Although it can be hard at times, family holidays have many positive memories. You could plan a trip to the beach, mountains, or even the city and enjoy great lifelong memories with your family.

Try out the following tips to help you have a stress-free family holiday:

 1.    Plan as much of your holiday as you can in advance

The importance of planning can’t be stressed enough. Kids are often a priority for most parents, take this into account so that their needs are met and you’re prepared to do your best as a parent while you’re away.

  • For example, if your four-year-old will take a nap on a long flight, bring along the cuddly toy they sleep with at home as their ‘comfort’ item. For your teenager, ensure they have their favourite hand-held electronic device to help them pass the journey.

2.    Set up a flexible schedule for each day on the holiday

When you have a day-to-day plan, kids can look forward to things they want to do. Plan a special kid activity for each day.

Plan your days, but include some wiggle room too. Give your children things to look forward to that you know they will like. Include an activity for the children every day. Each day should be special and doable for little ones!

  • Utilise the hotel’s facilities such as the pool or crazy golf. Work in an hour or so of these activities every day. This exercise can reduce stress levels and help settle your kids.
  • When sightseeing, consider taking a bus tour instead of walking. Children won’t get overtired from walking too far and everyone gets to sit down and have a rest.
  • With small kids, visiting just one museum per day is advised. You will want to switch plans if it rains a day when you planned to go to the water park and visit the movie theatre instead or do an indoor activity.
  • We’d also suggest scheduling in little days to not overdo it. For example: sleeping in, taking a breather at the hotel, or going for easy walks around the area.

3.    Expect the unexpected

Planning a vacation often involves obstacles and things out of your control. By speaking to your kids in advance, they’ll learn that these unforeseen happenings are an integral part of any trip.

4.    Delegate responsibilities to each child

For instance, your twelve-year-old could be assigned to keep the eight-year-old busy when at the airport. Your teen could also help out by watching over the bags for you whilst you buy a magazine.

5.     As a family discuss how to solve potential problems

Before you go on holiday, discuss with your children what they can do to help avoid any problems. Ask your 10-year-old what they could do to get along well with their older sister. Talk to your 14-year-old about how they can get along with their younger siblings when they are away.

A family discussion before the holiday is a good idea to let everyone know you are counting on good teamwork from everyone to make this a great holiday for the whole family!

6.     Change seats around on the journey

Keep things interesting by changing the seats throughout the journey. Sit in the back seat with your daughter while your son sits next to Dad until lunch. Then, swap around after lunch.

Changing up seating arrangements regularly can help to keep things fresh, and even prevent sibling feuds before they start! All you need to do is rearrange where your kids are sitting as often as needed.

7.     Pack fun, new surprises for the kids

Surprise them with gifts like sticker books for younger kids, word puzzles for tweens, and magazines for teens to give them something to do on the trip. It’ll provide some peace of mind for you and make the trip more enjoyable for everyone.

A new book by your child’s favourite author or a new game for their tablet can be a saviour when things start to get a little stressful.

Get started with these simple tips and soon you’ll be ready to plan that memorable family holiday. By putting these steps into place you will be well prepared to prevent and if necessary deal with any stressful niggles that come your way. Get started on planning your next family holiday now, you won’t regret it.