If you’re the kind of person who is genuinely surprised when school holidays roll around four times a year, this article is for you.

Sure, there’s plenty of parents who plan their family getaways a year in advance, marking when the long weekends will fall on a calendar and creating their own holiday hacks to maximise the public holidays by adding a few days of annual leave to enjoy a two-week break. To these people, I admire your pre-planning nous and wish you a fuss-free holiday.

But if you are not that person, here’s how to win a family holidays so you can spend more time enjoying downtime with your loved ones and less time stressing. Sound good?

Book early and you'll be better off

Book early for hot deals

School holidays are generally after every 10 weeks, so Easter, June/July, September/October and the big Christmas-summer combo one in December/January. Ideally, you should plan and book your school holiday around six months’ out, so November is the perfect time to think about Easter, not Christmas, holidays.

By booking in advance, you can take advantage of deals on accommodation, activities and even flights, instead of being slugged with high-season and last-minute prices because you’re travelling in peak times.

The beach is always a good idea

Look out for holiday packages

Who wants to research flights and then look at accommodation for a family and activities for all ages? Not you. And don’t forget extra beds in the room. And does this resort even have a kids club?

Let someone else do the legwork i.e. look out for an easy-to-book package, where your flights, accommodation and airport transfers come in one simple bundle at a great price. Family holiday packages will often have added bonuses such as ‘kids eat free’ offers, free watersports equipment hire and other goodies to make your break even better.

Smiles all round while on holiday

All-inclusive for the win

Did somebody say “cruise”? Hello, all-inclusive holiday. Cruise ships offer great deals for families if you book your itinerary well ahead or during wave season with adjoining rooms, plenty of onboard activities for all ages and everything you could possibly want included in the price so you don’t even have to lift a finger or reach into your back pocket.

And, while the cruise ship itself is part of the travel experience, there’s also plenty of great destinations to choose, such as the South Pacific, New Zealand, Asia and close-to-home cruises, too.

School holidays = time for adventure!

Holiday in family-friendly locations and beyond

There’s a reason certain destinations are popular with families – they’re geared to make things as easy and fun as possible. A great beach location (such as Fiji, Bali, Port Douglas or Vanuatu) plus an all-inclusive resort means the perfect holiday for the whole family, while a city break in Singapore or Tokyo offers endless things to do.

Book your family holiday today!