Olympic Champion and Mom Shawn Johnson Offers Family Travel Insights as She Prepares for the 2024 Olympics — Kids in Tow

Former gymnast Shawn Johnson East is set to return to the Olympics — this time as a spectator alongside her husband and three young children.

At 32, the celebrated athlete, known for winning four medals — including gold for the balance beam at the 2008 Beijing Games — is now a mother of three, and her travel experiences have certainly changed. "I’ve always said that setting your expectations for traveling with kids as work often leads to a smoother experience," she shared with Dinogo in a recent interview. "Many struggle with traveling with children when they think, ‘oh, I couldn’t relax on the plane.’ That’s just not realistic with kids!"

Her secret to getting ready? Movies, toys, activities, and understanding that kids also "want to explore new things too."

"They want to join mommy and daddy, play around, and engage in fun activities," she shared.

Johnson, who previously visited Paris with her husband — former NFL player Andrew East, whom she met at the 2012 London Games — will be attending the Olympics as a family and plans to visit kid-friendly spots like Disneyland, as she mentioned to T+L.

"We might attempt to see some art, but I can’t envision my kids enjoying that," she noted, adding that she'll also be present at the games in a professional capacity with Yahoo Sports.

Overall, she knows how to keep her little ones — daughter Drew, 4, son Jett, 2, and baby Barrett — engaged in unfamiliar surroundings. Her top tip for traveling with three kids under 5? Locate the best playgrounds in your destination and pack plenty of activities for the flight, including coloring books, movies, snacks, and non-messy silly putty.

She aims to keep things flexible. While they arrange their accommodations, they avoid tightly scheduled activities, recognizing the unpredictability of traveling with kids. Instead, they maintain a list of potential activities, restaurants, and attractions, allowing for a day-to-day flexible approach. Johnson and East, who currently reside in Nashville, have already taken their young children on numerous trips, including annual mission trips and a cruise around the Greek Islands that started in Israel. Despite their travels, they stick to their daily routines, including a focus on healthy eating. Although her daughter has just discovered croissants (a quintessential French treat), healthy eating is central to their family life, which is why the Dancing with the Stars champion recently teamed up with Barilla Protein+® pasta. As a mom of toddlers who would only eat pasta, she sought out options with added protein. When she received the protein-rich pasta — boasting 17 grams of protein per -ounce serving — in a PR package, she was thrilled, especially when her kids loved it.

"I thought, 'this is brilliant.' Now we have pasta night every Saturday, and it's so much healthier, which I really appreciate," she shared with T+L.

While in Paris, she might trade pasta for a baguette, but Johnson is eager to see what Team USA has to offer in 2024.

"I'm excited for all the major events, of course," she remarked when asked which ones she's eager to see. "Basketball, swimming, track and field, and then also equestrian, taekwondo, table tennis, jousting—I'm looking forward to every single one!"