Aruba has so many vacation spots and entertainment for adults, but what about the kids? Lots of families vacation together these days, which means more kid-friendly attractions are needed. Kid-friendly attractions, games, hotels and restaurants. In Aruba, that also means keeping an eye on your children at all times, since they are almost always near the water. Make your trip to Aruba not only a safe vacation, but also one that your children will remember forever.
The most unfortunate part of swimming in Aruba is that there are no lifeguards officially on duty due to lack of funding and organization. Therefore, parents must be proactive and keep their children in safe, shallow water. Do not let children dive into water that is too deep or they could get caught in the undertow and pull out further. To go the extra mile, it wouldn’t hurt if parents and older siblings were trained in CPR and basic First Aid. It is important to note that in the last 15 years, Aruba’s drowning deaths have only exceeded ten people in a year once.
The scary part aside, there are more exciting activities to pursue. Most resorts and some hotels offer children’s clubs. Some of them are even free. Some of the resorts offer zero-entry pools, also known as beach-entry pools. These pools are ideal for anyone with a little one who is not yet sure of the water. They offer gradual sloping entry to the beach without the salt water stinging the eyes or being knocked over by waves. All resorts offer freshwater pools as sea salt and algae-free options.
One of the best features of the resort for kids is the One Happy Family Vacation package. This package is open to all children under the age of 12 staying at a participating resort, in a room with a paying adult. Each qualifying child receives a souvenir and a kids’ cocktail upon check-in at their resort or hotel, and free breakfast each morning from the kids’ menu at their hotel. Participating families receive all kinds of coupons and discounts for activities and other events on the island. Each child receives a VIK, Very Important Kid passport, which has empty places to fill out at different locations around the island. Once completed, each passport is submitted to be entered into a drawing to win a family trip for four, for seven days, including airfare.
Aruba has a couple of great places for kids and their families interested in animals and insects. The butterfly farm is open year round and will allow you and your children to see butterflies in various stages of life from all over the world. Once you make your first trip to the Farm in Palm Beach, your ticket will give you free access for the rest of your trip. Take the kids back several times throughout the day to see different butterflies in different stages of flight and life. What a wonderful lesson on the cycle of life.
The Donkey Sanctuary is another place to take the kids for an animal lesson. This sanctuary became a safe haven for donkeys on the island that no one needed once cars became the main means of transportation. There is no admission fee to enter the Donkey Sanctuary, but donations are very much accepted. If you get to the sanctuary early enough, you can help with daily chores like feeding and cleaning the donkeys. If these tasks aren’t your thing, you can grab a drink or snack at the concession stand and sit back and watch the action.
If you get the idea that Aruba is not for kids, let that thought wash away in the sand. From the programs established by the island resorts to the farms and animal sanctuaries, there is always something for children in Aruba. You just have to be small enough to find them.