How do I understand a “kids-friendly” place?
I am bombarded with offers of family holidays where everything is supposed to be “kids-friendly” on a daily basis, which inspired me to write this post 😉 Sometimes it’s hard not to feel like the world is constructed in such a way as to monetize children (and holidays with children) as much as possible. As a result, we have fancier and fancier attractions (which, sadly, often are plain stupid) creating seemingly endless possibilities. As if every minute of a family trip had to be action-packed. In fact, boredom can be a good thing: it boosts creativity and encourages children to play with others. So, how do I understand the term “kids-friendly”?
Will this place be interesting for my child?
Aqua parks with slides, inflated toys, energetic animators, interactive toys and huge playgrounds are a must-have of every offer of a family holiday. Without all those things I can hardly imagine a family holiday, and I would never pick a place which does not offer them. JUST KIDDING. Of course some of them may actually appear, and if they do, they typically make children genuinely happy, but they are not key factors in choosing a family holiday destination. There is a range of other factors which help me decide whether a place is kids-friendly – and whether to take my little angel there 😉
Mom, what’s that? Viñales, Cuba
Smile!
A kids-friendly place? Typically simply a place where children and parents are welcome and respected. Common kindness, openness and understanding can work wonders, and if we add a smile, good word, and a bit of selfless help – that’s all you need! A holiday with an infant in Thailand, where people love spending time with children, thus allowing the parents to enjoy their dinner in peace, are among top recommendations for parents. You really don’t need a hotel with an animator 😉 The positive attitude of the locals will do the trick – and there are plenty of countries where children are adored!
Facilities for parents, not for children!
When it comes to the factors that help me decide (although often they are not the only ones I consider) whether a place is kids-friendly, facilities for parents definitely play an important role. Everyone knows that parents have to deal with many difficulties – also while travelling. Easy transportation, local public transport, traffic, the whole infrastructure of a place are definitely a key factor. On the other hand, places such as Santorini or Venice, difficult to navigate with a stroller, also have their charm – and the difficulties did not deter us from going there when M. was still an infant 😉 Such seemingly irrelevant details as the width of the sidewalks (hey Paris, couldn’t you make them any narrower? 😉), elevators instead of stairs, etc. can have a real impact on our comfort while travelling. It’s also nice to have a high chair or baby beds available – such small things that can make such a big difference!
Attractions, attractions, attractions…
Now let’s move on to my favorite topic. ATTRACTIONS. Meh 😉 Let me begin by saying that to my mind, practically every child is perfectly capable of finding some sort of entertainment during a family holiday. Almost anything can become an attraction – being close to breathtaking nature, mysterious encounters with the world of fauna and flora… We find interesting architecture while visiting old castles, discover ancient civilizations by counting statues and stones, we admire the views while enjoying lunch, having fun in the water and on the sand. We can head off to the mountains leaning on a stick, stroll through towns, villages, and beautifully located cities, we feast our eyes with street art or visit fascinating museums (and there are plenty of those these days 😊). A lot depends on us – how we present our idea of the trip to our children, how we prepare them, whether we make them curious and willing to see the world. It’s our role 😊
All the treasures of Marrakesh. “Special price, only for you, only today” 😉
Safety, fun, comfort
Finally, a kids-friendly place has to be safe. I have written about health while travelling here, and about car safety here. Apart from that, it should also be fun – after all, family holidays are all about fun and rest 😊 Natural conditions and the time when we visit a given place are also important factors. We should consider altitude, the amount of rainfall, temperature, and humidity. A different time zone and noise in the area can affect your mood and disrupt your circadian rhythm by making it impossible to rest and regenerate. Another factor to consider is cleanliness – I’m sure that parents of crawling infants with a tendency to stuff everything and anything into their mouths will agree with me 😉 Still, you can prepare for all those things by having a precise, tailor-made plan which caters for the needs and limitations of each family member 😊
Opening yourself to new experiences and treating holidays with children as a beautiful adventure you can share, it turns out that there are plenty of kids-friendly places. Think about your dreams, what you would like to see and experience, and I’m sure that it will be possible to plan and organize your trip in such a way as to make it unforgettable also for your children. Moreover, their curiosity about the world and ingenuity can help us appreciate the world. Travelling with children will stay in your memory forever – discovering the world together and enjoying the simplicity of each day your trip are priceless.
Dancing at the top – a Fronalpstock playground