Traveling to another country with children can be stressful. Having a small, squirmy body trapped in the small cabin of a plane or train for several hours at a time can be flustering for both you and the other passengers.
What about when you get to where you are going? When you are in the hotel, recovering from exploring your country of choice, the kids may be rambunctious. That is why you need to bring entertainment for them. Here you will find three of the best ways to entertain your children while in another country.
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Read Your Kids Books
Chances are, if you are traveling to a country where the primary language is not English, you will not be able to find books that your little one will understand. Be sure to pack plenty of books to take with you on your trip. If you prefer, you can download your child’s favorite books or all new ones onto a tablet, but nothing beats a good, physical book in your or your child’s hands.
Read to your kid, but don’t just read the words. Put some excitement behind the words; make your voice engaging. Make it fun! Throw in sound effects, or sing the words when the characters are supposed to be singing.
You could always pick up a local children’s book and make up a story to go with the pictures. This can be very engaging as you can ask your child what they think is happening.
Watch TV with Your Kids
Much like foreign books, you and your kid are not going to understand anything that is being said on TV. You could make up your own words to go along with the events in the show, Mystery Science Theater 3000 style, giving you plenty of opportunities to laugh and be creative.
If you would rather destress from a day of exploring foreign streets, there is another way you can watch TV. If you take an Amazon Fire Stick with you, you can stream any of your purchased or uploaded videos directly onto your hotel room television. As long as the TV is HDMI compatible, and the hotel has Wi-Fi, you can connect to your Amazon account and relax with the movies you can understand.
Play with Their Toys
Pack them some dinosaurs or superhero action figures or Barbie dolls so your kids will be entertained in the hotel. Don’t let them play alone. Get down on the floor and play with them. Use your own imagination while they use theirs; make a chair into the Eiffel Tower the monster climbs, or have the bed serve as the bistro where the girls can hang out after shopping.
Mothers, don’t be afraid to play Ninja Turtles with your kids, and fathers, get down there with your daughters and their dolls. You are thousands of miles from anyone who knows you. Don’t worry about being embarrassed and comfort your kid in a country far away from home.
