This summer we’re going on holiday to Tuscany with our two children, who are six and eight. How can I take the first steps towards introducing them to culture?
Children respond best to cultural activities where they can get involved – by trying on a costume or touching or tasting things – rather than being dragged around another boring old church looking at frescoes. In Tuscany we work with a number of properties, such as Castiglion del Bosco, where children can try activities that are cultural or complement cultural trips, such as landscape painting, horseback rides to local churches, visits to an olive oil mill, farm tours where they get to try local produce – things that have a cultural aspect, but not simply traipsing round the Uffizi in the heat at the busiest time of year.
Guides are great because they know all the relevant information relating to the sites and can tailor the trip to children. Kids love all the historical stories – especially the gruesome ones – that bring these places alive.
There are a few golden rules to keep in mind with cultural trips. Firstly, think about the time of day. Avoid visiting monuments when it’s very hot, and try to mix things up, so you might do a little bit of culture in the morning followed by a trip to the seaside or a water park in the afternoon. Ideally, choose a cultural trip that ties in with something they are studying at school, such as the ancient Romans. The important thing is to make them understand they’re in Italy, rather than just somewhere hot with a swimming pool.
If you would like Travel Nanny to answer your question in the next issue of Days Like This
, email travelnanny@dayslikethismagazine.com