The mother and blogger Bianca Caccamese created a family-friendly network proposing Sunday activities, an extensive bibliography for children edited by the bookseller Francesca Mignemi, a weekly appointment to guide the children to discover some great artists curated by the Art history teacher Giamina Croazzo and the advice of the macrobiotic chef Maria Rita Fortuna.

More and more frequently today accommodations and catering or cultural structures deny the access to families with children, who are perceived as a source of disturbance. And yet sometimes it would be enough to have just some more respect for the childhood universe: if we just would consider children as people in their own right and who have specific needs (different from those of adults), we could guarantee a better harmony between the parts. This is the goal of “Kids Trip”, a platform that offer services dedicated to children and to their families, and that was created by a cultural manager, sui generis engineer, blogger and mother born in Catania (Sicily): Bianca Caccamese.

FAMILY TOURS. «I have always loved exploring our island with my children and one day I decided to share the search for child-friendly activities with other Sicilian families: that’s how the “Kids Trip” platform was born». A family-friendly network proposing Sunday activities, an extensive bibliography for children edited by the bookseller Francesca Mignemi, a weekly appointment to guide the children to discover some great artists curated by the Art history teacher Giamina Croazzo and the advice of the macrobiotic chef Maria Rita Fortuna. «Our goal is to enhance an hipotetical child-friendly city by planning activities with the organizations of our chain, ranging from a visit to a museum to a day trip out of town. At the moment we are testing some family tours around Sicily with expert guides who accompany the kids to the discovery of history and art without ever making them bored». An innovative reality for Catania, but which has existed for some time in the rest of Europe. «In the last decade the quantity and variety of proposals for children has increased significantly, although the organization of large exhibitions and cultural events does not always include the presence of teaching activities for them or of specialized figures in the educational field». So, it would desirable that in the next few years public and private bodies pay more and more attention to these customers whose number is constantly expanding, maybe by developping new professional figures expert in the field of teaching, art and pedagogy.

QUALITY MARK. “Kids Trip” also offers an extensive list of accommodations, restaurants and cultural facilities that have obtained a quality mark, as they are considered family friendly. «To get a quality mark the structure must respect some quality standards identified for macro-areas, such as cultural activities and reception level. These evaluation criteria were identified thanks to important studies on family-friendly brands in the rest of Italy and Europe». Any structure can get a recognition of its quality, «usually we are the ones who identify appropriate structures who propose them to join our chain, but it also happens that some structures contact us in order to adapt themselves to our standards». In its simplicity, “Kids Trip” presents itself as a revolutionary project, reversing the route of the current offer, promoting activities for the whole family and creating a territorial community (which is not only virtual). «If a structure has a family-friendly mark, it means that families are welcome there and that the solution found is far different from a kids-free alternative. This kind of facilities provides entertainment for children, so that they will be more relaxed and will not bother guests or workers: that is, a place where everyone can feel feel comfortable».

Translated into English by Eva Luna Mascolino