Broaden Young Minds Through Travel To give your child the enormous benefit of an open and cultivated mind, try to incorporate travel into his or her formative years. Rather than rely on classroom instruction, which can sometimes be tedious and uninteresting to children, take them to the actual places where history has occurred or where natural wonders can be experienced firsthand. If travel is difficult for you, it does not even have to be places very far from home. Just make sure that you choose activities which will spark creativity and infuse your child's perspective with a broad range of influences.
Young people love mystery, and there is no healthier way to indulge this penchant for secrets than to allow them to explore hidden outdoor caves. Be sure to choose caves that have been deemed safe and have no restrictions for entering, and make sure an adult is always present. Then let them go, and delight in discovering hidden passages, rock formations, and various natural wonders, depending on the type of caves you can find. Research the caves characteristics ahead of time, and talk about them with your child, to ensure that he knows what to look for and can find pleasure in identifying those things. He will later show pride in relating the discoveries to others, thus embedding the experience and the knowledge into his memory.
Museums have gotten a bad rap as being stuffy and full of boring relics from days that are no longer interesting to young minds. Do not make the mistake of keeping this deception alive, however, because today's museums are far from uninteresting. Most cities have museums cultivated and staffed particularly for children, with multi-media exhibits, interactive components and 3-D movie screens. Living history, theater arts and science extravaganzas are but a few of the extraordinary museum experiences available for young people. Find one in your own city, your vacation destination, or just take a road trip to a museum within driving distance.
When choosing a place for your yearly vacation or a weekend getaway with the kids, look for a state with particular historic value. Rent a car and take a "history drive" from one location to the next. Plan it ahead of time and make sure your kids are familiar with the historical event or place ahead of time. This will ensure that they are excited about the destination, and can find pleasure in seeing it firsthand. Leave some things unanswered until arrival, so that they will have pride in providing the answer to things you have discussed and wondered about. For example, a trip to Philadelphia could include visits to the homes of Ben Franklin or Betsy Ross, with discussions ahead of time about what Ben Franklin invented or what the original American flag looked like.
To introduce your child to different land forms and climates, choose places where the geography is very different to your own. If you live near the ocean or seaside, go to the desert or a forest environment. Go hiking through wetlands or a rain forest, and point out the differences from the natural surrounding in your own home territory. View a mountain waterfall, limestone cliffs, or clear fishing streams. Talk about indigenous wildlife, climate or natural dangers such as tornadoes, earthquakes or hurricanes. The important thing is for young minds to be expanded through experiencing things outside their own daily existence.
Open, inquiring minds will inevitably be filled - so make sure you are the ones filling your children's blank slates with creative information that will benefit them throughout life. Implement some of the ideas here to encourage a lifelong habit of discovery in your children. Click Here For More Information