Experience Report of a 1-Month Study Abroad in Cebu with a 3-Year-Old: Why We Decided on Parent-Child Study Abroad, What Was Hard, and an Honest Review

“One month of study abroad with my 3-year-old.” To be honest, before we left, my anxiety was overwhelmingly greater than anything else.

Would they understand us? Could my child cope with the change in environment? Would my child get sick partway through? Above all, is there any point in going abroad at age 3? I asked myself that many times.

Even so, this time we took on a one-month study abroad trip to Cebu as parent and child. The reason was not only “wanting to improve English ability”. We felt there was value in the experience itself of spending time together and placing ourselves in the same environment as parent and child.

In this article, I honestly summarize what I felt after actually living in Cebu for one month with a 3-year-old child, including both the good points and the hard parts. I hope it is helpful for those considering parent-and-child study abroad, especially those who feel anxious about staying overseas with a preschool-age child.

When I began thinking about parent-and-child study abroad, Cebu was not the only option from the start. We compared several options, including Western countries and nearby Asian countries.

There were mainly three reasons why we finally chose Cebu.

The first is **the short distance and small time difference**. It is about 5 hours by direct flight from Japan, with a time difference of only 1 hour. For a 3-year-old, the relatively light burden of travel and adjusting daily rhythms was a major deciding factor.

The second is **the abundant track record of accepting parent-and-child students**. Cebu has many language schools with classes for preschool-age children and experience in handling kids. Against the worry of “will it really be OK at age 3?”, it was reassuring that concrete examples and support systems were easy to see.

The third is **realistic costs**. Considering a period of one month, Western countries inevitably become a high hurdle. In that respect, Cebu has a good balance of accommodation, tuition and living costs, making it easy to choose to “try one month first”.

For these reasons, when we considered the conditions of “age 3, first time abroad, one-month stay”, we judged Cebu to be the most realistic and comfortable choice.

Between deciding to go and departure, honestly my anxiety was greater than my excitement. What I worried about most was not “English”.

My biggest worry was **whether my 3-year-old could adjust to the local environment**. Could my child endure time apart from me in a place where the language was not understood? I constantly wondered whether I would be forcing my child if they strongly resisted.

**Health** was also a big concern. The heat, the food, the water, the differences in daily rhythm. Even though I knew things would not be the same as in Japan, I could not stop worrying about how to respond if my child actually got sick.

Furthermore, **the parent’s own mental state** turned out to be more important than I had imagined. An unfamiliar life abroad, studying a language while caring for a child. Up until just before departure, I kept thinking, “What if it is harder than I expected?” and “What if I regret it partway through?”

What finally made me take the plunge was feeling that “the regret of not going would be greater”. Rather than aiming for a perfect study abroad experience, it is OK to have days that do not go well. Telling myself this, I headed to Cebu.

The first few days after arriving in Cebu, honestly, passed in a real rush. Moving from the airport to our accommodation, getting what we needed for daily life, and attending the school orientation. Going through a routine that is tiring even for adults alone, with a 3-year-old, was harder than I had imagined.

In the first 3 to 4 days in particular, my child looked tense and rarely smiled. Unfamiliar places, unfamiliar people, unfamiliar words. Seeing my child anxious and unwilling to leave my side, my honest feeling was, “Maybe it was too early after all.”

On the first day of school, my child refused to go into the classroom and cried. That day we did not push it and cut it short. I told myself, “We have a whole month, so there is no need to rush.”

But about a week in, small changes began to appear. My child started saying the teacher’s name and imitating at home the games played in class. In the morning, my child began asking, “Are we going to school?”

I think the speed of getting used to a new environment differs from child to child. Even so, I feel that choosing to “wait until they get used to it” was the right decision.

This time, my child attended the **kids course at 3D ACADEMY**. Considering the age of 3, I chose **one-on-one lessons** rather than a group.

Lessons were **mornings only, 4 periods per day**. In the afternoon, we kept a relaxed schedule without pushing.

The instructors were **two teachers with experience in children’s education**. Each taught 2 periods, so the same teachers took care of my child every day.

Why We Chose 4 Periods in the Morning

At first I considered adding more periods, but I felt it would be too much for a 3-year-old. After actually living there, I found that **concentration is highest in the morning**.

Even 4 periods is a sufficient amount for a child. By not scheduling lessons into the afternoon, my child did not carry fatigue over to the next day and went to school in a good mood.

Lessons Are Centered on “Play”

Lessons are not the kind where children sit at a desk and study.

• English songs and rhythm games
• Vocabulary practice with picture cards and toys
• Familiar themes such as colors, numbers and animals
• Activities responding to simple instructions

It felt closer to **playing together in English** than to “teaching English”.

Support Possible Because the Teachers Are Used to Teaching Children

Both of the assigned teachers were used to giving lessons to children.

On days when my child could not concentrate, they changed the content, and on days my child was not in the mood, they did not push ahead. Their attitude of putting the 3-year-old’s pace first was very reassuring as a parent.

Having two teachers also brought benefits such as:

• Hearing the same expression said in different ways
• Not depending too much on one particular teacher
• Practice in getting used to people

I felt these benefits as well.

Valuing “Time Without Study” in the Afternoon

We did not schedule lessons in the afternoon, and it was basically free time.

• Playing at the pool
• Going for walks
• Nap in the room

I think it was thanks to this “time of doing nothing” that we were able to keep going comfortably for the whole month.

More than any improvement in English ability, **not feeling resistance to English** was, I feel, the greatest result.

Because my child concentrated hard in the kids class in the morning, we valued “time of doing nothing” in the afternoon. For a 3-year-old, just a different environment is already a big stimulus. That is why we deliberately avoided packing in too many plans in the afternoon.

Afternoons Were Basically Relaxed

After lessons, we often went straight home.

• Nap in the room
• Playing with toys
• Reading picture books with a parent

I tried to spend the time as usual as possible, just as in Japan.

Going Out Within Reason

On days when my child had energy and was in a good mood, we sometimes went out a little.

• A nearby shopping mall
• The condominium pool
• A cafe within walking distance

We hardly went out sightseeing. I think being able to choose “nothing today” ended up helping with managing my child’s health.

The Daily Rhythm Settled Unexpectedly Well

The sun in Cebu is stronger than in Japan, and life naturally becomes morning-oriented. My child got sleepy early in the evening and, on many days, woke up relatively easily in the morning.

As a result,

• Lack of sleep was rare
• There were fewer bad-mood days
• My child could concentrate in the morning lessons

A positive cycle was created.

An Important Time for the Parent Too

The afternoon was also time for me to catch my breath. Spending relaxed time with my child let me reset my impatience and fatigue.

There were times I thought, “Shouldn’t I make my child study more?”, but I feel that with parent-and-child study abroad at age 3, **not cramming was the most important thing**.

For this parent-and-child study abroad, I **arranged the accommodation myself** and used the **3D ACADEMY commuting course**. We did not stay in the school dorm; instead we commuted to school every day from a hotel (condominium).

For this study abroad with a 3-year-old, this choice turned out to suit us very well.

Why We Chose the Commuting Course

3D ACADEMY has a **commuting course that lets you choose your own accommodation**. This was one of the big deciding factors in choosing a school.

The reasons are simple:

• I wanted to put my child’s daily rhythm first
• I wanted to spend nights in a quiet environment
• I wanted to control meals and hygiene myself

In particular for a 3-year-old, I thought a **living environment close to normal** would be more reassuring than communal dorm life.

Benefits of Staying in a Hotel or Condominium

Staying in a hotel (condominium) actually brought many benefits.

• The room is spacious and my child can move around
• Naps and early bedtimes are easy
• We can rest right away on days my child feels unwell
• We can cook and make simple adjustments to meals

Since we did not schedule lessons in the afternoon, especially, an environment where “we can rest as soon as we get back” was a great help.

What About the Burden of Commuting?

When you hear “commuting”, you may think it sounds like a hassle to travel, but since we chose a place relatively close to the school, it was not a big burden.

By taxi or ride-hailing app, you can get there in a short time. By taking the same route every day, my child gradually got used to it too.

The Commuting Course Suited Parent-and-Child Study Abroad

I think dorm life suits short-term study abroad or studying alone. However, for **parent-and-child study abroad with a preschool-age child**, having a commuting course option was extremely valuable.

There is great freedom in daily life, and it is easy to match your child’s pace. This was a big advantage in getting through the one-month period without strain.

The commuting course, where you can freely choose your accommodation, had many advantages for parent-and-child study abroad. On the other hand, after actually spending one month, there were also points I felt I wish I had known in advance.

All Laundry Is Arranged by Yourself

With the commuting course, you must **arrange all laundry yourself**.

There are several ways, such as using the hotel’s laundry service or asking a nearby laundry shop, but with a child, the amount of laundry grows more than you would imagine.

It is not an environment where the laundry is “done before you know it” as in Japan, so I found this a bit of a hassle.

Meals Are Basically Self-Managed

On the commuting course, **the only meal provided by the school is weekday lunch (optional: +100 USD per 4 weeks)**. Breakfast, dinner and weekend meals all have to be prepared by yourself.

At first I thought, “We can enjoy eating out, so it is no problem,” but after a month of staying, I started to feel a little tired of eating out continuously.

What surprised me was that **the school food was tastier than I had expected**. It was also well balanced nutritionally, and my child ate it relatively well.

Because of that, I honestly felt a little regret in the second half, thinking “a school dorm with meals might have been fine after all.”

With More Freedom Comes the Need for Self-Management

While the commuting course offers great freedom,

• Meals
• Laundry
• Transportation
• Daily rhythm

you have to manage everything yourself.

With a 3-year-old, this “detailed management of daily life” can be a heavier burden than you expect.

Why I Still Think Choosing the Commuting Course Was Right

Despite the drawbacks, being able to rest in a quiet environment and put my child’s pace first were big advantages.

However, if you want to “reduce the burden of housework” or “avoid preparing meals as much as possible”, I think **a school dorm is also a perfectly good option**.

Studying abroad in Cebu for one month with a 3-year-old was, honestly, not an “easy study abroad”. Managing daily life, paying attention to health, and living every day in an unfamiliar environment. There were many times I found it hard.

Even so, looking back, I sincerely think “I am glad we went”.

Changes in My Child’s English Ability in the Second Half

What impressed me most was **the change in my child after we entered the second half of the stay**.

It is not that my child suddenly began speaking dramatically. But

• Responding naturally to English instructions
• Trying to use known words on their own
• No longer being confused when hearing English

Small changes like these steadily accumulated.

Above all, the biggest thing was that **resistance to English disappeared**. Seeing my child humming English songs and showing interest in English videos even after returning to Japan, I feel that this one month of experience has truly stayed with them.

What We Gained from Parent-and-Child Study Abroad Was Not Only “English”

What we gained from this study abroad was not only English ability.

• The ability to adapt to a new environment
• Flexibility in relating to people
• The experience of spending long hours together as parent and child

I think there was a lot that could be absorbed precisely because of the age of 3.

For Those Considering Parent-and-Child Study Abroad

Parent-and-child study abroad at age 3 suits some families and not others. If you demand perfect results, you will surely end up exhausted.

What matters is not “getting them to speak English” but “naturally creating time for them to be exposed to English”.

One month in Cebu was a very good experience as a first step toward that.

For those who are now considering parent-and-child study abroad, I would be glad if this account helps your decision even a little.