When I’m planning a vacation, my boys are always at the front of my mind. I want our experiences to be ones that they can embrace…ones that will create memories to last their entire lives. Recently Beaches Resorts invited my family to the Beaches Negril resort in Jamaica to give us a first-hand look at what Beaches has to offer. And within minutes of arriving, I could tell that a Beaches vacation would be any child’s dream come true!
Family Fun
So what makes a Beaches vacation such an ideal choice for children? It starts with the variety of family activities that give parents a chance to bond with their kids in amazing ways. And because the company believes in innovation, it is constantly offering new options that are sure to delight children and parents alike.
One of the newest events at Beaches Negril is the Sesame Street Carnival Celebration parade in celebration of the ten-year partnership between Beaches and Sesame Street. Featuring all the favourite Sesame Street characters in beautifully elaborate Carnival costumes, it’s sure to be magical experience. We had the chance to see the parade just minutes after arriving at the resort, and I couldn’t help but grin when I saw Oscar the Grouch’s flag made of an old sock on stick!
Also new to the resort this year is the Pop-Up Adventure Playground, a unique play concept that encourages child-directed play through the use of kid-friendly objects. As a huge believer in the importance of learning through play, this concept was one that resonated especially well with me. With nothing more than a pile of different materials and a ton of imagination, kids were creating everything from toy pirates to airplanes to placemats and having a great time doing it. My boys walked away from the Pop-Up Adventure Playground with an armload of crafts that they couldn’t wait to show off to family back home.
Top-Notch Childcare
Of course, there are always times when Mom and Dad need a little break and that’s why Beaches offers a supervised Kids Camp for all ages featuring certified nannies, numerous activities and plenty of interaction.
In fact, Beaches is the only major resort to offer included childcare services for babies as well as older children! Every Kids Camp staff member is a member of the International Nanny Association and has met the minimum requirement of 2,000 hours of child-care services to ensure that they are providing the absolute best care to the children that attend a Kids Camp.
I was impressed with the great variety of activities that the Kids Club provided. From crafts to playground time to free play with toys and games, there was plenty to keep little hands and minds occupied. And at a Beaches Resort, there’s no need to hurry back if you have lunch plans .The staff will even take the children out to eat while the cleaning crew sanitizes the play areas so that everything is ready for an afternoon of fun. Even better, sometimes one of the Sesame Street characters stop by to say hi and play with the kids too!
Water Fun for Everyone
Of course, a vacation in beautiful Jamaica wouldn’t be complete without plenty of time in the water! The Beaches Negril resort features two larger, deeper pools for families and adults and the incredibly popular Pirate’s Island Waterpark. Featuring 200’ long waterslides, a misting pool, a Kiddie area, pop-up jets and a winding current-driven waterway called the Lazy River, it’s packed with kid-friendly fun for all ages! And because Beaches takes the safety of children very seriously, trained lifeguards monitor the pools and the swimming area on the beach.
The large pools were a little deep for my beginning swimmer boys, so even though we had to have an icy drink at the swim-up bar, it was the Lazy River and the Kiddie Area that really captivated my boys. The Kiddie Area featured fun shooting jets and mini waterslides perfect for toddlers and preschoolers to enjoy some refreshing fun.
And riding tubes around the Lazy River was something children and adults alike embraced. The current made walking around the watery path a speedy thrill for those that preferred to navigate the river without a tube, and thanks to the variety of life jackets available, even young children could hop into a tube and float around the river on their own.
Entertainment for All Ages
There were so many fun activities for kids at the Beaches Negril resort but what impressed me most was the fact that the resort puts so much effort into ensuring that there is plenty of variety so that toddlers, school-aged children, tweens and teens can all find something fun to do.
My video game-obsessed oldest son was in paradise when he discovered the Xbox Play Lounge, an air-conditioned haven featuring tons of Xbox screens and games for kids with unlimited play. And with two Xbox Kinect systems set up as well, even parents often get in on the fun! I tried out the Kinect system for the first time playing a round of Dance Central and it was absolutely addictive!
For younger children, daily activities and crafts featuring the characters from Sesame Street are sure to be a hit. From a Trash to Treasure craft experience with Oscar the Grouch to a Bake with Cookie Monster experience that lets junior chefs whip up their own tasty snack, the activities are made extra special when a child’s favourite Sesame Street character stops by to lend a hand! And in the evenings, the fun continues with nightly Sesame Street shows followed by great family entertainment for kids and adults alike.
For tweens and teens, special clubs such as Trench Town and Club Liquid give older children a place to relax, get away from their parents and enjoy a little time with other teenagers at the resort. Club Liquid is a “no parents allowed” nightclub that teenagers are sure to love. And Trench Town features a range of games and activities including Air Hockey, Foosball and Basketball cages.
There are even exclusive experiences geared especially towards teens, such as the hugely popular Scratch DJ Academy. Working with real, trained DJs, kids get a chance to mix, blend and scratch on vinyl, CDs or even their iPods! Teens will love having a chance to earn the rank of Ultimate DJ!
Whether you’re heading on a vacation with an infant, a younger child or a hard-to-please teenager, Beaches has put a huge amount of effort into making sure that your child’s vacation will be one to remember for a lifetime. That attention to detail is why Beaches Resorts are the top pick for family vacations, and why it’s going to be at the top of my list when I’m planning another family trip!
Jennifer says
January 10, 2014 at 4:20 pmDream vacation right there!
mrdisco says
January 10, 2014 at 4:57 pmNeeds more hair beads!
Anne Taylor says
January 10, 2014 at 9:23 pmWow this looks like a fantastic place to go with your family! I’m going to show this post to all of my adult kids!
thanks
Doris Calvert says
January 10, 2014 at 9:24 pmThis place looks amazing!
Beth E says
January 10, 2014 at 9:32 pmLooks like so much fun! I dream of warm right now!
kristen visser says
January 10, 2014 at 9:47 pmomg that is amazing!!! perfect for the children as well as mommy and daddy!! looks like so much fun
michelle tremblett says
January 10, 2014 at 9:50 pmLooks like such a beautiful vacation, always great to see when the kids are kept happy and entertained and the adults have a equally great time. 🙂
Keno Moore says
January 10, 2014 at 10:22 pmThis looks like a great place to visit.
Teresa Claire says
January 10, 2014 at 10:31 pmThank you for the write up and all the wonderful photos!! I didn’t realize that there was so much for children to do while on vacations like these. I am so impressed!
Erika E says
January 10, 2014 at 10:45 pmThis place looks amazing! My family vacations are always lots of fun. It’s really important to me that my son has a good time and we make lots of great family memories.
Mellisa Louise says
January 10, 2014 at 10:52 pmThis looks cool! You say there is a swim up bar, a lazy river, and a WATERSLIDE! That’s where I want to go!
Amber Leighton says
January 11, 2014 at 4:49 amGreat review! Looks so fun!
Chandra Christine O'Connor says
January 11, 2014 at 5:21 amSo much for kids to do. I love watching kids at a splash park especially their faces when they get hit by water. Lol it’s funny.
Rhonda M. says
January 11, 2014 at 5:50 amsounds like the perfect place for a great vacation 🙂
Soozle says
January 11, 2014 at 7:07 amA little slice of paradise 🙂 What an amazing looking resort.. I am dreaming of a tropical getaway right now!
DebH says
January 11, 2014 at 7:45 amThat place looks like a whole lot of fun!
Rebecca Xavier says
January 11, 2014 at 7:49 amThis sounds fantastic! I love that the sitters for the kids are professional. Sounds like a fun vacation.
Judy C (Judy Cowan) says
January 11, 2014 at 8:00 amThis looks like an amazing place to visit! Love that it appear very family friendly!
Lisa Brown says
January 11, 2014 at 8:04 amthat is a lot of fun…i want to hop on the waterslide!
kathy downey says
January 11, 2014 at 8:16 amwow,a dream vacation for sure
Laurie P says
January 11, 2014 at 8:28 amincredible….loving the lazy river!
natasha severson says
January 11, 2014 at 9:35 ammy daughter would have been in heaven with elmo!!
Vesper Meikle says
January 11, 2014 at 9:57 amNot really my idea of heaven – too many people, too hot and a beach. Though probably perfect for a family
Athena says
January 11, 2014 at 10:26 amThis looks like so much fun. The kids must’ve had a blast!
Carla S says
January 11, 2014 at 10:50 amThis looks like a great place to go if you have kids!
Andrew Mailloux says
January 11, 2014 at 12:45 pmLooks like a lot of fun!
Erika B says
January 11, 2014 at 1:02 pmWow great pictures, looks like you guys had a blast! So many activities for the kids, so important when you’re traveling with them!!
Stephanie LaPlante says
January 11, 2014 at 1:15 pmThe long legged guys look sooo cool,
jan says
January 11, 2014 at 4:29 pmsuch a great experience for kids
kristy e says
January 11, 2014 at 8:01 pmThis looks like fun for kids of all ages!!
GARRY S says
January 11, 2014 at 9:38 pmsounds great
Nena Sinclair says
January 11, 2014 at 10:02 pmThis looks like so much fun! My granddaughter would absolutely love it, she’s crazy about Elmo! I would love it, too, it looks so nice and warm!
Debbie W says
January 12, 2014 at 3:54 amWith all the cold weather we have had lately, I can only dream. Take me there now!!
Lou Lessard says
January 12, 2014 at 5:42 amEnjoyed your review of the Beaches Negril Resort, especially the photos!
The boys really seem to be enjoying themselves. Will have to add this resort to my short list for next year !
Jennifer says
January 12, 2014 at 8:15 amMy kids would love this!!
Peggy Gorman says
January 12, 2014 at 9:24 amWhat a wonderful place for the whole family! Looks like everyone had a great time!
Bev says
January 12, 2014 at 11:39 amIt is great that there is something for everyone at the resort! It is nice to see the kids having fun!
Alison Braidwood says
January 12, 2014 at 1:34 pmThis looks fabulous. I’d be tempted to try to join some of the kiddie games :0
Mityn says
January 12, 2014 at 1:58 pmIt’s nice to be reminded that there are still possibilities for amazing vacations after having kids. Thanks!
Jon T says
January 12, 2014 at 3:34 pmThis looks great for when my LO is just a bit older
Elizabeth Matthiesen says
January 12, 2014 at 6:03 pmthis certainly looks like a good place to go with children. It looks like the children had lots of fun.
Jennifer L. says
January 13, 2014 at 8:06 amOh, it looks like so much fun! My son would love it.
caryn s says
January 13, 2014 at 9:49 amWow this looks like such an amazing time at beaches for the whole family especially the kids!
Josie says
January 13, 2014 at 1:11 pmHow fun! Looks amazing!
BarbFS says
January 13, 2014 at 3:41 pmWe stayed next door to this resort at the Sandals Negril Resort for our daughter’s wedding! It was fabulous. The staff and Jamaicans we encountered were awesome! Perhaps we’ll look at Beaches in the future with our children and grandchildren!
Alexa Nernberg says
January 13, 2014 at 9:34 pmOne of our best family vacations was when we went to Fiji. The hotel we stayed at also had a great kids club. It was a great time for our kids and we had a great time too. Our boys had such a good time they didn’t want to even eat with us. They preferred to eat with the kids club. This allowed my husband and I to spend alot of time together, which was great. Years later, we still feel Fiji was our best family holiday ever. I totally recommend a vacation spot with kids club.
Jennifer P. says
January 14, 2014 at 3:16 pmI love the sound of this kind of vacation with our two little ones!!
Julie says
January 15, 2014 at 5:00 amThis looks like the perfect resort for a family vacation!
Jodie Miller says
January 15, 2014 at 8:09 amAhhhh too only dream…lol…looks like the perfect way to get rid of the winter blahs
Cindy B says
January 15, 2014 at 10:14 pmThis would be a perfect vacation for us to enjoy with a couple of grandsons in tow!