Bus Tours with a 4 year old
 

Any suggestions on whether a bus tour is a good idea for a 4 year old...or better to go it alone without a schedule? The one I had in mind is 2 days to Naples, Pompeii, Capri, overnight in Sorrento which I got from the enjoyrome website. Also, any other suggestions for bus tours. Thanks

2 days on a bus with a 4-year-old would be a nightmare for both of you, if he's at all typical. Fewer locations, less time in transit, and more hand-on experiences would suit most 4s better.

he is very typical...thanks for the advice! Any suggestions on places where we could visit in that area? I thought he might like Mt. Vesuvius...

Sorry, I've never been to Naples (though my grandma was born there) but I HAVE been around a lot of 4-year-olds. At the end of the day, he'll be talking about the puppy he met at a cafe and have no idea that he visited places that were built thousands of years ago. Little kids live in the here-and-now and have no concept of time or things ancient. In a few years, he'll be asking you whether you remember the Civil War.

Regarding volcanos, I can tell you that my own kids were bizarrely fascinated with the stinky sulphur vents when we visited Volcano National Park in Hawaii. It's experiential things like that, that kids enjoy even if they stink!

Likewise, if you take a boat anywhere, he'll probably be more fascinated by what the captain's doing, and how the boat works behind-the-scenes, rather than by the distant scenery.

Look into what is offered that he can experience with his senses other than just vision, which is what passive bus tours are mostly about.

From my experience with my son, no, I wouldn't recommend a bus tour with a 4 year old even for only two days. My son, at 4, was okay with sitting for a while, but then he would get quite bored afterwards.

Besides it being hard on most kids that age - taking a 4-yr old on a group bus tour would be pretty inconsiderate to the other passengers.

most 4 year olds - even very well behaved ones, could not sit quietly on a tour bus listening to what the guide is saying. Plus they would have different needs for rest breaks, meals, etc.

Just not an easy mix . . . . . .

Having traveled with 4-year-olds, I can tell you that if you plan the trip well yourself, it will be fun for all. If you take him/her on a bus, it will not be fun for you OR the other passengers.

Having lived through three 4-year-olds, I suggest you skip a bus tour, for the sake of the other passengers if not for your child.

That said, however, you should try to find things he can enjoy at age four. For instance, at Versailles, there is a delightful little farm way at the back with rabbits, hens, donkeys, sheep, ducks, geese . . . you get the idea. There are lots of hidden places like that, so get out your tour books and find ones near where you will be traveling. You can visit some things you want to see, then go to a hands-on type place for a while for your child. A puppy, kitty, small goat, any baby animal, flowers, water he can touch . . .all these things are memorable to a child.

You'll both have more fun than sitting on a bus with you trying to constrain him and him trying to explore.

Have fun. Traveling with children is great but it does take extra planning.

This is one time I think the title of your post is too specific. You could just title it "HELL" and I think we'd all know wht you were referring to.

A few years ago we took an escorted bus tour of 14 days around France. Among the 40 plus passengers was a family of 5 from the Philippines - parents, grandparents (who spoke minimal English and no French) and a daughter of 6.

The child was a delight and never a bother to the other travellers. She did have the advantage of being cared for by 4 adults.

Maybe it's a cultural thing.

Before you keep planning, you might want to check with the different tour companies if they accept a 4 year old child. Several companies have a minimum age for children and usually older than 4 years old. Personally I don't think a 4 year old would do very well on a tour, there's usually a lot of walking and other activities that would be tiring or boring for a 4 year old.

2 ideas come to mind..
Children are not small adults.
Mother told me, "My child is a mature 4-year old!".
Another note: After many unpleasant experiences with small children when we didn't charge for children, we begin a full charge for them. Mothers later told me that they were glad to get away from the kids for a week!
Thanks for your question.

jsmith, remember a 6-year-old is fifty percent older than a 4-year-old! Even in our culture, it is recognized that 4's need to putter around in kindergarten doing hands-on-things, while most 6's are ready to go to first grade and sit nicely at a desk and listen to a teacher. So I'm not surprised that a 6-year-old (from any culture) could enoy a bus trip, especially (as you said) with the attention of 4 adults.

Tour companies that have age restrictions usually list 10 or 6 years old as the minimums they will accept.

When travelling with a 4 year old, I think everyone has a better time if you tailor the trip to the interests and attention span of the child.

Hi yanb,

I also suggest you plan it alone. Naples has some interesting places for children.

The Castel del Ovo on the waterfront would be quite nice. Bring along a small sword.

The public gardens is a nice place to picnic and run around.

You can ride the metro if you don't have one at home.

Take the funiculare up to Castel St Elmo.

Walk through the narrow streets of Spacanapoli.

Eat gelato.

See my trip report at http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34451044

As stated above, a bus tour is not a good idea for a 4 year old. Travel on your own. Do outside activities, so he can use all that "little boy" energy: parks, beaches, outdoor ruins. I would steer clear of cities, so Pompeii, Capri and Sorrento sound like good places. Don't plan too much in one day - go at his pace, stop when he wants to stop. I also hope you are traveling with another adult for safety reasons.

Thank you all for your good advice and suggestions. Unfortunately, unlike some of you more experienced travellers, I am new at this and welcome all the POSITIVE suggestions! That's what websites like this are for!