This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Banana Boat . The opinions and text are all mine.
Part of our summer plans are several visits to our local amusement park. It’s fun for everyone from the teen and tween down to our littlest one. When we go, I always have a plan of attack so everyone stays safe and gets to do what they want.
As most parents know, planning ahead is the key! Here are a few tips I always use when we head to the amusement park, so that we all have a great time!
1. Check the amusement park website or app before heading out. Sometimes the park closes earlier than expected or certain rides are not working. It’s always good to check and make sure everything is as expected before heading out. If you don’t have tickets, you can often purchase online or through the app as well.
2. Have a Safety Plan. Always make sure your kids know what to do if they get lost from you in the park. If they are older, have a clear meeting place at a certain time. We always meet at the front of the carousel at the very front of the theme park we always visit. If they are younger, make sure they know how to recognize a park worker to help them and know your cell phone number if possible.
3. Carry just what you need – wallet, cellphone, sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen! My teenager carries her own bag, and I always make her bring a bottle of sunscreen. Often times, she and her brother run off to ride the thrill rides my youngest can’t yet ride. With her own sunscreen, she can apply sunscreen to her and her brother every couple of hours if I’m not there.
Moms know how important it is to make sun protection a priority, and you can’t forget to reapply! Be sure to apply 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) of sunscreen to you and your kids’ entire bodies 30 minutes before going outdoors such as to an amusement park, and reapply every 2 hours!
4. Let the Kids Help Make the Plan. Make sure when creating your plan of attack at the theme park, you take what your kids want to do in mind, too. On our last trip, the amusement park had opened a brand new ride everyone was excited to try, so it was #1 in our plan.
My youngest is not tall enough for most thrill rides. She also is pretty scared of any roller coasters. She and I often head to the kid area. Her absolute favorite thing is the playground.
We also try to plan for everyone to ride the family rides together. My preschooler loves when we all get to ride the ferris wheel.
The one thing my kids always insist on doing together is sharing a funnel cake, so we always include that in our plan as well.
5. Stock the car with essentials. Food and drinks can get so expensive at amusement parks, and when you’re stopping a drive thru on the way home. So, I usually pack a cooler full of drinks and a bag of snacks for the trip back home. I also always include an extra pair of clothes for my youngest (those have saved us a few trips back home).
What are your favorite theme park tips?
Table of Contents
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10 comments
Yes! Lots of snacks are a must for us. I never leave home without them.
These are some good points to remember when you are rushing around trying to get your family ready 🙂
Great tips I so love Banana Boat products and since I live near 6 theme parks I always use it =)
These are wonderful ideas. It’s been a long time since we have been to an amusement park. SeaWorld was kinda the same way. We went on a cloudy day and dummy me forget to put sunscreen on everyone. Thankfully we didn’t burn too bad.
Great tips! And I totally agree with number 5. 🙂
These are great tips for fun at the amusement park with the kids. It is so important to make sure you have the sunscreen and keep applying if needed. Kids helping plan the activities is also important I believe too. Thanks for sharing.
These are great tips. Having all the essentials is important. You don’t want to head out of the park to buy something that you had forgotten to bring.
I keep sunscreen in my bag all day so I can reapply it. I’m trying to get better about doing that!
These are all some great ideas & I love these wonderful pictures you have shared here. My kids always loves visiting amusement park. Banana boat is my favorite brand. Packing drinks & snacks is a must when you travel to such expensive destinations.
This is great! When I was growing up, my dad would take us all to an amusement park a year. It was our summer family vacation, and it was always such a blast. Oh the memories, and it’s so important to make sure everyone has their sunblock on for such a long day outside.