Jul 03 2012
Traveling with Kids
My co-worker Paul has just returned from his family’s first overnight camping trip, quite the ambitious feat considering Paul’s family includes two children, five and three. The trip, as first tent camping ventures go, was something of a success, not counting the mosquitoes. Before he left I saw Paul in our travel aisle at Booksmith, stocking up on guides and maps. Traveling with kids can be intimidating enough for some parents to opt to stay home. That’s why we’re stocking our aisles with new travel guides specifically aimed not only for parents, but also for kids.
For those of you who, like Paul, want to expose your children to the beauty of nature, Appalachian Mountain Club’s Outdoors with Kids series, available for cities like Boston and NYC, each offer 100 places to explore in and around the city. These guides take you to nearby state parks, on hikes and to beaches, and include safety tips, activity ideas, and the essential Plan B every parent traveler needs.
In our children’s department, we have a Field Guide to Boston for kids with brightly colored photographs and easy-to-read informative descriptions of 
Boston’s historical sites. For younger children, check out Sheila Cunningham’s new picture book, Willow’s Walkabout, in which an Australian kangaroo escapes from the zoo in order to see the Boston sites she’s heard all the zoo visitors talking about. Willow’s adventures take her on the Swan Boats and even hopping through the Boston marathon. Reading this book with your kids will inevitably inspire them to follow Willow’s hops around the city.
And if you are traveling further afield, Lonely Planet’s new Not for Parents series offers guides aimed at engaging kids in your family’s travel plans, be it to Paris, London, Rome, or New York City. These guides do everything from introducing the Parisian crepe to teaching children about the Impressionists. The books focus on facts sure to grab your kids’ attention, like the fact that Rin Tin Tin is among the famous dead buried in Paris. In a photo of Rodin’s The Kiss, the woman is wondering what’s on TV tonight.
Jodie
