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Travel Tips for Dads with Kids

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By Paul Banas   Print
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Kids have their own personalities and needs and wants and you ignore these at your own peril. On one memorable trip we took through northern Italy by car, our 3 year old announced on Day Two that she didn’t want to get in the car again. Surrounded by Tuscan villas and sun-dappled eateries, we spent the next few days sitting at the pool.
We have come to an uneasy peace with our travel desires, refusing still to quit, but alert to how travel has to change based on the different ages of our kids. Here are a few things we learned along the way:

Traveling with Little Kids


Young kids are tough.  Both too young to remember the “memorable,” once-in-a-childhood must-see destinations like D.C. and the Grand Canyon, they need to be constantly entertained, or drugged into submission with video or game consoles.
Here, we have had good luck with resort and cruise holidays. Family resorts usually have kid clubs available for kids over 4. Dads can get a break from focused pool vigilance and maybe even a little midday snuggle time with the spouse even if you’re stuck in a one-room courtyard view hotel room. Cruise prices haven’t been lower in years, some around $150 per day and also have full time childcare facilities almost always included in the price of the trip. While the purpose of a family trip is to spend time with the family and I never advocate splitting up the group for very long, preserve family sanity by planning a few babysitting options.

Traveling with Bigger Kids

Kids six through twelve are in the golden years of family travel. They are still interested in what you have to say, will remember key parts of the trip, and can teach you things you’ve long ago forgotten because they actually are studying subject matter in school.  If your son or daughter is just learning about U.S. history and our government, now is the time for a trip to Washington D.C.  Travel the country’s parks if your child is into science and nature. And now is a good time for that tour of ballparks if you have a pint-sized sports nut in the house. There will never be a better time for making memories and deepening your relationship with your child than time spent doing and seeing things you both can be passionate about.

Summertime travel can sometimes feel like a sacrifice when each person can’t get exactly what he wants. Travel dynamics and logistics are not nearly as easy as when you were a couple without kids. But like a lot of things in life with kids, if you look at children as an opportunity rather than as an obstacle, you can find things to do together that are made even more special because you are seeing things through their eyes.

To read travel tips for dads with teens, click  Travel Tips for Dads with Teens
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Article List
Traveling with Dad
Vacation Getaways for Kids and Dads - Part II
Vacation Getaways for Kids and Dad - Part I
Must-See Places in America for Dads and Kids
Travel Tips for Dads with Toddlers
Travel Tips for Dads with Teens
Travel Tips for Dads with Kids
Travel Tips for Dads with Babies
Travel Agent Tips for Dads and Kids
Thomas’ Great Race Game for Kids 3+
Guess Who Travel Game
Of Traveling With Babies and Spouses
Five Stuff-Free Games to Play in the Car During Long Trips

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