Traveling with kids
Traveling with kids? 5 things that will make it fun, not stressful
Traveling with kids: Family holidays are things that every child remembers, and when they head back to school afterward, they tell their teachers and fellow students tales of what they got up to. Despite that, it’s almost like a ‘seeing it all through rose-tinted glasses’ kind of affair because there’s no denying that for the parents at least, traveling with children can be stressful!
You don’t want to turn your family travels into dramas, so how can you make traveling with your little ones more fun?
Well, it’s down to pre-planning basically, but here are a few tips you might like to try on your next travel adventure, wherever it may be.
Plan, plan, plan!
It’s a good idea to plan a few activities in advance, so you’re not scrambling around in the morning for things to do. We all know how it goes, you get up, you ponder for a while, and before you know it, half the morning has gone and you’ve not moved. If you plan a few activities in advance, you don’t have that problem. Think interactive museums, indoor and outdoor play areas, etc.
Get outdoors!
Not only will the fresh air tire the kids out, so you’re in for a quiet and comfortable night’s sleep, but getting active is good for their health. Find a local nature trail, even go shell-collecting on the beach, but the idea is to get out into the fresh air for fun and frolics. This idea doesn’t even have to be complicated or expensive, you could even look at flying kites, which we all know kids love! Tesco does some great, low-cost products, which won’t break the bank and can easily be packed up.
Compromise
For every cultural day out, e.g. a museum or a particular place you want to see, throw in a beach day. Make sure every place you visit has something for kids, such as a play area or an interactive section, and let’s face it, most large attractions these days do.
Play games en-route
If you’re traveling by road or train, to ease boredom and increase the overall fun of it, play games. This doesn’t have to be complex, it can be as simple as eye-spy, but even this is a good way to get the kids looking at their surroundings, and taking in the place they’re visiting. Obviously, this also passes time, which is good when traveling!
Get them researching
Travel is about the experience, and it’s important for the kids to understand a little about where they’re visiting. This obviously depends on their age, but a good suggestion is to get them to read online a little about the place you’re going to be heading to, and asking them what they’d like to do when they get there, based on what they’ve found.
As you can see, making travel with kids fun is about distraction techniques, keeping them busy, opening their eyes to what they’re seeing, and overall, good planning!
