You could not be more excited to go on a family cruise. You’re looking forward to relaxing on deck, eating delicious meals, spending time with your family and getting away from the stresses of everyday life. However, you are a bit worried that your kids might get bored or restless on the cruise ship. If that’s the case, consider these tips to keep your kids occupied and having fun the entire trip.
Take Advantage of Cruise Activities
You decided to go on a cruise for a reason, right? Cruise ships are huge and have a ton of activities for all ages. Some of the popular options include pools, water slides, mini golf, dodge ball, bingo, volleyball, basketball and video games. You can do these any time your kids complain about being bored or ask what you’re going to do. There also are events and land excursions for you to fill your days. Take this time to try new things and bond with your kids without any distractions.
Research Childcare and Camp Options
Cruise ships have a lot of fun options for kids. They often have a kids camp where they can play with other children and do fun activities that are created just for them. Even if they are a little shy or don’t seem interested, take them to check it out on embarkation day. You never know if they’ll make some new friends or change their minds about joining.
If you’re looking forward to some alone time with your spouse, you also should look into childcare services. There usually are some types of babysitting services where you can drop your kids off. Your kids will have a great time playing and you’ll enjoy some well-deserved adult time.
Bring Games
Even though the cruise ship is bound to have dozens of amazing games to play, you may want to bring some of your own from home. Bring a deck of cards and other travel games that your kids love (this is also helpful for your travel time to and from the cruise ship). You also can play games like I Spy and 20 Questions to help your kids absorb their surroundings and interact with you. Sometimes a little bit of familiarity helps your kids feel comfortable and keeps boredom away.
Provide Electronic Time
Vacation shouldn’t be a punishment for your kids. While you want them to spend time with you and experience new things, there’s no harm in letting them spend a little bit of time with their favorite devices, too. Research the cruise ship’s internet plans or talk to your cellphone provider about a cruise data plan. Invest in a reliable smartphone like the new LG G6 from T-Mobile that allows you to download movies, TV shows, games and books for your kids to use. Talk to your kids about when it’s appropriate to have electronic time and when it’s time to do stuff together as a family to help avoid any arguments.
Cruises are fun, exciting and relaxing. There’s very little chance that your kids will get bored or fail to find something new to do while you’re on vacation. Embrace everything it has to offer, meet new people and enjoy your time together as a family.
