As I’m sure most moms do, I try to do everything I can to help my son’s developing brain. I have always assumed the traveling we do together has a positive impact on his brain development. I mean, how could it not? It definitely makes a difference when teaching Jack new words. His vocabulary is astounding for a 21-month-old. Sure, I can point to a picture of a manatee in a book and maybe eventually he’ll get it. Take him to see one at SeaWorld and he gets it immediately.
VacationBetter.org released a new analysis on a study by the U.S. Department of Education yesterday supporting my theory. The study examined a group of first graders to determine whether there was any relationship between going on vacation (as well as things like where they went and how long they spent there) and their academic achievement in reading, mathematics and general knowledge. The findings showed that kids who took a summer vacation significantly outperformed their peers on academic achievement assessment tests. The length of the trip had a “modest significant” relationship with academic achievement.
I was a little surprised by their finding that it didn’t seem to matter whether the kids went on a relaxing beach vacation or headed to historical sites and science museums. According to the study, kids who went to plays or concerts, art or science museums, historical sites, beaches or lakes, national or state parks, and zoos or aquariums all had significantly higher academic achievement scores than those who did not.
I think just getting to spend that quality time with their families without the distractions of daily life has a positive impact on every aspect of a child’s development, not just academically. I know it can be tough in this economy, but parents should try to cut from other areas to make room in the budget for travel. Not only does every parent need and deserve a vacation, it’s good for the kids too. So start saving those pennies for a trip to the beach!
