Family vacations are great! It’s a good opportunity to bond with your kids and give them the undivided attention you’ve always wanted to provide but couldn’t because you were at work all day. That is until your kids get cranky, hungry, or refuse to co-operate. As a parent, you know how difficult it can be to find creative ways to keep your children entertained for long periods of time.
On Kosher cruises we make sure to make your vacation the best it can be for you and your kids, so here are a few tips for parents traveling with children for the first time:
Keep a Tracker on Them
It may sound strange, maybe even espionage-esque, but kids have the tendency to wander off, so having a tracking bracelet will help you monitor them. Or, you can get “baby-bracelets.” They’re bracelets that attach you to your children, similar to a leash, that prevent them from walking away from you.
If you have older children, download a GPS tracker app specifically for travel. You can set a safety radius to ensure they don’t get too far. And the app will notify you when they step a toe over the boundary.
Snacks, Snacks, and More Snacks
There is no kid that’s not prone to getting ‘hangry’ (hungry + angry), so always have snacks in your arsenal. Keep some in your bags and theirs. When they start badgering you for cookies, you’ll always be prepared. Also, always have bottled water with you. It’s the safest option for kids with sensitive stomachs.
Bring a Stroller
It’s worth spending the extra money for additional baggage to bring strollers for your children. They may be balls of energy, but walking tours might drain them, and they may want a nap when they get tired. It will be too much of a hassle to bring them back to the hotel to recharge. Plus, you’ll miss out on all the great places the tour group is going to. Just load them into the stroller, and you can get on with the rest of your day.
Pre-book Everything
Luckily, Kosher tours will do most of it for you. But if there are some extra things that you want to do, then pre-book it. Changing plans last minute is hard enough on its own, but when you factor kids into the equation, things can get pretty messy. You’re at risk of tantrums and grumps giving you the cold shoulder because there’s no table reservation at the restaurant where they wanted to get grilled cheese sandwiches.
Bring Toys You Can Afford to Lose
When you’re in transit, your kids might get bored just waiting to get to the next destination. If you don’t bring them any toys or give them activities to do, there will be two outcomes;
(1) they will pester you until you concede to allowing them to play games on your phone (even if it’s an essential part of your trip because the bookings are there) or;
(2) they have a complete meltdown in front of everybody. Neither of which you want that to happen. So pack a few coloring books or travel board games. They won’t take up too much space in your bag, and they will save you from a drained phone battery.
If you’re looking for Jewish cruises to bring your family on, book a tour on Kosher River Cruises. For more information, feel free to contact us. We’ll be more than happy to answer your questions.