Why is Adventure Good for Kids?

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read full disclosure for more information

As a kid, we didn’t go on adventures as a family. I’m not sure why, exactly.

Growing up, we didn’t have much money—I’m sure that was a significant factor. When you don’t have money, it feels like everything you want to do is unattainable.

Whether that’s always true or not, it feels like a significant barrier. That’s probably why I look for adventure wherever I can as an adult. Finding free adventures often feels like I beat the system—it’s very satisfying.

But the money aspect aside, I’m not sure that my parents were especially adventurous people.

Luckily, I grew up in the 80s and 90s, so I could find adventure on my own.

Things are a little different now, and we can’t just kick our kids outside for the day like our parents did. We’re spending more time with our kids now, and I think that’s great.

But why is adventure good for kids? Well, I believe kids are built to explore. They’re natural scientists who hunger to learn everything they can about the world.

Why Adventure Matters for Kids

There are so many reasons why adventure matters for kids. Embarking on adventures beyond the confines of our home holds immeasurable value for them.

It’s not merely about the thrill (though that’s part of it!). These experiences feed the soul and the brain.

Adventuring with our kids has a lot of benefits:

• Encourages independence
• Grows confidence
• Encourages curiosity and learning
• Promotes strength, coordination, and a healthy lifestyle
• Strengthens family bonds
• Develops social skills

All kinds of learning happens indoors, but what they gain from adventuring outside is unmatched.

Fostering Independence and Confidence

It’s no secret that kids are a lot of work. And because we’re a carry mammal, they want to be on us ALL. THE. TIME.

I love my kids, but physical touch is most definitely NOT my love language. Don’t get me wrong, I love affection from my husband and kids (and giving it to them too). But that’s pretty much where it ends.

And there’s a limit to how much clothes pulling, body climbing, and space invading my body can take.

This is likely a big reason why I like adventuring with my kids. We’re together, but they’re not climbing me.

From a fairly young age, I’d let my first son out of our carrier backpack to explore independently. It didn’t take long for us to start reminding him to stay close by—he was so eager to explore on his own!

And it’s because he had the confidence to do it. I think that’s the key to independence—confidence. They don’t need constant reassurance from us if they’re confident in themselves.

Now, of course, every kid’s temperament is different. But my oldest is a “Can you come with me?” kid. And I can already see my youngest is more independent.

Even with that temperament, he’s pretty good at being independent—especially on adventures.

Encouraging Curiosity and Learning

Every child has an innate curiosity and a thirst for learning. Kids learn so much from being outdoors and exploring the world.

Adventure serves as the perfect catalyst, transforming the world into a playground of learning and growth.

When we introduce our children to new environments, we’re not just showing them new sights—we’re providing opportunities to learn about the vastness and variety of the world.

Each step in these adventures is not merely an activity but a chapter in their ever-expanding book of knowledge. Watching the spark of curiosity ignite a lifelong flame of learning is amazing.

Every new experience provides them with invaluable lessons beyond the confines of the classroom walls. Adventure crafts curious minds ready to explore, learn, and conquer the world.

Building Physical Strength and Coordination

I’m a huge proponent of letting kids do risky things safely. My first son was crawling at six months and took his first unassisted steps the day before he turned ten months.

He was a kid on the move as soon as he could be, and I had to adapt. Stopping him wasn’t going to work.

So, I decided to let him do things that made me uncomfortable. My reasoning was that the more he used his body in (what felt like) risky ways, the sooner he would build his strength and coordination.

And it worked. Everyone commented on how well he could move and control his body from a relatively young age.

People are still amazed at how coordinated and confident he is in his body at almost four years old.

He still gets his fair share of bumps and scrapes. But they don’t keep him down for long before he’s off again.

His favorite thing this summer has been biking with his dad. My husband has been into mountain biking for years, so it’s not a surprise that my son loves biking, too.

We started him with a balance bike to learn the coordination needed for staying upright on a pedal bike. Now, he whips around on that thing like nobody’s business. And he looks for hills to bike up and down, just like his dad.

He’s built a lot of physical strength and coordination, which helps boost his confidence while exploring.

Enhancing Family Bonds

Adventuring is such an excellent way to strengthen your family bond.

It’s kind of an all-in-one experience. You get to spend time together while fostering independence and learning many things.

Sharing these experiences brings us closer together. Even when we’re not out adventuring, looking back at old photos of our adventures makes us feel close.

I think I learn almost as much as my kids do when exploring together. I look up at least several things each time we go out.

We have so much fun we often talk about our adventures and what we learned after the fact.

And I’m hopeful this will lay the foundation for a close family bond as they grow older. The teenage years can be challenging, but if we have a close family bond, they’ll be more likely to want to do things with us.

Hopefully, they’ll also be more willing to share things with us.

Developing Social Skills

Adventure can also help your child develop social skills. They learn how to interact with the world around them.

Teaching them to respect nature translates to the real world. They’ll show more respect for others while hopefully having the confidence to not back down from the challenges sometimes presented by others.

Maintaining that sense of curiosity through adventure will allow them to be curious about what others are doing instead of making assumptions.

I think this will serve them well as they get older—making people feel heard and understood.

If you adventure with other families, the impact will be even more significant. They’ll learn how to navigate interpersonal relationships in fun times but also in difficult situations.

They’ll learn to work as a team to reach an end goal—problem-solving together. Being able to consider the perspectives of your peers is an essential skill that will serve them well.

And if you’re lucky enough to travel to other places, they will get to interact with all different kinds of people.

Practical Tips for a Family Adventure

Going on adventures, big or small, can feel overwhelming with kids. You want to plan for everything, but kids have a knack for throwing a wrench into your plans.

But I’ve learned a lot along the way and have come up with some practical tips that may help alleviate some of that feeling of being overwhelmed.

Make a plan, but be flexible. I don’t do well with change and struggle when things don’t go to plan. But if I can tell myself before starting out that things going differently are all part of the adventure, things will go much more smoothly.

Things will come up—it’s inevitable. I’ve found it’s better to prepare myself for that than expecting it not to happen.

Know your surroundings. Make sure you are aware of what kinds of things you may encounter. Are you going for a walk in the woods? Knowing where the trails are and what kind of wildlife you may encounter is a good idea.

And if plants can cause harm, knowing how to treat that situation is good.

Be prepared. When we first started adventuring, I always overprepared. As time has passed, I figured out what’s needed and what typically isn’t.

This is what I always have with me:

• Water
• Snacks
• First-aid kit
• Sunscreen and bug spray in summer
• Layers for colder months.

That’s it. I’ve found that you don’t need much more than that.

However, if you plan to eat anywhere along the way, having a LifeVac on hand could bring peace of mind!

Be spontaneous. This one can be tricky if you’re not prepared. To be spontaneous, I always have an adventure bag ready to go with the above essentials.

I also like to have a bucket list of easy adventures each season that we can pick from. This allows me to be spontaneous without all the extra thinking and planning involved.

Just do it. Like everything, the more you do it, the easier it becomes. So, get out there and try!

Every Adventure Begins with a Step

Every adventure begins with a step, a leap of faith into the unknown that promises excitement and many benefits for our kids.

But beyond the thrill and the beauty, adventures invite family bonding on an unprecedented level. It’s about more than just fun—it’s about fostering development, encouraging independence, and giving our children a sense of belonging.

So, as we ponder our next family getaway, let’s remember—with every step, we unlock the endless potential for discovery, not just about the world around us but about ourselves and each other.

And if you’re wondering what the benefits of adventure are to you, check out this post.