Taylor Swift helped normalize traveling for concerts. Now families are increasingly doing the same thing for their children, planning trips around favorite performers, touring productions, and entertainment experiences.
How Traveling for Concerts and Shows Strengthen Family Bonds
It is common for adults to travel to experience live music at festivals or sports games. Parents are now starting to see that children too can feel the same level of excitement and anticipation for performances. “Traveling to an event provides multiple opportunities for families to form strong bonds through planning and preparing for the trip, enjoying the time spent together during the trip, and sharing thoughts and memories after the trip,” says Dr. Carolina Estevez, Psy.D. “Research in developmental psychology has shown that parents who participate in experiences with their children, especially those related to their child’s passions and interests, will build a closer relationship and help the child develop their sense of identity.”
Live Performances for Kids Is The New Trend in Travel
“While children may not have memories of each and every one of their toys, they generally will have a memory of an experience which caused them to feel big emotions,” Dr. Dakari Quimby, PhD, and clinical advisor of The Lakes Behavioral Health. From a psychological standpoint, a live performance engages children’s senses through music, movement, and crowds, and thus the memories from these experiences become extremely vivid and emotionally rich.”
Adults Entering Their Children’s World Through Traveling
KIDZ BOP live performances
KIDZ BOP
“Families are increasingly traveling around their kids’ interests because these experiences communicate something psychologically important: what matters to you matters to me,” Dr. Navvab Tadjvar, a clinical psychologist in Beverly Hills, California. “A child not only remembers the performance, but also that the adults in their lives entered their world with genuine curiosity and enthusiasm. That experience of recognition is often more memorable than the performance itself.”
This reflects a cultural shift in parenting. Parents are increasingly viewing their children’s interests as meaningful expressions of who they are. “Whether it’s Bluey, KIDZ BOP, Disney On Ice, or another live performance, building a family trip around a child’s passion transforms entertainment into a shared experience that strengthens connection, creates lasting family narratives, and communicates to the children that what they want and who they are matters,” says Dr. Tadjvar. These trips also offer children an opportunity to feel seen in a way that extends beyond the performance itself, reinforcing that their interests are worthy of time, effort, and shared excitement.
“I think of these as attunement trips: the parents enter their child’s world instead of the other way around,” says Rod Mitchell, psychologist and founder of Emotions Therapy Calgary. “The parents get to borrow some of their child’s sense of awe and wonder while at the same time experiencing it alongside them, instead of just being a chaperone.
Building Trips Around a Child’s Favorite Performer
“More and more, we’re seeing parents build trips around something their children already love, whether that’s a favorite character, entertainer, or special event,” says Deryk Meany, General Manager, Beaches Turks and Caicos. “The vacation almost starts before they arrive, because the anticipation is part of the fun.” Music is especially powerful because it brings everyone into the same moment. Whether you’re two or 72, when the right song comes on, everyone finds their rhythm. “This is something we’ve seen for years at Beaches through our Sesame Street partnership, our family beach hangouts and Caribbean street parties,” says Meany. When you create an experience that resonates with both kids and parents, it becomes a much bigger part of the vacation experience.
Kids have always had a voice in family vacations, but today that influence is bigger than ever. Parents are paying attention to their children’s interests, and the reality is that family travel isn’t just about where you’re going anymore. It’s about what you’re going to experience together once you get there.
Here are just a few upcoming events attracting families with young kids.
Beaches Turks & Caicos x Lenny Pearce (Turks & Caicos)
Lenny Pearce is slated to appear at Beaches this fall.
Beaches Turks and Caicos
The Caribbean Toddler Rave: Families are increasingly choosing vacations around children’s favorite entertainers, and Beaches Turks & Caicos is betting on the trend. This fall, parents can plan an entire Caribbean getaway around viral DJ Lenny Pearce’s Toddler Techno beach rave, featuring glow sticks, foam bursts, dance parties, and festival-style programming as part of the resort’s annual Fall Fam Jam.
Bluey’s Big Play (New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Toronto and other touring markets)
The Preschool Eras Tour: What started as a hit Australian cartoon has become a travel motivator for families with young children. Parents regularly turn Bluey’s Big Play tour stops into weekend getaways, combining performances with city breaks, hotel stays, and family attractions in major markets across North America.
KIDZ BOP Live (National Amphitheater Tour)
The Family Concert Vacation: For many elementary-school-aged kids, KIDZ BOP is their first concert experience. Families frequently travel to major tour stops in destinations such as Orlando, Dallas, Atlanta, and Los Angeles, turning a single concert into a long weekend of family activities. KIDZ BOP will also perform two live concerts on October 2 and October 5, at Beaches Turks and Caicos. Beyond the concerts, families can keep the energy going with exclusive meet-and-greets with the KIDZ BOP Kids, themed pool parties, KIDZ BOP karaoke, concert movie screenings, a welcome celebration, and more exclusive VIP experiences throughout the weekend.
Disney On Ice (National Arena Tour)
The Original Kid Gig Trip: Long before adults were flying cross-country for concerts, families were planning trips around Disney On Ice. Many parents build winter weekend escapes around tour dates in cities like Boston, Chicago, Minneapolis, and Nashville, pairing the show with museums, holiday attractions, and hotel stays.
Laurie Berkner Live (Select U.S. Cities)
The Family Music Pilgrimage: Often called the “queen of kids’ music,” Laurie Berkner’s concerts attract devoted fans who travel regionally for holiday shows and special performances. For many preschool families, attending a Laurie Berkner concert becomes the centerpiece of a family weekend away.
