There is no magic secret to how some people travel with family. It doesn’t require a special skillset, nor does on need a ton of money (even though that will help). However, one surefire way of surviving travels with your family or children, is to plan well. Taking steps to plan a vacation right will not only make things tolerable for you, but enjoyable for everyone as well.

The following are some of our top travel tips for how you can plan your perfect family vacation that may even leave some room for you to relax.

• Choose Your Destination Carefully

Pay attention to the weather, time zones and the type of vacation you’re looking for. It’s essential to take each family member’s interest into account so that you can come up with a vacation plan with activities that suit everyone.

If you have school-aged kids, engaging them in vacation planning will not only help them brush up on their geography, but will also help them feel involved before you’re all set to leave.

• Be Aware of Flight Times

Be mindful of how long it will take for you to reach your destination, the time you will arrive and whether it will be a chaotic or relaxing experience for you and your family.

For example, if your kids fail to fall asleep while travelling, choosing a long overnight flight may not lead to a good start for your trip.

• Don’t end up in a Time Crunch

Plan your itinerary carefully, instead of being spontaneous when you reach your destination. Understand that kids are slower and require more breaks than adults, whether it’s in the airport or in your chosen destination. Nothing takes the fun out of a vacation than arriving late to a show or standing in a huge line because you arrived during peak time. You also don’t want to keep screaming “Hurry up!” trying to get everybody ready before you leave.

Therefore, before you leave, add 20 minutes per child to the time it would take to complete any action. Set your leaving time with this in mind.

You also want to make sure your trip runs smoothly. You don’t want to be changing hotels every night. If you plan of exploring various parts of the region, pick an accommodation in the central part of that region.

• Have a Kid’s Activity for Each Adult Activity

When you’re sightseeing and enjoying new sceneries, having something planned for the kids will provide them with an incentive to behave. Try doing all your adult activities in the morning and kid’s activities in the afternoon, to help them wind down before bedtime.

But don’t overthink activities for your kids either. You don’t have to find something new for the kids to do every day. Chances are your children will equally love an afternoon on the beach, in the park of even some hotel room screen time.

• Don’t forget to Relax

Travelling with the family can be incredibly busy, and not the most relaxing for parents. Therefore, try adding a couple of days in the beginning and at the end of your vacation to simply allow you and your family to unwind and sleep in, lounge around in the hotel or relax at the beach.

Join our next 8 Week VIP Busy Mum Program – Take hold of your results now

Click here for more movement articles.