Fast Five: Tips for planning a family vacation

When planning a vacation for my kids, I make sure to include these 5 things.

1. Something familiar
2. Something from a book or TV or hobby that they can connect to
3. Something to learn
4. Something amazing to remember
5. Something they can share

Something familiar can be as easy as a chain restaurant. There are occasions when a taste of "normal" can be the thing that saves the day.

When we went to Disneyland California, it was like their favourite movie "Cars" came to life. But the connection here can be as easy as showing them a travel guide to Alberta and pointing out the dinosaur museum for them and then taking them there. Let them participate in the research and bring books to life. 

Something to learn can be a few minutes in an art gallery or speaking with a tour guide about the museum. Learn something about where you are, don't be a passive guest.

Something amazing, isn't always easy to plan. Sometimes it just spontaneously happens, like running into a movie star at the airport or having Mickey Mouse pull you up on stage to dance. But you CAN plan to put yourself in the right spot for amazing to happen. Get the good seats to the sporting event!

Something to share is the easiest on the list! Make sure you have a few dollars for postcards or a book for your class. We brought back a book from the NASA space centre that tied in beautifully with a class lesson on space.

And take pictures! Lots of candid pictures!  My favourite shots are not the ones that are posed at the museum, but the side profile pics of the kids grossly engaged in the subject.