Sometimes travel can be a scary thing for some people. I never traveled outside of my state as a kid because my mother didn’t drive and was mortified of air travel. Mel Robbins also shares the story of her fear of flying and what she did to overcome it.
So, I want to help you break through any fears you may have about traveling. Let’s push past those mental blocks so you can reap alllll the benefits of traveling with your family worldwide!
Don’t have time to read? Grab the travel affirmations printable FREE below (& a FREE journal)
I am ready for new experiences while I travel.
I am ready and excited for the new experiences coming our way. I am eager to find opportunities in any mishaps, delays or troubles that may arise.
My life is an open channel to new experiences on my trips. I am ready to embrace new ideas and challenges while I travel.
I will see new things, new perspectives, and traditions. I am willing to embrace everything with an open mind.
I remain open to new possibilities in my world.
I will actively look for new opportunities and keep an open mind.
My vacation is a wonderful opportunity to experience new adventures. Each day provides exciting new prospects and I avoid letting fear or anxiety stop my pursuit.
I get to choose and decide HOW I will feel about every experience. I am in control.
New experiences are always within my reach while I travel, as long as I allow myself to try new things.
Nothing is off the list. Everything is possible for me.
My choices affect what I experience, so I am careful about my decisions.
I will make wise and sound decisions.
I can balance new ideas with my old beliefs during a vacation.
Different cultures and languages provide valuable lessons about the world around me. I am enriched with this new knowledge.
I will return from my travels with a deep appreciation for others.
I appreciate the different lifestyles I encounter while on vacation. I make new friends. I pick up new tips and advice. And I learn from their cultural backgrounds and histories.
I have the capability to embrace diversity.
My travels help me appreciate my life at home too. I am grateful for my family, friends, and coworkers who are part of my normal routine.
I will continue to express gratitude to myself and everyone and every experience I have.
Today, I am excited to be planning my next travel adventure! I am ready for new experiences.
London is one of my favorite cities and undeniably in the top five. I’ve been lucky enough to live in London for several years, and I’ll share everything you need to know, which bucket list items are family-friendly & which ones are worth visiting. In this nearly exhaustive guide, I’ll share a ton of hidden gems, kid-friendly cafes, bucket list big hitters, and more!
A Look At London Throughout The Seasons
Winter: Albeit, This is my least favorite season if I’m honest. However, I LOVE the feeling Christmas brings. The streets will be twinkling with lights, shops, and public spaces transformed with decorations and all the sparkles, glitter, and warm hugs. You and your family can skate in an ice rink or stay indoors and see a ballet. And for my compulsive spenders- you’ll find ALL the sales! haha
There is a downside, though: Traffic and transportation. These things tend to come to a halt, and the little snow you may see will be covered, or should i say, wiped away by rain. And more rain.
If your kids can’t get enough of Santa- there will be a ton of opportunities to find him in many of the shopping centres and toy stores like Harrods, Selfridges, or Hamleys.
On the 1st Thursday of December, you can watch the- Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony to switch on 500 lights that will decorate the large spruce tree in Trafalgar Square. The event begins typically at 6 pm with caroling a the views are up at 6:30 pm. Now Christmas Day is quiet in London, but an enormous NEW year Eve Celebration follows that with fireworks at the London eye! This is followed by their New years day parade. In late January/early February, you’ll find Chinatown filled with noise and color as a massive celebration with dragons, lanterns, torches, firecrackers, and more celebrates Chinese new year.
Santas Grottos
Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony
London International Horse Show
New Years Eve
London Ice Sculpting Festival
Chinese New Year
Spring: This is my favorite time in London. I love seeing all the flowers blossoming. However, be prepared for temperamental weather. You’ll want to pack warm clothes and waterproof clothing because it tends to be chilly and wet. And after the month of March, you’ll find plenty of activities for the kids. During easter, Battersea park zoo holds an easter egg hunt. In May, there are festivals in Covent garden and garden shows at Chelsea Flower Show.
Oranges and Lemon Service
Easter Egg Hunts
London Friday Night Skate and Sunday Stroll
Canalway Cavalcade
Punch and Judy Festival
The Covent Garden May Fayre and Puppet Festival
Chelsea Flower Show
Summer: Summer is lovely in London as well. (but still, be prepared as the weather in London truly is never reliable. You’ll find loads of people picnicking in the park and longs sunny days. Cafes and restaurants move their tables outside, and it’s merely divine as the city begins to feel almost like the Mediterranean. Almost.
Royal Academy Summer Exhibition
City of London Festival
Regent Parks Oper Air Theatre
London Green Fair
Spitalfields Festival
Greenwich and Docklands International Festival Notting Hill Carnival
Fall: Autumn is another ideal time to visit London, as you’ll find it less crowded. Shops restock, and the days are still pleasant.
Mayor Thames Festival (Sundays night festival)
Great River Race
Pearly Kings and Queens Harvest Festival
October Plenty
Regent Street Christmas Lights
Winter Wonderland (Hyde Park)
London to Brighton Veteran Car Run
Ceremonial Events To See
Trooping The Color: honors the official Queens birthday
Changing The Guard: literally the changing of the guard lol
State Opening of Parliament: The queen announces a program of proposed legislation on behalf of the government. (this is closed to the public; however, is televised for your viewing)
Remembrance Day: Nation commemorates those who died in world wars & recent conflicts
Gun Salutes: marking of royal occasions
The Ceremony of The Keys: The ceremony of securing the Tower of London
Lord Mayor’s Show: Procession for the newly elected major to pledge allegiance to the Crown
Oak Apple Day: Commemorates the lucky escape of the future Charles II
Beating Retreat: Bands of the household division perform a ceremony
Travel To London
Air: the five airports that serve London are:
Heathrow
Gatwick
Stanstead
Luton
London City
The first two are the closest and BEST options for arriving in the city (with the most effortless transfers). However, the others will likely yield cheaper flight tickets because of their proximity to London (they’re nearly outside London.)
Train: Eurostar
St Pancreas International
Liverpool Street
Kings Cross
Euston
Paddington
Waterloo
Charing Cross
Victoria
Coach: Eurolines
Traveling Around London
Bus: Bus is most likely the best and most affordable option. Be sure to plan your journey first so you can take advantage of their Hopper fare (which lets you ride any bus and another bus after that within the hour free) Children under the age of 11 are FREE!
Train, Underground, Rail: Another good option but slightly costlier than the bus route. Download an underground map of London before your travel, understand and figure out which “zones” you’ll be traveling in (it’s an easy pinky promise), then you can calculate ticket costs.
Taxi: This be the most expensive option for sure but if you’re all strapped for time, don’t want to be around people or just prefer a car ride- stay safe by using Uber (cheapest option), London black cabs or proper taxi service (you can Google them and read reviews)
Car: If you don’t already have a car, renting one is undoubtedly an option. Be mindful though, in London, the vehicles operate on the other side (left) of the road. I’ve heard and seen several Americans STRUGGLE with this, so be careful. (There’s also many many little rules that you’ll need to be aware of.
River: Services for the river are operated by TFL’S river bus. (There are four lines between Putney and Woolwich Arsenal but have season schedule changes, see their website for more information)
Bicycle: I LOVE that London has bikes all over the city. All you need is a helmet and a phone. (You’ll use your phone to find the nearest bicycle location and to pay by the hour)
Walking: This is the best and preferred method if you intend on touring small, close, nearby areas.
Staying Safe in London
Passport & Government: I’m assuming you’ve done this already, but in case you haven’t, be sure you’ve crossed your T and dotted your I’s. Verify dates on all documents! (Remember most documents need at least a future of 6 months until expiration)
Insurance: A matter of personal preference here, but I recommend you have coverage for your trips and expensive items as anything can happen. Better safe than sorry.
Health: To my understanding, in the event of an emergency, foreigners will always receive care. (These legalities are continually changing at the moment with Brexit) But, i advise travelers to take out comprehensive travel insurance in case of any health hiccups. In the event of an emergency, dial 999 (however 911 will work). If there isn’t an emergency, you can always consult a pharmacist first (that’s the standard procedure anyhow) and then see a GP if they recommend it.
Personal Safety: Just like anywhere in the world, make sure you stay aware of your surroundings. In crowded areas, thieves will most likely be present, so be sure to carry a handbag that completely closes and seals up and keep it close. Never carry valuables and large amounts of money. Walk along with well-lit areas. Never leave a bag unattended in a public place, especially public transportation. It may be treated as a suspect package and trigger a security alert. London’s motto: “See it, say it, sorted.” Also, prepare yourself and your family for walking safely on roads, etc. as they drive on the left side of the way.
Money: The UK uses GBP (pounds & pence, instead of dollars & cents) Currency exchange rates can be tedious and a rip- off in some cases, so my best suggestion is to use your American credit cards.
Communicate: The UK country code is +44 (as ours is +1), and for London, the area code is 020. I know many Americans continue to use their own service abroad, and you can do that (I’ll say this is helpful when you need to call your credit card company…you won’t be flagged as a fraud because you aren’t calling from a different number). But I always suggest if you want to save money, use my budget strategy, and opt for a temporary month to month plan with any of the UK’s top mobile providers. In order of preference (due to price, customer service, and connection) is EE, Three, O2, Vodaphone.
If you are staying with friends or family or an Airbnb, you can have one shipped free to your destination. (ask your hotel if they will allow this) Then, you’ll “top-up” when you arrive. Wifi is available FREE almost everywhere, from restaurants to cafes, libraries, and hotels. So you can stretch and save your data even more.
Visiter Information: The main tourist information center is- the City of London Information Centre. However, there are visitor centers in nearly every railway station.
Packing: Because London is a major city, there isn’t any worry if you forget something. You’ll be able to find anything you could need & if you need things in a hurry, Amazon UK to the rescue. (You can sign up for a FREE 30-day trial and use your foreign credit cards as well.)
Exploring London & Greater London
Favorite Parks & Playgrounds
London is full of hidden gems. Here’s a list of places for you and your little ones to play, picnic, and enjoy nature. As a family, there’s no doubt we’ll be spending a load of time pushing swings, running around, kicking a ball, or any other thrilling activity!
Coram’s Fields: London’s very first children’s public playground. Located in the West end right in the center of London. There’s a zip line, a giant sandpit paddling pool open place space small city farm and cafe alongside it.
Crystal Palace Park: Here, you’ll find sculptures of prehistoric creatures and a beautiful lake.
Victoria Park: This is one of my favorite parks as it has a boating lake, playground, rope nests, skate park, and water area, and a lakeside bakery.
Kew Gardens: This park, while not free, easily justifies the cost. It has beautiful botanical gardens. It’s free entry for children under four and a fantastic membership offer. At 300 acres, it’s filled with climbers and an indoor play area, along with a treetop walkway.
Battersea Park: spark holds small boating because of a small zoo and an adventure playground and is a frequent destination.
Diana, Princess of Wales Playground: one of our favorite parks we frequent. It’s a child-friendly park paying tribute to the late Princess of Wales and is filled with a Neverland theme for children under 12 years old. There are ten slide climbing nets and a substantial boating play area filled with sand around it. You’ll find teepee, treehouse, sea monster, water play, treasure chest, and other sensory items hiding around. It’s also designed for children with special needs and is inaccessible to unaccompanied adults.
Richmond Park: This is a huge, huge park with woods that are home to a variety of plants, birds, and animals, including deer that roam freely. You also find horse riding nearby.
Hobbledown: This park’s here is a similar theme to the Chessington world of adventures! It’s filled with mazes tunnels exotic animals giant bouncing pillows and more. It has a modest entry fee, all targeted for younger children. (Under 10)
Brockwell Park: This park is approximately 125 acres of space. It has a paddling pool duck pond, a tea room, and a beautiful community greenhouse. There’s lots of green space, and it isn’t particularly fun for little ones as there aren’t many distractions, just lots of open space. Between April and October, there is a miniature railway that offers short rides that are always ahead with preschoolers. Also, you’ll find the Lambeth country Fair that’s a lively mix of reggae, farm animals, vegetable sculptures, and local cider.
Alexandra Park: we have so many paper parks in London, and this is no exception. This park is filled with swan and dragon-themed boats on a lake, large lush green space pitch and putt golf, dream climbing skate park soft play area, and in an indoor year-round ice rink.
Sky Garden: although free tickets must be booked online in advance. This innovative public oasis is child-friendly, a fascinating space with planters of eucalyptus sage and huge palm trees. You’ll find hidden benches, a restaurant and cafe, and gorgeous panoramas of the ever-changing cityscape. No food and drink prices are sky-high.
Dulwich Park: This park has tucked into which village It’s a semi-rural area of Southeast London. You’ll find a busy playground, pack cafe, boating lake, and sports pitches. It’s a real crowd-pleaser. What makes us one unique is it donut-like shape to the full traffic-free orbital path that is a favorite among local runners as well as cyclists.
Ruislip Lido: This park is the whole the beautiful freshwater lake alongside imported sand that gives you a very beachy feel. Do note that the shallow water and grimy silt underfoot doesn’t allow for proper swimming. And surrounded by a dense forest and has all the sunny day treats and like playground and gastropub and a splash park. You can also ride the Ruislip Lido Railway. This is a volunteer-run service of manager diesel and locomotive train.
Museums & Galleries
Horniman Museum & Gardens: This museum is relatively small, but it packs a punch in the number of fantastic activities available for young children. As long for the earth stuff walrus that stands in the main hall. It has an extensive gardens 1300 musical instruments taxidermy working beehive a farm right next door and an aquarium in the basement. Honestly calling this place, a museum does it a disservice.
London Transport Museum: this is one of London’s most famous museums. Here you’ll find vintage buses and more with an all aboard play zone and theme. There are tube driving simulations pre-war exhibits to keep to entertain the older children and more to appeal tiny train enthusiasts.
National Maritime Museum: Head on over to the AHOY! Gallery FREE, where you’ll find a play space with stacking blocks or pretend fish market and the ton other miniature delights. That’s perfect for preschoolers. You also find a top floor located to all their children filled with an exhibit that gives the kids a gruesome rat filled guide to life below the deck (dock-themed). On the ground floor, there’s a cafe with a “Great Map” that helps keep the kids entertained if you need a rest!
Museum of London: This museum beings all of London prehistory to life! It’s thoughtfully interactive, with a smidge of spookiness with it’s a dark theme.
Science Museum: Miss Museum is perfect for both young and older children. On the ground floor, you’ll find a garden area that introduces the world of science and with water play like games and pipes that carry sound. And you can also find the natural history museum next door both free and donations appreciated. And the outdoors will usually be filled with treat performers, and it’s sure to be a mind-expanding day out.
V&A Museum of Childhood: here, you’ll find tons of antique toys and a museum-like setup. I bustling central cafe and full gift shop. There are two floors of informative hands-on attractions and play spaces filled with a beach-themed indoor sand pet and building block area to an old-fashioned chin and a pair of famous rocking horses. You’ll also find a sensory area for younger ones and temporary exhibitions with memorable characters.
The Cartoon Museum: Museum is not too far from the British Museum, and here you’ll find I catching cut-outs of giant characters drawing materials and a plethora of comics.
Luxury Days Out
Sea Life London Aquarium
Madame Tussauds
London Zoo
Legoland & Windsor Resort
Buckingham Palace
Outdoor Adventures
London Wetland Centre
Hackney City Farm
Battersea Park Children’s Zoo
Richmond Park
Woodberry Wetlands
Activities For Teens in London
Jurassic Encounter Adventure Golf
Oxygen-Free Jumping
Capital Karts
All-Star Lanes
Lee Valley White Water Centre
Go Ape
Street Art London tour
Indoor Activities: Escaping the rain doesn’t have to be challenging!
The Idol
Discover Story Centre
Little Angel Theatre
Polka Theatre
V&A Make it Workshops
Greenwich Observatory & Planetarium
Kidzania At Westfield
Pottery Cafe
Southbank Centre
Artsdepot
The Bees Knees at Battersea Arts Centre
Dining: Where to Eat
The best way to eat on a budget is to veer away from the high streets, main roads, and touristy areas. The most budget-friendly idea is to have a family picnic at any of the parks listed on this page. But, if the weather isn’t permitting, finding local cafes, chain stores, and ethnic restaurants are the best way to get a bang for your buck.
Cuisine By Culture: If you’re ready to venture off into authentic cuisine, see some of the suggestions below.
British: I’m going to be honest out here and just say it. I don’t find British food delicious. It tends to be tasteless. Coming from a Latina background that prides on seasoning food well, I find that the Brits fall short of this. But if you insist on trying some native dishes, I’d go for fish and chips or your standard English breakfast, which is surprisingly good, but that’s probably due to the bacon lol, however, stay away from the black pudding. It’s revolting. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!
North American: all right guys, I would hope that you wouldn’t be the typical Americans searching for American food or in the land, but if you are hard Rock Cafe won’t disappoint. You can also consider the child-friendly Chicago rib shack in Knightsbridge. Or any of the chain restaurants listed below.
Spanish: yeah yeah! What I love about Spanish restaurants are, of course, the tapas, but they are very sensitive to families and almost all Spanish restaurants or child-friendly with kid menus filled with an informal and relaxing.
Italian: when you think Italian, most people think pizza, but it goes well beyond that, and there are many pizzerias restaurants and trattorias within London that are sure to please.
Greek & Turkish: their food is similar to the Middle East with Greek specializing in stocky, which is delicious. I spent years living in Greece, and I can say that there isn’t much that the Greeks make that isn’t worth trying. Restaurants worth visiting are the real Greeks and The Athenian in Victoria.
Chinese: If you’re craving Chinese food, the most obvious place in Chinatown in the West end. But there are many other areas, of course, they cater to this cuisine. We love Chinese food because it’s perfect for kids with choices of rice noodle dumplings spring rolls and many choices later to both meet and non-meat-eaters.
Indian: Indian Curry’s are a heavy favorite in the UK, including London. Take caution though that Indian food tends to be very, very spicy, so if you do visit or an Indian restaurant, be sure to request the children have little to no spice or request gentler versions.
Thai: Thai food is delicious with many restaurants in Kensington and Fulham area. Do note though that some of the food is also spicy. Be sure to ask the waiter first about each dish. It’s often inspired by Chinese cuisine. If anyone in the family has peanut allergies avoid avoid avoid.
Malaysian & Indonesian: If your family and children have adventurous palates, then go ahead and head to the center of London and visit Penang and Bali Bali, which serve meals from both countries. But they don’t have children menus, so be sure to keep that in mind when ordering or ask for children portions (which they will be happy to assist with). Again like the Thai Indian and Chinese cuisine, peanuts are frequently used, so be sure to remind the waiter and the restaurant of this if there are any peanut allergies at all.
French: you’ll find quite a bit of French restaurants in the UK in London serving high-grade food. So if you’re looking for more fancy expensive posh experience, go with the French.
London Chain Restaurants
If you’re anything like me, sometimes I just want to add a chain restaurant. While I love exploring and tasting cultural foods based on location as there’s nothing like eating authentic meals… As a multiracial family, there are times when I just don’t have the mental capacity to risk whether or not the issues will develop unfortunately this is the reality and something we’ve dealt with many times over and so when I just want to have a good time and eat and go with the place I know I can bank on I tend to resort to chain restaurants here are a few of our favorites.
Franco manca: As you can guess from the name, this is an Italian restaurant that serves solely sourdough pizzas, and they don’t compromise on quality. The food is delicious and reasonably priced.
Wahaca: A fun restaurant that’s Mexican inspired with tasty food.
Byron: A delicious and someone posh restaurant that serves hamburgers of all types vegan and vegetarian-friendly and can friendly as well.
Giraffe: One of our favorite places this restaurant resembles Applebee’s in America with a darker themed lighting, loud music, and constant chatter. Kid-friendly and global tasty menu.
Nando’s: delicious menu but do know it’s spicy kid-friendly with each location looking a bit different but filled with wooden tables family style.
Wagamama: Asian inspired their menus filled with yummy food s of all kinds and kid-friendly but always noisy. Do note when you order from this place. You will never get all of your food at one time. They bring your food as it is prepared and ready.
Rainforest Cafe: This is a global chain with some locations in the US as well. It’s a wildlife-themed restaurant that is overpriced but sure to please (The kids anyway.)
Bills: This restaurant serves breakfast all day long and also lunch and dinner as well as mid-range price and typically excellent service.
Ping pong: This chain restaurant serves dumplings and Asian and dishes mostly in soup form.
London By Area: The Best Of…
West End: Westminster
Bucket List:
National Gallery
Trafalgar Square
National Portrait Gallery
Benjamin Franklin house
Leicester Square
Piccadilly Circus
Hamleys
Covent Garden
Bucket list:
St Paul’s Church
Royal Opera House
Theatre Royal Drury Lane
London Transport Museum
Somerset House
Hunterian Museum
Key sights in Covent Garden:
Apple Store: This is the world’s LARGEST Apple store! Nuts!
Jubilee Market: In the south piazza, this area is full of passageways packed with stalls selling homemade trinkets, T-shirts, and the like.
Street Shows: You find singers, dancers, magic, and performers extraordinaire.
Royal Opera House
London Transport Museum: We love this one, and the cool thing here is when you purchase a ticket, it’s valid for one whole year!
St Paul’s Church
Bloomsbury & Regents Park
Bucket List:
British museum
Coram’s Fields
ZSL London Zoo
Camden Market
East End: The City
Bucket List:
The Monument
Tower of London
St Paul’s Cathedral
Bank of England Museum
Southbank: Southwark
Bucket List:
the Golden Hinde
Borough Market
Imperial War Museum
River Thames RIB tour
Kensington, Chelsea & Battersea
Bucket List:
Science Museum
Battersea Park
Kensington Palace
Natural History Museum
Victoria & Albert Museum
Harrods
Beyond The City Centre
Bucket List:
Kew Gardens
Wembley Stadium
V&A Museum of Childhood
Horniman Museum
Royal Observatory
Where To Stay
Hotels
Bed and breakfast
Self-cater
Airbnb
Retail Therapy: Shopping in London
Bucket list:
Selfridges
John Lewis
Topshop
Marks and Spencer
Debenhams
Nike
Paperchase
Waterstones
Tk Maxx
Russell and Bromley
Disney Store
Mothercare
Early Learning Centre
Jojo Maman Bebé
& Of course, the standards like gap, h&m, Hollister, Victoria’s secret Levi, etc.
And MORE!
London On A Budget:
Surprisingly, almost all of London’s significant permanent collections of museums and galleries are free. In addition to this, many offer FREE or budget tours, workshops, etc. The ones that don’t offer many discounts for families.
The best way to tour the city is on foot. Hands down. London is completely fascinating and utterly entrancing. Walking around is like a living walk-through museum. The architecture is just that phenomenal, especially when you compare it to the USA.
If you arent keen on walking during your entire vacation, traveling by bus is the next best option. It’s relatively cheap (much cheaper than a taxi anyway), and you get to see beautiful sights from up high. This is a great way to grab a “bus tour” around the city.
If you’re interested in the best bus journies that’ll give you the best sights around the city: Visit The Transport For London website here. (I’ve saved you the trouble and given you a direct link to the suggested routes page)
Free Entertainment: (Or By Donation)
Public libraries
Vauxhall City Farm
Mudchute
Covent Garden: You can guarantee you’ll have hours of entertainment to watch via the street performers
Budget-Friendly:
Theatre tickets: Visit the “tkts booth” at Leicester Square
Or: discounttheatre.com, Lastminute.com
Baby Changing Facilities Around London
Most restaurants have baby changing facilities available. However, it never hurts to call and be sure. Starbucks almost always has a changing table available, and if worst comes to worst- find your nearest clothing store, bring your baby and stroller (called pram or buggy in London) and use the disabled changing rooms as a last resort. These changing rooms always have some sort of chair, table, etc. If not, that’s what diaper changing pads are for ????????♀️ (be sure to wash it when you return home!)
Homeschooling: Teaching The History of London When You Visit
London is a city with a rich history. They have impressive architecture, lush parks, and world-class museums. It’s a treasure trove for visitors, especially homeschooling families.
Growth mindset has been the talk of the decade. I’m not one to follow trends but, this one is worth it! As parents, it’s our responsibility to create an environment where a growth mindset can flourish.
So, What Is Growth Mindset?
A “growth mindset,” as Carol Dweck coined the phrase, is the belief that you can grow your mind. In her book- Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, she explains that while a “fixed mindset” assumes that our character, intelligence, and creative ability are static givens that can’t be changed. A growth mindset, however, thrives on challenge and sees failure “not as evidence of unintelligence but as a heartening springboard for growth and for stretching our existing abilities.“
“Believing that your qualities are carved in stone creates an urgency to prove yourself over and over. If you have only a certain amount of intelligence, a certain personality, and a certain moral character, well then you’d better prove that you have a healthy dose of them. It simply wouldn’t do to look or feel deficient in these most basic characteristics.“
Dweck believes a fixed mindset can negatively impact all aspects of your life. When you start viewing things as changeable, you can see the situation in a clearer picture.
A growth mindset is based on the belief that your basic qualities are things you can cultivate through your efforts.
Although people may differ in their initial talents and aptitudes, interests, or temperaments, and personalities, adults, children, including your students CAN change and GROW through application and experience. When you change your perspective, you can change what you strive for your view of success. Changing your definition of failure allows you to grow further. In this mindset, the hand you’re dealt is just the starting point for development.
Differences Between a Growth Vs Fixed Mindset
Here’s a list of traits for each type of mindset:
A Fixed Mindset Says:
I like my work to be easy
I don’t like to take on a challenge
I want people to praise me for how clever I am
I believe I cannot change how smart I am
I don’t like to try new things because I won’t be very good at it
I give up easily
A Growth Mindset (Positive Mindset) Says:
I never give up
I like my work to be difficult – it means I am learning
I love challenges
I want people to praise me for the effort I put into my work
I believe I can get more intelligent by working hard
I feel clever when I’m learning something new
I learn from my mistakes
Simple Ways To Support Your Child’s or Student’s Growth Mindset
Ask open-ended questions when solving a problem
What do you think will happen if…
Why do you suppose…
These questions build a child’s critical thinking skills and lead to those enriching “lightbulb” moments.
Give specific feedback on what the child accomplishes
Moms (and most parents) love to use phrases like “you’re brilliant”, “you made that look so easy”, “you’re so clever” but praise like this doesn’t tell your child what they have done well. Comments like these just reinforce a fixed mindset in your child. Instead, use praises that target a specific action they’ve done like- “you sounded that word out really carefully and used your phonics – well done” or “I like how you kept going at swimming and tried to get all the way to the other side.”
Encourage kids to take risks (healthy ones of course)
Watch and listen to your child so you can take cues about what else they are ready to tackle. Vygotsky calls this the “zone of proximal development”. It’s when we gently nudge children to use what they know, to try something new (just a bit out of their reach, but developmentally appropriate.) By offering small but achievable challenges, they become more confident and persistent. Its one of the best ways to increase their self-esteem!
Be persistent and growth-orientated yourself
Try and narrate your thoughts or situations out-loud when you try something new or frustrating. This will give your child a chance to see you work through hard problems in a GROWTH way and with a healthy perspective. Try to avoid using fixed mindset terms when referring to yourself. So for example, you shouldn’t tell your child “oh, I’m horrible at such and such.”
This will give your children the message that you are either good at writing or not good at writing and there’s nothing you can do about it. On the other hand, using a growth mindset tone, you might say- “Such and such was tricky for me, but if you keep trying and learning from your mistakes, you’ll get there.“
Don’t sweat the small stuff
Accidents and mistakes happen. Show your child that there’s a lesson to be had when we don’t achieve what we set out to accomplish. It’s okay to switch direction, abandon a project for a bit or slow down. No matter what always remember to be specific about what worked, identify the emotions involved, offer encouragement for the next time and figure what the next steps are. Celebrate mistakes as growth because of the lessons learned. One consequence I’ve learned by not doing this, is that you risk allowing anxiety to manifest in your child or even yourself. So, be sure to focus on these things!
Mistakes = Marvelous Mistakes!
Access Your Child’s Mindset
Take some time to understand your child’s mindset and thoughts. Pen in some time every day to have chats with your children (this may look different for every child depending on the age but it’s relevant for any child from the age of 2+) Once you have an understanding of where your kids “head is at” you can work on shifting their perspective or supporting the mindset that’s growing.
Tangible “Hands-On” Actions To Take
Make mistakes in front of your kids
Have a positive reaction to those mistakes
And openly reflect on what could be learned from the mistake. Try to show that it’s all about learning, not about being right.
At mealtimes, talk about a time that you struggled with something and how hard it is and how you overcame it. Then ask your kids if there’s anything they struggled with, how they overcome it, and what they learned from the experience.
Get excited when your child makes a mistake and help her think through what could be learned from it. Even mistakes that seem careless can be good learning opportunities. For example, if your child forgot to study enough for an important test, it might be an opportunity to learn about prioritization and to-do-lists.
Above all, remember this is and will always be an on-going process!
Growth Mindset Questions
What did you do today that made you think hard?
How will you challenge yourself today?
What can you learn from this?
What strategy can you use to get through this?
Can you think of a mistake you made? How can you learn from this?
Help children reconnect with a time when they learned something new that was a stretch or a challenge for them.
Point out the developmental nature of getting good. For example, we all go through the process of making a lot of mistakes, practicing, and then getting better. Help your children get curious about mistakes.
Help them reframe a mistake as new information or as a step in the process of learning. Also, help them incorporate self-correction in their own learning process.
Help children learn to hear their own fixed mindset voice too.
Capture and, in a gentle way, share their statements with them. Most kids are unaware of their self-talk because it’s gone on for so long (all subliminally). Bring that to their forefront awareness so you all can tackle and overcome the issue together.
That girl is smart; she never tries and she always gets it
I got it wrong again, I’ll never get this
Help your children talk back to negative self-talk with a growth mindset voice (i.e. give them language).
I am willing to learn new skills to improve, and I know it will hard at times
I get better and better with practice, this is hard but will get easier
Model growth-mindset at every opportunity when you’re home!
Tell your child about a time when you didn’t know the answer to a recent question. Who did you ask for help? How did you learn the answer?
Or ask questions about their opportunities for learning and growth in the coming day or week. What questions do they need answers to? What do they want to learn, practice, and/or get better at today/this week?
The Right & Wrong Way To Give Praise
Don’t label yourself in ways that model a fixed mindset ( I’m a terrible cook….I was never good at math)
Shift your child’s attention to the process that led to the outcome. (i.e., cause-effect)Praise and value effort, practice, self-correction, and persistence.Don’t shelter your child from a failed task. Ask “What can you learn from this experience? What could you try differently the next time?”
Get curious about your child’s work through questioning & positive phrases:
What here was challenging and how did you figure it out?
What do you plan to do next time?
Wow!
Look at that!
Tell me about it
Show me more
Can you do it again without help?
How did you do that?
Let’s see what you did.
How do you feel about it?
How did you work that out?
I see that you _________ (be specific)
That looks like it took a lot of effort
How many ways did you try it before it turned out the way you wanted it?
What do you plan to do next?
That looks like it took so much work.
Are you pleased with what you did?
What questions did you ask?
Keep trying and you’ll get there.
Access Your Mindset As A Mom
Recognize your own mindset
Be mindful of your own thinking and of the messages you send with your words and actions. This probably should have been the first point. Because, what if you realize that you don’t have a growth mindset? Where does that leave you? But more importantly, what can you do about it? So, for the sake of this article, I’m gonna get straight to it and assume you have a fixed mindset.
PS- no worries here. no judgment. I’m honestly right alongside you as I’ve walked down this road and continue to do so every day. its a work in progress.
Now if you have a growth mindset-awesome! Skip this section and move on the next. If not, let’s continue. First, I’m gonna share my best tips on how to revamp your mindset and then we can move forward to helping our kids. Yea? Okay, great.
Here are some tips:
Acknowledge and embrace your own imperfections
Hiding your weaknesses means you’ll never overcome them and you rob your kids’ chances to see YOU work through them (so they can learn too)
View challenges as opportunities
Embrace every opportunity to “fail”. This gives you and your children the ability to appreciate the journey more than the destination. Appreciate the inner growth and then people you become in the process.
Try something different
“There’s always another way!”
Dory, Finding Dory
The brain is not fixed and your mind shouldn’t be either. Stay connected with new research and data as it is discovered. (you know, for the naysayers)
Replace the word “failing” with the word “learning”
When you make a mistake or fall short of a goal, see it as a learning experience, not a failure.
Stop seeking approval
If you focus on others’ approval over learning, you’ll sacrifice your own potential for growth. Allow your kiddos to see you demonstrate a bold, unapologetic, leader attitude.
Value the process over the end result
People with a growth mindset perspective enjoy the learning process and don’t mind when it doesn‘t go exactly to plan.
Cultivate a sense of purpose
Dweck’s research showed that students with a growth mindset had a greater sense of purpose. But cultivating a growth mindset isn’t just for students. It benefits anyone willing to adapt. Moms and children alike. Keep the big picture in mind.
Celebrate growth with others
Share your progress with others, especially with your family. It’s an easy way to open the door to open communication.
Emphasize growth over speed
Learning fast isn’t the same as learning well, and learning well sometimes requires allowing time for mistakes.
Reward effort, not traits
Praise yourself when you’re doing something smart, not just being smart.
Redefine “genius“
Genius’ requires hard work, not talent alone!
Portray criticism as positive
Constructive criticism allows us (and our kids) to learn how to grow from the comments of others. Without becoming stagnant due to negative emotions that may arise from them.
Disassociate improvement from failure
Don’t assume that “room for improvement” equals failure. It doesn’t.
Provide regular opportunities for reflection
Allow yourself the opportunity to reflect on your learning at least once a day. Reflecting will cultivate an attitude of gratitude and naturally help rid any anxiety that rises up in your kids.
Place effort before talent
Hard work should always be rewarded before skills. Continue to acknowledge any struggles and validate their feelings.
Highlight the relationship between learning and “brain training”
The brain is like a muscle that needs to be worked out, just like the body. And like every other muscle in our body. It grows.
Cultivate “grit“
If you develop grit, you’ll be more likely to seek approval from yourself rather than others. And in turn, so will your kids
Abandon the image
“Naturally smart” sounds just about as believable as “spontaneous generation.” You won’t achieve the image if you’re not ready for the work.
Use the word “yet”
Dweck says “not yet” has become one of her favorite phrases. Whenever you see yourself struggling with a task, just remind yourself that you haven’t mastered it yet. This is one of the core basic concepts of creating a growth mindset. It’s with good reason! It is one of the best, fastest and easiest ways to shift negative mindsets.
Learn from other people’s mistakes
It’s not always wise to compare yourself to others, but it is important to realize that humans share the same weaknesses. If your children or students have siblings, encourage them to use their mistakes or setbacks as an opportunity to practice a positive mindset.
Make a new goal for every goal accomplished
No one will ever be done learning. Growth-minded people know how to constantly create new goals to keep themselves stimulated.
Take risks in the company of others
Stop trying to save face and give yourself permission to goof up now and then. It will make it easier to take risks in the future!
Think realistically about time and effort
It takes time to learn. Don’t expect to master every topic under the sun in one sitting. #imsuperguiltyofthis *shoulder shrug*
Take ownership over your attitude
Once you develop a growth mindset, own it! Acknowledge yourself as someone who possesses a growth mentality and be proud to let it guide you throughout your educational career.
Acknowledge and embrace imperfections
Hiding from your weaknesses means you’ll never overcome them.
View challenges as opportunities
Having a growth mindset means relishing opportunities for self-improvement.
Try different learning tactics
There’s no one-size-fits-all model for learning. What works for one person may not work for you (or your children.)
Keep up with brain plasticityresearch
Stay connected with new research and data as it is discovered and developed. (you know, for the naysayers)
Replace the word “failing” with the word “learning”
When you make a mistake or fall short of a goal, you haven’t failed; you’ve learned something new.
Stop seeking approval
When you prioritize approval over learning, you sacrifice your own potential for growth.
Value the process over the end result
Intelligent people enjoy the learning process and don’t mind when it continues beyond an expected time frame.
Cultivate a sense of purpose.
Dweck’s research also showed that students with a growth mindset had a greater sense of purpose. Keep the big picture in mind. You have a PURPOSE. You matter.
Celebrate growth with others
If you truly appreciate growth, you’ll want to share your progress with others.
Everything in life requires hard work, not talent alone!
Growth Mindset Journals for Kids & Moms
Cultivating a growth mindset doesn’t happen overnight. But, it certainly doesn’t take forever either. However, with diligence and opportunity, it’ll come MUCH faster. I’ve created a growth mindset journal for both myself and my littles after spending hours scouring the internet for suitable ones.
My kiddos are both under ten and I wanted something that would work for both a big toddler and a child. And I couldn’t find anything that
1. Didn’t cost an arm and leg for what I was getting in return and
2. Was suitable for BOTH of my kids and
3. Was complete with everything I needed and not just ABC, then having to purchase more products to fill the gaps.
So when I couldn’t find it, I created my own.
And because my readers are my favorite people (seriously, I appreciate you sticking around and listening to what I’ve got to say)
I want to gift them to you for an insanely low price. You won’t find this offer anywhere else>
15 + Animated Growth Mindset Movies For The Family
Inside Out: Story of a girl who harnesses her emotions in a positive way by growing through hardship
Brave: Story of a princess who looks past tradition to see a new future
Trolls: Story of creatures who have a positive outlook on finding the way out of their peril
Finding Nemo: Story of a father who is persistent in then journey to find his son
Finding Dory: Story of a daughter (fish) who is persistent in finding her parents
Storks: A journey pf a human girl that stops at nothing to deliver another baby & return to where she belongs
The Little Prince: Story of determined mother that enforces perfectionism on her daughter. A daughter fights to go against it and live a happy life
Zootopia: Story of a determined rabbit to break tradition, barriers and glass ceilings to pursue her dream job
Sing: Story of an elephant that overcomes her fear of public singing
Moana: Story of a girl going against her culture to chase after old family traditions and finds purpose
Coco: Story of a boy who longs to express his heart through music which goes against his family’s traditions only to find that his true longing is his family’s culture.
Leap!: Story of a girl that’s determined to run after her dreams, no matter what it takes.
Frozen: Story of a girl learning to control her magical powers and how it affects everyone around her.
Up: Story of a husband determined to keep his promise to his wife no matter what.
Wall-E: The journey of a robot who lives to clean a deserted world.
Piper: Story of a reluctant bird that shies away from the status quo, only to discover he can redefine it.
Growth Mindset Books for Kids Under 10
Some of our family’s favorite growth mindset books are: (not necessarily in this order)
My Beautiful Oops: This is a fantastic story of artwork gone “wrong”
The Crayons That Quit:
The Dot: A beautiful story of a girl that creates and finds her ability to be creative
There are a ton more- Click this post here forMORE GROWTH MINDSET BOOKS & summaries as well as direct links to the books.
“In one world, effort is a bad thing. It, like failure, means you’re not smart or talented. If you were, you wouldn’t need effort. In the other world, effort is what makes you smart or talented.”
Carol Dweck
87 Famous Failures That Support The Growth Mindset
Ada Lovelace
Amelia Earhart
Audrey Hepburn
Aung San Suu Kyi
Bessie Coleman
Betty Holberton
Beyonce
Billie Holiday
Billie Jean King
Danica Patrick
Ellen Degeneres
Florence Nightingale
Frida Kahlo
Harriet Tubman
Helen Keller
Indira Gandhi
Jane Goodall
J.K. Rowling
Joan of Arc
Julia Child
Katherine Johnson
Katie Ledecky
Lindsey Vonn
Lisa Leslie
Lucille Ball
Mae Jemison
Malala Yousafzai
Marie Curie
Maya Angelou
Mia Hamm
Michelle Kwan
Michelle Obama
Misty Copeland
Oprah Winfrey
Rosa Parks
Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Sally Ride
Serena Williams
Simone Biles
Sojourner Truth
Sonia Sotomayor
Whoopi Goldberg
Wilma Rudolph
Abraham Lincoln
Alan Turing
Albert Einstein
Alexander Graham Bell
Aristotle
Arthur Ashe
Barack Obama
Benjamin Franklin
Bill Gates
Bruce Lee
Cesar Chavez
David Beckham
Fred Rogers
Henry Ford
Ichiro Suzuki
Isaac Newton
Jackie Robinson
Jesse Owens
Jim Henson
John McCain
Leonardo Da Vinci
Mahatma Gandhi
Martin Luther King Jr.
Michael Jordan
Michael Phelps
Muhammad Ali
Neil Armstrong
Pablo Picasso
Peyton Manning
Roberto Clemente
Shel Silverstein
Stan Lee
Steph Curry
Stephen Hawking
Steve Jobs
Steven Spielberg
Thurgood Marshall
Usain Bolt
Allyson Felix
Walt Disney
Wayne Gretzky
William Shakespeare
Winston Churchill
Wright Brothers
Growth Mindset Quotes From “Famous Failures”
You never fail until you stop trying.
Albert Einstein
NOthing is impossible. The word itself says “I’m possible”
Audrey Hepburn
If you’re feeling helpless, help someone.
Aung San Suu Kyu
Yes, we can.
Barack Obama
We do not need magic to transform our world. We can carry all the power we need inside ourselves.
The term “yet” as I’ve mentioned is such a powerful term. It releases this feeling of hope and positivity. As one can feel confident in the idea that they can grow, learn and discover new things.
How To Foster a Growth Mindset In Your Homeschool
Portray criticism as positive
You don’t have to use that hackneyed term, “constructive criticism,” but you DO have to believe in the concept.
Disassociate improvement from failure
Stop assuming that “room for improvement” translates into failure. It doesn’t.
Provide regular opportunities for reflection
Allow your kids to reflect on their learning.
Place effort before talent
Hard work should always be rewarded before inherent skills.
Highlight the relationship between learning and “brain training”
The brain is like a muscle that needs to be worked out, just like the body.
Cultivate grit
Kids with that extra bit of determination will be more likely to seek approval from themselves rather than others.
Abandon the image
Whatever prenotions your kids have worked up in their minds about being “smart,” Teach them to #Fahgeddaboutem.
Always add the term”yet“
Whenever you or your child hits a stumbling block or there’s something you can’t do. Remember “yet” and add that to the end of ALL your phrases. I can’t do such and such, YET.
Learn from other people’s mistakes
It’s almost never wise to compare yourself to others, but it is important to realize that everyone can learn from other people’s experiences and mistakes.
Make a new goal every time you accomplish a goal
Just like I tell my kiddos, we’re always students and we’ll never be done learning. Try not to toss a subject to the side simply because you aren’t required to “know” it anymore. Growth-minded people know how to constantly create new goals to keep themselves stimulated.
Take risks in the company of others
It’s easy to take risks when we’re alone and no one can judge us! Get comfortable taking risks around others as well.
Think realistically about time and effort
It takes time to learn. It takes time to pump out a quality project. Don’t expect to master every topic under the sun in one sitting.
Take ownership of your attitude
Once you develop a growth mindset, own it. Acknowledge yourself as someone who possesses a growth mentality and be proud to let it guide you throughout your life.
Modeling a growth mindset means being willing to try hard even when failure is likely because that’s when massive growth happens. For example, parents should try to get excited when their children make mistakes because these mistakes can reveal important gaps that should be filled.
When adults get excited about “learning” and making mistakes, children start to think of mistakes as a natural part of the learning process. (and leads to changes in learning behavior overall) Your children will become less likely to try and “sweep mistakes under the rug” because they’ll stop thinking of them as something to be ashamed of and see it as a learning experience.
Focus on Tasks that Require Perseverance
Never try to lower the standards for your children. Or “help” them too much. No one understands how easy this can be while homeschooling better than me. So be on the lookout for it. The last thing you want is to raise a child that feels entitled to easy work.
Now, I assume you’ve done this already but be sure to teach your child about how their brain works and how they can grow their brains. And if you need help doing this, be sure to grab our Growth Mindset Bundle for Kids from our shop.
Reflect On Your Own Biases
When you’re teaching your kids, it’s so easy to get frustrated with their inability to grasp a concept and revert to fixed mindset language. Like- “____ wasn’t born with it so I won’t waste my time. It’s easy for parents to hide their own lack of ability behind statements like these. So, it’s important to have honest reflections with yourself, and ideally with each other, about our own biases. Remember, it’s okay for your child to be stuck. That’s when the best learning is done. Praise effort and persistence.
Best Affirmations to Teach Growth Mindset
We celebrate making mistakes – we can learn from them
We never give up – perseverance is the key if we are to succeed
We learn from each other
We don’t compare ourselves with others
We challenge ourselves and take risks
We remember that our brains are making new connections and growing all the time
Praise the amount of effort your child is putting into things rather than how clever they are
Talk to your children about their brain being like a muscle – the more they use it, the stronger it gets
Encourage your children to not give up if they are finding something difficult
Challenge your children to try something new
Growth Mindset Fun
A beautiful 100-page coloring book!
You can purchase this Growth Mindset Coloring Book for Kids and Adults! here.
Is Growth Mindset Real Science or Pseudoscience?
I’ll be honest and say I’m still unsure. The funny thing about Pseudoscience is that it’s too “slippery” to disprove. And so, we have to let time reveal its truth. I’ve spent hours upon hours researching this topic. Here are a few articles worth reading that may pique your interest:
Learning how to live out of one carry on and/or one checked luggage is a super crazy challenge!
I learned very quickly that rolling your clothes makes for much MORE space in suitcases than folding. (military hack right there lol)
Shoving socks, makeup, costume jewelry and underwear into shoes will became the norm.
As a new-ish mom (let’s not kid ourselves here I’m no veteran LOL), my oldest pushing double digits, I’ve had a few years to fine-tune the things that help keep our life as someone once said to me: ‘normal.’
When this person made this statement, I immediately realized that most people are comfortable being stationary.
Normal is a matter of perspective -Sheree
And the day my life calls for ‘normal’ is the day I take a real good look at what the heck I’m doing with myself.
There’s absolutely NOTHING wrong with staying put / settling down / being stationary whatever you want to call it.
However, this isn’t something I want.
Do what works for you and yours.
It’s important to protect your visions & your dreams.
Living a life abroad (from wherever you call home) can be a frightening thought and a bit intimidating.
But aren’t those the moments that matter the most? You know? Where we are challenged beyond our comforts?
Nobody ever saw growth or change by doing the same things
So I’ve found a few ways to maintain stability in our constant ever-changing lives! (Because there simply is no negating the fact that children thrive on stability)
Since each person has pretty much has one piece of luggage (check-in size & carry on) to work with–every single item that is packed and stored is crucial.
Space is limited and must be used wisely!
A note on packing:
I still struggle with weight as now we have two children, I’ve found it quite tricky to keep our cases below the 45/50 lbs. threshold limit.
HOWEVER, YES, it can be done.
I’ve been traveling with my kids for a while now and it wasn’t until less than a year ago while shopping online, I accidentally found something called “compression bags””.
You see, I know all about space bags and I’ve found that depending on your items and family size, this actually may not be ideal and work against you. Space bags take up an awkward amount of space, and leave gaps in luggage being unused.
And we can’t have THAT.
I also found that in most places, I didn’t have access to a strong vacuum with a tube to vacuum air back out once opened. So needless to say, this was not ideal.
But, back to compression bag (also known as-packing cubes)…could they be helpful?
I found yes!
I have no idea how I’ve been traveling without them (I’m an organizational freak I battle OCD so it’s safe to say, I know how to organize anything and everything). These things are awesome. You see, they are pretty much a soft zippered gym bag in the shape of a cube, ideally working together to fit snugly into your luggage.
Buy a set, or 2, and you will fill your luggage nice and neat. I roll our clothing as I normally would but instead now place them into the cubes for even more compact organized packing.
This helps immensely with organizing our items and giving an extra layer of protection, should the luggage get wet from bad weather. Which totally sucks by the way.
Compression bags are sort of like space bags, but you don’t need a vacuum as it uses extra zippers for compression.
I wouldn’t suggest this for someone with weak hands or anyone of older age as this can get tricky but I’ve found it super helpful in packing our coats and large items as such.
Starting with the children:
Clothing:
Purchase and pack items relating to the primary weather you expect to be. This sounds simple enough, but I’ve seen so many people overpack for the “just in case” moments.
Don’t do it! LOL
Create capsule wardrobes for everyone:
I’ve been doing this long before it became a trend. Try as hard as possible to stick to universal color schemes- meaning pack clothes that are easily interchangeable.
That green white pink and purple polka dot shirt probably isn’t necessary. HAHA
Same for shoes- 7+ pairs just aren’t needed. Stick with 2-3 shoes that can be dressed up or down.
As a family, we all usually stick with a pair of navy, red, and chestnut or black shoes/boots. Nice un-boring universal colors.
If you have access to a washer- you don’t need 30 outfits for you and your children. I promise you, 12 (or even less) are MORE THAN ENOUGH.
Toys:
This may depend on where you are going/if you can purchase, finances, and just personal preference. I pack a few “staples” that spark creativity such as Lego blocks, magformers, wooden blocks, play food, a couple of animals figures, a board game, a musical instrument, kinetic sand. (update: I don’t pack this anymore now that I have more than one child), and a foam playmat. (update: same here).
Notice I don’t list hair or body products as we choose to adapt to the countries we live in.
TIP: What I find is if “things” hair styling product/soap/food seasoning etc., aren’t written in English- they are always translated in at least three other languages (English is surprisingly not always present)
Begin practicing another language now if you haven’t already! Audiobooks are fantastic, seriously. Bonus, you can even find some for free in your library!
Use my affiliate link to grab a FREE 60 day trial of Scribd or 30 day trial of Audible here (first time customers I believe)
There are a few key items that I always pack so that my children understand that this is “home.”
I always purchase those removable wall stickers from a dollar store, and we decorate the house walls as they like… playmat and blankets always come etc.
As for myself, I follow the same rules. No toys lol but I choose to bring vitamin supplements and other small trinkets as triggers to my brain that this is “home”.
I love this* supply and this brand* especially when I’m in a hurry and want to use Amazon’s fast shipping haha.
I also tend to pack a few books- but now have joined the Kindle community through the kindle app and boy was I missing out!
I pack my bible, which is actually quite large so I typically place this in my carry on luggage.. I have this one* along with these* labels since I still don’t know where each book is.
Call me crazy but funny enough I actually pack some utensils/cutlery with me as well.
There’s just nothing quite like having the proper knife to cut with! haha
I have something similar to this or this, of you’re wondering. (I didn’t link to my exact one because I honestly don’t remember where I purchased it).
Whereever you go, check for IKEA. They will become your favorite place!
For the parents:
It’s pretty much the same theme. Well, on a much smaller scale as adults don’t typically have heavy toys!
Click here to get a list of the BEST travel resources.
*Be sure to bookmark it as I update it frequently*
Still, have some Q’s?
Pop them in the comments below & I’ll give you my best advice.