With summer in full swing you might be starting to plan your family vacation at the end of the summer. This is the vacation that even teenagers usually get excited for especially if going to a new location. Family vacations are things that the entire family will remember for years as the bonding time is not lost on anyone. For those families that are fortunate enough to take a vacation every summer you can actually turn it into an educational experience without the kids realizing it. The following are tips to turn your next vacation into a learning experience with just a few tweaks mentioned below.

Visit a Location Your Teen Has Studied About In School

There is always going to be a location that your teen has always been fascinated about that they have studied in school. While there are some countries you wouldn’t visit due to safety concerns there are still plenty that are safe for tourists. Teens like to feel like they have some kind of control on certain situations so ask them where they would like to go. If they were very interested in the World Wars then somewhere like Poland could peak their interest. If they were interested in the cold war then Budapest, Hungary could be a great location. Give your teen some say in the location to visit as it is easier for them to learn when they are actually engaged with a certain locale.

Trying Different Foods

Expanding the palate of your children can seem like an impossible feat especially for those children who do not like to try new things in their diet. Learning about the foods that are eaten can shed light on the plentiful animals in the area as well as possible fruits/vegetables that are not readily available in the US. For some people there are countries where they will continually eat at McDonald’s as the food simply does not agree with them. Take a look at the local cuisine to see if you are even ready to eat it. Vacations should be enjoyed and food is one of those things to take into account. Local markets can offer fresh food that is not found anywhere else in the world. This is a great place to take in the energy of a culture as the markets will be frequented by predominantly locals.

Go On a Tour of The City You Are Visiting

Do not do a self-guided tour but rather spring for a professional tour when visiting a location for the first time. Good tour guides have tidbits of information that your kids might never forget. Central Park Pedicab Tours in New York City are a great example of these. New York City has so much history over the past couple of hundred years that a guide could teach the entire family. There are plenty of types of tours so look into the one that you would like the most. Lessons and facts learned can actually help in your child’s education in the future especially if they have a great memory.

As you can see turning a vacation into a learning experience is not hard as you should want to learn about the location that you are visiting. Use the above tips to teach your kids on your next vacation instead of having them sit on their phones for hours!