Have you ever been on a 24-hour-plus train ride with your kids? A cross-country road trip? A camping trip in a torrential rain storm? An epic adventure involving a flat tire and ample mosquitoes … in the middle of nowhere?
What are you waiting for, parents?
Some of the best, most memorable and unifying family escapades happen when things don’t go exactly according to plan. How you respond to circumstances has a lot to do with the potential for fun and pleasure. How you plan, with the kids in mind, has a lot to do with the outcome too.
Going on holiday should be an exciting and stress-free time, but sometimes when you’ve got young children in tow it can be quite the opposite, especially until everyone’s settled and adjusted to their new surroundings.
Here are some fun vacation facts based on research gleaned from over 12,000 parents from 25 countries worldwide by Booking.com.
When asked how they best prepare for the first day of a holiday, Canadian parents cited that the two most important things to preempt disaster were to:
-bring travel games and books to occupy their little ones. (That’s what 52 percent said.)
– make sure to pack an emergency snack pack (That’s the response from 46 per cent).
These answers were followed by:
Packing key items (e.g. swimming / ski gear) separately or at the top of the suitcase (41%)
Having a first aid kit on hand (40%)
Covering the kids in mosquito repellent / sunscreen (37%)
Ensuring they’ve bought comforts from home so the space doesn’t feel too alien (34%)
Yet as two in five parents (41%) believe that the first 24 hours of a trip can be memorable, it’s sometimes the trials, tribulations, excitement and drama that are the things that can really make a holiday special.
Also, whatever you do, don’t forget that favourite stuffie or blankie.
