In this article we focus on how to go WWOOFing with kids as a great way to budget travel while exploring a new place. Personally, WWOOFing has allowed me to keep costs down while meeting and connecting with locals on a deeper level. In this article we’ll cover not only WWOOF, but several other websites you can use to find host organizations.
WWOOF. What is it?
WWOOF is an international program that allows you to exchange work for accommodation. You’re getting so much more than the traditional tourist transaction. You have the opportunity to go beyond surface level and learn from locals in their own home. WWOOF focuses specifically on organic farms. At the bottom of this article you’ll find a list of other websites that go beyond the farm for many more interesting work exchange opportunities.
Where to go WWOOFing with Kids
There are two ways you can approach choosing your destination. Either pick somewhere you really want to go and find a host in the area or scroll through hosts and choose where you go based on the most interesting hosting experiences. There are many ways to choose your next vacation destination. It depends on your budget, length of trip, children’s ages, financial situation and interests.
One challenge with WWOOF is that you pay for membership based on one country and so are a bit more limited as you can only see hosts in the country you chose. Unless you pay for membership in multiple countries. I always liked WorkAway because you have access to their global database of hosts with one membership.
Highlights Of Our WWOOFing and WorkAway Adventures:
- Worked reception at a hostel in Budapest by day. Explored the city’s ruin bars by night.
- Made bracelets and learned beekeeping at a monastery in Romania. I introduced the resident nuns to mac’n cheese. It became a permanent feature on their meal rotation.
- Taught English in Poland to a bunch of rowdy teenagers.
- Helped with yard work at a homestead in Italy and learned to make pasta from the host’s grandmother.
- Cooked for volunteers and residents at an artist residency in the Czech countryside and got lost in a forest in Northern Czech/Southern Poland. We weren’t sure if we’d crossed the border.
All of our experiences included beds to sleep in and most also included meals. The only cost to us was getting to the location. Depending on the location spending varied. In Budapest, we went out with friends most nights and spent money on beer. We also took long weekend trips to explore nearby towns. In Czech, we mainly stayed at the very rural host property and socialized with the artists and other volunteers. We were there for 10 days and spent nothing during that time.
Setting expectations for WWOOFing with Kids
Making sure both you and your host family have realistic expectations is crucial in ensuring everyone has an enjoyable trip. A difference in expectations around working hours or included accommodations can make for an incredibly awkward and uncomfortable experience. Avoid it by setting yourself up for success with the below questions.
What to ask before committing to WWOOFing with Kids:
- Does the host accept families?
- Can your child(ren) help with the work? If not, who will supervise the child(ren) while you work?
- Is the host flexible with what time of day you do the work required? Most hosts require 20-30 hours of work. Can you do it while the kids sleep?
- Does the host have other children? What are their ages? Will your children and theirs be able to play together?
- Think through safety concerns. Are their dogs on the property and are they child friendly? Are their other animals on the property that children need to be supervised around? Are their areas that are off limits to kids? Are those areas gated or easily accessible?
- Does the host have positive reviews from other families? I strongly urge you to read through at least 10 reviews and look for any red flags. For me, poor wifi quality, or no wifi, is a deal breaker.
- Can you get there with public transportation? Will you need a car to access the property?
- Are there places nearby you want to visit? If you’ll want to do weekend trips to explore nearby areas, make sure to work out a schedule with the hosts beforehand.
- What are the accommodations?
- Are meals included? Or groceries? Do you need to work additional hours for the additional cost of food to feed the kid(s)?
- If meals are not included, what access will you have to a kitchen? Do you get fridge space?
- Are you capable of doing the work described by the host? This may seem obvious, but if the host is asking for someone with carpentry skills and you don’t actually know carpentry this isn’t the right fit.
Safety considerations to go WWOOFing with Kids
- Always tell someone where you’re going. This is the oldest and best piece of advice.
- Never give a host your passport. If they ask for it, ask what they need it for. This would be a red flag for me.
- Know the emergency numbers of the country you’re in.
- Make sure the host has at minimum 10 positive reviews including some of families with kids. Even better if they’ve been verified.
- If you have any special requests, be upfront and ask before you commit.
- All of the recommended websites allow you to chat with hosts beforehand. Do it. Be clear with your expectations and scheduling needs. Make sure you understand their expectations 100%.
I’ve had nothing but good experiences traveling with WorkAway and WWOOF. I did my due diligence every time. When it comes to bringing your littles along, there’s no excuse for not working things out as much as possible beforehand.
Most Popular websites for work exchange and budget travel:
Membership fee – $44 USD for an individual account or $56 USD for a joint account.
Pros – Diverse array of job types available, ability to filter by hosts accepting families, volunteers can leave reviews of hosts.
Cons – Customer support can be slow to respond.
Membership Free – $25 for two years.
Pros – Cheapest membership.
Cons – Geographic focus on Europe, Australia and Canada. Limited listings elsewhere. Older website. Navigation is not as up to date.
Membership Fee – Usually $15-$40 USD per year, varies by country.
Pros – Largest online directory of organic farms and rural placements seeking volunteers. Meals usually included. Great for learning about homesteading, permaculture or farming.
Cons – Membership fee is per country. Farm work can be physically challenging.
WorldPackers has varying membership fees for single or group travelers. Membership fee valid for 18 months.
Pros – Easy to navigate. Insurance available if things don’t work out with your host. Higher focus on safety and security with 24/7 support by phone or email. Popular with solo female travelers.
Cons – No option to filter for family friendly hosts.
Alternatives
The below websites I have not personally used and you will need to do your own research. Keep in mind that free websites often come with a higher level of risk due to less strict screening processes.
Geared towards professionals and not family inclusive. Fellowships offered. Includes a more formal application process and mentions tuition.
I wish I knew about these years ago. Commitments have me too tied down now. It’s an amazing way to travel.
Hi John,
It definitely is. I’m grateful these exist. Maybe life will give you an opening later on. I met a number of travelers who were empty nesters and using these programs as a way to slow travel through places they’d waited a long time to explore.
Looks like you are able to have some excellent experiences!
Hi Tom! Thanks for the comment! There are so many incredible opportunities on these websites. I love introducing them to people. It’s such an incredible way to learn about a culture and experience life as a local.