Have you ever caught yourself dreaming about traveling full-time as a family? If so, you’ve probably asked yourself:
What age is best to start traveling full-time with children?
The truth is, there’s no correct answer—every age has unique benefits and challenges. In this guide, I’ll break down the pros and cons of traveling with kids of every age.
If you want to know the benefits of traveling full-time with your kids, check out this blog.
I’m Caitlin, a former pre-k teacher turned digital nomad mom who started a blog as a way to answer the questions we are most commonly asked. For the past three years, my family has built a life on the road. After
Traveling Full-Time with a Baby (0-12 Months)
If traveling with a newborn (under 6 months old) sounds insane, you’re not alone. It takes a special kind of parent to enter the world with their newborn baby!
The first year is a golden sweet spot for full-time family travel. Your entire day revolves around nap schedules, feeds, diaper changes, and figuring out your parenting style. Why not spend your wake windows at the beach, exploring beautiful temples, or eating delicious food?
Pros of Traveling with a Baby:
No Added Costs! Most airlines allow infants to fly as lap babies for free. Hotels, VRBOs, and Homestays do not charge extra for babies (if they sleep in the bedding provided).
Easier than in later stages. Babies can’t walk, talk, or have loud opinions. They also sleep, a lot, which makes road trips and long flights more manageable.
Babies are adaptable. Babies are new to this earth and were created to be adaptable. Digital Nomad babies adjust to new locations, routines, and homes quickly.
Cons of Traveling with a Baby:
You’re exhausted. Travel + newborns make for very grumpy parents. Planning a trip while not sleeping through the night adds stress that no one needs.
Babies (and their parents) need routines. Frequent travel makes it impossible to establish solid routines. Our son did fine with this adaptable routine, but not all babies can.
Baby gear takes up space. While you don’t need everything recommended to you by your Amazon Wishlist, babies do need diapers and bulky accessories.
My favorite baby travel tips:
- Bring a baby carrier! It’s a lifesaver for exploring cobblestoned European city centers, navigating airports handsfree, and nursing on the go.
- Be selfish. Yes, you are traveling with your baby and their needs come first – but when picking where to go, choose for yourself. Your baby doesn’t care where they are. You do.
Here’s my Amazon List of the best Toys, Snacks, and Accessories for Stress-Free Infant Travel
Traveling Full-Time with a Toddler (1-3 Years Old)
Toddler travel means navigating meltdowns and airports simultaneously. It means your child will learn to talk in multiple languages, walk in different climates, and potty train with a squat toilet. It’s an adventure, but what stage of parenting isn’t? (Seriously, tell me it gets easier!)
Traveling with my toddler has often saved my sanity as a mom. Instead of spending hours playing imaginary cafe or McDonald’s, we play imaginary Elephant Sanctuary or protect our fruits from wild monkeys. Toddler travel is a whole new ballgame, and it only gets better from here.
Pros of Traveling with a Toddler:
They interact with the world around them. Toddlers are curious, adventurous creatures. They love new experiences and make every day (and destination) the ultimate adventure.
Young Enough For Travel Benefits. The official cut-off for free flights is 2 years, but toddlers can stay with their parents in most resorts for free.
Flexible and Adaptable. Toddlers don’t go to school and can travel during shoulder season.
Cons of Traveling with a Toddler:
Tantrums. Toddlers are big bundles of emotions in tiny packages. Unable to properly regulate themselves, tantrums and meltdowns will happen.
Short attention spans. Toddlers can pay attention to short movies, play easy games, and sit still longer than babies, but they aren’t capable of watching a full movie on a flight.
Picky Eaters. Most children go through picky eating between 20 and 36 months of age. This can be tricky when traveling, as favorite foods suddenly become hard to find.
My Best Toddler Travel Tips:
- Pack snacks. Then, pack more snacks. Then, buy more snacks at the airport, bus stations, or wherever to stave of a hungry toddler attack.
- Don’t bring tons of toys. We travel with a small bag of Schleich animals, Takara Tomy Cars, and crayons. We trade toys with local kids in each new country to keep things fresh.
Here’s my Amazon List of the best Toys, Snacks, and Accessories for Stress-Free Toddler Travel
Traveling Full-Time with Preschoolers (3-5 Years Old)
As a former preschool teacher, I’ve taken pre-schoolers around cities, parks, and the woods solo, but I’ve never traveled with my preschooler. That being said, preschoolers are my absolute favorite age group to work with. These kids are fully immersed in the magic of childhood. Their minds work overtime as they learn about the world and soak up new experiences.
Pros of Traveling with Preschoolers:
They’re independent(ish). No more diapers, capable of walking, and independent play! Preschooler’s longer attention spans means they can watch movies on planes – perfect for long flights.
Preschoolers are eager to learn. Kids at this age happily soak up new cultures, languages, and experiences.
No school schedules to avoid. You can continue traveling without worrying about traditional school schedules.
Cons of Traveling With Preschoolers:
They’re still little. Even though preschoolers are potty-trained, able to play self-sufficiently, and curious, they still need help navigating big emotions and overtiredness.
Developing kids are developing their opinions. Preschooler’s advanced memories and loud opinions make planning trips around child-friendly destinations necessary.
Travel planning becomes kid-centric. Preschoolers need more kid-friendly destinations than their younger selves. It’s time to find a resort with a playground!
My Best Preschool Travel Tip:
- Incorporate kid-friendly activities into your travel plans. Alternating more adult activities like museums and hikes with kid-friendly alternatives makes everyone happy.
- Pre-schoolers are more capable than we think. Involve your children in the trip planning (within reason) to encourage their confidence and cooperation!
Traveling Full-Time with School-Age Kids (6-12 Years)
If I had to choose an age at which I felt full-time travel was the most beneficial for families, this would be it. School-aged children are capable of remembering their travels and are self-sufficient enough to play in hotels and make new friends in exotic locations.
In our society, school-aged kids risk losing their curiosity, energy, and love of life. As a gifted educationalist, I worked with children as their preschool teacher until their 12th birthday. Without exception, by the time they turn 13, most kids are disinterested in learning and hard to motivate.
Pros of Traveling with School-Aged Children:
They’re capable of remembering your travels. Unlike babies and toddlers, school-aged kids will remember their trips with you. Your travels are now core memories!
Self-sufficient kids can entertain themselves. Older kids can pack their toys, carry their own backpacks, and go to the bathroom. Flying is now a breeze!
Travel days become easier. Travel never becomes easy but older kids are capable of sitting still, waiting on meals, and watching movies during long-haul flights. Sounds easy to me!
Cons of Traveling With A School-Aged Kid:
School is important. School schedules can severely impact your travel freedom, depending on where you live and how you choose to educate your children.
Bigger kids = more expensive travel. Flights, food, and activities are no longer free for your little ones. It’s time for them to get a job?
Friendships are hard to maintain. As a full-time traveling family, maintaining long-term friendships feels impossible. Older kids need a solid group of friends to help them.
My Best School Kid Travel Tip:
- It’s time to buddy up! Try finding traveling communities, co-living hubs, or worldschooling hubs to find long-term travel friends for your kids – and you!
- Get the family involved. When traveling to a new country, encourage your kids to learn basic phrases and local customs and research an activity they’d like.
Traveling Full-Time with Teenagers (13+ Years Old)
I have no experience traveling with teens, but I can’t wait for my little one to reach that stage of independence. I have been carefully cultivating a list of trips and destinations I’d love to visit, but that are too challenging, dangerous, or uncomfortable for my family right now.
Having a teen doesn’t mean you can’t travel full-time, but it does mean including your teenager in family conversations about long-term travel, your hopes, and the impact travel can have on your teen’s aspirations. In addition to having loud opinions and strong appetites, teenagers are under a lot of pressure to decide their future. College, apprenticeships, university—it’s all up for grabs. As parents, we have to combine our love of adventure with our teen’s aspirations.
Pros of Traveling with Teenagers:
Teach Your Teen Real Life Skills. Get your teen involved in planning a trip – booking flights, picking out a house, or filing visa paperwork for real-life skills.
More adventurous trips are possible. Now that you’re officially out of the baby phase, your family can start going on some truly bucket-list adventures. Kilimanjaro, anyone?
Flexible schooling options. Teens are more self-sufficient than younger kids, and a nontraditional school setting no longer means Mom and Dad have to teach.
Cons of Traveling with Teenagers:
Teenagers need a peer group. Teens may not want to travel with their families, but they also need a group of friends. It’s vital for their emotional and social development.
Negative Impacts Their Future/Goals. Teen academics are far more critical for your child’s future than early education. College is just around the corner.
Bigger kids need a bigger budget. Teenagers are costly! They pay full price for resorts, airline tickets, and activities. Private school fees are no joke either!
My Best Teenager Travel Tip:
- Let them be! You can use your teen’s independence to your advantage. If they don’t want to join you on a trek, leave them at home (or in the hotel!)
- Family Gap Year. Instead of taking unlimited time off, choose a country (or continent) to explore intensely for a year, giving your teen the ability to travel and graduate.
So, What’s the Best Age to Start Full-Time Travel?
The truthe is there is no perfect age to travel with your kids. Each stage of childhood and parenting comes with its own joys, unique experiences, and challenges.
There will be a perfect age for your family – the age your children are when you choose to travel!
- Infants (0-12 months): Easy and cheap to transport. No mood swings or loud opinions.
- Preschoolers (3-5 years old): No strict schedule and love spending time together.
- School-age kids (6-12 years old): Will remember your experiences and enjoy traveling.
- Teenagers (13+): Are self-sufficient and capapble of more adventurous trips.
The best age to start traveling full-time as a family is personal. It depends on your family’s comfort level, lifestyle, personal, financial, and academic goals. No matter when you start, the key is to embrace the adventure, stay patient, and create incredible memories together as a family.
👇When is the best age to start traveling full-time with kids? Drop a comment below, and let’s discuss!
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