A family adventure can be one of the most exciting things to look forward to. Plus, isn’t it cool to think that this adventure could be something that you remember and talk about for years to come? Your kids might end up telling their own kids about this adventure (no pressure, though).
The key to having a perfectly planned family adventure is following the advice here. Don’t leave your next adventure to chance. Read on so you can make sure you all have the most incredible time:
Take The Time To Plan Together
Planning can actually be one of the most exciting parts of a trip. If you take the time to plan together as a family, it helps to build up anticipation and excitement for what lies ahead! Sit down around the computer and research what to do, writing out a loose itinerary as you go. Make sure that it is loose and not too rigid, and that you leave plenty of time for flexibility and just exploring in there. You don’t want to have to rush from place to place, especially if you’re travelling with kids.
It’s worth remembering that kids will need more breaks than you. You’ll have to account for more snack breaks and toilet breaks, and ensure their legs aren’t too tired from carrying them all day.
Compromise And Find Somewhere For Everybody
Make sure there’s somewhere for everybody in your plan. Ensure that if you have kids of different ages, there’s something for all of them to enjoy. This can be tough, but if you want to avoid a trip full of kids that are huffing and puffing, you’ll have to do your research.
Dropping them off at kids clubs to play and make friends can be an option occasionally, but you won’t want to be doing this all the time. What sort of a family adventure will it be if your kids are hardly with you?
Manage Your Expectations
Something that can easily ruin your family trip is having too high expectations. You want to manage your expectations so that you’re not too attached to a certain outcome. Of course you want your trip to be great, but if you focus too much on how that trip is going to be great, and what has to happen for it to be that way, you’ll probably end up bitterly disappointed.
This is your time to learn to let go of your expectations, live in the moment, and go with the flow. If you learn to do this, you trip could end up going very differently to what you envisioned, but you’ll enjoy it and remember it nonetheless.
Research Accommodation Carefully
Look into your accommodation carefully to make sure you’re staying in a place that is suitable for your family. It’s going to be the backdrop to your trip, and can make a huge difference to the time you have away. Here are some pointers you’ll want to think about:
- Is it a family hotel?
- What is the customer service like?
- What amenities are nearby?
- What are their reviews and testimonials like?
- Would you be better off in a private villa or apartment?
Make sure you consider what your non negotiables are, too. Some people like to make sure they have a kitchen so they don’t have to eat out for every single meal and blow their budget.
Get Insurance, Visas, And Other Documentation
Well in advance you should make sure you get insurance, visas, and other important documentation. Depending on where you’re going you may need different documents. For instance if you’re taking your family to Turkey, you’ll need to find a visa for Turkey application well in advance to give it time to clear. You don’t want to leave any of these things too late. How would your family feel if you were denied entry to the country on arrival?
Book Your Vaccinations
Vaccinations will help to keep you healthy when travelling to a foreign place, so make sure you’re all up to date and booked up. They aren’t the nicest part of going on vacation or a trip, but they are definitely necessary!
Find Ways To Keep Kids Occupied During The Journey
Make sure you have a few tricks up your sleeve to keep your kids occupied while you travel. Travel can be particularly stressful for families when the kids are bored and fed up. Whether you’re going somewhere on a train, in a car, or in a plane, make sure you use the following pointers:
- Take plenty of drinks and snacks.
- Make sure you check regularly whether your kids need the toilet.
- Have special games and books for the journey.
- Consider taking a new toy or two that they haven’t seen before. This can be your secret weapon when they start to get particularly fed up or grumpy, but beware that it’ll only work if you keep it for times like this. The novelty can’t wear off!
Try not to just leave them to their own devices with a phone or tablet, when they could be doing something more beneficial like reading a book or bonding with you by playing a game! Don’t just count on the fact your kids will sleep, either. They might want to keep themselves awake to see what’s going on. You could make sure they get up early enough to become tired by the time the plane leaves the tarmac, but you can’t rely on it.
Figure Out A Realistic Budget
Budgeting is key to a perfectly planned family adventure. You need to have a good idea of your budget for each day, and how you plan on using that budget to ensure you have the best time. What will you spend on, and what will you splurge on?
- Do the math so you know how much money you’re working with.
- Consider giving the kids pocket money each day so that they can choose how they spend it, whether that’s on snacks or souvenirs.
- Make sure you account for things like food and drink and how expensive the place is that you’re travelling to.
- Look up activities that cost money in advance so you know roughly how much you’ll be spending on these.
Don’t forget, that sometimes, it’s worth going over your budget a little. Times when you find a really crazy, tasty looking ice cream or you come across an activity that you hadn’t even thought of but has everybody excited. These are the times you may just have to stay flexible.
Look At Free Activities And Things To Do
Don’t forget that there will likely be plenty of free activities and things to do, so you don’t always have to worry about spending money. Museums and galleries are often free, and they can be educational and fun for the kids. Doing a mixture of paid activities and free activities will help you to keep your budget under control and ensure you’re all still having fun. Not everything has to cost the earth!
Thanks for reading this guide and hopefully it helps you to plan your next awesome family adventure in style! Don’t forget to take pictures, but avoid living through your camera and posting everything on social media right away. Keep the rest of the world away for a while and just enjoy this time with the people you love the most!
Do you have a family adventure coming up? Leave your thoughts and any tips of your own below.
Come back soon!
