Traveling to Italy with kids can be either exciting or stressful, depending on who is making the trip and how they feel about international travel. While you might not need any convincing, your kids might be feeling apprehensive about taking such a long trip or might be sad about leaving their friends for an extended vacation.
We’ve already discussed ways you can help your kids get excited about your upcoming trip to southern Italy, but in addition to watching movies, attending festivals and reading books, there are a few things you can do at home to get them excited.
Here are three more ideas for getting your children excited about traveling to southern Italy.
1. Map It
Visualization doesn’t just work with adults, it is also a great way for kids to get excited about their trip. So, print an over-sized map of Italy that pinpoints the specific locations you plan to visit and post it in a prominent location in your house. You can take this one step further by adding a calendar countdown that marks your departure day.
2. Italian-Flavored Surprises
About a month before your trip start surprising your kids with a daily Italian-flavored treat. Ideas include, Nutella, Chupa Chups suckers (they are huge in Italy), biscotti, olives, olive oil crackers and other Italian-flavored snacks your kids like. You can either create a monthly box calendar and hide a surprise for them each day or have a special “Italy” section of the house where they can look each morning when they wake up.
3. The Way to (Anyone’s) Heart
Italian food isn’t just the way to a man’s heart … it’s the path to many. Pick up a children’s cookbook or look online for kid-friendly recipes, let your kids help you create Italian-themed menus and then cook together as a family. While pizza on a bagel might not be the most authentically Italian dish you’ll have, it will help set the mood for your trip and will get your kids even more excited about their Italian adventure.
What other tips do you have for helping your kids get excited about Italy before they leave home?
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Photo: ItalyMag
