It’s the home stretch of Spring Break - only 4,320 minutes until your children return to school. But who is counting? Kids go back to school on April Fool's Day and that's no joke. The rest of the school year will move at warp speed. Have you started thinking about summer vacation?
A fascinating survey was just released by the U.S. Travel Association. “Family Vacations Create Lasting Memories” by Harris Interactive found that adults say their most vivid childhood recollections are of family vacations. Children surveyed also say they enjoy vacation time with parents and grandparents. The U.S. Travel survey reinforces the rise in family and multi-generational travel.
They assumed there would be a connection between memories and vacations, but it was surprising to learn that some of people's most vivid childhood memories are of family vacations that happened when they were as young as five," said Harris Interactive, who conducted the poll of more than 2,500 adults and 1,100 youth for the U.S. Travel Association.
Key findings of the survey include: Most adults surveyed (62 percent) said their earliest memories were of family vacations taken when they were between ages five and 10, and they remember childhood trips more clearly than school events or birthday celebrations. Most children (64 percent) surveyed said they get to see and do things on vacation that they will remember for a long time and that vacations bring their family closer together (53 percent). Children who traveled with their extended family reported that they get to spend quality time with their grandparents (78 percent), they feel closer to them (60 percent), and they like to remember stories about what they did with their grandparents (65 percent).
“These new research findings should encourage parents to plan family trips this summer as a way to strengthen family bonds for generations," said Roger Dow, U.S. Travel’s president and CEO. “Families that take time to travel together will have stories to share for years to come.”
The survey provided recommendations when it comes to planning a family vacation, including: When on vacation, do activities as a family. While parents and kids often don't spend quality time together at home and plan separate vacation activities, more than half of children say that vacations are a time to make up for that – and that they get to spend quality time with their parents. Consider including your children's grandparents.
Start planning your summer vacation now. It will make life-long memories for your family and also give your kids something to write about on the first day of school.
