Regardless of age, the idea of going on vacation is exciting. For children, especially those who have never been on a vacation, it sounds dreamy and wonderful, like Christmas Day; however, the idea of getting away and what getting away actually looks like can be two totally different things, especially in a child’s world. There are ways to keep the excitement alive throughout the planning stage and the actual vacation.
One of the best ways to get your kids interested (and maintain their interest!) is to allow them input as to what they would like to do and where they would like to go. If you have already chosen your destination, allow them to plan one of your days there, all by themselves, from what sights you will see to where the family will eat lunch.
Once the destination is chosen, take your children to the library or research online, various books about the destination. Children love learning about the sites beforehand that they will see upon arrival. If your kiddos don’t like reading, you can always rent a movie that has your destination as the backdrop. They’ll love seeing places onscreen and then getting to see them in real life.
Another level of fun that you can add to the research portion of your vacation planning is having your children develop a list of items, sites, and even foods that you may encounter on the trip, and turn it into a scavenger hunt. If your children are young, print off the list and help them check off the things they have seen or done. If your children are older, have them use their cellphone’s camera and play a photo scavenger hunt instead.
Your children will have the time of their lives knowing that they have helped, and it makes the whole experience that much more fun. In fact, they will be learning how to plan for travel and perform internet research at the same time, and won’t even know it! They will simply be overjoyed when the date for Bon Voyage finally arrives.