Visiting wineries is a great activity before you have kids, and you do not need to stop after your family expands. In fact, it can be lots of fun for you and your kids. Instead of skipping a wine tour until you have someone to watch your kids, go ahead and bring them along. Just make sure to use these tips so that you can enjoy your wine tour with your family.
Educate Your Kids
Winemaking is a process that even kids can enjoy. No matter how old your kids are, they can appreciate that people can transform a common snack, grapes, into something else. Feel free to have your kids take part in the winery tour. Allow your children to see the wine in different stages in the vats and casks. Mesmerize your kids with the process of winemaking while you enjoy the technical explanations from your tour guide.
Use a Family-friendly Tour
Make sure you choose a wine tour company that can plan a family-friendly experience. Since companies that offer kid-friendly experiences are the experts in the area, you can get great advice on how to keep your kids occupied. Tours, such as Creasy Bear Wine Tours, put specific packages together just for families. Wine tours provide transportation so that you do not have to designate a driver.
Take Your Time
Although you may typically go to several wineries in a day on your own, your kids move at a different pace than you. A good wine tour company works this into your agenda. You need to plan to go to fewer wineries so that your kids do not get too tired and start to misbehave. Relax and take your time at each winery. It takes a lot out of your kids to constantly move from one activity or place to another. Let your kids acclimate to the winery and explore. Keep the pace slow and you can revel in your experience longer.
Select Wineries that Cater to Kids
Some wineries encourage a family-friendly environment by having activities just for kids. Your wine tour should know which wineries do in advance, so just ask. Make your experience truly unique by including these on your agenda. Playgrounds can help kids release their pent-up energy from moving all day. Games just for kids can keep them entertained while you sip luxurious wine. Even a walk through the vineyard at your kids’ own pace can be a fun activity.
Make it a Group Trip
Even with activities, your kids can still experience boredom. A good cure for that is other kids. Invite your friends with kids to come with you. The kids can play together to keep each other busy, and you can enjoy the adult company as you drink your wine. You can also save money by having more people on your tour to share the costs, and some tour groups have group discounts.
Take Snacks
Wineries do a good job of providing snacks that kids usually like, such as cheese, crackers, and fruit, but your kids want to eat on their schedule. Encourage your kids to enjoy the free food but pack your own snacks. Since it is likely to be a long day, make sure you include snacks that have lots of protein, such as nuts or peanut butter sandwiches. A snack can help your kids bounce back when their energy starts to slag.
Ignore the Judgment
If you bring your kids to a winery, you are likely to run into people who do not believe kids should be there or around alcohol at all. Worrying about judgment from others can keep you from enjoying your day with your family. Just like any other parenting decision, people have lots of opinions. Fortunately, taking children to wineries is more popular than ever. Bringing your children is also a wonderful opportunity to show your kids how to drink responsibly while you enjoy a fun and fancy day with your family.
You can still enjoy a day out on a wine tour with your entire family. Although kids have different levels of stamina depending on age, your kids can have a one-of-a-kind trip. Just make sure you prepare in advance to prevent meltdowns and make your day last as long as possible.
