10 things you should do before your next family vacation
Traveling with kids can be somewhat stressful. As you have to plan for more people and pack for everyone, the task can easily get overwhelming. Planning ahead and leaving you plenty of time to plan will help you plan this amazing journey everyone will remember and have some amazing family time away from everyday craziness.
If you plan your trip in advance and decide to travel as a family, you are sure to make great memories along the way! Here are my tips on things you should do before your next family vacation.
Check everyone’s passport
When planning your trip, make sure to check the validity of everyone’s passport. That way, you’ll be sure to renew any passports that are expiring soon and you’ll avoid rushing to a passport office to get a new one before your departure. This way you’ll avoid unnecessary stress.
Educate them on where you are going
Another thing you should do before your next family vacation is once you’re set on a destination for your family vacation, take some time with your kids to tell them about the destination you are going to explore together. Kids are curious and they want to know what to expect. Once they get there, you’ll be surprised how much they actually remember from the time you spent telling them about it. They’ll see some sights you showed them in pictures and they will be impressed!
Involve everyone in the planning stages
Involving the kids in the planning will be beneficial for everyone. If you are used to planning trips for adults, you wouldn’t be visiting the same things with kids. Involving them in the process, they will actually tell you what they would like to see and do. That way, you can plan some activities everyone will love and they will know what to expect on their trip as well.
Travel off-peak
I just love traveling shoulder season because it means fewer crowds. If you are planning to travel with the kids, it can be great to travel during this time. You’ll be able to travel at a slower pace because you’ll be spending less time waiting around, more time to visit, and easier to check on your kids. I like to let them explore but still keep an eye on them. With huge crowds, I wouldn’t let them explore. If you’re alone or with 2 or 3 other people, it’s easier to let them wander a little farther from you.
Snacks and drinks for the kids
For some reason, my kids are always hungry and thirsty! It probably isn’t just me though! Make sure to have plenty of snacks and drinks in your carry-on, day pack, in the car… Basically everywhere because they will probably ask for something when there is actually nothing around. (Seems to be the case for me all the time. LOL)
That way, you’ll be prepared for any situation arising. This summer, while we were in the Magdalen Islands, we went driving the truck on the beach. Next thing you know, we got stuck in the sand for almost 2 hours around supper time of course. Fortunately, I had some snacks in the car to keep them fed while we shoveled sand to get out!
Plan some activities for the journey
Especially for time spent driving or on the plane. Kids can hardly stay in place for more than five minutes. Make sure to bring plenty of activities for them to play when you have some downtime or when you are moving from place to place. I like to go to the dollar store beforehand and buy a couple of toys or coloring books. I only show them on the trip. This way, they have new toys to play with. Stickers are great too! Books, coloring activities, travel-size board games are some examples of what I’ll bring along for them.
Choose activities everyone will enjoy
When choosing what you will visit at your destination, make sure to include activities for the kids but also some for you. Since everyone is on the trip, make sure to include activities for everyone. This way, everyone will have a favorite activity they chose to do on the trip. You might be surprised how much you’ll enjoy the activity your kids chose and vice versa.
Pack so you don’t have to wash
Traveling with the kids is different from traveling alone or with your spouse. I usually pack less on a long trip and do some laundry at some point. Traveling with the kids, I like to spend time with them as much as I can, and doing some laundry is just out of the question. I’ll also tend to not leave as long with them as I would without them so I don’t have to bring as many clothes.
Downtime
Downtime is very important for everyone. You are on vacation after all. Make sure to add some time to your itinerary to relax and have fun as a family without visiting something. Instead of being on the go all the time, plan a little evening staying in to watch a movie or play a game with the kids. It is something they will love and probably remember.
Go with the flow
As much as I always want everything to go smoothly and without any problems, I know this isn’t always the reality. When you are planning the trip, keep in mind that it might not all go according to plan. Don’t stress about it but go with the flow and everything will be fine. Sometimes, the greatest adventures are the ones that were not planned in the first place!
I strongly believe a family vacation is in order for everyone! Bonding time is amazing and you will get to know your kids even better! You’ll have so many memories in common to talk about that even when they are older, they will still talk about it!
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Keep reading for some trip inspiration!
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Our Magdalen Islands road trip itinerary
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