How do you plan a vacation with your children?

BeachKidsR 150x150 How do you plan a vacation with your children?Travelling with children can be quite an ordeal, but if you involve your children in the preparation, things could be much easier. When preparing the trip, take into account their ages and potential needs. Also think of a number of practical issues you can apply and then hopefully there will be no surprises. If you’re well prepared on the stage then the play is number one ranking and  a success. You will be able to take a bow and receive a well deserved applause and holiday!

Involving your children in the travel plans

Children are so much fun when you allow them to be part of the preparation and planning.  Fun breaks and activities can assist to break up the monotony of heavy school responsibilities for the older ones. The little ones actually do tell you so much and give you so much information when you playing games with them. You can do the activities together, but as for the older children, you can send them on their own “mission path” to find the perfect vacation and give them a choice of destinations and budgets with which to work.

DKchildrensWorldAtlas 150x150 How do you plan a vacation with your children?You can encourage a toddler to look in an atlas with you to find the location of the holiday. Questions like, which country you will be traveling to, how long does the trip actually take, and what part of it will probably be the longest? Part of the game can be to discuss the places of interest and sights you will seeing in the country you will be visiting and to look it up on the Internet. You can also do picture, language or word games, which can obviously be a big help to you too as well.

Little ones love to hear a couple of months in advance about the activities that they are going to do. It can be very important for children to be involved in the planning stage so they can have their say in what they like or dislike about a certain vacation. We adults often take it for granted that our children just love the holidays that we have planned and prepared for them. However this is not always the case, how many times have we ended up with bored, misbehaving, screaming children looking for attention?

Travelling with school age children

Canoe 150x150 How do you plan a vacation with your children?School kids usually burst with energy, they want to try everything. For example, consider canoeing, mountain biking, skating or hiking activities. You could even consider a surfing school or similar activity whilst you have your day at the beach relaxing.  Failing that, you could do something together like horse riding.  If you are a working family who usually spends a lot of time indoors, why not take the challenge and maybe encourage the kids to do something like rock climbing to encourage them overcome their own limitations in life.

imagesCA3O1YHK1 150x150 How do you plan a vacation with your children?Maybe your teenagers are a bit rebellious and want to party all the time or perhaps they want to spend time on their own.  The answer to this may be to consider a combined vacation where you can do a lot of family activities together like sports, walking or climbing. This may allow you talk and perhaps bond together. In the evenings you separate and do your own thing!

Many travel agents nowadays focus on family holidays and activities. Many hotels are specially equipped for entertaining families and children of all ages. You can find them on the Internet but beware these forms of entertainment may not fit every individuals needs.

Some children are under the spell of animals. In this case, a farmhouse or safari holiday is something you might well consider.

donkeys06 150x150 How do you plan a vacation with your children?If you have children that are diagnosed with forms of autism or ADHD you might consider taking a vacation with nature and animals, like visiting a donkey sanctuary or perhaps something like swimming with dolphins. The healing and soothing powers of nature can do miracles.

So listen to those little voices around you and within, and have a great vacation.

Monica Luna

Leave a Reply