Travelling with children in Lapland

Living classroom

When travelling with children in Lapland you have to keep in mind that you are providing the young ones with a living classroom. You can make experiences together and learn to appreciate other cultures. Every day you have a different classroom which will give new learning opportunities within topics like nature, geography, history, art, architecture, and even literature.

But it is important to plan your trip thinking of your child's needs. In this way you will reduce some of the many stress factors of a long trip. Here are some tips to make your Lapland experiences more enjoying for the whole family.

Plan in advance

If at all possible, plan your Lapland trip in advance. Use the internet to find information about the area you are visiting. The www.lapland-travel-info.com (where you are now) is a good starting point for basic information about Lapland.

Try to find in advance what places could be fun or interesting for all members of your family. For instance most children like animals. If your child is among these, you may visit the Lycksele zoo and the Mooose Farm at Vittangi in Swedish Lapland, or the Ranua Zoo in Finnish Lapland

Also be looking for playgrounds, especially in towns and built-up areas. But in Lapland (and rest of Finland, Norway and Sweden) you can move more freely than most places in Europe thanks to the right of public access. Generally it is wise to make visits to museums short.

Make travel fun

Before you start the journey you may plan an activity kit for the hundreds of kilometres in the car. The kit may include books, drawing and colouring equipment, DVD's or iPods and the like.

Remember that some children get car sick from reading in the car. From time to time you can sing together. Try to keep your child active. A tired child can be troublesome and increase the stress levels.

With children in your company it is wise not to be too much in a hurry. Take stops to watch reindeer and take pictures of them. Maybe there are local children to play with.

Learning new languages

Children can learn foreign languages easier than adults. They will enjoy trying to pronounce new foreign words and phrases. In Lapland we have four languages: Finnish, Norwegian, Swedish and Sami. Locals will be happy to respond when you or your child try to speak to them in the native language.

It would be nice if you could find kid-friendly dictionaries in advance. What about finding some simple children's books in foreign languages as you go?

Meals

Many restaurants offer children's menus. International food like pizzas and tacos is common even in Lapland. You may find places where you can compose your own meal. If all this fails, you may visit the local grocery stores and find things your child likes.

Collect things and make memories

On a Lapland trip your child may collect things like postcards, small stones, or stamps. Some even collect municipality pins. An older child can write a simple travel journal in an small notebook with hard covers. He/she can even draw in the book. Many children can even take their own photographs with their cell phones or digital cameras.

It is recommended that you get some prints en route to paste into a photo album. Such albums and notebooks will become future treasures about your Lapland travel. Read also these general tips about travelling with children.

---

Lapland Blog

Here you can see at a glance what is new, or what is changed/updated on Lapland Travel Info.
We hope this is useful for you.