Children's Books and other ideas to help kids love travel

October 7, 1:03 AMSacramento Budget Travel ExaminerJeremy Branham

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How exciting fish can be to a child seeing them for the first time!

For any parent that loves to travel, they want to pass on this passion to their kids.  We want to help them love the places we do and encourage them to embark on their own magical adventures.  We can take big vacations, family road trips, weekend adventures, and camping trips.  But how do we get our kids to want to travel as well?

I have to admit I am really new to this.  My son is really young and the trips I have taken have been family visits and a couple of mini-vacations to Tahoe.  On our recent trip, I saw the ordinary as extraordinary as I got to see my son go to the beach and play in the water, build sand castles, go on his first hike, and see fish for the first time.  It's different seeing the same experiences in life that we often take for granted through the eyes of someone experiencing these things for the first time.  It reminds me of my first taste of travel and my first trip to Europe.  It was all so new, exciting, and addicting at the same time.  My son is young and won't remember his first hike or trip to the beach.  And although I will remember these things, I want him to be just as excited about traveling and seeing things as I was observing him and going on my own adventures.

What are some creative ways to interest kids in local, national, and international travel?  A map?  Adventurous movies?  Travel shows?  Playing outside?  What's the best way to get a child so excited about the things we love?

According to one person, books can inspire kids to travel through creative and imaginative stories about many wonderful places.  Take a look at one list of 10 books to give your child a taste of adventure (10 Children's Books That Inspire Wanderlust):

• Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Peterson
• From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L Konigsburg
• James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
• Jumanji by Van Allsburg
• Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans
• Meet Kirsten by Janet Beeler Shaw
• Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
• The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner
• The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
• Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

What books have you read to your kids that have inspired them?  What experiences have you shared that peaked their interest in the world around them?  What stories can you share about how you inspired your kids to want to take trips?  As someone who loves to travel, is a relatively new father, and has another child on the way, I would love to hear your ideas.

Check out my other articles on Sacramento Budget Travel Examiner where you can see my thoughts on packing light, reviews of airfare web sites, great Fall trips in northern California, and other ideas.  You comments, ideas, and feedback are always welcomed!