How should the trip change as children get older?
The trip should change with the child, not just become a slower version of the same itinerary. Infants make sleep and equipment decisive; toddlers make movement decisive; older children need enough participation and independence for the trip to feel like theirs as well.
Answer
With an infant, the trip is shaped by sleep, feeding, shade and how easily equipment moves. With a toddler, the pressure shifts to safe space, short journeys and the fact that a five-minute transition can become the day's main event. School-age children usually tolerate more structure, but they need activities they can understand and join rather than a procession of adult interests. Teenagers often handle distance better while caring more about privacy, food, connectivity and some control over the plan. More breaks alone will not fix an itinerary built for a younger child. Change the destination logic as well. A trip that works at age two may feel flat at twelve, while a culture-heavy city route that failed with a toddler may become excellent once the child can participate.