This post first appeared on Indian Moms Connect

Amma, for my 7th birthday can we go to Holland and see the tulips? The ones that spread out like a magic carpet? Red and pink and yellow and blue?

My 5 year old daughter’s questions made my heart sing. I was so happy that she was ready to explore the world and open herself up for new adventures. It is the sort of person I am. I live one vacation to the next. I love dreaming about my next destination and making plans on what to see, where to stay and eat. Given a chance, I would be a happy modern day gypsy and I am glad that my daughter seems to share my love for travel.

Maybe I lucked out. I didn’t really try hard to convince her to travel, to experiment and experience new things. To pack her suitcase, to eat airplane meals and sleep in new beds. She had that spirit within her and all I need to do is to encourage and celebrate it.

Vacation is often a mindset. One just needs to be ready to relax, unwind and laugh at the missteps.  Even the most perfectly planned vacations have hiccups (especially when they involve little hands and feet) and often we tend to focus on these instead of the merriment.

Here are ways I try to raise a little traveller (and keep my enthusiasm for travel alive)

Show the World

There is an abundance of travel-related news on the internet. Share it with your little one. I showed my daughter photos from Holland and she fell in love. I carefully save links of places and events that she might enjoy and save them for a rainy day (or a cranky one). The daily newspapers also have something to offer. Actively seek out news you can share with your little one. Encourage your child to talk about it. It makes a difference.

Bring out the Globe

Learning world geography and history becomes fun when a globe is involved. While my 5 year old still struggles to understand the concept of an-almost round world, she is sort of amazed by it. She likes to watch it spin and see the continents whirl past her. We randomly pick a country and try to guess about the people who live there.

Make a Dream List

Make travel a fun, family experience even when not travelling. We talk a lot about dream destinations at the dining table. The husband has his list. I have mine and I was quite surprised to see my daughter come up with her own list when she was around four years old. Disneyland of course is at the top. But places like Tanzania, Pisa, Holland, Uluru, Mount Rushmore also found a place on her list. It changes very frequently and we may never go to all the places on our lists but it is always great talking about our dream destinations.

Recollect Memories

Keep an old vacation alive. Talk about it, look at pictures together and laugh about the misadventures. At times, places and people we meet begin to blur but photos are a great way to keep the memories alive and get ready for new adventures. Often it makes you want to go back to the same place and experience it differently.

Eat Around the World

Food is a major factor when one travels.. Picky eaters ruin a vacation. Have a world food day dinner at home. It is the easiest way to travel the world. Once a fortnight, I pick a recipe from some corner of the world and try it. Yes I have had more fails than successes but it is something to laugh about. Expose your taste buds to different flavours. Try new cuisines and restaurants in your home town.

Talk to Travellers

This is probably my favourite indulgence. I like travel stories. I like talking to people about their adventures. Include your child in such activities and it gets them intrigued. Travellers often add a spin (masala, as my daughter calls it) to their tales and make it quite a delicious treat.

Read About It

Books are our first passports. If you are lucky enough to have access to books from other countries, utilise it. Books from other countries show us a world different from our own. They make us crave adventure. Reading diverse books also helps children grow up more accepting. Independent readers can read facts/trivia based books and discover fascinating facets.

Do you have a little traveller? How do you get your little ones ready for an adventure?