As a child, I was fortunate enough to be able to travel
extensively with my family. Those early memories still shine brightly in my
mind and there’s no doubt that travel experiences helped to develop me as an
individual.
As parents, we may enjoy the thought of being able to
provide the same opportunities for our own children. Let’s not pretend,
however, that family travel experiences are always positive. There are times
when the children are bored, the rain is pouring down and it can really seem
like you would rather be somewhere else. My own feeling is that such situations
are occasionally inevitable, but can often be avoided.
In this guest post, I thought that it might be interesting
to share a few of my own ideas on keeping kids entertained when you are
travelling. Many of these are personal observations and you may feel that you
don’t agree with each and every one of them. I do hope, however, that I will be
able to provide you with some inspiration.
The journey is often dull
Part of the thrill of heading abroad is thinking about your
final destination and what you will do when you get there. It’s fair to say,
however, that the actual task of travelling in a car, bus or train can
sometimes be pretty boring for kids.
My key tip here is to be pro-active. The trip is only going
to be as boring as you allow it to be. If you’re going to be flying, for
instance, then it’s certainly that you’ll find plenty to look at when you are
at the airport. You might even come up with a list of features and ask your
children to try and spot them.
If part of the journey involves spending a long time in the
car, then be sure to pack a range of games that can be used by your children.
You can also seek to come about with your own games. I have fond memories of
playing Car Cricket and other games that were created by my own parents. Allow
your imagination to run riot and think up some activities that will really
appeal. If you are stuck for ideas, then you can always find additional inspiration
online.
Choose to visit multiple locations
I think that it’s easy for problems to arise, if you spend
endless hours within a single setting. This is one reason why I increasingly
look at options that allow for multiple destinations to be included within a
single trip.
The move from one place to the next can be revitalizing,
while this sort of approach means that you can ensure that your travel plans
appeal to every member of the family. If some prefer the thought of spending
time on the beach, for example, but older children would prefer to experience
city life, then there’s absolutely no reason why you shouldn’t combine the two.
Plan activities in advance
The beauty of the Internet is that it means that it’s now
easier than it has ever been before to get information on specific locations,
sources of accommodation and forms of entertainment. You need to take advantage
of the information that’s available, particularly at the planning stage.
I’m not particularly fond of setting out a detailed itinerary
in advance, but I do like the idea of having a few plans in place. As an
example, I always like to know the possibilities for when it’s raining. This is
particularly important, when travelling with kids, if you want to ensure that
they are fully occupied.
By planning properly in advance, you’ll be in a better
position to have a successful trip. It’s perfectly possible to have a great
time with your children and to allow them to enjoy some wonderful travel
experiences.
0 comments:
Post a Comment