If you’re traveling with family members, you should enjoy that. You can make some fun memories together that you can look back on fondly in the coming years. If you have younger kids, you might also take lots of pictures you can show them when they’re older if they can’t remember these family excursions on their own.
You should stay safe while traveling, though. We’ll discuss some ways your family can in the following article.
Staying Safe During Zoo Trips
If you don’t want to spend time talking about the legal implications of injuries sustained at a zoo, you should keep a close eye on your kids if you visit one. Usually, you’ll see fences around animal exhibits, or you might see a moat between your family and the animals. However, your child might scramble over a barrier or fall into one of these moats if you’re not careful.
Keep watch over your children the whole time you’re at the zoo. That way, you’ll know their location and what they’re doing. Go into a bathroom with your younger kids so they don’t lose their bearings. You can bring sunscreen and put it on them if it’s a warm day. Just a few minutes of sun exposure can burn a child’s skin, especially the more fair-skinned ones.
Staying Safe While at Amusement Parks
If you visit an amusement park as a family, the same rules apply. Watch your young kids, especially if they like running off by themselves when you let down your guard. Rambunctious kids can run you ragged if you’re not careful, so having a spouse or partner sharing these duties makes sense.
You can bring sunblock to the amusement park as well since most parks have no problem with you bringing it in. You should also bring some bottled water or some sports drinks. If the park won’t let you bring them in, then you can buy some instead. They’ll likely cost a lot, but you should stay hydrated and make sure your kids do the same.
Avoid closed rides. They may have signs saying they’re off-limits, but there’s no guarantee your kids won’t explore there if you’re not watching them. You should also make sure your children have grown enough so they pass the height restriction on roller coasters. With many of the larger and more intimidating ones, your kids must reach a certain height before they can safely ride.
Staying Safe on Road Trips
If you’re taking a longer road trip, you can bring snacks and drinks in the car. You might think about car games you can play if you have younger kids who start complaining about boredom.
When you visit rest stops, make sure your kids stay back if you see any scenic overlooks. You might take some pictures in front of one, but your children must stay away from any steep drop-offs.
You should also monitor your kids if you stop at any diners or souvenir stands. Abductions sometimes happen when parents don’t pay close attention.
If you have some teenagers, they can help you watch the younger ones. Make sure they take this job seriously.
Staying Safe While Swimming
You might stay at a hotel or motel on your road trip. It may have a swimming pool. If so, you should only swim if your kids know how. You can teach them, or if they attended summer camp, they might take lessons there.
Even if your kids took lessons, though, they should only swim if there’s a lifeguard on duty. You can also stay poolside with them. If you have very young children, you can swim with them and make sure they remain in the shallow end. You can also give them life vests so they float or floating pool toys.
Maybe you are staying by the ocean or a lake. You can swim there too, but watch out. A sudden riptide can carry a child away, or even adults with excellent swimming skills.
Look at the surface and judge whether it’s calm enough. If it seems choppy or you see whitecaps, stay out of the water. It’s too risky otherwise.
Staying Safe While Camping
Maybe you take a family road trip, and you decide you’ll rough it a little. You might rent a cabin or bring a tent with you. You can set it up when you find an appropriate spot.
If you’re camping, it’s best you don’t stray too far into the woods. Keep your kids with you, and stay on the trail or close to one. If there’s no trail, make sure you know some landmarks you can follow back so you don’t lose yourselves.
You should also bring a compass and know about using it. You can teach your kids. You should bring plenty of nutritious food and drinks, and make sure you store it carefully so it doesn’t attract wildlife.
Know about any dangerous animals or insects that live where you’re camping. Know about any bears, cougars, coyotes, or anything else that might bother humans. You should also think about skunks and smaller mammals. Some have ferocious or territorial tendencies.
If you’re walking in the woods or through tall grass, wear long pants and long sleeves, and make sure your kids do the same. This prevents any ticks you encounter from latching onto you. If you see any snakes, stay away. You should also avoid any beehives or wasp nests.
If you follow all these rules, you should enjoy your family vacations together. You can chart out a course across the country, or maybe you’ll just visit a neighboring state. It depends on whether you want a more ambitious trip or a relatively short one.
You might visit some relatives or a national park you’ve never seen before. If you visit the Grand Canyon or Mount Rushmore, you’ll appreciate these national treasures. It should kindle your patriotism and sense of adventure, and you can grow closer as a family as well.
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