Holidays outdoors are a chance to pull away from the bustle of everyday life. They take the kids away from the screen and give the family time to bond. They don’t even have to feel like a trip. In fact, mfiservicebodies.com.au, a company offering RV customisation, claims that owners can add many features to make their RVs a home away from home.
What parents will find most interesting of all, however, is that weekend trips do wonders for a child’s development. By boosting brain development, building concentration skills, and sharpening their problem-solving skills, kids grow smarter whenever set off on a trip.
Good for Brain Development
Professor Jaak Panksepp, a neuroscientist at Washington State University, claimed two systems in the brain’s limbic area are unused at home but are active whenever kids go on a holiday. These are the Play and the Seek systems. The Play system activates whenever a child is at leisure like when they are walking on the sand. Meanwhile, the Seek system is exercised whenever the child explores a new area, such as the beach or the forest.
When the family goes on a holiday, these systems are activated. It facilitates the growth and development of the child’s frontal lobe, which is responsible for cognitive functions and social intelligence. Moreover, their brains release neurochemicals like opioids, oxytocin and dopamine. These reduce stress and trigger positive emotions. The more these areas are activated, the more they become part of the personality.
Frequent holidays, then, make children more explorative, thanks to their Seek system, and creative, because of the activity in their Play system. These skills can be vital to their success later in life.
Social Development and Problem Solving
Exposing the child to new experiences helps build his or her social skills. A trip to a place with different people, for example, will teach them how to interact with people that are different from them. The child will learn how to handle these differences. Additionally, parents could teach children to be cautious but courteous in dealing with new people.
Moreover, these holiday trips sharpen their problem-solving skills. Since they’re not in the comfort of their home, they’ll have to find new ways of dealing with the problems that arise.
Kids occasionally need a break from the routine of everyday life. While it’s important to finish schoolwork and learn how to navigate the digital world, it’s also important to take time off. By going on holidays, kids not only relax but also grow smarter. They learn skills that will be increasingly important as they grow.