Summer is here and with warmer days and school holidays, it is time to plan some fun family days out and take advantage of the great outdoors and create amazing childhood memories to treasure forever.
Whatever your destination, having a plan will ensure the day runs smoothly. We have teamed up with Schoolbooks.ie to give you ideas and tips on how to plan the perfect stress free family day out.
Planning a Family Day Out from Start to Finish
Set a Budget
Whether you are planning a low cost day out as a family or a meet up with friends at a venue, set a budget so you know in advance what the costs are going to be.
Think about travel costs, ticket prices, refreshments, spending money and extras you or the kids may want to spend on the day.
Choose a Location
This is the fun part, choosing where to go and who to go with! From free days out with a picnic at the beach, playground or park to theme parks, museums, a boat trip or other fun activity, get the whole family involved in planning so everyone has a great time.
Do your research online in advance to get the best deals and to find out if there are any dates that won’t be possible. When it comes to buying tickets, it is good to nominate one person to take charge of booking them so you can be sure you will all be together.
Choose a Date
Once you have decided who is going, what the budget is and where you want to go, it’s time to set the date. While it is nice to do some ad hoc days out, if you have to purchase tickets or want to meet friends, it is best to set a date and plan ahead to make sure plans are set in stone. Once you have it in the diary, it can be something to look forward to!
If your chosen date is coming up soon, you can also check the weather forecast to make sure your plans won’t be affected by the weather – an essential aspect in particular for outdoor activities.
What to Bring
Have a checklist of what you need for the day. Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Fully charged mobile/devices + charger
- Entertainment for the journey
- Picnic/Refreshments
- Tickets, either printed or proof of purchase on mobile (you may also need photo id and the card used for booking)
- For good weather, sunscreen, bug spray, sun hats, swimwear; or raincoats, wellies, layers and a change of clothes in the event of bad weather
- Picnic rug or deck chairs
- Entertainment for destination (Usborne things to spot books, outdoor games, frisbee, etc.)
- Get children to pack a small backpack each (their schoolbag is the perfect size!) with what they need e.g. water, spending money, book for the journey, pen and paper, etc.
Perfect Portable Picnic
Take the stress out of days out with the Maped Picnik range of easy to open, non spill, insulated lunchboxes, bags and bottles, available from Schoolbooks.ie. Use all summer and ideal for back to school too!
Transport
Decide in advance how you are going to get to your destination. Leave plenty of time to get there, particularly if you have to arrive at a certain time for your booking.
If you are travelling by car, have it fully fuelled the day before. Plan the route and check before you go for any roadworks, accidents, etc. Depending on how long the journey is, when travelling with children it is good to know where you can stop along the way for toilet breaks! Don’t forget to plan for parking at your destination too – is there some on-site, or will you need to find street parking nearby? Is it possible to book in advance?
If you are travelling by public transport, know the train/bus/tram times and check for any planned works in advance. If there are several people travelling together, do book tickets in advance as it can often save money and ensure you are seated together.
Keep the kids amused on the journey with these free activity printables and colouring pages!
With a little bit of planning and preparation, you can be guaranteed a fantastic family day out, making memories and having fun!
About the Author: Michelle
