Some say when you have kids they limit what you can do, especially when it comes to travel. We say, bring the kids with you, they will love our tours. đłWe curated Black Sea Family Adventure for people who not only want to travel, but foster the love of travel in their children as well. It has the perfect mix of adventure, learning and relaxing, with hikes, swims, local skills workshops, historical site visits including castles and cliff-edge hanging monasteries, and unwinding in picturesque, raw nature. You can find more details about this exclusive tour here : https://www.hiddenwonders.com.au/black-sea-family-adventure.
We know that despite how well a tour is organised and planned for you, as parents there are things that you can do to make the experience even more fun and relaxing for everyone- especially for yourselves! Here are some tips that we hope will help you along the way.
Keep Them Informed
Sometimes kids get to be very involved in decision making of where to go and what to do when it comes to travel. Other times, they choice but to join and hopefully enjoy the ride that has been carefully planned by their parents. Regardless of their age, we recommend that you keep them informed as much, and as early, as you can. Better yet, involve them in the dreaming phase of your next holiday and let them take some charge. Depending on their age, you can do this by sharing photos or videos of places you are going to visit, reading story books about travel or your special destination, asking them about their âbucket listâ or sending them the link of the tour you are about the book so they can have a read themselves. It is also a good idea to mark it in the diary and remind them as the trip is approaching.
Consider Their Interests and Needs
You know your kids and their needs, likes and dislikes so when you are booking a trip, try to see the itinerary from their eyes. Sure, they wonât LOVE every minute of it but it is important that there is enough to keep everyone interested and happy for the majority of the trip. Choosing a tour that has a variety of activities and enough free time might help with this. Most importantly though, especially for older kids, it is best to share the itinerary with them so they can tell you what they really think- no room for surprises.
Considering you are travelling to a place you are not too familiar with, it is crucial that you do your research before you book your tour. Do kids need visas or vaccinations? Is the place pram friendly or is it better to use a carrier? If you have a child with dietary requirements, can they cater for this? Is there enough outdoor time for them to burn off their energy and be away from their screens? Will they cater to your sleeping arrangement needs? Is breastfeeding in public OK? If you are booking with an exclusive tour company like us – Hidden Wonders – they should be able to answer your questions or direct you to the right places.
Connection is ImportantWhile holidays are the times you would hope your kids spend less time on screens, letâs also acknowledge that for tweens and up, being connected to their friends back at home or to the wider world is very important. You may not need wi-fi everywhere you go, but it is probably a good idea to book places that can offer some internet access. Or if no screen time on holidays is important for you, leave the devices at home or choose a place that does not offer internet connection, just make sure that they know this is the case though. Otherwise, we suspect it may not be a pleasant journey.
Try Not to Pack Too MuchAs parents, we try not to disturb kidsâ routine too much while travelling and this might make us pack way more than what they might actually need. Try to keep in mind that travelling itself disturbs routine regardless of all your great efforts. Depending on their age, there is a high chance that you will end up carrying one kid at some point during your trip so packing lightly will come in handy in those times. Also, most places you visit will have other kids living there so most items you should be able to find at your destination, depending on where you are travelling to. Make sure that you pack the essentials, such as medication, if you are unsure of availability at your destination.
Travelling is full of last minute surprises but you can manage lots of it by pre-booking as much as you can, including but not limited to hotels, flights, popular activities, sights that require pre-booking, tours etc. You will reduce stress and have more time to really enjoy yourself. Booking an all-inclusive your helps with this, but it is also a good idea to book a room for at least one night before your tour starts to give kids a chance to rest well the night before, especially if it is an active tour.
âHangryâ is a situation most parents have to deal with at some point. Making food available most of the time helps avoid this hungry anger, especially when planned meals are delayed due to unforeseen circumstances. Also, what it you child doesnât want to try unfamiliar flavours? Packing some snacks with you will come in very handy for when your child is hungry. Having a water bottle is also a good idea as we all get dehydrated faster when we are travelling and that would also contribute to your kids feeling not their best.
Hope for the best, prepare for the worst but most importantly focus on the memories you will be creating together as a family. Things can go wrong whether you are travelling with kids or solo, but keep in mind that you are giving them a great experience that will enrich their life and who they are.
Do you have any tips you got that you have found helpful in the past?
