Collaborative Post¦ Days out with your little ones are an amazing way to make memories. Whether you stick close to home, or explore further afield, it’s always exciting to discover somewhere new together. Many of us will clearly remember day trips from our own childhoods, and want to give that same experience to our children as well. However, it’s also true that days out with small children can be fairly stressful – there are a lot of things which could potentially go wrong. With careful planning, you can make sure that you all enjoy your day and have a lovely trip.
Look For Discounts Online
Trips out can be fairly expensive, especially if you have multiple adults in the group, as they are usually charged at a high rate. Looking for deals online can help with this. If there are particular attractions near you like theme parks that you’d like to visit, sign up to their newsletters and follow their social media accounts to find out about special deals for discounted entry. If it’s a National Trust property, consider getting an annual membership, as this often works out cheaper, or book online for less expensive entry. Often you can just book a ticket for the grounds, which costs less and often features adventure playgrounds and small farm yards. If you want to keep it more casual, an app like Hoop will tell you what’s on in your local area that is suitable for the age children you have.
Sort Your Transport
Getting there and back is a big part of your day, so aim to make it enjoyable. Children often enjoy going on the train, but make sure that you are at the station in plenty of time – no one wants the stress of running along the platform with kids in tow! If you’re planning a lot of road trips, buying a used car may be less expensive if you can drive. Use a trusted local dealer like Motor Connect to upgrade to a family vehicle with enough space for all your kids equipment and picnic things. Make a playlist your children will like for the journey and try to time the driving around nap times. Plan ahead by downloading a sat nav app to your phone to make sure you don’t get lost.
Plan Ahead
Make sure all your bags are packed and in the car the night before – mornings can be enough of a rush with small children without adding on trying to get together all the stuff you’ll need. Make sure you have enough healthy snacks and drinks for the journey (don’t pump them full of e-numbers unless you want a very hyper trip!), a spare change of clothes or outdoors coverall so your kids can get as messy and muddy as they like once you get there. Also make sure to take some cash as certain places may not accept card payments. In the car, a small colouring pack can help to keep kids busy, or use the download section on Netflix to add a movie onto the iPad to keep them entertained on the way back.
Disclosure: This is a collaborative post.