Spring is just around the corner, which means that the weather gets slightly warmer and the days get longer – the perfect chance to finally get out as a family after a long, cold winter and do something fun! But, as all families will know, planning a family day out is often much simpler than the day itself. If you really want a fun and interesting day out, you need to put the work in!
There are many things to keep in mind when it comes to planning a family day out, from the age of your children to their interests, plus the length of travel time you’re willing to contribute to the day. Remember, a family day out should be fun and (relatively!) stress-free with the right planning so, with that in mind, here are 5 top tips for planning your next family day out!
Plan Ahead
Spontaneity is often said to be the most exciting and fun way to do stuff, but when you have kids, spontaneous trips out are very few and far between! When it comes to a family day out, you will need to plan ahead. Depending on what it is you have planned, from a trip to the zoo or a beach day, by planning ahead, you will be able to secure a lot of aspects rather than leaving it to the day and causing stress.
Knowing whether you have to book tickets for entry, or want to find the closest and most accessible parking spaces, some elements of pre-planning will make the day much more enjoyable. By planning ahead, you’ll actually be more flexible on the day – remember, not every single minute needs to be pre-planned, just the key aspects of the day.
Choose Activities Carefully
There are some failsafe options when it comes to planning a family day out. Think the zoo, beach, museums or local park. But, when it comes to choosing the activity for your family day out, you’ll need to take some things into consideration. If you have younger children, then activities that aren’t entertaining or are quite long, such as museums, then chances are that they will soon lose interest. If you have children of different ages, then finding something that appeals to them all may also be considerably difficult! Be sure to choose activities that you know all the family will enjoy for more fun and relaxing family day out.
Be Sure To Budget
Every outing costs money and, with day to day life not getting any cheaper, you need to make sure that you are budgeting correctly for the day out. Sometimes, simple and free options are the best ones and, even better, in that they don’t break the bank. If you are restricted by budgets, there are so many options available still – parks, beaches and woodlands are all free to enjoy and can be complemented with things such as ice creams if you only have a small budget.
If you are happy to spend your budget on things such as zoo admission, then small things like taking your own packed lunch can cut the cost of any additional spending! All you need are your reusable snack bags, tasty treats and drinks! Remember, kids get very hungry, very fast so be sure to have enough to see you through the day without any hanger tantrums!
Consider Group Outings
If you have family friends that have children near to your children’s ages, then why not consider a joint day out? Your children will love chatting and doing activities with other children of a similar age, plus if there are other adults, you then have someone else to talk to and help out with the day. When it comes to group outings, you can delegate the tasks between the families, so for example, if you have a cool box, you can offer to bring the drinks and friends can provide the snacks. This makes the day run much smoother and gives you less to do in preparation for the day!
Have A Back-Up Plan
No matter how much you plan, it’s always best to have a backup plan, just in case. No matter how much planning and preparation you do, sometimes things simply just don’t turn out the way you envisioned and that’s ok! If weather halts any plans or someone starts feeling unwell on the day, things such as soft play, trips to the local park or even just some fun outdoor arts and crafts in the garden are good alternatives!
