How Do Kids Stay Socialised While Traveling Long-Term?
We haven’t left yet—but here’s what we’re planning, what we’re expecting, and what we’re not pretending to know.
“Aren’t You Worried They’ll Miss Out?”
We get it.
When we tell people we’re taking our kids out of school for a year of travel, the big questions usually sound like:
“But what about their routine?”
“What about friends?”
“Are they just going to be on screens all day?”
All fair questions. And honestly?
We’ve asked ourselves the same.
This post is our honest pre-trip plan for socialisation, structure, and yes screens, as a family preparing to travel full-time with two young kids.
We’re not here to romanticise anything. But we are here to show that it’s possible to think about these things intentionally… without needing a perfect answer for every scenario.
This trip isn’t for our kids… but they’re the reason we’re brave enough to go.
What About Socialisation?
This is hands-down the biggest concern we hear.
And it makes sense. Kids need connection. They need play. They need to feel like they belong.
Here’s what we’re doing to make sure they don’t feel isolated:
✅ 1. Extended Stays, Not Constant Moving
We’re slow traveling—staying in each place for 1 to 3 months when possible. That gives us time to meet local families, find play groups, and get into a rhythm.
✅ 2. Local Language = Local Friends
We’re all learning Spanish before we go, and the kids are already using TalkBox.Mom phrases daily. Our hope is that even basic language skills will help them make small connections—at parks, in shops, on buses.
✅ 3. Digital Friendships Stay
We’ll stay in touch with school friends via video chats and voice messages. It won’t be the same, but they’ll still feel that thread of connection to their old life.
✅ 4. Meetups with Other Traveling Families
We’re already finding other families through worldschooling Facebook groups and travel forums. Some of them will be in the same countries as us at the same time. Pop-up playdates? Absolutely.
What About Routine?
No, our days won’t look like school.
But we also know kids thrive with predictability and so do we.
So here’s what we’re planning instead of a strict schedule:
A Flexible Daily Rhythm:
- Mornings: A bit of learning—journaling, math, Spanish
Midday: Local exploring—museums, markets, hikes
Afternoon: Downtime—reading, drawing, or (yes) screens
Evenings: Dinner + reflection—talking about what we saw, learned, or laughed at
We’re aiming for a flow, not a schedule.
Enough structure to give them stability but loose enough to fit travel days, tired moods, or “oops we took the wrong bus” situations.
And Yes… Screen Time. We're parents, not perfect!
Let’s just say it: screens are part of our lives.
We’re not going to pretend we’re going full analog on this trip. But we’re being intentional with how we use tech:
Screens as Tools:
Language learning (Dreaming Spanish, Talkbox.mom)
Documentaries + travel shows (Our Planet, kids’ geography series)
Journaling or blogging tools on tablets
Family movie nights in hostels or Airbnbs
Screens as Survival:
Long travel day? Downloaded games. Grumpy sibling fights? Screens for separation. Parents need a moment? You know the answer.
We’re not banning screens, we’re just trying to use them on purpose, not as a default.
What We’re Telling Ourselves
They don’t need 30 classmates to stay social they need a few good connections.
Routine can come from rhythm, not a rigid timetable.
Screens aren’t the enemy. Mindless scrolling without intention might be.
Most of the growth will happen outside our plans when we get lost, when we make friends at a playground, when we learn something surprising over dinner.
@travelventurefour People think we’re brave for taking our kids out of school. Honestly? We just couldn’t do another winter of grey skies and grumbling. 👉 We’re not chasing a dream — we’re chasing different. Follow for the messy, beautiful reality of family slow travel. #familytravel #fyp #leavingtheuk #dadlife #travellingwithkids #honesttruth #traveltiktok #familyadventure #travelfamily ♬ Intro - Mad Dog
Our Kids Are the Reason We’re Doing This
This trip isn’t for our kids… but they’re the reason we’re brave enough to go.
We want them to:
Know that learning can be fun, curious, messy, and self-directed.
See how people live outside their bubble.
Make friends in new languages and play with kids in town squares and jungle trails.
They might not remember every museum.
But they’ll remember how it felt to be free, to explore, to live slowly with us.
Final Thoughts: We're Not Naive — Just Intentional
We know there’ll be homesick days, friendship gaps, and “why can’t we just do normal school like everyone else?” moments.
And when that happens, we’ll pause, recalibrate, and talk it through.
But right now? We’re betting on connection. Curiosity. And the kind of learning that happens when you’re holding hands and getting a bit lost.
