If you are planning to take the family on a train trip of a lifetime, and are about to book your berth on the Trans-Siberian Railway, you’ll be happy to learn that we have come up with some great activities for the train journey.
Pre-Holiday
The build up to departure day is the ideal time to get the kids engaged, and by preparing a few well-thought out questions about Mongolia and the Trans-Siberian Railway, the kids can draw slips of paper from a box and each has to answer their chosen question. Don’t underestimate their abilities, but you could start with questions like:
- How many kilometres is it from Moscow to Ulaanbaatar?
- What was the name of the famous Mongolian warrior?
- How many people line in Ulaanbaatar?
Ask each child to present their findings to the family, that way the children will all learn from the experience, and you could ask one child to come up with a question for their sibling to answer.
Observation Games
Of course, travelling on the iconic Trans-Siberian Railway is all about observation, and you could ask your children to take note of things they have never seen before, which will soon become very long. Every day you could have a different category and every time someone sees one, they get one point, and encourage the kids to ask questions, like, “Why do they do that?”
Golden Eagle Luxury Train
This is a very special train, as it is designed with families in mind, and there are many on-board activities, such as special lectures about unusual and unique cultures from around the world. The accommodation is all en-suite and out of this world, with a choice of Gold, Silver or Imperial Suites, which ensures that the children will be comfortable. This train also runs on a normally closed section of the railway, along the shore of Lake Baikal, a pristine section of natural beauty, and this is the perfect route for children. The Golden Eagle luxury trains are very popular, so you are advised to book well in advance, otherwise you risk missing out this year.
Daily Meeting
Set a time, just before bed is ideal, and have each of your children recap what they saw that day, and together you can discuss things, which cements the knowledge, while also providing an opportunity to have some questions answered. You could buy each of your kids a notebook and ask them to keep a diary during the trip, which they will treasure forever, and you will probably learn a lot yourself about this magical part of the world.
A trip on the Trans-Siberian Railway will be a great experience in many respects, and if you can remember the profound effect your first foreign experience had on you, you are giving your children the same wonderful experience. Their lives will be enriched by the experience, which will broaden their thinking considerably.
Search for an online tour operator and book your family on an unforgettable train journey along the Trans-Siberian Railway.