What Every Grandparent Should Know Before Traveling With Their Grandchildren (Video)
Multigenerational travel is a growing trend, especially for grandparents and grandkids. While parents may not have the flexibility to get away from work, grandparents often have the time and funds for a vacation — not to mention they want to create memories and bond with their grandchildren.
An AARP study indicated that over 50 percent of grandparents have at least one grandchild who lives more than 200 miles away, and about 30 percent live more than 50 miles from their closest grandchild. Travel is a great way to get better acquainted and develop a relationship with the child.
For the children, travel can be a time of discovery, both of the world and themselves. It offers a healthy change in routine — a chance to try different foods, see how others live, and learn geography or history in a fun way. Plus, simply learning how to travel —navigating airports, trains, roads, and international destinations — is a valuable life skill.
A successful family trip requires planning and selecting the best destination for both the grandparents and children. Some things to consider: the ages and interests of the grandchildren, budget, health, and mobility of the grandparents. The type of vacation, whether a road trip, cruise, all-inclusive resort, theme park, big city, or group tour, is another factor worth bearing in mind.
Road trips are flexible and may be a solid option for a first vacation not too far from home. With a cruise or all-inclusive resort, all the arrangements for food, activities, and accommodations are covered. Group tours also make planning easier, and many, like Adventures by Disney for example, have age-appropriate activities with trained staff as well as time both together and separately.
No matter the destination or type of trip you choose, here are some suggestions for a successful vacation experience for grandparents traveling with grandchildren.
Consider Their Ages
Before you even pick a destination, take a moment to consider the ages of the children with whom you'll be traveling. After all, toddlers and teenagers have entirely different needs and interests. This will affect your itinerary, so you should be sure to look for activities that will appeal to each age group — especially if you are traveling with multiple grandkids of different ages. This is the reason amusement parks and cruises have mass appeal for family vacations, but if you do your research you can find activities to interest every member of the family at any age in most destinations.
Get Them Involved
You may be the trip leader, but that doesn't mean you have to do all the planning on your own. From the get-go, you should involve your grandchildren in the planning process of the trip. You can research activities they might be interested in ahead of time — parks, museums, guided tours — and present what you've found to them. Consider putting together a collection of photos or videos that will help them imagine what each experience might be like. Not only is this a good way to gauge their interests, but they will also feel included from the start.
Discuss the Trip With Their Parents
While the kids are busy thinking about all the fun they're going to have, be sure to take some time to discuss practical logistics with their parents. Get a briefing on each child's likes and dislikes when it comes to food, and familiarize yourself with the ins and outs of their daily routine. This can include everything from health requirements and medications to house rules like bedtimes that need to continue on the trip.
When you are making arrangements, don't beat around the bush when it comes to money discussions. Be clear about who will provide funding for the trip and how much. They'll want to see photos as you go, so if technology can be a struggle sometimes ask them to give you a tutorial on sharing photos.
Now Get Them Excited
Even if you've laid out an air-tight itinerary and booked all your activities ahead of time, there are lots of ways to amp up the anticipation for the trip. You can prepare them by providing books, maps, and videos about the destination that will generate interest. This is especially important if you are traveling abroad. You can watch movies together that take place in your destination and consider doing a little language practice. There are many free online resources where you can learn basic greetings and practicing together can be a fun way to bond before the trip.
Pack Wisely and Be Prepared
As far as packing goes, be specific with the grandchildren and parents about what to bring by writing a packing checklist. Make sure it's clear who will bring things like first-aid supplies, snacks, and vitamins. Bring along sufficient chargers for phones, iPads, and other electronics. A portable charger would be a useful accessory, too. Be sure your grandchildren have books, puzzles, games, electronics, or their preferred individual entertainment for lengthy travel hours as well as downtime. Younger children might want to have a favorite teddy bear or blanket for bedtime.
Do Your Homework
When traveling internationally, it's a good idea to get a consent letter from the parents indicating that you have their permission to travel with your grandchildren. Most likely no one will ask you for it, but you'll be glad to have a hard copy on you in a scenario where you can't get in touch with them. You should also carry copies of the child’s birth certificate and have their health insurance information in the event of an emergency.
Take Advantage of Free Activities
Of course, we all want to spoil our grandkids, but that doesn't mean our wallets don't feel the pain. Thankfully, there are a lot of ways to find free activities in almost any destination from Orlando to London. You can search online or ask around when you get there. Even when nothing is going on, don't underestimate visiting public parks and simply spending time together outdoors. Usually in big urban centers, you can find free walking tours which will give you a sense of the surroundings — although a tip will be expected at the end.
Don't Overdo It
It's good to have a plan, but you also need to make time for rest. Trying to do too much can be stressful and tiring for everybody, especially when traveling with kids. Put aside a few hours each day for downtime and be flexible about adjusting plans on the go. This may also be an occasion where splurging for convenience is worth it — especially at theme parks which can be exhausting. If your budget allows, take advantage of “front of the line” passes. These deals are a godsend for grandparents, especially if you're traveling with little ones who might become bored or restless with long waits.
Approach Travel Mishaps with Good Humor
One of the biggest advantages of traveling with your grandchildren is the opportunity to teach them adaptability. This probably isn't your first time traveling yourself, so you know that there's always something that doesn't go exactly to plan. It could be bad weather, a closed restaurant, or a mixed-up hotel reservation. Whatever happens, this is a prime time to set an example for your grandkids on how to maintain composure and calmly find a solution. Keep it light and remember that most travel mishaps usually end up being the stories we retell the most when we return home.
Let Them Stay Connected
Younger generations are often criticized for not living in the moment, especially when they're seen glued to their devices while on what may be a once-in-a-lifetime trip. It can be frustrating, but grandparents should also try to understand that for kids, technology is also a way to stay connected with their friends and family back home. Before you go, open up a discussion between kids and parents about how much screen time is appropriate and set some ground rules. For example, you might allow them to use tablets on travel days but ask that they stay turned off when dining out or doing group activities. With open communication and compromise, you can find the perfect balance that makes everyone happy.
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