8 Bucket List Travel Ideas for Kids in 2026

Adults love a good bucket list. We dream up far-flung destinations, once-in-a-lifetime experiences, and all the places we’ll go when schedules align. But if we paused long enough to ask the youngest travelers what they dream about, their vacation wish list might look a little different—less about landmarks, more about moments; less about logistics, more about pure joy.
 

Kids view travel through a lens of wonder. They don’t measure trips by miles covered or reservations scored, but by how high they can splash, how late they can stay up, and how many new adventures they can fit into a single sun-soaked day. Small minds, big dreams—and when it comes to vacation, their bucket lists are filled with the kinds of experiences that turn family getaways into lifelong memories.
 

So what would a kid-approved bucket list for 2026 look like? From thrilling water slides to endless ice cream breaks and new friendships made barefoot in the sand, here’s the kind of vacation magic little travelers are dreaming about next.

 1. Get Your First Passport (On the House)

A passport in the hand of a child says, “I can go places.” When booking a trip to Beaches, parents can cross off Bucket List item #1 by receiving a passport through the Tiny Travelers First Passport program. Families will receive a $135 USD resort credit per child (the equivalent of the average U.S. passport processing fee) when presenting a valid, recently issued passport at check-in — which can be used for another Bucket List item. A photoshoot on the beach, perhaps. Or a fancy family dinner. Or (this is really dreamy) a nighttime tuck-in from a favorite Sesame Street character.

2. Learn to Scuba Dive in the World’s Prettiest Ocean

Learning to dive is a journey—and there’s no better place to begin than Beaches Negril or Beaches Turks and Caicos. With guidance from PADI-certified instructors, young adventurers start by snorkeling in crystal-clear, calm Caribbean waters.
 

At eight years old, kids can try SNUBA, the snorkeling-scuba hybrid that lets them explore beneath the surface without heavy gear. From there, the PADI Bubblemaker course offers a first taste of scuba diving in the safety of a pool. Next comes the PADI Seal Team, where kids use flashlights and cameras and float through the water like astronauts in space.
 

By age 10, they can progress to Discover Scuba, diving up to 40 feet, or jump right into their PADI Open Water Certification at depths of up to 60 feet. It’s an unforgettable experience—one that creates memories (and photos) they’ll treasure for a lifetime.
 

3. Beat Your Parents at Pickleball

Sure, kids can play pickleball at the neighborhood park. But playing alongside mom and dad in Turks and Caicos—on eight dedicated courts at Beaches—or in Negril, Jamaica feels like something else entirely.
 

Rally beneath palm trees or after dark under star-filled skies. Play before a beachfront dinner or after breakfast on rooftops overlooking the ocean. On-site instructors are available to help young players sharpen their game—yes, including the dinks and drops that just might give them the edge.
 

When the match wraps, the whole family can cool off with a jump into the expansive pool or straight into the Caribbean Sea.

4. “Can We Stay Up Late to Watch the Sky?”

Stars appear ten times closer over the Caribbean than they do at home. At Beaches Negril, the Eventide Penthouse and Firesky Reserve Villas are set up to bring the constellations even closer. The Eventide Villa has a rooftop balcony; the Firesky Villa has a third-floor view open to the ocean and sky. Each villa is equipped with a telescope, turning stargazing into a truly immersive experience. 

These villas are especially well-positioned for two notable astronomical events in 2026. On the night of March 3, a total lunar eclipse will turn the moon a deep copper red — a Blood Moon. And during the partial lunar eclipse on August 28, more than 90% of the moon will enter the earth’s shadow. Star gazers around the world would give anything to be perched high at Beaches, marveling at the phenomena above while listening to the surf below.
 

5. Live Large in a Penthouse Suite

Here’s the thing, mom and dad: if you’re going to Beaches Turks and Caicos, you might as well give yourselves—and your kids—permission to spend the week in a state of wonder. Because when kids call the shots, luxury doesn’t look like marble bathrooms or hushed spaces. It looks like room to roam, space to play, and the freedom to choose your own adventure.

Enter the Chairman’s Penthouse Suite in the new Treasure Beach Village, the resort’s latest and greatest accommodation. Spanning two stories and more than 2,800 square feet, the penthouse pairs expansive ocean views with thoughtful design: a tropical garden, a full kitchen and bar, dedicated butler service, and even a hidden retreat best left undisclosed. (Some experiences are meant to be discovered.)

And just beyond the suite, kid-approved luxury takes center stage. Treasure Beach Village delivers exactly what matters most to younger travelers—new waterslides and an infinity pool made for all-day splashing, movie nights at Starfish Cinema, and endless choices at Pinta Food Hall, where deciding what to eat is half the fun. Add in Beaches’ signature lineup of kid-friendly activities across the resort, and suddenly “luxury” means never having to say, I’m bored.
  

6. Race Grandma Down A Waterslide 

On the topic of grandparents and vacations, 72% of kids say they want to travel with mom, dad, grandma, and grandpa. The reason is simple: grandparents—and Beaches—tend to say yes to the fun stuff.

A Generation-Cation lets families slow down and connect. Kids can snorkel with grandparents, cheer on a family pickleball match, or build sandcastles together. Spacious villas and family-friendly activities make it easy for everyone to play, explore, and create memories that last long after the trip ends. 

7. Go To An Epic Pool Party

Shhhh. Little secret. One of best times to travel to Beaches is after summer vacation. The pace slows. Alarms are nonexistent. This is when Beaches throws its exclusive Fall Fam Jam — weeklong parties for kids, Caribbean-style. There’s the Splash Bash at Pirate’s Island Waterpark, Mini Murals and Mocktails where kids paint and parents “sip,” an unrestrained music session called Baby Jammers, and the exclamation point: the Family Pa-JAM-a Dessert Party. The events are supervised, so parents are free to join the kids or wander off and join the adult activities.
 

8. Sun Salutations with Elmo

When we ask kids what they’ll remember most about a vacation, their answers are often simple, surprising, and full of wonder. It might be the first sunrise they ever watch over the Caribbean or seeing the ocean glow in colors they didn’t even know existed. Today, little travelers can step into that same sense of awe in a way that feels even more playful and immersive. Imagine starting the morning with Sesame Street Sunrise Yoga, stretching alongside Elmo, Cookie Monster, Bert, and Abby Cadabby as the sky begins its daily show. And the magic doesn’t end when the sun rises; each child heads home with their own Sesame Street yoga mat and a keepsake photo, small reminders of a bucket-list moment that stays with them long after the vacation is over.