How it all began
Every great journey starts with a simple question:
How can we keep exploring the world while helping our kids grow into global citizens, without losing the joy along the way?
For us, that question was born from two truths we couldn’t ignore:
We missed the curiosity and connection of our own travels — those backpacking days, the cultural exchanges, the friendships that made the world feel smaller.
And we wanted our kids to grow up in that same spirit: curious, confident, and at home anywhere.
So we began designing family experiences that give children the gift of wonder — and parents the space to breathe, explore, and connect. From skiing under the shadow of Mont Blanc to learning Mandarin through play in Taiwan, each trip is built around one belief:
When families explore the world together, not just as tourists but as learners and friends, the world truly does feel like a small, welcoming place.
Welcome to Small World Explorers. The adventure’s just getting started.
Meet the founders
Yawen Hsu
co-founder
Hi, I’m Yawen — mom to twin boys, Carlo and Luca, who can switch between Mandarin, Italian, and English as easily as they switch between building Legos and racing around the backyard.
Our family has collectively lived in 17 cities around the world. Along the way, we’ve learned that the richest moments aren’t found on a checklist of tourist attractions. They happen over shared meals, in playgrounds where kids don’t speak the same language but still laugh together, and in those quiet moments when you find the courage to try something new.
Small World Explorers grew from a dream to help other families feel that same magic. Our trips are designed so kids come home more curious and confident — and parents return with full hearts and recharged energy.
Shiao-Ying Fang
co-founder
Hello, I’m Shiao-Ying — single mom to Kepler, my endlessly curious travel buddy. We’re a bilingual (and aspiring multilingual) family who measures life in experiences, not just miles.
I’ve filled more passport pages than I can count, visiting 60 countries so far. Kepler’s keeping pace — at age 8, he’s already on his third passport and has explored 14 countries, always with a backpack full of snacks and a million questions.
For me, travel is about more than seeing the world — it’s about shaping how we understand it, and our place within it. Through Small World Explorers, I want to give families the chance to connect, learn, and make memories that become part of their family story.
How we design camps
We believe the best family journeys are actively co-created, not just consumed. Every camp we offer is handpicked, either because our own kids have joined or we’ve followed them for years, eager for the right time. We choose only programs we’d proudly send our children to, with the right balance of safety, skill-building, and cultural immersion.
While kids dive into camp adventures, parents enjoy the freedom to explore solo, join group activities, or simply relax. We provide the planning, local insights, and flexible options — you choose how to make it yours. Have younger children? Whenever possible, we’ll help arrange trusted babysitting so the whole family can enjoy the journey.
Our mission is to bring globally-minded families together, creating trips where kids make friends from different cultures, parents recharge and connect, and everyone returns home with memories that make the world feel smaller, warmer, and more connected.
