When you want to take a family vacation, choosing activities that will appeal to all ages within your family can be challenging. You want the young children, teens, parents, and grandparents in your family to be included but also have a good time with whatever you have planned.
You can tell your teenager to turn off the phone and drag them to a history museum or make grandma leave the comfort of her senior living campus to sit at the beach. However, ensuring that they’re both actually going to enjoy these activities will make a massive difference in your ability to enjoy the vacation as well.
If you’re planning a vacation with multiple generations, here are some helpful tips for getting started.
Remember, You Can’t do Everything
It is crucial to prioritize while planning your trip activities. It would be a miracle if everyone were happy the entire time, and the larger your family or group, the more difficult it will be to please everyone.
So, when deciding what to do, consider what everyone likes, but don’t put too much pressure on yourself to make every second of the trip everyone’s favorite. It would be nearly impossible to choose everyone’s number one pick every time and require an incredible amount of cooperation from your family.
Ask the Group
One of the very best ways to start planning your trip is to talk to everyone in the group about what they would prefer to do. You can send options and have your family rank which activities they like from most to least.
It can also take some planning pressure off of you to ask for suggestions. Some family members may have more spare time on their hands to do research than others, and it allows everyone to be included in the planning. If you’re going somewhere someone has always wanted to visit, they may already have an activity they feel is a must-see.
Put Children First
It is much easier for adults to enjoy children’s activities than it is for kids to have fun doing adult activities. When planning, it can be helpful to choose things you know the kids in your group will like first because it is likely that even the seniors in your family will still find a way to have fun.
Even some adults can get bored in museums or on educational tours, so expecting children and teens to have fun doing these activities all vacation could be asking too much from them. Every kid is capable of doing some learning on vacation, but prioritizing activities you know your children will enjoy is going to make everything go smoother.
Be Flexible
Expecting everyone on your trip to participate in everything you plan can leave you disappointed. It is helpful to have activities that offer options. If you plan a vacation by the ocean or a lake, some members of the group may want to spend the day fishing, while others tan, and some stay in the shade.
Planning in a way that offers options is sure to keep everyone happy.
Author Bio:
Jenn Walker is a freelance writer, blogger, dog-enthusiast, and avid beach goer operating out of Southern New Jersey.
