Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - Thirty percent of the Mexican population is under age 14, according to the CIA World Factbook, so this is a kid-friendly country with a fondness for family traditions. Family life is celebrated often, but particularly on Sundays, the only day off for many Mexican workers. Friends and families descend on restaurants for a meal that can last several hours or gather at the park or the beach for an afternoon picnic.

A trip to Mexico can be a rewarding experience for your family as well, as long as you prepare yourself and your children.

Before You Go

Step 1 - Apply for passports for all family members at least two months before your vacation. If the permission of a former spouse is required, it will require additional time and paperwork. All Americans, regardless of age, must have a passport to re-enter the United States. Laws and forms can be found at the U.S. State Department's website.

Step 2 - Purchase an identification tag or bracelet and have it engraved with your child's name, a contact telephone number and any medical conditions or allergies your child has. Teach young children both their full name and yours. Mark their vacation clothing with name tags or a laundry pen and take a current photograph of each child with you.

Step 3 - Pack a small first-aid kit with over-the-counter painkillers and stomach disorder remedies suitable for children, plus bandages, antiseptic ointment, blister treatment, hand sanitizer and small packets of tissues. Take along a copy of any prescriptions and brief medical histories.

Step 4 - Study maps and online websites with your children to make a list of things to do, being sure to include activities for all ages. Plan to balance activities: a morning tour of a museum might be rewarded with an afternoon at an amusement or water park.

Step 5 - Buy a simple Spanish dictionary or download Spanish phrases. Look for books to familiarize children with Mexican culture. "Off we go to Mexico," by Laurie Krebs (2008), and "Look What Came From Mexico," by Miles Harvey (1999), are two books that introduce children to Mexican culture.

On Vacation

Step 1 - Encourage children to use their phrase books to spot signs at the airport and along the highway, or as they shop for candy and ice cream in Mexican shops. Help them use friendly phrases to meet Mexican children or greet hotel and restaurant workers.

Step 2 - Buy kid-friendly snacks at Mexican "tiendas," small neighborhood grocery stores, or at the "supermercado" - Gigante is a large Mexican supermarket chain, but Walmart also has a large presence. Buy a small cooler to keep drinks and snacks cool in your rental car and your hotel room if it doesn't have a refrigerator. Offer children only fruit that must be peeled.

Step 3 - Do as the Mexicans do on Sunday: Visit a local park or the town beach where musicians, vendors and street performers add to the air of fiesta. Check the calendar or ask at the hotel desk if there are any special local fiestas or national holidays during your stay that might include a colorful parade or firework show.

Step 4 - Shop at local markets for unique Mexican kid's souvenirs like lucha libre masks, the hoods worn by Mexican pro wrestlers. Toy stalls are filled with miniature versions of Mexican cookware, trucks, puppets, dolls and pinatas. Mexican candy stalls offer a new world of sweet treats.

Things Needed

• Passports
• Maps
• Children's books about Mexico
• Recent photograph of each child
• Identification tag or bracelet
• Laundry pen or clothing name tags
• Spanish phrasebook
• Family first-aid kit

Tips & Warnings

Don't overload your schedule and make sure to keep an hour a day for quiet time. Pack an extra bag to accommodate souvenirs your children are likely to haul home. Children are welcome in most places in Mexico, but it is not appropriate to take them to indoor bars or discos.

Prepare your children for some of the sights they might see in Mexico, such as begging by children and older or handicapped people, and homeless dogs. Avoid the meat stalls in the market if your family might be sensitive to the smells and sights.

Ancient Mexican culture featured human sacrifice and a preoccupation with death, and gruesome images can be seen in museums and at some ruins. Always accompany children to the restroom and take along hand sanitizer and tissues.

References:
Travel for Kids: Mexico
On the Road: Mexico with Kids
Trekaroo: Travel with Kids to Mexico

Resources:
National Geographic: Kid's Guide to Mexico
Smart Phrase: Online Phrase Book