5 Tips On How To Enjoy A Family Holiday
Families need a break but a break together can have its stresses. So, here are 5 top tips to enjoy a family holiday.
1.) Encourage Anticipation
Looking forward to a holiday accounts for 50% of the fun of actually going on a holiday. So while you start counting the days down, ensure that your children are also excited. Show them photos of where you plan to stay and chat about what the journey entails, the date you leave and arrive, once you get there, and what each member of your family would like doing the most. You should also find out about any activities that are available nearby.
You may be interested in lazing around a pool reading a book, but you can be sure that your children will be more interested in fun activities. This is why it is best to chat about the holiday beforehand so that everyone is on the same page. This will help you reach a reasonable compromise and avoid whiny children and shattered parents.
2.) Start The Holiday As You Leave Home
When locking your front door, make a concerted effort to “be on holiday” mentally, and leave all the pre-holiday organizing stress behind. Rather than trying to will your journey away, you can train yourself mentally to actually enjoy your trip. Obviously, this becomes a lot easier as your children get older, but planning ahead with pit stops, non-messy snacks, and entertainment is well worth it. Changing your mindset could mean you might end up enjoying some of the minor mishaps and calamities that usually occur when going on family holidays. Make planning your trip to the Isle of Wight hassle free with Wightlink.
3.) Kids Thrive On The Familiar
You may have your heart set on an exotic beach, but kids will enjoy a great UK holiday without the stress of time differences and long-haul flights. Kids also enjoy the “expected”, but something slightly different each year, whether this involves pulling into the driveway of their beloved grandparents’ home or racing to get the best bedroom in one of those self-catering cottages you have been staying at since your kids were toddlers.
4.) Spend Time Together As A Family To Give Your Children New Experiences
This doesn’t have to mean spending a lot of money. Camping is one of these examples. Even if spending a few nights on blow-up mattresses and having to share a communal shower is incredibly unappealing to you, kids generally love the experiences that camping brings, from setting up the tents to telling ghost stories together. You could also “glamp” and rather choose already-assembled yurts with proper beds.
Another great option is to plan a holiday on one of the working farms, especially if your family is urban. This will provide your kids with the opportunity to learn more about nature and what it would be like to live on a farm. In addition to the excitement of seeing all the animals, collecting eggs for your next breakfast, feeding a lamb, or watching a cow being milked, most of the farm stays also offer adventure playgrounds, games rooms, and swimming pools. Check out Away With The Kids and Farm Stay for self-catering, child-friendly, glamping, and B&B options.
Studies have indicated that fun and new experiences improve kids’ attention, and concentration, along with mental and physical health. Which is why we all deserve a holiday!
It is also worth your while to take lots of photos to keep memories of those happy and fun holiday times before the weather starts to turn cold.
5.) Consider Holidaying With Another Family
If you have friends with children that get on well with yours, and a similar attitude in the way you bring up your children, then it may be well worth it to join up for your next holiday.
There are many benefits when you decide to holiday with friends. Some of these include more friends for your children, late-night entertainment for the adults, and self-catering often becomes more enjoyable and companionable when everyone chips in to cook and clear up. It is also a lot cheaper when you share accommodation costs and food. You can also choose to go on your own family-own adventures and then meet up again when you arrive back at your accommodation.
