Involve Kids in Vacation Planning and Have a Better Family Trip

Planning a family vacation if something most of us look forward to. Getting away from it all with the entire family is a welcomed change from our regular daily lives. Often, however, the responsibility of vacation planning falls on mom. We’re often tasked with figuring out where to go, coordinating schedules to determine the best time of year for our family to travel. Not only are we responsible for figuring out the travel destination, but we also likely have to come up with activities or a travel itinerary that will keep everyone happy. Involve kids in vacation planning to alleviate some of the stress that comes with planning a family trip.

Involve Kids in Vacation Planning To Ensure Everyone Has a Great Time

Involving our kids in figuring out where to go and what to do is a great way to take some of the pressure off. Not only that, but it also sends the message that we, as parents, appreciate their input and insight. This, coupled with the fact that your kids get a say in choosing where the family goes on vacation, will ensure less stress for you as the parent and ultimately more fun for them.

When kids are involved in family vacation planning, the chance that they’ll wind up complaining about the choices is diminished. You could argue that, since they picked the location or activity, their happiness is not on you. It’s up to them to make the most of it. This can significantly reduce the pressure some parents face to ensure teens and younger kids are happy on vacation. Get kids involved in the planning of your family vacation with some of these ideas:

Involve Kids in Choosing Vacation Destination Planning

Often the biggest challenge in planning a vacation is figuring out where to go. Begin by offering your children a few choices within your budget and let them decide which city the family should visit. Depending on their age, they can go online and research the cities or destinations you’ve given them or take out travel books from the library. You can take it a step further and have younger kids create a destination brochure about the upcoming trip. Use magazines to cut out pictures of things they want to see and do during the family vacation.

Map Out the Trip the Old School Way

We often rely on GPS when planning a family vacation. It’s easily accessible and simple to do. You can involve kids in the vacation planning the old school way. Invest in paper maps or an atlas book. You can have them help you map out the trip from your home to the vacation spot. This is a great way to introduce map and geography skills. It also teaches kids a skill that often goes overlooked as we opt for the easy way out most times with our GPS.

Involve Kids With Budgeting Your Vacation Planning

Finding things to do while on vacation can be expensive. Attractions, museums and dining out can add up. If you have a dollar limit, let your kids know you’re working within a budget. Have your kids research how much it will cost to visit attractions they’re interested in on vacation. This will incorporate math and budgeting skills and help them realize that while you are on vacation, it’s important to stay within reasonable guidelines if you’re on a budget. Even if the sky is the limit, having awareness as to how much things cost is beneficial and helps set proper expectations.

Incorporate History into Your Travels

There’s history to be found in every corner of the world. When you’ve decided on your family vacation destination, have your kids do some research into the history of the area before you leave. The library is a great place to start. There’s also plenty of information to be found on the internet. Getting the kids involved in planning a family vacation by having them learn about the history of the region. This will help keep them engaged and interested while on a vacation.

Often it’s hard to visit museums with kids when you’re traveling. They may not feel a connection to what they’re learning or seeing. If they are presented with the information and learn about it on their own prior to visiting an area, they can better make connections at the museums or historic sites. Having a general idea beforehand will go a long way toward fostering an interest in the historical aspects of your travels.

Explore National and State Parks

Taking advantage of the National Park System and visiting parks is a fantastic way to involve kids in vacation planning. National parks offer a Junior Ranger Program that gets kids learning about the historic sites and areas while earning badges. It’s a fun way to incorporate some education into your travels. Your kids will come away with a tangible reward with the badges they earn. Similarly, many states offer park programs that work much in the same way. For example, the South Carolina Parks system has a similar program. Visitors can collect stamps throughout the state parks. Once they’ve collected them all they’re eligible for a state parks t-shirt.

Family vacations are a treasured way to spend time together and get away from it all in a new environment. Getting kids involved in planning a family vacation is a great way to take some of the pressure off of you. More important however is that it allows them some input and takes their feelings and interests into consideration. Get kids involved in the vacation planning process. It will help them learn valuable skills like budgeting, history, geography and map skills that will serve them well into the future. Finally, have your children keep a travel journal that chronicles the highlights of the trip. Include photos, museum ticket stubs or other scrapbook items. It’s a great way to keep fun family vacation memories alive in a tangible way.