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Today we have a very special guest, Isabelle Southgate, who is a tour guide in Paris and not only is she a tour guide, she is a graphic designer and an author of children’s books.  What really makes Isabelle special is that she runs a special tour especially geared towards kids and familes and we are here to find out all about it!  I know a lot of familes are planning to travel to Paris with their children and Isabelle has a treasure trove of local knowledge and expertise and this podcast would be perfect for preparing to go to paris, as well as just knowing the in-and-outs of navigating Paris with kids.  So let's listen in to the podcast!

Today, we bring on Shanti Hodges to talk about the world of hiking with children.  She is the creator of HikeItBaby, a organisation that helps parents in over 90 cities in the US and around the world get started with hiking with babies.  They run hikes catering for all abilities, from absolute beginners to seasoned mountaineers! Any parent and baby can join a hiking group for free and if a HikeItBaby group does not exist in your city than any parent can start one, with the guidance of Shanti and her team.  Shanti has been hiking with 2 two year old son Mason since birth we chat about: - benefits of hiking with children - what gear do you need to go hiking? - what should you and baby wear when going hiking? - what is a typical hike for a beginner to take? - do babies like going hiking and being in the carrier? - what food to prepare for the baby when going hiking? - Health benefits to mums of hiking - Benefits to children of being closer to nature It's a jam packed episode full of great advice and content.  Please be sure to drop by Shanti's site at HikeItBaby to find more details. Image licensed under Creative Commons.  Full credit to Jeff Turner.

In this episode, we discover the city of Barcelona, Spain with Ann-Marie Brannigan of Runner Bean Tours. Ann-Marie is originally from Ireland and has called Barcelona home for 7 years. She runs Runner Bean Tours with her Spanish partner and they do walking tours for young and old all around the city.  Specifically, Ann-Marie runs a tour for kids through the Gothic quarter, the historic part of the city. We talk about what to do in Barcelona, where to go, and how to find kids friendly activities around town. We also chat generally about travel to Barcelona, such as safety, food, accommodation and the best times of the year to visit. Links/Places Discussed Runner Bean Tours - Ann-Marie's tour company in Barcelona Poble Nou - a family friendly area along the beach where Ann-Marie recommends to stay with your children in Barcelona. Plaza Espanya - site of the magic fountain where daily fountain shows draws crowds in thousands. Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya - free for children to visit after 3pm on Saturdays CosmoCaixa Barcelona science museum - holds interactive sessions with children from 0-4 and 3-9 years where they can touch, smell and interact with different geological formations, as well as see all sorts of animals. Sagrada Familia - offers a audio guide for kids, great for making the tour into an interactive session, children can even use it as a scavenger hunt! Park Güell - colourful and popular with children of all ages Casa Batlo - Gaudi architecture popular with both the young and old.

  Summary Welcome and thank you for listening to the first ever episode of the Travel With Little Ones podcast!  I give a little background on myself and why I set out to create this podcast.  I also explain that the podcast exists to explore three main themes.  One, the wonderful places around the world where you can take your children.  Two, travel related topics specifically for parents that travel with kids such as keeping the kids occupied and interested, family friendly accommodation, safety, food, games on the road etc.  Three, to explore the benefits that travelling with children can bring to your children's development, such as tolerance, problem solving ability, patience and creativity.  I close by sharing a personal travelling challenge of mine.  Are you willing to match? Links Smart Passive Income Podcast Travel with Rick Steves Podcast Join us in France Podcast