Travelling as a family with teenagers can be fraught with uncertainty – where do we choose? What do we do? How do we appeal to their interests? How do we engage them and make it fun as well as educational? How do we actively promote an interest in the world around us and take them away from their technology – phones, ipads, Xbox, PlayStation – so they are forced to spend precious time with their family members before school is over and they leave the nest? How do we excite them about a holiday with their parents and siblings?
Having teenage children of our own and having just returned from a 4 week tour to South America with 11 teenagers, we’ve stumbled upon a few winners. By choosing a destination such as South America which has so much diversity it genuinely has something to offer everyone. By spending a precious family holiday immersed in day to day history, geography, science – our children learn so much without realising it and are able to relate these experiences directly to elements of their high school curriculum. The Amazon rainforest and ecosystems, ancient ruins and archaeology, language and culture, incredible food and “super food” to name a few.
Colourful markets that show us the lifestyle of the local Indian communities, evening shows such as Tango in Argentina, and Samba in Brazil . Incredible meals in amazing locations. Not to forget some down time for everyone (technology free) in places such as the lost city of Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley of the Incas. The kids are so busy and so awestruck that conversations flow over dinner about the amazing things seen that day and it is a great way to bring everyone together.
