Tips for Traveling with Children of Different Ages and Making It Fun

Traveling with a 5-Year-Old and a 15-Year-Old: How to Make the Trip Fun for Everyone (Yes, Even You!)

So, you’ve decided to take a family vacation with your 5-year-old and your 15-year-old.

What could go wrong? 😅

Family travel with a preschooler and teenager

Well… a lot.

But with the right mindset, the right destination, and just a little planning, you can create a trip that actually feels like a vacation for everyone involved. Including you!

Here are my top 10 tips to make traveling with kids at two very different stages a little easier and a lot more fun:

1. Pick a resort with a kids' club and fast Wi-Fi.

Your 5-year-old wants crafts, face painting, and beach games. Your 15-year-old wants TikTok, uninterrupted gaming, maybe even a teen's club. Choose a resort that caters to both.

➡️ Top pick: Dreams Resorts & Spas are amazing for families. The Explorer’s Club keeps the little ones entertained with age-appropriate fun, while teens can hang at the Core Zone. Plus, parents? You get cocktails, cabanas, and calm.

2. Snacks solve 90% of problems.

Keep snacks handy at all times. Airport, hotel room, excursions, museum lines—snacks are your peacekeeping tool.

3. Alternate your activities.

Don’t try to please everyone with the same activity, mix it up! Do the silly waterpark your 5-year-old loves in the morning, followed by an “Instagrammable” teen-approved moment in the afternoon.

4. Let your teen feel independent.

Within reason, of course. A little space can make a huge difference. Teens love the freedom to roam the resort or pick their dinner, just don’t forget to track them like a CIA agent through your “Find My Phone” app.

5. Give your little one choices.

Even if the options are pre-selected (and fully parent-approved), kids love feeling like they have a part in planning. “Do you want to wear your red sunglasses or blue ones to breakfast?”

6. Headphones are a sanity-saver.

For your kids and for you. Put on their favorite movie, podcast, or playlist and enjoy the rare sound of... silence.

7. Power banks are your new best friend.

When your teen's phone battery hits 3%, all joy disappears. Bring backups. Multiple. Label them.

8. Schedule one "cool" experience for the teen—and one messy, fun one for the little.

Maybe it’s parasailing for your 15-year-old and a sandcastle contest for your 5-year-old. Either way, make sure each child has something tailored just for them.

9. Family photos will never be perfect—and that’s okay.

One kid will blink. The other will scowl. You’ll have sunscreen on your nose. But those are the moments you’ll look back on and laugh. Take the photo anyway. Frame it. Embrace the chaos.

10. Make peace with imperfection.

Your itinerary will shift. Someone will lose a shoe. Someone else will cry over a broken pool toy. But these are the moments memories are made of—messy, silly, real family moments. And those? They’re priceless.

Cruises: A Stress-Free Option That Keeps Everyone Happy 🚢

Cruises are one of my top recommendations for families traveling with kids of different ages. Why? Because the ship does all the work for you!

➡️ Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas is a standout. With age-appropriate programming, splash pads and kids’ clubs for the little ones, and laser tag, surf simulators, and teen-only hangouts for older kids—everyone gets their own version of vacation bliss. Meanwhile, you get the spa, the shows, the cocktails… and no dishes.

All-Inclusive Resorts: No Schedules, No Stress 🏖

Want to stay put and have everything included? An all-inclusive like Dreams Resorts & Spas is the perfect solution. Little ones can play in supervised clubs, teens have their own activities, and parents can relax knowing everything’s covered. No decisions. No bills. No drama.

Ready to Plan the Perfect Family Vacation?

Whether it’s a cruise, an all-inclusive, or something in between, I’ll help you find the perfect destination to keep your 5-year-old entertained, your teen smiling (or at least not scowling), and you sipping something fruity by the pool.

📞 Call me at (800) 403-1917

📧 Email: Caren.Bush@AvoyaNetwork.com

🌴 It’s Time for A Vacation!

Video courtesy of Hyatt's Inclusive Collection