Tag: family holiday

Great Ways To Entertain The Whole Family

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With February around the corner and the next half term holiday on the way, families all over the UK are starting to try and decide just what to do to keep the kids entertained over the weeks they’re out of school. Keeping kids entertained at the best of times can be a daunting task even for the most seasoned childcare provider, but winter seems to be a little bit worse. Maybe it’s the cabin fever of being pent up inside all day, or not being able to expend enough energy during downtime. Whatever the cause, here are some great ideas to save your half term breaks this year so you don’t end up pulling your hair out!

A Family Getaway

Family getaways are always a favourite activity during any time of year, but particularly in the winter. The idea of getting away from the everyday routine and boredom of home can really help burn off those feelings of being cooped up, and if you choose to do something that combines activity with getting outside, all the better. Go on a family skiing holiday to some of Europe’s most amazing resorts where you can expect for the kids to have a ball on the slopes, seeing just how far they can push themselves in developing their ski skills. For the parents, there are plenty of great apres ski entertainments, but if you just want to snuggle up in your chalet with a hot cup of cocoa and watch the mountain snow gently fall through the night, that’s just fine too!

Take A Class

Taking a class as a family can be a hugely fun way to pass the time and learn something new while you’re at it. Depending on what everyone’s interested in, you might find yourself doing anything from woodworking to painting, dancing to writing. Classes can be fun for all ages and span a whole array of disciplines and types of hobby. Many local art centres or community colleges often run classes for families, children or just adults, so check in advance to see what’s happening at your local branch. Sometimes church social halls run classes as well, depending on what you’re looking for.

Start A New Tradition

Winter time can be a great time to start a new tradition, partly due to the fact that families spend more time inside and in each other’s company during the winter when the weather is less than brilliant outside and everyone wants to stay warm. Traditions can include family game night, getting friends around for a family and friends quiz, film night or the like. Perhaps you might all pick a new board game to kick off board game night, something that can be mountains of fun with parents, siblings and friends too.

Whatever the way you choose to battle those winter doldrums, one thing is for certain – there’s no shortage of amazing things you can do to make those cold months a little more bearable. So what will you and your family choose this winter? We’d love to hear from you!

No Need for Persuasion: Teenagers Will Love Coming to Dubai With You

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Teens can be too cool for a lot of things. It’s not that they have bad attitudes. Sometimes, the way things are presented makes a big difference.

Think of your kids as potential buyers of a vacation getaway. How would you pitch an exotic destination like Dubai, filled with sun, sand, and sites unseen anywhere else in the world? There’s no need for persuasion when you’re talking Dubai.

Get Their Feet Wet

The first destination is not foreign to most teens. Most major areas in the US and UK have access to one or more water parks, so going to the Atlantis park or Wild Wadi shouldn’t be a unique concept. But the Atlantis park isn’t just a waterpark with slides. It hosts rare fish and mammals – even sharks!

Get Really High

The Burj Khalifa is a massive building. The observation decks are open to the public as well as any teen who has the stomach to take in the amazing yet jaw-dropping sites from this mammoth that hosts over 150 floors.

Hop in a Balloon

There are several ways to see Dubai. The creative opts for hot air balloon rides. One can see the vastness of the desert, the contours of the land, and the bustle of the outskirts and middle of cities from above. Early morning ballooners get to see the sunrise like never before. Book your ride in advance or from the comfort of your JW Marriott Hotel, Dubai luxury room.

Get to the Mall

Most parents witnessed the once greatness that was the UK and American malls. The behemoth caverns of retail outlets are harder to find these days yet the business model is thriving in Dubai. A lot of today’s teens never got to see what it was like in a 90’s mall. It was a grand shopping experience and one you can replicate today in Dubai.

Take to the Ice

It’s a bit ironic to head to an ice rink in a land that features temperatures unseen in many other places in the world but the rink affords time for teens to socialize with others their age and mom and dad to be alone.

Play Tag

Of course, any teen would roll their eyes at the mention of a game of tag. Yet the Oasis Center Mall hosts a super cool Lazer Tag arena, where kids zap other family members who hide, duck and weave throughout the game maze.

Go Offroad

Tell your teen you’re all going on a 4×4 offroading adventure and that should pique their interest. Book your safari tour through a number of vendors. Some offer other amenities such as food and a tour of the inner cities.

See the Dolphins

Some feature flower gardens and other have koi ponds, but Umm Hurrair has a Dolphinarium. You’ll have access to watersports, boat tours, and of course, a chance to swim with the dolphins. The site has food, game centers, and enough to do for the entire afternoon.

Get Skydiving

The Skydive Dubai Desert Campus is the place for indoor skydiving. It’s a thrill that few facilities around the world offer. It’s an intense experience that is safe enough for teens and the entire family. The site promises world-class skydiving without the need of a plane.

How to Survive Your Next Family Vacation

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Family vacations are fantastic. Now so many families are separated by cities, states, or even continents, getting the family together for a trip gives you all the perfect chance to have a proper catch-up and spend some quality time together without the distractions of everyday life.

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However, a family vacation can also be incredibly stressful, especially if you are traveling with children. Or your own parents! What starts as a fun catch up can quickly become an interrogation into your life, with all the old family dramas resurfacing. Here are some great tips to help you survive your next family vacation, without incident or heartbreak.

Organize Travel

Traveling can be stressful at the best of times, but if you’ve got the family all coming in from different locations to take a trip together, the logistics can be complicated. Even if there’s just a few of you, it can be tough to all arrive at the same time.

So, don’t try. Book a week or two for your vacation, give everyone plenty of notice and let everyone make their own way there in their own time.

Think of Accommodation Carefully

Accommodation is another thing that causes stress. If you are going away with family, it’s a good idea to stay in a cabin such as Birch Forest Lodge or on a campsite instead of trying to organize hotels. This way, you can have separate lodges to give everyone a little freedom, while still having a great location to spend lots of time together whenever you want.

Plan Activities

When it comes to activities, it can be hard trying to please everyone. So, again, don’t try. Book activities online beforehand if you can, or plan days fishing, trying local sports or visiting attractions. Let everyone in your party know what’s happening and when. Then they can join in when they want to but you’re under no pressure to spend the whole vacation together.

Take Some Time Off

Being in close proximity to your family can be challenging, especially if you aren’t used to it. So, when it all gets too much, take some time out. Go for a long walk on your own or spend some time exploring with your partner. Just because you are on a family vacation it doesn’t mean that you have to spend all of your time together.

Plan Meals

You probably won’t want to eat every single meal together, which is another reason lodges make an excellent choice of accommodation. But, arranging some family meals is a wonderful way to bring everyone together for some fun, even if you’ve spent the day apart. Try some local restaurants but also have nights at your accommodation barbequing, having a picnic, or you could even order food in. Make sure you’ve got some games and snacks prepared to keep the fun going once the food has finished.

The best way to enjoy a family holiday is to organize and plan in advance. Prepare plenty of activities and fun days out so there’s no chance for any old drama to resurface. Family time is important – make the most of it!

A Guide to Having a Family Friendly Vacation in Breckenridge

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Are you looking for a family-friendly skiing resort where you can bring the young kids? If the answer is yes, you’re probably aware of how difficult it can be to find a decent place for the whole family to enjoy. Some resorts only cater for skiers and there aren’t many other activities on offer. In my experience, the best place to bring the family is to Breckenridge, a small town at the foot of the Rocky Mountains. You can stay in some of the rustic cabins in Breckenridge and have plenty of activities at your disposable to keep everyone happy. This is a mini-guide on how to have an awesome family vacation at Breckenridge this winter.

Why You Should Bring Your Kids to Breckenridge:

First of all, Breckenridge isn’t just a place for skiing and snowboarding. The town has a historical center with lots of family friendly activities to keep everyone engaged. You can take the kids to see some of the sights around the town in the morning and enjoy a meal together at one of the restaurants later. There’s also a high chance that you’re going to meet other families at the resort so the kids can make new friends. Another advantage is that the kids can get involved with some of the seasonal activities that they can’t do back at home.

Kid Friendly Activities in Breckenridge:

This section is here to give you an idea of the different things you can do at this resort. The ones below are specifically for the winter months when you’re here to ski. If you do come in the summer, there are lots of other things to do in Breckenridge, which you can find with a quick Google search. Here are some of the more popular kid-friendly activities at Breckenridge in winter:

  • The kids may be too young or inexperienced to go down some of the slopes. But, it doesn’t stop them from having fun on the ice. You can take the kids ice skating on an outdoor and indoor rink that’s open every single day of the year.
  • The Winter Gold Runner Alpine Coaster is, as the name suggests, a coaster. The kids sit in one of the cars and go down the track around twists and bends on 2,500 feet of track. You can find this on Peak 8 and it’s certain to be one of the highlights of their trip.
  • Carter Park is a popular place for families to sledge down the hills. This is one of the only places in the town where you can go sledding and it’s a given that the kids will love every second of it.
  • Another way to keep the little ones happy is to take them to hockey school. Hockeymonkey.com has all of the gear you would need, it doesn’t cost much and the instructors will teach the kids the basics of the sport. However, you should be aware that age restrictions do apply.
  • One of the most popular places for kids is the Breckenridge Recreation Center. This has everything the young ones need to keep them busy for a few hours. There are two indoor climbing walls and different sports facilities. You can buy a one-day pass and the older kids can hang around here while you hit the slopes. This also gives them the chance to meet others that are the same age. But, be aware that children under the age of 10 need to be with an adult at all times.

Important Things to Be Aware of:

The most important thing is to plan what you want to do before you arrive. If you just turn up and try to plan everything on the spot, the chances are that it’s going to be disorganized and quite possibly a disaster. Some of the places are only open at certain times of the year and may be closed when you’re in town. It can also be time-consuming to get from one place to another and you need to organize the logistics of travelling around.

Make a list of things that you want to do with the family and search online for promotions or discounts. Some may have free admission on certain days or you may be able to grab a pass for multiple places. You may also be lucky enough to find special promotions at some of the restaurants. This helps to reduce the costs and gets you more value for money.

The next part is to plan what time you want to go to the more popular attractions. During peak season, there’s going to be lots of families that have the same idea as you. This means that places will be crowded and the roads can get congested. If you go in the afternoon, you’re probably going to have to wait in line. The kids are going to be bored and it can be a stressful experience for everyone. From my experience, the best time to go to the more popular places is early in the morning when they first open. You can then go to the other places later in the afternoon.

Conclusion:

Breckenridge is a great place to come for a family vacation. You can enjoy hitting the slopes on some days and find plenty of ways to keep the kids happy on others. There are several family-friendly places in this town that other skiing resorts lack. So, book up your trip this winter and have one of the best vacations ever.

Six Smart Tips for Surviving Your First Family Road Trip

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Whether you’re trekking all the way to Disney World or are simply traveling across your home-state, family road-trips can be equal parts exciting and exhausting.

If you’ve never gone on a long-term trip with a baby on board, there’s plenty to consider before stepping foot in to the car: this is especially true when dealing with siblings, too.

Thankfully, we’ve outlined the essential tips and things to know prior to embarking on your big journey. By keeping these tips in the back of your mind, you can worry less about what happens on the road and focus on the fun of your destination.

Bring the Right Gear

Among the most important tips for traveling with baby passengers is the need for the proper gear. While some amenities such as diapers and wipes may seem like no-brainers, afterthought items such as a carrier and travel crib are must-haves when you have a baby on board. Don’t worry about packing too much: as long as you comfortably fit everyone in the car, there is no such thing as being too prepared.

Be Ready for Frequent Pit-stops

“Mom, I need to go to the bathroom!”

Be prepared to stop at just about every rest station in case of a bathroom break or diaper change. Unfortunately, such stops can put a dent in your travel time and ultimately interrupt your tiny travelers who finally fall asleep; however, these inconveniences simply come with the territory of a road trip. Bear in mind it’s better to stop more frequently, though, than end up with a bathroom emergency on your hands.

Set Mini Milestones

Perhaps one of the best ways to break up the monotony of your drive for both yourself and your little ones is by setting smaller milestones on the way to your final destination. For example, make it a point to stop at a restaurant or store that you would never be able to visit locally in order to give your kids something small to look forward to.

When in Doubt, Stock Up on Food

Whether you’re trying to keep your budget in check or simply avoid stops, it never hurts to have plenty of healthy snacks on deck. If you’re dealing with a lot of fresh fare, try to make room for a cooler in the car: otherwise, prepackaged trail mix or Cliff bars can likely do the trick.

Keep Your Kids Busy

As soon as your kids begin to grow bored, your trip tends to go downhill very quickly.

From books and tablets to gaming consoles and beyond, strive to let your kids entertain themselves. It may also be a worthwhile investment to create a playlist with your kids’ favorite tunes to engage in the occasional singalong.

Don’t make the mistake of solely relying on screens and other electronic technology, though. In the case of something breaking or chargers running out, it’s a good idea to at least have some traditional toys and games on hand.

Give Your Kids Time to Rest

If you are fortunate enough to encourage your kids fall asleep during the trip, it may be a good idea to simply let them rest for as long as they can versus interrupting their slumber. Simply use your best judgment: if you’re traveling through a populated area with plenty of places to stop, you can worry less about halting your journey. On the flip side, if the next rest are is over 50 miles away, you might want to go ahead and pull over.

Family road-trips should emphasize fun first and foremost. With these tips in mind, you can make sure that you actually enjoy your journey versus worry about the what-if’s.

Great travel destinations abroad for the entire family

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Whether it’s for an anniversary, a birthday, family reunion, or everything else in between, opportunity arises to travel with the entire family in tow. Planning a trip with everyone from grandkids to grandparents can be a daunting task. You need to pick a location, choose an all-inclusive travel insurance for everyone, plan the itineraries, and prepare a budget.

In this article, we’ll focus on the first consideration – picking a location. We have outlined some of the coolest family vacation ideas for multigenerational travel, perfect for your family bonding experience.

Normandy. One of the most rewarding things about travelling with the entire family in tow is seeing a new place through everyone’s eyes. Nowhere is this experience more touching than in Normandy. This region’s sands have witnessed a millennium of history. While the kids ride horses, sail, and go sand-sailing on Utah Beach, adults can sip Calvados at one of many beach bars. You can sightsee Pegasus Bridge, visit the Bayeux Tapestry and tour the American cemetery.

Puglia. Puglia is where families are celebrated and children are welcomed with open arms. Ride a bicycle through fields of sun-ripened artichokes, tomatoes, and eggplants and enjoy the musical Italian language as local mums encourage the children to “mangia, mangia.”

Sapporo. Japan’s snow capital, as well as the biggest city of the Northern Hokkaido, is famous for its snow festivals, seafood selection and more. Likewise, nearby Otaru is a good day trip, with its well-preserved historical district. Here you and your family can enjoy world-class skiing. Adults will love Sapporo Beer, Japan’s oldest beer brewery founded back in 1877. Prepare your jackets! It’s really, really cold here!

There’s something for everyone; sightsee the sun-baked coastline by boat and by bike, taking in the rocky coves and luminous water of the sapphire seas; stroll through Roman ruins; observe Baroque architecture, or get your hands dirty creating delicious local specialities.

Tanzania. Tanzania is a great place for families with an adventurous spirit and a craving to engross themselves in their environment. Combine walking with safari game drives on the Tanzania Family Adventure trip and your family will have a profound, immersive experience that cannot be found in a driving-only safari.

Kaohsiung. Kaohsiung, Taiwan’s other big city, is sometimes unnoticed by visitors to the island. Kaohsiung has so much to offer in terms of its sights and tastes for the entire family, and it’s a gateway to some of the marvels on the wild side of the island too.

The city is chock-a-block with skyscrapers, which includes the 250-meter Tuntex Sky Tower, and you get all the ease and amenities of a large Asian city. There’s also a gorgeous harbour where you can view the sunset and soak up the lush environment. The dining and shopping are amazing, and the entire family will be glad to visit.

Vietnam. Let your family bask in the culture of Vietnam as you pass rice paddies interspersed with historic tombs and animals. There are basket boat racing activities, scavenger hunts, conical gay making, and beach paradise. Parents can enjoy a two-bedroom villa at the five-star Six Senses Hideaway.

End Note

There you have it! Get the whole family out to spend quality time together. Nothing says family bonding like going together on a trip, right? To make it as fun and hitch-free as possible, don’t forget to acquire a good travel insurance in Singapore online for everyone. Have fun!