When you think of Jamaica, your mind immediately goes to sun, sand, sea and relaxation – total holiday bliss! However, when you’re travelling with kids, sometimes you need to keep them busy with more activities, trips and a slightly faster pace of holiday. So what is there to do with kids while you visit Jamaica?
Staying in a villa is a great way to holiday with kids, allowing you more space to spread out – especially when you have more than the average 2 kids in your family. Many villas will have private pools which will definitely keep the kids happy and occupied as they splash around together.
Here are just a few ideas of activities and trips to keep the whole family happy while you stay in one of these gorgeous luxury Jamaican retreats…
Water Parks
Pools and water parks definitely feature very highly in holidays with my kids. As well as enjoying any pools at your villa or hotel, you can also visit other waterparks in Jamaica. Some of the best recommended water parks are Kool Runnings Water Park in Negril with 10 water slides and a quarter of a mile of lazy river (amongst other fun features!)
Or you could try the Wata Land Eco Fun Park in Ochos Rios which features a three acre natural lake where you can do boating, or challenge yourself to a fun inflatable obstacle course on the water, all the while enjoying the beautiful natural scenery.
Rainforest Adventures
This is a theme park and water park combined, located in Mystic Mountain, Ochos Rios. Rainforest Adventures is famous for it’s bob sledding ride through the forest and is one of the most highly rated attractions in Jamaica – perfect for all the thrill seekers of the family! I know my boys would love it.
Luminous Lagoon Tour
Near to Falmouth on the North coast of Jamaica, there’s a famous river that glows known as the luminous lagoon or glistening waters. You can take 45 minute boat tours along this glowing river at night, which I’m sure my kids would enjoy. The river is home to millions of microscopic bio organisms which glow when the water is disturbed. The water isn’t too deep, so visitors can take a swim and the more you splash, the more you will glow! This is such a cool and unique thing that you can’t see elsewhere, so would definitely be a must visit for us.
Beaches
You couldn’t visit Jamaica, and not spend time on the beach. Some of the most popular and highly recommended family friendly beaches in Jamaica are Negril Beach, which offers five miles of gorgeous white sandy beach. This beach is home to plenty of different bars and restaurants, along with areas for swimming and activities like glass bottom boat tours or jetskiing
For a quieter beach, why not try Frenchman’s Cove in Port Antonio which is a more secluded and calm beach that’s popular with families. There are not many activities on offer here, but exploring the beach itself offers plenty of fun for kids as they play in the sand and sea, and enjoy the sunshine.
Football
My three boys are crazy about football these days, so wherever we visit, they’re always keen to see if we could catch a football game. Jamaica would be a great destination to watch football match as the game is so popular on the Island. Matches would depend on what’s happening at your time of travel, whether there are any matches taking place with the national Jamaican football team (The Reggae Boyz!) or whether you could watch a match amongst local teams.
Dolphin Cove Jamaica
When I was a kid, swimming with dolphins was the ultimate holiday dream! And Jamaica is a brilliant location to take part in this. You can swim and interact with dolphins, sharks and sting rays at Dolphin Cove in three different locations around Jamaica. They also have animal show which you can watch there, to make for a great family day out and a really memorable experience.
Food!
Trying lots of delicious new foods is a major part of travelling for us, and Jamaica has plenty to offer cuisine wise. Jamaican food is really flavourful and popular dishes include the famous Jerk Chicken and Jamaican patties, as well as plantain, rice and peas and Ackee and Salt Fish.
Devon House I-Scream in Kingston is said to be the best ice cream in Jamaica, and as big ice cream lovers this would be a must visit for my kids, and perfect to enjoy in the Jamaican heat.
If you’ve visited Jamaica with your family, please do share your tips and suggestions with us in the comments. We’re yet to visit, so these ideas are based on my research and plans. I would absolutely love to take the family and explore Jamaica, even more so after putting together this family friendly guide for you, in collaboration with Luxury Retreats.
Anna Marikar, mum of four and seasoned blogger, has spent over a decade sharing her parenting journey and passion for kid-friendly crafts and free printables.
Her easy-to-follow craft ideas and practical parenting advice have transformed In The Playroom into a cherished resource for parents.
Looks and sounds amazing I would love to go to Jamaica one day x
Thank you for the info of Jamaica, never been there but it is a dream to go and see this country.