It’s always a problem balancing children’s ages for family vacations, their needs and interests. The world celebrates the milestone age of 18, but in terms of the family travel world, the age of eight is often seen as a critical coming of age. It’s when children are given their own kayaks instead of having to share with Mum….embarrassing. Or allowed to do cool things like zip wires or canyoning, instead of pretending that going on a ‘bonding walk’ with Dad is going to be just as exciting. The really embarrassing thing for children, however, is that there rarely a maximum age for activities on family vacations. You thought Mum was embarrassing in a kayak? Wait until you see granny abseiling. Minimum children’s ages for family vacations are all clearly marked on Responsible Travel trip listings

Ah, the blissful age of eight, when you can start doing all the things your parents never thought they would let you do, like canyoning, coasteering and white water rafting. What makes a good instructor excellent, for this age group, is when they can teach you how to gain that sense of freedom and exhilaration through adventure, while still respecting the rules of safety and environmental sensitivity. And also one that puts the adult’s mind at ease.

“France is very suitable for families. There are a lot of different areas and a very diverse terrain, so where to go depends on what style of vacation your family wants. If you want a multi-activity vacation in the Dordogne for instance, it’s best to travel with kids of age five and up because it’s helpful if they can swim and cycle to get the most out of it. There are more coastal areas where you could happily take any age child and Provence is great for families who are happy to spend their time relaxing and looking around the fantastic markets there. The characteristics of the Alpine areas are predominantly steep surrounding valleys and even with the more gentle hills, more effort is required, so I wouldn’t recommend that for younger kids.”

“I wouldn’t advise traveling with toddlers because the facilities are not very child friendly. It’s nothing like what you’re used to in England – the toilets are difficult with a young child, the restaurants and museums don’t have changing tables and other facilities. But kids from eight upwards who like to explore will love Vietnam. They can ride a pony in Sapa, go rafting down the river, paddle a large basket boat, make decorative lanterns from silk in Hoi An. You can also learn to make spring rolls, salads, noodles... the children go out to the markets with a guide to get the ingredients and come back to cook and eat them."