Las Vegas can be a great family vacation, but what if you and your spouse want to enjoy some alone time to bask in the “adult playground?” Fortunately, Las Vegas is a town with plenty of great night life options, but it is important to make sure that the kids are safe while you’re out.
Child Care Services
While teenagers can probably be left alone in a hotel room for a few hours, younger kids will have to have adult supervision. Fortunately, many hotels and resorts on and off the Strip offer child care services. At some of the larger hotels, it’s possible to drop kids off in a night time activity program. These programs keep kids together in a room with several adults. Often, snacks, meals and activities such as movies and arts and crafts are provided. These programs are a great idea for school-aged children who are used to being apart from their parents for several hours at a time.
Another option is in-room child care. At larger hotels, a nanny is brought into the room to watch young children. Nannies are background checked and screened by the hotel or staffing agency. In many cases the nannies are students at a nearby college or grandmothers looking for part-time work. These nannies can make snacks, play games, and even get the kids ready for bed while the parents are out. This is an excellent option for very small children (who may or may not be potty-trained), and for parents who want to come back to the room to find their kids already sleeping in bed.
Private Nanny
There are also a number of private staffing firms that offer childcare providers on an as-needed basis. These nannies can arrive at any hotel or private residence and can be hired for a single night or several days. They’re a great idea for groups of families that are vacationing together, since a single nanny can handle multiple children.
Parents of older children might want to look into private child watch programs. These are usually aimed at tweens and teens, and provide a safe place for kids to hang out while their parents are off on their own. There are several dance clubs and hang out spots that are chaperoned by responsible adults, but that give older kids a feeling of independence without making them feel as if they are being babysat. Make sure you ask about the rules regarding these places, however. Some places do not allow kids to stay longer than several hours at a time, and a few of them close much earlier than a lot of the nightlife spots in Las Vegas.
For a list of childcare services offered on and off the strip, click here. Once you find someone to watch your kids, you’re free to plan a perfect evening out in Las Vegas! Catch a show, go out dancing or just walk the Strip together.