A trip to Europe means fine cuisine, cultural masterpieces, shopping, and romance, doesn't it? Not necessarily, if you are traveling with your children!
However, you can enjoy a trip to Europe with kids if you adjust your expectations and schedule. You will all have a wonderful time if you just follow some basic rules.
1. Pace Yourself
Wrangling a group that includes kids always takes longer than getting anywhere on your own. Don't schedule your itinerary too tightly so you are all rushing to catch flights, tours, and events.
Let your family adjust to jet lag. Schedule one outing per day, and give your group time to rest, walk around, and simply discover your new surroundings. Leave some time for you and your family to relax and you might even have time to play some online games that you have been waiting to try out!
2. Just a Bit of History
A trip to Europe can be very educational, but your kids want to have fun, too. Schedule one activity per day focused on learning like a museum tour or castle excursion.
You can make the visit more interesting by reading age-appropriate guides with your kids ahead of time so they know what they are looking at.
3. Kid-Friendly Activities
Don't make the whole trip like school. Check out places the children will enjoy like EuroDisney, beaches, playgrounds, and arcades.
Your children will find themselves playing with others their age, even though they may speak different tongues. Play is a universal language.
You may even enjoy these activities! Travel does not always have to be serious.
4. Food
Some children will love trying different foods, like mayonnaise on French fries in Belgium or real Italian pizza. Other kids will long for the familiar and whine about anything that looks strange.
Encourage your family to try new things within reason. Escargot may be too much to expect, but they may like the Croque Monsieur.
No one will starve! Pick up some baguettes and Nutella at any local shop to ease late-night munchies.
5. Get a Babysitter
Whether you are in Berlin or Rome, Amsterdam or Madrid, there are so many things to do! There are also activities that adults will appreciate more than the little ones, like fancy restaurants, wine tastings, and opera.
Most hotel concierges will help arrange for babysitting for the evening so you and your spouse can enjoy some grownup time. You will give your kids a chance to meet a European native, and you and your loved one will be able to get some much-needed one-on-one time together.
6. Don't Try to Do It All
Select a few special places to visit during this trip. If you try to see everything you can, you will exhaust your family and take a lot of the fun out of it.
By enjoying a small taste of Europe, you will show your kids the thrill of travel. It's always better to leave them wanting more! They will want to return one day, as students or even with families of their own.
7. Take Lots of Photos
You will relish photos of this special trip for the rest of your lives. You will look back on pictures of little Billy in the Dutch tulips or Julia running around the Coliseum and marvel at the memories. Record everything on your Euro trip!
Europe with Kids: Plan it Right
Traveling to Europe with kids can be a magical experience for all of you, provided you plan according to their limitations and interests. If you make sure to give them plenty of time to rest and play, you will all make memories that will last a lifetime.
