Take the family on a Virtual Vacation
Take the family on a Virtual Vacation
At present we are all facing extended time in our homes. For some, trying to find things to entertain the kids is almost a full-time job!
Is there anyone else out there getting CABIN FEVER?
How about we play a family game and set our goals on a ‘Virtual Holiday’.
1.Pick a destination
This can involve watching one of the many travel TV shows such as Getaway or Travel Guides, or simply closing your eyes and sticking a pin in a globe.
2. Set your Budget
As this is a virtual holiday you can be as lavish as you like. But it could be a great opportunity to discuss with your kids how the budget can affect the style of holiday you can afford. Great math’s exercise for those homeschooling.
3. Research & visit the Travel Agency
Just because this is a virtual holiday does not mean that a bit of role-playing cannot be included. Dress up and pretend you are the travel agent; think about what questions you need to ask your clients. (When, Where and How are good starting points)
4. Prepare for your holiday – Pack/Pets
Holiday plans do not just include booking the holiday, you must also organize what you need to take with you. Important things to consider are the climate of your destination or if you need clothing for specialist activities i.e. skiing. Get your kids to create a packing list and they can tick off everything they need. Do not forget to organize for someone to look after your pets.
5. Head to the airport, check in and enjoy your flight
Does anyone else have budding aviators at home, this is a great opportunity to pretend to be a pilot or flight attendant for the day. For those that have slightly older kids they might want to watch some of Air NZ’s funny inflight safety videos.
https://nzpocketguide.com/8-best-air-new-zealand-safety-videos/
Or even try to fly the plane yourself, there are many flight simulator programs, here is one that I quite enjoyed. https://www.geo-fs.com/
6. Explore your destination
Even though we can’t travel at the moment, there are many destinations that can be experienced virtually from the comfort of your home.
- Download and watch a movie/TV show. Here a couple of my favourites. Indiana Jones & the last crusade – Jordan, Game of Thrones – Ireland, Sound of Music – Salzburg, Slumdog Millionaire – India.
- Virtually visit a museum like the Louvre, Guggenheim Museum, London Museum.
- Watch a live webcam of wildlife - San Diego Zoo
- Take a virtual walking tour of a city – Paris, Berlin and many more.
Read my article “Virtual Travel - Where can you go without leaving home?” for further information on some excellent virtual travel sites.
7. Get creative
There are many ways we can educate our family about a destination and get creative at the same time. If Hawaii is on your bucket list, try making flower leis out of tissue paper. If you have not visited Italy, then you could make homemade pasta, or a Venetian mask. How about colouring in flags from around the world or finding a pen pal from overseas and writing about life in your home town.
8. Eat your way around the world
If you are anything like me then trying new food is just as an important as visiting the sites of the country. Food can transport us from Roxby Downs to anywhere in the world – imagine yourself eating a hamburger in the USA, eating churros in Spain, eating tacos in Mexico or sushi in Japan.
9. Homeward bound- time to brag!
Your holiday is over, and you are back home probably sitting in your living room! Knowing that your holidays are over can be disappointing for many people. To overcome this disappointment, I like to start planning my next holiday.
But if bragging is more your style then find yourself an exotic location from the link below for your next zoom catchup with friends. As a Virtuoso agent, I enjoy using these backdrops.
https://blog.virtuoso.com/destinations/we-made-you-these-travel-inspired-zoom-backgrounds/
Hope you all enjoy your next Virtual vacation.
Photo by Pixabay