity segues to another without any glitches.

You may not be a content creator, but imagine the fun in planning a cute little transition video where you jump from home and land in your vacation spot.

Younger children will enjoy the finished product while older pre-schoolers are already on these apps. So rather than aimlessly scrolling through videos, they can try their hand at editing photos and videos. 

Screen time may be unavoidable when you travel. So, allowing them to doodle a little on the iPad and to edit videos that they can show off to the extended family may help create memories too.

It is not just about fun and play. It is also about piecing your memories in this digital age. 

* The writer is the head of early learning programmes at Julia Gabriel Education and was trained at Curtin University. She has two young children aged nine and five, and believes that while travelling with kids may be demanding, the memories last a lifetime.