From travel insurance to car rental and special activity tickets, the list is long of things you should pre-plan and pay special attention to before departure. In this contributed post below, you will find some family travel planning tips for your dream vacation with kids.
9 Family Travel Planning Tips
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Already picked your dream holiday destination to travel to with kids? Advance family travel planning will ensure you’ve covered every little detail. With a little effort before your family vacation, you can enjoy every minute of your vacation without distractions.
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1. Check Your Kids’ School Schedule
You might have kids in different schools, and this means they may not be on holiday at the same time. Check when you can go, and when you can take them out of school without losing out on education. The beginning and the end of the school year is the best time to ask for time off, but taking them out during final exams may not be the best time to leave on vacation.
If you are excusing them from school, check in with their teacher(s) and ask for their homework. Knowing that they won’t be behind when returning will help your kid (and you!) relax and enjoy the vacation.
2. Check Passport and Visa Requirements
It is important to get everyone’s travel documents in order before you make your booking. If you need to apply for a passport, you can download the ds-11 form here. When traveling overseas, you can check with the Consulate whether or not you need a tourist visa or travel permit.
3. Get a First Aid Emergency Kit
If you have active kids, you already know that they’ll put all their energies into enjoying their family vacation. They will try new activities — and unfortunately, there’s the chance they might injure themselves. Take a First Aid kit to deal with smaller issues, such as insect bites or small cuts, instead of having to spend hours at the accident and emergency unit.
4. Get Travel Immunizations
When traveling to a tropical country, you need to check with your doctor which vaccinations are compulsory and which are recommended. You don’t want to spend most of your holiday in bed.
5. Research your Vacation Destination
To make the most out of your family vacation, check whether there are safe parks and playgrounds for your kids to release some of that energy. Does your hotel have a pool? Look out for special clubs, sports halls, and kids’ courses, so your little ones don’t get bored.
6. Check Water Safety and Temperature
Before you travel, you need to know if it is possible to swim in the water. The sea might be too cold at the time you arrive, or full of jellyfish. If this is the case, look for a hotel with an indoor pool.
7. Book your Attraction Tickets in Advance
If you book your attractions in advance, you can get a better price, and avoid queueing for hours with the kids. Simply get them booked online and enjoy priority admission.
8. Arrange Kids’ Clubs
While spending time with your kids is great, you might want to have some adult time during the holiday. Search for kids’ clubs nearby or in the hotel. While the kids are watching a movie or supervised at the hotel pool, you can spend time together — or even a romantic night on the rooftop terrace.
9. Set Challenge for Kids
To make the adventure of the family holiday even more exciting for children, set them a challenge, such as spotting ten new animals or collecting special shells on the beach.
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Planning a family vacation is both exciting and exhausting. Make sure you are prepared and allow everyone time and space to explore what interests them.
