Surprise your kids with a spontaneous getaway! A couple months back I mentioned a terrific vacation planning idea utilized by my brother’s family – a spontaneous and surprise trip to Florida. While a four day, on-a-whim vacation is likely out of reach for many families, including my own, a surprise, unplanned day trip or exciting activity certainly need not be. The past three days included two of such adventurous for my gang. On Sunday morning, we decided to head north a couple hours and spend an afternoon in Lower Manhattan. The weather was picture perfect and we figured our toddler would enjoy spending time strolling along the Hudson River in Battery Park and cruising out to see the Statue of Liberty. Ever since reading Little Miss Liberty, the very clever book by Chris Robertson, my darling gal has had a special affinity for the tall green lady of New York Harbor. She (and we) had a blast! The day marked our little 1-month old girl’s first (of many!) NYC outing.
Her surprise trip to the Big Apple was the first of two surprise road trips this week. On Tuesday, my wife and I both picked up our daughter from school, with bags packed in the trunk, and told her that we were driving to Grandmom’s for dinner, swimming and a sleepover. She was giddy to see her mom and little sister in the parking lot of school (as I have been in the habit of arriving solo on the way home from work while mom spends her days at home with new baby) and was positively stoked to learn that we all were heading to the pool straightaway.
It is a simple thing, to spring on your kids a fun and unplanned event, trip or activity. You can certainly discuss and make arrangements ahead of time, keeping it as a surprise for the kids only, although there is something rather exhilarating about waking up with no plans at all, just picking up and shoving off on your way to a great day of family fun on a whim.