How to plan a kid-friendly holiday

(NC) Family vacations are truly the stuff that memories are made of. But, if you’re not properly prepared, a dream holiday can turn into a scarring nightmare. Here are ways to ensure your vacation with the kids will be treasured and have everyone eagerly anticipating the next one. 

Get the kids involved in planning 
While the parents or caregivers will have the ultimate say, it’s worth getting the kids involved in preliminary planning. They might surprise you with where they’d like to go. If, for example, you’re planning a European vacation, your kids might be interested in visiting some of the places they’ve been learning about in school. Budding environmentalists might be more interested in exploring interesting new ecosystems than spending endless days at the beach. You can find countless kid-friendly, inspiring ideas on travel websites such as aircanadavacations.com. 

Pack smart 
Unless you’re visiting a very remote location, you’ll be able to find most forgotten items at your destination. But it’s cheaper and easier to pack the essentials. If you’re going to be outdoors a lot, you’ll want to pack hats, sunblock, comfortable footwear and so on. You’ll also want to have any destination-specific gear such as beachwear, hiking gear or sporting equipment. 

Plan for downtime with magazines, books, devices – plus their chargers and power adaptors, and easy-to-transport games and toys. And don’t forget any blankets or stuffies that are essential for bedtime, or age-specific gear like strollers and a portable crib.

Factor in downtime 
If you’re travelling across multiple time zones, you’ll need to build in some time for adjustment when you arrive – and when you get back home. Don’t plan to return from Europe on a Sunday evening and expect everyone to be ready to get up for work and school on Monday.  

But, during the holiday, you should also pace yourself and not over-program your schedule. In between exploring the city, visiting museums and adventuring in the outdoors, book in some days to rest and recoup at the beach, pool or just lounging around the hotel or rental property.  

Include age-appropriate activities 
For younger kids, some time in a pool or stopping at a playground while exploring the city might be enough to provide a break from the “boring” adult activities. In between, indulging in the occasional ice cream or other local treat should tide them over while you explore galleries, architecture and the other things that drew you to the location. 

Older kids might be interested in checking out a local sports team in action, seeing live theatre or going to a concert. 
One way to have a little extra money available to splurge while away is to cover some or all of your travel and accommodation costs with the travel rewards you’ve accumulated throughout the year, such as Aeroplan points.