What are the best places to go holidaying for young families? Those with young children around the age of 3 -15 will know that not all holiday ideas fit in well for recreation with the family. For children, some ‘holiday’ ideas can be a little too strenuous as in the case of say, whole day jungle trekking, some are too dangerous for example, ice skiing or mountain hiking and some too monotonous, such as a full day tour of an archaeological site.
In fact, many parents will soon or later develop their own criteria of what works when they are planning their family outings. While romantic dinners on a cliff top facing the sea and whole day frolicking by the pool will make up the perfect holiday for couples, children will not be as impressed. For children, holidays must mean a completely different routine from home or school. No sitting down and staring into the horizon or immersing oneself in the old scriptures on an ancient building. For children, it must be one exciting activity after another, until they call it a day.
Family outings will therefore work fantastic when they are combined with some physical activities, food breaks and short journeys. Children will become restless quickly if they are made to sit on long journeys, one after another, as in the case of a holiday plan that combines destinations which are far from one another. Parents will therefore have to plan their coverage areas such that travel is minimized and activities, maximised.
These activities however, must not be too intensive or fast-paced. Running and playing around too much will tire children, and will result in them being cranky for the rest of the holiday (even for teenagers), especially if they are not able to get a full night’s rest everyday throughout the trip. Explorations on foot for about 1 hour each is perfect for most children around 8 -15 years, and when combined with adequate rest and food breaks, can be repeated for up to 6 hours. This is what makes places such as theme parks a perfect escapade for families.
When joining activities such as boating, island hoping, waterfall or seaside activities, museums and parks and fun fair visits, the best is to dedicate the whole day to only that one activity, and to allocate the remaining hours to soaking in the nice scenery, taking pictures, picnicking, playing some games and maybe having dinner in one of the recommended restaurants in the vicinity.
Lastly, when it comes to eating, experience will tell that snacks and drinks must always be within reach, which means that parents must have an eagle eye to spot those small stores around street corners selling Coke, chips, chocolate, sandwiches and buns, and must at every opportunity, top up their reserves sufficiently. And of course, with food comes the many requests for toilet breaks, which again means that parents need to ensure that there are facilities nearby or that the tourist guide is aware of such requirements.
So, holidays are great, but as young parents, being prepared and knowing what to expect can make it much more enjoyable!
