Road Trip/Destination Daily Challenges on Vacation
I have travelled with oodles of children over the years, mostly tweens and teenagers. Road trips, Disneyland, Las Vegas, National Park road trips and Seattle, to name a few. I learned quickly to pass the decision making of what to buy when, to the kids. It has saved so much sighing, eye rolling and snide comments about the things the kids are wanting to buy, from snacks and drinks to souvenirs. It only took a couple trips for the kids to learn to stop buying those things I cringed over and buy a higher quality thing. I enjoyed watching them think through their purchases. I do not buy drinks of any kind for kids while on vacation. Food is expensive and water is free. Drinks are on them. I have watched kids wrestle over whether to buy that $10 souvenir cup. The struggle is real kids. The struggle is real.
I started by just giving vacation cash. Too many kids ended up with no money and a few days to go. Then I started rationing the cash to them each day. Finally, I added a daily challenge to the cash. The kids have loved this! Some have even hollered from their hotel bed, asking for the challenge before they even got up.
It takes some creativity and preplanning.
For example:
Day one: Post a selfie or send a text to someone sharing your destination. Be creative! $20. This lets them buy all the expensive airport snacks or road trip snacks they want.
Day two: Pay it forward. Pay for the person behind you. $10 (coffee for you, coffee for them).
Day three: Send a postcard. Grandparents love this! $10. Leftover cash for them to spend on themselves.
Day four: Surprise someone you’re with with a gift. I usually write which kid buys for which kid, so everyone is getting a gift. If kids struggle to get along, I try to have those kids buy for each other.
- Decide how much money you will give for the entire trip. Get bills in all denominations.
- Get envelopes for each child for each day.
- Chose your challenges and break them up into order, depending on the activities of the day.
- Place them in envelopes with cash, noting on each envelope name and day.
- Pack challenges in a way that you have access to them, as you need them. Don’t pack day one! You’ll hand that out as you leave for the trip.
Mail a postcard to someone (bring postcard stamps)
Pay it forward
Buy a gift for someone
Buy a souvenir
Tip $5 to someone not expecting a tip
Buy a gift for someone you’re on vacation with
Learn and share a fun fact about the area
Good for a sweatshirt, up to $50
Send a text or post on social media a selfie along the journey, sharing your destination.