3 Books to Get Kids Excited About Travel

Books are kids’ earliest passports, giving them access to worlds real and imagined. So what better way to cultivate a young traveler’s sense of curiosity and wonder than to invite kids into the world through books? Here are three that will help children connect to the world around them through fun facts, hands-on activities, and cool thought experiments.

The Lonely Planet Kids Travel Book: Mind-Blowing Stuff on Every Country in the World

By: Lonely Planet

This collection of strange and wonderful facts is grouped by country and densely illustrated. Within these pages, kids will discover a world worth exploring. They’ll learn about the water puppets of Vietnam, Mongolia’s nomadic Olympics, and Austria’s traditional game of competitive finger pulling—along with thousands of other fascinating facts.

The World in a Second

By: Isabel Minhos Martins and Bernardo Carvalho

This is the rare picture book that’s conceptually interesting enough to appeal to older readers as well as younger children. It creates a connected snapshot of the world by imagining all the things that people around the world are doing in the same exact second. Not only is this book mind-expanding, it’s also a great introduction to the concept of time zones, since people in the same second are in all stages of their day.

You Are Here: An Interactive Book of Maps and Worlds

By: Robin Jacobs and Kathrin Jacobsen

Part activity book, part sketch pad, this book feels like an interactive atlas, introducing concepts of map reading, navigation, and city layouts in hands-on ways. Early on, there’s an exercise that teaches perspective followed by a chance for kids to map their own immediate environment. It’s full of useful vocabulary and even includes a country checklist for aspiring world travelers.

More from SmarterTravel:

• Our Favorite Travel Books
• 10 Vacations to Take Before Your Kids Turn 10
• America’s 10 Best Campgrounds for Families

Christine Sarkis loves reading—and traveling—with her kids. Follow her on Twitter @ChristineSarkis and Instagram @postcartography for more advice about making every vacation the best vacation.

(Photo: Mr. Mopps Bookstore, Berkeley, California–Christine Sarkis)