Vacationing with the family gives everyone the chance to get away and have fun together. When you travel with kids, however, you have to take precautions. In addition to keeping them safe, you must make sure that they are entertained and comfortable.
To be sure this happens, there are specific steps you should take before and during your vacation. Here are a few that are helpful when you are traveling with your kids.
- Book a Hotel that is Kid Friendly
When you get to your vacation destination, the majority of the time will be spent at the hotel. For this reason, you need to make sure that the hotel has kid friendly activities to entertain them.
Some hotels and resorts go out of their way to accommodate families and include amenities that children will find appealing and enjoyable. For instance, if your family is traveling to Tulum Mexico for a vacation and you are wondering what are the things to do with kids in Tulum, you might be excited to know that there is a resort there that is very kid friendly. The Grand Bahia Principe Tulum has several amenities including a Dolphinarium, where kids can swim with real dolphins, and the Bahia Scouts Club where kids learn about nature and also do cool things like play on water slides and bumper cars. Having these types of activities available, gives your kids something to do throughout the day and allows you and your spouse to have some grown-up time. You can choose between activities for grown-ups, kids or the whole family and never feel like you are leaving them out.
- Talk With Them About Safety Practices
Many parents assume that their kids know what to do to keep them safe, and in the event they get lost. This is a bad assumption. The reality is that most kids only have a vague idea of what to do in this type of emergency. So have a talk with your entire group about safety procedures and what to do if they get separated or lost. Make sure everyone has key numbers for police and ambulance. They should also have the number to the hotel and be able to speak with someone who speaks your language. These tips can be priceless in an emergency.
- Let Them Know the Travel Itinerary
Kids are very curious, get bored easily, and love to know where they are, how long that each leg of traveling will take, and what is coming next. Do yourself a favor and write everything down for them beforehand so they can follow along as you travel. It will give them something to do and stop them from asking you every ten minutes if you have arrived.
- Pack Smart
Packing is one of the most difficult things about traveling with kids. They want to bring everything and you want to make sure you do not leave anything important. The thing to keep in mind is that if you plan your activities right, the kids will not have time to play video games, so bringing the Sony Playstation is a bad idea. Also be careful not to pack too many clothes. Instead find ways to wash things at your vacation destination. Not only will you have fewer luggages to carry, it will save you money on airfares.
- Give Yourself Extra Time
Kids are often not as aware of time as adults and so they end up late a lot. Give yourself extra time to get to places like airports, trains and shows. Tell them things are a half-an-hour earlier to get them moving. This way you won’t miss an important flight or activity.
- Have a Plan But Keep it Loose
You should plan out your vacation but also leave some room for changes. Often you might find that someone is tired or that you loved a place so much you want to go back, but did not schedule this and it wrecks your schedule causing anxiety. By keeping things a bit loose you can make changes without too much stress.
- Stay Calm in Emergencies
Emergencies happen on vacation and sometimes they can be serious. Keep calm in order to keep your kids calm. Tell them as much as appropriate about what is going on, and assure them that everything will be alright. They will take your lead, so keep your cool.
- If They Flip Out, Let it Pass
Vacations can cause stress, especially when there are several kids of different ages, who each want to do different things. In this environment, there is a good chance one or more will flip out. If this occurs, let it happen and let it pass. Chances are it is just coming from the need to blow off some steam. Once it passes hug your kids and get on with your vacation.
Taking family vacations should be fun and rewarding. Doing some smart planning and taking some precautions, can ensure that you all have a great time.
