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Planning a Family Vacation with Personality Dimensions®
Planning a family vacation with young children is a great way to create lasting memories, and it also serves as a reminder that people have very different ideas about what makes a holiday enjoyable. When you consider how each Personality Dimensions® colour approaches travel, you can start to plan a trip that works for everyone, even with their differences.
Organized Golds will want the entire vacation mapped out in advance. They’ll research destinations, compare options, and book everything weeks or even months ahead. They are comforted by routine and predictability, so a familiar resort or family-friendly cabin feels just right. Packing is methodical. Each child gets a labelled bag, complete with a daily clothing plan and a checklist for toiletries. Budgeting is strict but fair, and they’ll likely have a spreadsheet for meals, gas, and activities. They prefer calm, structured fun like museum visits, nature walks, or board games. Golds become stressed when plans are disrupted or someone casually says, “Let’s figure it out when we get there.” If you let them organise the itinerary, the rest of the group can relax knowing nothing will be missed.
Authentic Blues are focused on connection. For them, vacation is about bonding and creating meaningful experiences. They will choose destinations with emotional value, such as a lakefront cabin or a quiet forest retreat, where everyone can unplug and spend time together. Blues want to involve the whole family in planning and are quick to consider everyone’s feelings. Packing includes thoughtful extras, such as a child’s favourite toy or a book of affirmations. Their favourite moments will be the shared ones—storytelling, campfires, family games, and memory-making traditions. They’re flexible with money if spending it creates happiness or harmony. Blues feel anxious when there is conflict or when someone is left out. If you invite them to create the emotional tone of the trip, you’ll come home feeling more connected than ever.
Inquiring Greens view vacation as a chance to explore and learn. They’ll suggest destinations that offer something unique or intellectually stimulating, like historical towns, science museums, or self-guided trail systems. Booking occurs after careful research and a thorough cost analysis. Their packing style is simple and practical, with room for books, gadgets, and maybe a travel journal. Greens want freedom to explore and dislike too much group planning. They prefer to be left to their own devices, literally and figuratively, and often return from vacation with new insights or plans. Their stress comes from being over-scheduled or dragged into group activities they don’t enjoy. Giving them solo time or responsibility for choosing a more thought-provoking outing will go a long way.
Resourceful Oranges are ready for adventure. They want their vacations to be exciting, spontaneous, and full of laughter. Destination choices might include amusement parks, bustling beach towns, or any other location with action and variety. They book late, pack light, and often forget something, but don’t worry about it. It’s fine! Oranges want to try new things, meet new people, and squeeze as much fun as possible into every day. Budgeting is often fluid. They live in the moment and are happy to splurge if it adds to the fun. They thrive on freedom and can become frustrated by lengthy rules or slow decision-making processes. Let them choose the music for the road trip or plan an afternoon full of games, and you’ll see their best side.
Individually, we are all plaid, a mixture of each color. Additionally, every family is a combination of colours, and while this can lead to a few disagreements along the way, it also creates opportunities for deeper understanding. Let the Gold organise the schedule, the Blue lead the shared experiences, the Green choose something unexpected, and the Orange keep things playful. With a little awareness and a lot of flexibility, your next family vacation can be one that everyone looks back on with a smile.
