The idea of keeping kids engaged when sightseeing can be a daunting one, especially when dealing with young children. When traveling by yourself or with a group of adults sightseeing can be incredibly simple. There’s not a lot of prep work needed, outside of a little research of what’s offered or is nearby. You can just pick up go when you want. There’s no need for you to bring distractions for the people with you, because they’re all adults and can take care of themselves. But, that’s the main difference between sightseeing with children and sightseeing with adults, children can’t take care of themselves. It’s very helpful to sightsee with children with the following few tips in your back pocket.

© Rahul Ganguly

The first thing to do is look up where you’re going and what you want to do while there. Interactive exhibits and experiences are great for kids, as hands on museums get kids learning but keep them entertained and interested. Similar to interactive exhibits, places where kids can run around and be loud are a great choice. While traditional museums are breathtaking and seen as a solace to some people, they’re not the place for kids to be typical kids that move quickly and talk loudly.

Another great step is to bring some snacks, water and small distractions in a light bag. Most places that are kid-friendly allow food and drink inside. For the drink, water is most likely your best choice. If it spills it won’t stain anything or leave a sticky residue. For snacks, you want to bring something small and healthy. Granola bars or trail mix are a great way to give a little bit of sweet without the corresponding sugar crash. And again, they aren’t messy so there’s no worry of sticky, food-covered fingers touching things they shouldn’t.

© Val Kerry

As far as small distractions goes, there are multiple routes to go with this. You could bring some form of a tablet for them to play on. If they’re old enough to read you could bring a small book or two. Coloring books are a great choice too. Having something else for them to do will definitely help if their attention span has decided they’ve had enough with what you’re currently doing.

Even if the kids you’re sightseeing with have been out of diapers for years, baby wipes are always helpful. They can clean hands, faces or dirty surfaces. And, they can come in small enough packages as to not take up a lot of room in your bag. Yes, sightseeing with kids can seem intimidating, but there are many ways to make the experience into a great memory for the whole family.

© Luciano Martins

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Cover photo © Shelby L. Bell