| Family vacations, whether they're spent at a | | | | not an option, consider renting one or borrowing |
| campground, a hotel, in the mountains or on a beach, | | | | from a friend. |
| are a great way to spend quality time away from | | | | It's also fun to give the kids their own disposable |
| home relaxing with your loved ones. If you'll be | | | | cameras so they can capture favorite parts of their |
| spending your much-needed vacation with your | | | | vacation. Voice activated tape recorders make great |
| immediate family or even with extended family for a | | | | gadgets to take along on a family vacation to record |
| larger, intergenerational event, having a creative, | | | | candid moments that can be saved for generations |
| organized plan will make your trip a memorable | | | | to come. |
| success. | | | | Another keepsake to treasure from your time |
| Use the following five helpful tips to have a vacation | | | | together would be artwork done by the kids. Give |
| that the whole family will talk about for years to | | | | each child their own set of 'art supplies' so that they |
| come. | | | | can convey their thoughts or memories of the |
| Make a List, Check it Thrice | | | | vacation. They could draw something they saw at |
| While over packing can have its own host of | | | | the beach, or a certain ride in an amusement park, or |
| problems, not packing enough or forgetting some of | | | | a picture of a new friend they met on the trip. |
| the essentials can be much worse. Consider making a | | | | Whatever it may be, imagine what fun it will be |
| list and following it closely to be your best defense | | | | years later get them out and reminisce about your |
| against forgetting something important. With all the | | | | times together. |
| hustle and bustle that often comes along with | | | | Play the Waiting Game |
| preparing for a vacation, without that list it's pretty | | | | Unfortunately when traveling using just about any |
| much a guarantee that you'll forget something. | | | | mode of transportation, chances are you'll be doing |
| You can certainly have more than one list to make | | | | some waiting and will be delayed at some point for |
| things even easier, one for items to pack, one for | | | | one reason or another. By staying positive and having |
| things to buy, and one for the actual vacation | | | | a sense of humor you'll realize that getting there |
| complete with itineraries and things that are an | | | | really is half the fun! |
| absolute must to remember like medications. | | | | For each child, or vacationer, prepare a personalized |
| Stay Close to Your Regular Schedule | | | | vacation survival kit to pass the time. These can |
| Children, especially younger ones, can be greatly | | | | include snacks, books, comic books, coloring books |
| affected by changes in their routine. Whether it's | | | | and crayons, hand-held video games, and pens and |
| their sleeping schedules or eating habits, they'll feel | | | | notebooks as travel journals for the older kids. |
| more secure, and also be more likely to behave, if | | | | Music to Soothe the Savage Beast(s) |
| the regularity of home still applies on the road. If | | | | The chances that everyone in the family enjoys the |
| possible, try to keep bedtime relatively close to the | | | | same music are usually very slim. If they don't |
| normal time for youngsters, within reason, of course, | | | | already have one, consider buying the kids their own |
| after all it is vacation! | | | | portable CD players with headphones. Most kids will |
| Creatively Capture Memories | | | | be satisfied with a ten dollar set that will serve a |
| While nearly everyone brings a camera along on their | | | | great purpose and get a lot of use. In the months |
| vacation (check your list), there are several other | | | | prior to your vacation have your children compile a |
| ways of capturing your special memories. The prices | | | | list of their favorite songs or groups to make |
| of camcorders have dropped greatly as of late as | | | | personalized CDs to go along with their new players. |
| technology continues to reinvent itself, but if they're | | | | |