I took my daughter to CR at 3.5, along with older sibling. She loved it. You just need to help your kids learn to be more flexible and relaxed traveling. Also expect to spend a lot of time outside running them out.

We went in 2023 when my kids were 7 and 10. They did everything including zip lining over the rain forest. They loved it! 6 is a great age. Lots to do and see.

You should go. Your parents may not do zip lining either.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:6 is great for that kind of vacation, especially if they're into animals and nature. Only thing would be checking minimum size/weight requirements for certain "adventure" activities. For example, I'm pretty sure the ziplining course we did was only for kids at least 50 pounds, and my petite girls wouldn't have been able to meet that when they were 6.

It’s okay for some relatives to do this and the 6 year old and his parents to do something else. They don’t have to spend every minute together.

Agree with this, or even staying with one of the grandparents. When we were there with DS who was 6, he did not do the zip lining/horseback riding/waterslide tour that the rest of us did, but my mom stayed back with him. They went to a farm instead and later met us at the mud baths where our more active tour ended. He had fun, and my mom enjoyed spending time with him and not having to do the active tour herself.

Agree six is great. We went when my kids were 4, 6 and 9. The only thing the 4 year old did not do was the kayaking in the mangrove forest. She rode on a boat with my parents (we passed them a couple times and waved) — it was perfect because we all rode to the mangrove bay together and then had lunch together at the nature place. The six year old was old enough to kayak with me in a 2 person kayak. I guess if the group goes horseback riding or for a very long hike that might not work, but I would imagine that there would be someone else willing to sit out that kind of activity. Other than that, we went to the pool a lot, did an animal safari through the jungle, another animal walk at night, visited a butterfly place, swam in ocean, and went to the cloud forest where we saw more animals.

Anonymous wrote:6 is great for that kind of vacation, especially if they're into animals and nature. Only thing would be checking minimum size/weight requirements for certain "adventure" activities. For example, I'm pretty sure the ziplining course we did was only for kids at least 50 pounds, and my petite girls wouldn't have been able to meet that when they were 6.

It’s okay for some relatives to do this and the 6 year old and his parents to do something else. They don’t have to spend every minute together.

6 is great for that kind of vacation, especially if they're into animals and nature. Only thing would be checking minimum size/weight requirements for certain "adventure" activities. For example, I'm pretty sure the ziplining course we did was only for kids at least 50 pounds, and my petite girls wouldn't have been able to meet that when they were 6.

Classic youngest sibling behavior. Don’t make your parents wait.

We took a 4 year old! It's amazing!!

Anonymous wrote:There may be a couple of things he can't do, but there is plenty he can do and I don't think you should try to postpone a trip over a couple of things he may not be able to do. In all honesty, even if you wait a couple of years, there still may be things that he won't be able to do that his now older cousins will be able to do.

Also, as someone who works in a hospital and who lost a completely healthy parent suddenly, I don't take time for granted. You have no idea what could happen in the next couple of years and you don't want to look back with regret that you didn't go to Costa Rica because you were upset that your 6 year old wouldn't be able to go on the ATV tour.

Agree with this post completely.

It’s not about you. We took my 6m and 2 year old to costa rica

There may be a couple of things he can't do, but there is plenty he can do and I don't think you should try to postpone a trip over a couple of things he may not be able to do. In all honesty, even if you wait a couple of years, there still may be things that he won't be able to do that his now older cousins will be able to do.

Also, as someone who works in a hospital and who lost a completely healthy parent suddenly, I don't take time for granted. You have no idea what could happen in the next couple of years and you don't want to look back with regret that you didn't go to Costa Rica because you were upset that your 6 year old wouldn't be able to go on the ATV tour.

He’ll be fine. Six is a great age to go to Costa Rica. He’s going to learn so much about the wildlife. My youngest was 4 the first time he went and he remembers it vividly. Have fun.

He is six years old. He is not an infant. He would be fine. Our kids went to Costa Rica when they were younger than that. It’s a big country enough country with a wide variety of things to do. It’s kind of like Hawaii. Get real man.

My parents really want to plan a trip to Costa Rica for Christmas 2025. They have several friends who have gone there with their kids and grandkids and my parents feel like it’s a “bucket list” item for them for some reason.

My concern is that the the youngest grandkid will be 6 years old at the time so I am worried he will be excluded from things the older kids (ages 9-14) will be able to do.

Has anyone been there with a 6yo - is there plenty he can do? Or do we try to push my parents to wait another couple of years? They claim they want to do it while they are healthy and they can, but there is nothing imminent that would change their circumstances at the moment.