"When we travel, my child seems more vibrant than usual."
Have you ever felt that way? ✈️
Actually, "traveling" with children has a great power to foster thinking skills and initiative. Recently, the concept of "tabiiku" (travel education), which involves learning through travel, has been gaining attention.
So, why does travel nurture children's thinking skills?
What is Tabiiku?
"Tabiiku" refers to initiatives that nurture children's hearts, humanity, and thinking skills through travel experiences.
Today, most things you want to know can be instantly looked up on the internet.
However, actually going to a place, seeing it, touching it, and experiencing it offers learning that cannot be gained from a screen.
When traveling, there are many "thinking moments" such as:
・Deciding where to go
・Deciding how to get there
・Dealing with situations that don't go as planned
This accumulation of experiences naturally nurtures children's thinking skills. 🌱
5 Tips for Enjoying Tabiiku
① Plan together
First, let's plan the trip together as a family.
Even with small children,
"Do you prefer the beach or the mountains?"
"Do you want to go to the zoo?"
Even just having conversations like these is a valuable learning experience.
As they get older,
・Looking at maps
・Researching places to visit
・Creating a travel guide
Activities like these are also recommended.
The experience of "choosing," "deciding," and "thinking" will foster their thinking skills. 📍
② Praise them often
When traveling, children tend to challenge themselves more than usual.
・They ate food they didn't like.
・They walked in an unfamiliar place.
・They carried luggage for us.
If you notice such small growth, be sure to express it in words.
"That's amazing!"
"You really helped, thank you."
Being praised and thanked boosts children's confidence.
It also nurtures their desire to think for themselves and act. 😊
③ Create separate time for parents and children
It's also a good idea to create some time for parents and children to spend apart during the trip.
For example,
・Hotel activity events
・Campsite workshops
・Nature experience programs
Try letting your child participate in activities they can do on their own.
Interacting with unfamiliar people and experiencing new environments builds great confidence.
The experience of "I did it by myself" leads to new challenges. 🌟
④ Have authentic experiences
When traveling, be mindful of having "authentic" experiences.
・Historical buildings and ruins
・Art museums and museums
・Natural landscapes and living creatures
Experiences of actually seeing and touching create deep, lasting memories that engage all five senses.
Such experiences also lead to future learning.
When learning history or science in school, having the experience of "I've seen that" helps with understanding. 📚
⑤ "Presentation Time" after the trip
After the trip, be sure to take some time for reflection.
・What was fun
・What was surprising
・What they want to do next time
Even just discussing these with your child or drawing pictures is enough.
For slightly older children,
・Organizing photos
・Creating a presentation sheet
・Explaining it to the family
You could also make it a "presentation time."
Reflecting helps them organize their experiences and further develops their thinking skills. ✨
Summary
To summarize the key points of tabiiku:
・Plan together
・Praise often
・Create separate time for parents and children
・Experience authentic things
・Reflect after the trip
Just being aware of these five points can transform a family trip into a learning experience.
No special preparations are needed.
First, try "being a little conscious" of these things on your next holiday.
Along with enjoyable memories, your child's thinking skills will also grow. 🌈