For kids, summer vacations can be long, and the best way to break them up is by going on day trips. This need for regular, kid-orientated excursions has been heightened in recent times, as many families are unable to go on foreign holidays.
Although day trips are easy to plan, it can be difficult to make each day trip distinguishable from the last. This article will explain how to guarantee that all day trips with the kids are equally as entertaining as they are memorable! You can apply the advice in this article to any day trip, no matter the destination.
Break Tradition
Creating variety in your family day trip may seem like an obvious piece of advice, but it’s the most important factor in making each trip memorable. Just because you went on a good trip once, doesn’t mean it’ll be the same the second time you visit.
It may be comfortable for families to return to a destination they’re familiar with as they are aware of the route, onsite amenities, etc., but it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to capture the same spark as the first time you visited. Plus, kids will likely get fed up after a while of returning to the same spot every time they head out in the car.
To make each day trip memorable, you’ve got to take the risk and explore unknown destinations, you never know how good they’ll be until you try!
Get a sense of the destination beforehand
Although we recommend you go to a variety of different places, it’s best to familiarize yourself with the map first. Get a sense of where to park, how to walk to the destination, and where the amenities are located such as toilets. The last thing you want is to find yourself in unfamiliar surroundings, your kids desperately needing the toilet, and having no clear sense of where to go.
Although thoroughly planning for a day trip sounds like too much effort, it would be wise to do so to ensure that the day runs smoothly, and that minimum time is spent wandering around aimlessly. This allows for more time creating memories!
Understand your children
Don’t go on a day trip based on recommendations alone. Just become family friends tried it and loved it, and the trip is deemed to be kid-friendly, doesn’t guarantee that your kids are going to have the time of their lives. Every kid is different, and nobody knows your kids’ personality better than you do.
Not that you should avoid opening your child up to new experiences, but if you know they’ll react negatively to the circumstances of the trip, whether that be weather-related, or if the trip is particularly physically demanding, it’s best to avoid it!
To organize memorable day trips with the kids, plan within your child’s capabilities, likes, and interests.
Prepare car entertainment
Don’t let your kids get bored in the car! It’s impossible to plan a day trips with the kids that is memorable if they’re tired and bored by the time they arrive. It’s important to maintain their attention and keep their energy levels up.
A good idea is to make playlists with your kids to listen to while in transit. This can be a good bonding moment between you and your kids, as it helps you get to know them a little better. It can be fun for them to share with you the things that they enjoy.
It would also be wise to pack a few things that you know keeps them entertained, particularly if the destination is far away. Although day trips should be about getting your kids off their tablets and phones, maybe allowing them to be on them for the duration of the car ride would help keep them engaged in the day.
Having a few car games up your sleeve is another way to ensure kids remain focused. You could come up with a new car game for each day trip you make in order to make each one memorable!
Encourage the kids to capture the day
This is a good idea to make vacations memorable but can also be a good means of making day trips distinguishable. Letting your kids take over photography duties gives them a sense of purpose on the trip and helps them solidify their own memories of each place. Allowing them to capture their own unique view of the trip will keep them focused on the day and will produce some interesting photographs for you both to reflect on later!
Alternatively, you could make them a small travel diary, that they can fill out at the end of each excursion, perhaps even on the journey home. This will help them to reflect on each day and remember each trip distinctly. Plus, keeping a diary is a good habit to start at a young age.
Expect the unexpected
Some of the best day trips with the kids are the ones that don’t go completely to plan. Especially if you’re heading to a new destination, all kinds of pitfalls can surprise you along the way, throw you off course, and set you back a few hours. This is fine, as it may open the door for an enjoyable time that you didn’t exactly plan for. You may stumble upon something new and unexpected, which makes the plan totally more memorable than it would have been otherwise.
The main thing is to go with the flow as much as possible. Like anything, the reality of the trip is going to be different to how you imagine it. Be positive no matter what happens, and your kids are sure to follow and enjoy the unexpected.