1. Let one of the kids lead with questions. Natasha offered a great tip during the last #FamTravel Twitter Party. She lets one of her kids lead with questions, which is a fun way to create a new experience every visit. It opens the door to an exciting adventure and allows kids to act on their curiosity. Just make sure they don’t want to lead the group to jump into the dolphin tank at the aquarium! 😀
2. Bring a friend or family member to spice it up. Nichole brought up a great point that bringing a friend can help make a familiar experience fresh again. When I was a girl, we used to take weekend trips to a cabin in Michigan and one of us youngsters would bring a friend. It’s amazing how vivid those memories are today and how different every experience was depending on who came along. Natasha also mentioned that when her nephew comes into town they make a special day out of it. I love exploring the usual local places when family members are in town! Going to a place you’ve been many times before is really a different experience when you bring family and friends along.
3. Focus on a specific part of the museum or kids place. Sometimes we try to conquer a whole museum in one day, and we end up with a whiny bunch of kids! A lot of moms during the recent #FamTravel Twitter Party mentioned that focusing on a specific part of a museum or an exhibit that you haven’t seen can make all the difference. Renee reminded us that it’s nice to point out things that the kids didn’t notice before and sometimes it’s best to let the kids point them out.. They might not even remember the last time they were there! 😀
4. Scavenger hunts! Scherrie mentioned scavenger hunts during the #FamTravel Twitter Party. They’re a great way to keep the kids entertained and help them explore the museum or kids place with a mission to learn! Some museums have scavenger hunts pre-planned for kids while others require a bit more planning. Cheryl pointed out that it’s important to have an end goal and my kids always point out that it’s important to have a prize to go with it. If you’re traveling with a couple families it can be fun to let the kids break into small groups for the hunt – just make sure each group has a “timekeeper” (chaperone who plays along).
5. Just Go! Every kid-trip is a fresh experience. Sometimes we just need to take the initiative to get out of the house. Our kids usually remember less (but often more) about the places we’ve been and when you’re visiting a kids place or museum, you’re usually going to have a completely different experience.
6. Create a memory book or video montage to remember the trip. Just when we think the trip is over, Cheryl offered a great idea to keep it going! She pointed out that letting kids create a memory book with pictures and stories from the museum or kids place would be fun. What a fantastic and creative way for kids to relive and enjoy their experience! If your kids are a bit older, they could even create a short video about the trip. A big part of the fun would be the preparation for the memory book/video (taking photos and video while at the museum/kids place).
When revisiting a local museum or kids place, how do you make it fresh again? Please comment with your tips below!
