Traveling with a family can certainly have its challenges, but family time is so precious nowadays and so if you plan accordingly you can have the best holiday of your life. So how can you maximise and get the best from the time you spend together? Keep reading to see how you can make the most of traveling with your family.
Plan carefully
This may be stating the complete obvious, but the first thing that should be done is to sit down as a family and plan the trip. Get the whole family involved in this fun part and make decisions together. Of course parents have the final say, but it helps to make everyone feel included and get excited for the trip!
What kind of holiday are you going for? Are you traveling to one destination or moving around a little bit? If you’re more physical, you can find some suggestions for child friendly activities here.
If you want something completely unique you could look into sharing skills or teaching with a TESOL certificate. There are tonnes of places where you can find TESOL teaching work, that may accommodate your family too, providing activities and adventure for children whilst you get some experience in. If you are interested in a TESOL you can read this step-by-step guide – Create A TESOL certification (Guide By The TEFL Org).
But not too carefully..
Don’t plan too carefully though. It’s good to organise and have around 2 or 3 big things throughout the trip that you cannot miss and then just let the universe decide what you are going to do.
Prepare the family
Children of all ages can find things easier to digest if they are prepared for them. If you tell a child what to expect at each stage of traveling, it will save any unexpected surprises and chaos e.g. going through airport security, or passport control. It can really help to calm them down especially when traveling for the first time. (Calm happy child = calm happy parent!).
Comfort first
A happy holiday is created when everyone is well rested. Make sure that the room you are staying in has good A/C, fan or window ventilation if you are staying somewhere hot, or a proper heat system if you are traveling somewhere cold. The room that you stay in is a welcomed break from the hustle and bustle of traveling so it’s really important to feel comfortable and safe.
Staying in a new place for children can be unsettling but it doesn’t have to be the end of the world. Read reviews carefully first, and make sure you are satisfied.
Early starts
Wake up early! Even if you have planned a lazy beach or pool holiday, wake up early and reserve the best spot with your towel. If you’re out to adventure, by getting up early means you avoid the crowds with you travel, this means you will feel safer. Early mornings are the best time to go out and explore an unfamiliar world with your family.
Transport
Public transport certainly has its pros and cons. Buses and trains in a foreign country are a fantastic way to see the truth and ethnicity of a new world, but can be overwhelming for a young traveler. Renting a car is the best way to get off the beaten track and to make your own adventures so you could mix up both if you’re feeling adventurous.
Entertainment
Speaking of transport, long car journeys will be boring and will probably have the dreaded question: ‘are we there yet?’ from the back seat.
It’s important for children to be entertained while traveling, so come up with healthy snacks, new games or songs you can pull out when you sense a change in the mood. Try to save the electronics for your children when they won’t focus on anything else, as when you arrive at your destination and remove the electronics problems can arise.
Take pictures
Take as many pictures as you can while you’re away! Photographs of your holiday are free souvenirs. They’re the best thing to remind you of a place, a moment or a person that you met along the way. They don’t take up any space, and are great to share with your family again and again. Family grows and changes in the blink of an eye, so don’t only take pictures of the panoramic scenes, make sure to get plenty of you in there too!
Volunteer
If you have time on your travels, find a local place where you can volunteer your skills. It helps to set a fantastic example for family members and can be a great bonding activity. It’s also a great way to save money whilst you’re traveling (read more about how to budget on holiday here).
There are hosts all around the world that will offer food and possibly accommodation in return for a few hours work. Projects could be anything from using your TESOL certificate to help teach communities, gardening or painting and are exceptionally rewarding and encounters!
Learn some lingo
Learn a few foriegn words when you travel, just enough to help you get by such as hello, goodbye, thank you, please and maybe ‘where is the toilet?’. Encourage the whole family to take on a role of asking a specific question to make it into a fun game. Although many people on your travels can speak English, it’s appreciated by locals, when an effort is made to learn some useful phrases.
This can be practised before you leave your home or on the way to your destination with various free apps.
Be flexible
Traveling with children can have its own unexpected challenges so be flexible with your time. Don’t be disheartened if your walking tour of the city has been cancelled due to tantrums or someone feels unwell. The important thing is spending quality time with the people that you love.
Conclusion
There you have a brief list of how you can make the most of traveling with your family. If you are leaving the country, check if there are any travel restrictions, or documents you need to carry with you. If you want to learn more about how traveling with a TESOL certificate can help enhance your experience you can read all about it here. It’ll change your life and open you up to so many different opportunities whilst traveling!
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