Wrapping up a Gift of Travel for Kids

A gift of travel is one the whole family can share, creating a lifetime of memories for everyone. But how do you put a trip under the Christmas tree? And if a trip is the big spurge gift, how do you keep it from being the only present under the tree? Here are some of the ways our family has kept the anticipation going on Christmas morning:

Wrap Up Hints

When we took our daughter, then 9 years old, on her first trip to Portugal, we put a series of “gift certificates” under the tree, each inside a box. To keep the destination a surprise, the first hints were obscure: “Good for one ride on a yellow tram” and “Admit one to the castle”. With each was a picture, but not enough to identify the place. In the biggest box was the final gift: her airline reservations.

Give Travel Accessories

For a first-time traveler, hints can be gifts a traveler would use, such as their own travel wallet or a small day pack. Travel diaries with room for drawings and places to stow souvenir tickets and other papers encourage kids to write down their favorite memories. You can find these designed for young travelers. Activity books with puzzles and paper games are always a hit. (just make sure they save them for the trip!) On the Plane Activity Book is especially designed for traveling kids.

Explore with Books

Kids will be curious about where they are going, especially if it’s a foreign country, so give them a head-start on learning about it. Older kids might like books in the Children of the World series, each of which features a real child in a country. Younger children will enjoy storybooks set in wherever they are going.