Quick Family Getaways that Won’t Break Our Banks Nor Our Backs

Being a mum of five has always been challenging. But bringing five children under the age of 12 on a vacation takes “challenging” to a whole new level. Most people might look at us queerly with visible question marks emanating from their foreheads (of course, I’m exaggerating) but I can so feel it. THIS question:

 “Is it even possible to have a get-away with so many kids?!”

And of course it’s a valid question and completely logical to wonder so! First, together with my dear obliging better-half of a husband, travelling as a family of seven leaves us grossly outnumbered (2parents vs 5kids). In fact,it feels like we’ve signed up on the threadmill for the qualifying trials of the Justice League of Superhero Parents. 

Not that we ARE superheroes don’t be mistaken, but we definitely need to channel some superpowers: 

Imagine if one of us became Dr Packer. He’s the one who will multitask for our multiples by counting, auditing and accounting for every shirt, dress, and underwear that’s needed, smack it in, and whip it in and out of the luggages in a jiffy at our command. All this before you can say “Where’s my neon pink -coloured hair clip and notebook that I put in my grey coloured duffel bag?”. Well, “rummaging” won’t even be a word anymore and Dr Strange may be put to shame. 

And imagine again,Mrs Itinerarine, sister of Wolverine- but more organised. She can incredibly put together in a split second, a spectacular programme for everyone (from whiny kid to grumpy adult), schedule activities around meal time and naps, eliminate complaints and make everyone super pumped up, relaxed and amazingly happy. I’d apply in an instant. 

Unfortunately, no one at Marvel has thought of our piteous plight as parents and our dreams of applying for superhuman upgrades is far from happening. So we do the next best thing, bite the bullet and make it work. We did manage to skim the surface. 

This is what we did in two short getaways that didn’t burn our pockets and which felt good enough to want to do it again.

1. Lock in Family Deals
We’ve been to Legoland when it first opened and when the kids were younger. However, we thought it might be worthwhile to go again as they were now older and could finally qualify for all the the hair-raising roller coasters with their latest height. 
We chanced upon the Legoland Kids Go Free Promotion while surfing the Internet. This promotion is quite a deal: it includes 2 paid adult tickets and three complimentary child tickets for Legoland and the Waterpark  for two days when you book a minimum one night’s stay at the Legoland hotel with breakfast thrown in! (Terms & Conditions apply)  

Photo credit: Legoland Malaysia Website

That meant we didn’t have to rush through panting our way around two huge parks and could park hop as and when we felt like it. The key thing that spoke to our large family logistics: there’s no need to rush. And that’s what a holiday should be about: resting from all that rushing around!

“I want to stay here forever!”

With this as a starting point, we booked one nights’ stay without hesitation and spent two full days exploring both parks without the hassle of long queues and without time constraints. We then further trimmed the budget by not incurring a second night at Legoland itself by moving to a nearby hotel. Stay tuned for our next post on what we did around Legoland! 

Meanwhile, aside from the regular rides at park, we were happy with the ongoing FREE activities that were at the hotel. There was something on everyday and they held mini contests everyday to encourage the children to busy themselves with Lego. The kids would never be bored and we enjoyed the various challenges that encouraged them to think, create and play!

Halloween corner

30 min 3D building challenge

3D cat

2. Minimise travel and expenses 

For us, we had great fun and ease when we chose to go to Malaysia for a short getaway. We could gain mileage from saving both energy and time because we didn’t have to travel far. One hour and we’re in. That meant less packing too. The currency exchange also brought much relief and we could happily spend without feeling the pinch. Travelling with young children is tiring both for you and for your kids. So plan not to go too far and energy can be spent enjoying each other’s company instead. 

3. Go Budget, it’s not THAT Bad

We spent a weekend staycation at a budget hotel in Singapore only a few streets away from our home. At first, we were doubtful if we could experience the “get-away” experience. Strangely, it worked out. The quaint heritage hotel at Joo Chiat was quite accommodating towards our large family and we managed to get rooms big enough for us and at a reasonable rate when we booked through Agoda. Also, we saved some cash with last minute deals (booked the morning we checked in) to take advantage of rack rates. 

Aqueen Heritage Hotel sits at a quiet corner in the heart of Joo Chiat and has charming Peranakan Styled rooms and decor. The rooms are tight but very comfortable. Best of all, we could take our time to explore the good eats and richness of culture around Joo Chiat. It felt like a multicultural experience without having to leave the country!

Photo credit: aqueenhotels.com

King bed with single

Vintage lamps adorn the halls

Pretty Stained Glass

Lobby

Stay tuned for our unbiased review of our stay there and what we did around Joo Chiat. 

Here are our tips when a large family with many kids travel. It’s achievable and affordable. With our experience, we didn’t need to do very far or plan very hard-and that was the best part! 

Share this if it gives you ideas for your quick getaway! 

*Opinions all our own. No compensation was received for sharing this.