Things You Need to Know if You Are Going on a Family Trip

Going on a trip as a family is a great way to enjoy some time away from home and make some good memories. It is always nice to experience new places with your loved ones. However, planning a family trip, regardless of the destination, is always such a daunting task. This is especially so if you are traveling with kids, no matter how old they are. You need to make sure that you have all the documents needed, get accommodation that is suitable for their needs, take care of them during the trip, take part in activities that they too will enjoy, and do so much more to ensure that you all enjoy the trip. 

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It is also very expensive to travel with kids, especially if you are not smart about your accommodation and transport choices. If they are toddlers, thinking about all the temper tantrums you might have to deal with on your trip is enough to make you cancel the trip or opt to go without them. It can be frustrating to say the least. However, it is always worth it in the end when the whole family gets to do some fun things together. Additionally, it is good exposure for your kids. They will learn how to interact with people who are different from them and see the wider world beyond what they are used to. This article highlights some important things you need to know if you are going on a family trip to Spain.

1.   Your holiday will be all about your kids

You thought you would be able to go sightseeing or visit museums with your toddlers? I am sorry to break it to you, but your holiday will not be about you and what you want. It will be all about ensuring that your kids are comfortable and are having a good time. When planning things to do, you will always have to check whether they are kid-friendly. Want to eat out? You need to go to a restaurant with a kid-friendly menu. Choosing a place to stay? You need to choose a hotel with a playroom and other kid-friendly amenities. But who said you cannot have a good time too even as you ensure your kids are having a good time? Go for activities that the whole family will enjoy. For example, you can go watch bull fighting. This is something that will thrill both you and the kids.

2.   You need to get them psyched for the trip

To make the trip more exciting for the kids, you can get them to read articles or watch stuff about the regions of Spain you will be visiting before your trip. This will help them learn about the local cuisine, the architecture, the people and their unique cultures, and so much more. You can be sure they will be fascinated by all the cultural diversity in Spain.

3.   Learn some Spanish as a family

This will be a fun way to spend some of your evenings before your trip. There are many sites online where you can find helpful material to help you learn some Spanish before your trip. You can be sure your kids will be happy to learn a new language, even just a few words or phrases. This is also important in case anything ever happens and they need to ask for help. Note that apart from the people of Madrid and Barcelona, very few Spaniards can speak English. So if you are visiting other towns, learning some Spanish will be quite helpful.

4.   Get them used to Spanish cuisine before the trip

Kids take time to get used to new cuisines. It can be quite disappointing to go to Spain and be unable to sample their cuisine because your kids are not used to it. You will be missing out on some of the best food in the world. To get them used to Spanish food, you can take them to a Spanish restaurant before the trip. Explain to them the different kinds of Spanish food and how they are prepared. You can even try and cook some Spanish meals at home with them. If there happens to be a Spanish festival somewhere near you, you can go with your kids so that they can get a taste of Spanish culture before the trip. This way, your kids will enjoy the trip a lot more and will always be looking forward to holidays in Spain.

5.   Choosing accommodation in Spain

You probably know that traveling with your whole family is going to cost you quite a lot. But you can save on things like accommodation by being smart about your choices. The options are many; from hotels and family hostels, to B&Bs and vacation rentals, family resorts, and so much more. If you are working with a tight budget, a hotel is probably not going to be the most economical choice. You can instead opt for an apartment rental for the duration of your stay. This is going to be cheaper than paying for two hotel rooms. You can even opt to prepare your own meals instead of eating out all the time. This way, you can save even more on meals.

If you would like to leave your kids behind on some days and go sightseeing or shopping, find a place that has a playground or a playroom, and someone to watch the kids while you are away. To avoid having to spend so much on transport to and from the hotel as you go about your activities, find a place that is centrally located and easily accessible by public transport or whatever means of transport you will be using while in Spain. Book in advance to avoid getting stranded when you arrive. However, pay for only one or two nights first to see if you will like the place. If not, you can always move to a better place. Your accommodation is one thing you cannot afford to get wrong when you are on holiday with your family. Otherwise, your whole trip will be ruined and you will not enjoy it one bit.

6.   Your choices during your trip will be dictated by your kids’ age

For toddlers, the most important thing will be to ensure that they are well fed, they are healthy, and they sleep well. They just need to be comfortable. Toddlers are the most difficult to travel with because they need your attention and they cannot take care of themselves. If they need to go to the bathroom, you have to take them. You have to carry them when they get tired of walking, feed them and bathe them; basically, you have to do everything for them.

Grade-schoolers are a bit easier to travel with because they can carry their own backpacks with the things they need for the day, and they can walk all day. For kids of this age and older kids, you should get them to take part in activities that are fun and educational at the same time. You can ask the older kids what they fancy doing during the trip and on some days, you can even let them do their own thing as you go about your own business – shopping, sightseeing, visiting museums and so on.

7.   Precautionary measures

Tell your kids what to do in case something happens, for example, in case they get lost. If you have toddlers or grade-school kids, make sure they always have a tag on their backpacks with their name and your contact information. This way, any stranger can contact you so that you know where your child is. Remember the point about learning some Spanish? It might just come in handy in such a situation. They should also have the hotel business card on them at all times. You might decide to use the bus or train as your means of transport while in Spain. Make sure everyone knows where you are supposed to get off. If your kids have phones, it will not be hard to reach them in case you lose each other. But if they do not have phones, it might be a good idea to buy walkie-talkies for the whole family or pay-as-you-go mobile phones. Always be alert when traveling with kids. Things are different from what you are used to at home. Be on the lookout for any safety hazards to prevent any unfortunate incidents.

8.   The trip should be about more than just fun

If you are traveling with older kids, you should make sure the trip is as educative as it is fun. This takes us back to the point about having your kids read up on the regions of Spain you will be visiting before your trip. Buy them journals so that they can take down notes before and during the trip. Encourage them to talk to other people, kids and adults alike, so that they can learn from them and make new friends. Take them to museums, even if they complain that it is not fun. However, make sure to include things they love as well; otherwise, they will start dreading going on trips with you.

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