Kids and Travel: Including Kidpinions In Your Vacation Plans

We love traveling with the kids. It can be very tricky at times but being together as a family, seeing new things, is a joy for our crew. I always enjoy the questions we get ahead of the trip about the destination. They vary so much by age. Their questions about a destination also give me a lot of insight on what they have loved most about past trips because of what they’re hoping to see on the next trip. I also try and include them in planning what we’ll do each day on the trip. Recently, HomeAway and FamilyFun magazine teamed up to ask kids their opinions on family travel in a Kidpinion survey. Here’s what kids said:

I’d also have to agree with pool being a #1 priority for kids. No matter where we are going, the kids 1st question is ALWAYS “is there a pool”. If you ask any of them about trips to Disney World and what their favorite part was, they’ll tell you it was “the lazy river” which was part of our hotel’s pool. Forget the rides, characters, special dinners, shows, etc: every day they asked when they could go in the pool!

I was not surprised to hear that 43% of kids would prefer going on a trip for their birthday. In addition to getting to travel and see new places, trips also mean time with their family together. When I asked my girls (5 and 7) both said they would rather go on a trip than get a gift for their birthday. It’s actually something we started doing now that the girls are getting a little older. For Maggie’s 7th birthday, she got to come with me to Chicago instead of any gifts. It was such a special, memorable weekend for the 2 of us. For Alex’s 6th birthday, her only request is “a day at the beach with Mom” (which I am planning now).

I love this video from the Kidpinions campaign:

I decided to ask my kids a few questions about travel and places we’ve been:

What’s your favorite place we’ve ever gone on vacation?

Maggie, 7: Chicago because it was just me and you and they had the best zoo (Lincoln Park Zoo).

Alex, 5: Dutch Wonderland

Tommy, 2: Pools!

What’s the coolest place we’ve ever stayed in?

Alex, 5: The house in Maine! The secret room upstairs was SO cool!

Tommy, 2: When I go to the o’tels them have small cribbies

If you could go back to a place we’ve visited, where would you go?

Maggie: Arizona. I love the desert!

Alex: Maine. That was my favorite place ever.

If we could travel anywhere, where would you pick?

Alex: Aruba. My friend Emily said it’s the best place ever.

Maggie: Italy and Africa

What’s your favorite thing about traveling?

Alex: getting to go in pools

Maggie: Getting to stay in a cool house

What’s the funniest thing that ever happened on vacation?

Alex: When there was a strangers underwear in Miles’ crib (true story – kids Spider Man underwear they must have been folded into the pile of sheets!)

Maggie: When the dollar coaster bar was stuck and Grammy and I thought we’d get to just ride the roller coaster forever.

Tommy: That silly froggy (the Frog Jumper ride in Hershey Park)