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  • Experts Say Travel—Not Toys—May Be The Better Gift For Kids

    Vacations don't just strengthen your bond as a family, they can also help make kids smarter.
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Experts Say Travel—Not Toys—May Be The Better Gift For Kids
PHOTO BY Tang Ming Tung / Getty Images
  • Whether during Christmas or birthday celebrations, seeing your toddlers' or preschoolers' broad smiles when they receive presents they love is one of the most precious things you’ll ever witness.

    But have you considered gifting them with a vacation or holiday trip instead of splurging on a new toy? You may think traveling with toddlers or preschoolers is impractical, but taking them on a trip has been proven beneficial to their emotional, mental, and physical development.

    Below are some long-term benefits of exploring the world with your kids:

    1. Holidays advance brain development.

    According to a child mental health expert and educator, going on a trip exercises deeply ingrained systems in the brain’s limbic area, the part of the brain involving memory, learning, emotion, and motivation.

    “When you take your child on holiday, you are supporting their explorative urge, a vital resource for living life well, and their capacity to play,” the expert said. “In adulthood, this translates into the ability to play with ideas, essential, for example, to the successful entrepreneur.”

    2. Traveling increases their chances for future success.

    Being exposed to different places and cultures helps deepen a child’s understanding of the world and expands his or her career possibilities.

    According to one study, “Respondents noted that travel makes learning come alive, sparking an interest where none existed before. As a result, children who took educational trips had higher grades and were significantly more engaged in learning, both in and out of school.”

    3. Exploring the world encourages them to learn new things.

    A survey conducted by a student and youth travel association found that traveling has a positive impact on children’s desire for learning.

    As they explore new places, kids become curious to learn more. Even if it’s just a simple road trip to the next town, the report says, “short travel distances do not reduce the impact of travel experiences on students.”

    4. Experiences deepen their emotional connections.

    Whether it’s the excitement of seeing animals at the zoo or the wonder of exploring a new place, traveling brings out more intense emotions than material things.

    Research shows that “experiential gifts are more effective than material gifts at improving relationships. The reason experiential gifts are more socially connecting is that they tend to be more emotionally evocative.”

    5. Spending time with family helps them become happier and more optimistic.

    Research conducted in the UK found that traveling has a positive effect on the whole family, according to a report.

    Aside from creating happy memories that the child can look back on, traveling has other emotional and psychological benefits such as “increased affection to other family members, better behavior at school and at home, and greater optimism and ambition for their future.”


    Spending time with and being physically and emotionally present for your toddlers and preschoolers is all the more critical during their crucial growing-up years, from ages 3 to 5. Actress and mom Marian Rivera knows this all too well as she guides her daughter Zia in becoming more independent. Watch this video:

    Aside from giving your toddlers and preschoolers the gift of travel, provide them with the gift of nutrition as well to further enhance their development.

    Packed with nutrients for the brain and digestion, NIDO 3+ is formulated for the growth and development of toddlers and preschoolers ages 3 to 5. It’s the only growing-up milk that contains Lactobacillus Protectus with L. Rhamnosus, which, together with a balanced diet and an active lifestyle, is scientifically proven to help support a child’s respiratory defenses.

    All prices indicated are SRPs (suggested retail prices).

    Whether your toddlers and preschoolers are traveling or just staying at home or in school, NIDO 3+ , with proper nutrition and exercise, helps protect them against pathogens in the upper respiratory tract that cause common coughs and colds.

    All prices indicated are SRPs (suggested retail prices).

    Follow Nido Advanced Protectus 3+ on Facebook to learn more.

    ASC REFERENCE CODE: N075P120919N

This article was created by Summit Storylabs in partnership with NIDO 3+.
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