When I heard that the Sesame Street characters were returning to the four Beaches Resorts in the Caribbean – and with a three-year contract – I knew something was up at Sandals’ classy, all-inclusive family brand. And if something is up at Sandals, you can bet everyone else will be copying it soon.

Under Sandals’ company chairman Gordon “Butch” Stewart, change (read: improvement) is standard operating procedure. Since Beaches Negril won Family Travel Forum’s “Top 10 Getaway For Tiny Travelers” award, the resort had added a new waterpark and enhanced swimming pools. The Beaches in Turks & Caicos had expanded by one-third with the French Village wing, family suites, a pirate-themed pool area, and enhanced kids facilities. The Boscobel Resort in Ocho Rios, also an FTF award winner when it was under different management, had become an even more deluxe Beaches property; and the moderately priced Sandy Bay resort in Negril had been added to the family-oriented portfolio. Most importantly, the tone of the resorts had changed.

Family Resorts of the 90s

When I first visited a Beaches Resort (in Negril, back in 1998), the children’s programs were designed to give parents plenty of free time to learn new sports, have time alone, plan romantic dinners and otherwise “get away” from responsibility. Expertly staffed nurseries and daycare camps were open from 9am to 9pm so that parents could join day excursions off property, and Ultra Nannies were available for one-on-one, in-room childcare when parents wanted to go clubbing in Negril.

The pioneering Sega Center arcade was open 24 hours because, as Sandals advertising put it: “Kids need a break, too.” In fact, Sandals’ management had based their kids camps on the early childcare programs offered at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Hotel and Casino, where the nurseries ran 24/7 to accommodate heavy gamblers.

Blame it on 9/11 for reminding us of what’s really important; blame it on Women’s Lib for allowing Moms who have it all to just wanna’ have fun with their kids; blame it on the gay couples who showed us how much they were willing to fight for their children. Whatever the reasons, parents – and parenting styles – have changed.

When the traditional nuclear family reached its half-life, Beaches adapted. Single parent families find singles cocktail receptions scheduled during the months when single supplements are waived. Sandals has begun to relax its former prohibition on same sex couples, too, and those who arrive with kids at Beaches T&C resorts.

As other family resorts have recognized, and Beaches has successfully capitalized upon, parents now want to spend time with their kids on vacation. It’s great to know that highly trained childcare is available for tender newborns or mischievous 12-year-olds, but today’s families are checking in to play together.

Taking Care of Tots

“Parents spend more time with kids in the nursery these days,” notes Laura Chandley, Director of Children’s Programs for all four Beaches resorts. “They’re trying to participate in the structured activities.”

At each resort, Sesame Street fun has been incorporated into regular camp programs and the already busy evening entertainment schedules. There’s a weekly character parade; a signature learning activity, such as Storytime with Elmo, Music with Bert and Ernie, Exploring with Grover, Dancing with Zoe, or Baking with Cookie Monster once or twice per day; a weekly Birthday Party where every child celebrates their special day; and many photo opportunities.

With daily Sesame Street-themed activities to share with kids, parents and grandparents naturally segue to the kids clubrooms afterwards. In line with pro-Montessori educational trends, these rooms also have evolved. Instead of formal, scheduled activities, Beaches staff now set up several play modules simultaneously, encouraging child-directed play and free choice, which helps parents fit in as well.

Despite the increase in the number of preschoolers drawn by the Sesame Street affiliation, the nursery and toddler programs at Beaches close earlier than they used to – because they can, without guest complaint. “Parents aren’t using the kids camps less,” says Ms. Chandley, “they are using them differently. You see Dads in the clubs a lot more at feeding times, check-in times, just participating more.”

Taking Care of Teens

In contrast, she notes that parents are not spending as much time as they used to with older children. To cope with this gap in supervision, Beaches established ‘tween and teen programs. “We do have set activities that we like to get them involved with,“ says Chandley, who keeps her staff clued in by watching MTV. “But,” she continues, “If we put it down on paper, none of them will do it.” Instead, the resort’s young hip counselors try to involve teens in sports and entertainment options already available at each resort.

Additionally, when Beaches Ultra Spas were upgraded, they added teen treatments to the wide array of top-notch adult therapies, including seaweed baths and aromatherapy massages. During certain seasons, teens have specially scheduled hours for discounted manicures, pedicures and treatments like You Glow, Girl facials.

Commitment to the Kids Camp Staff

Increased parental participation has not diminished the high quality of childcare and staff training. Applicants are carefully screened before hiring, and staff that will deal with children (whether part of the kids camp, the recreation department or the ‘casual workers’ who are trained as replacements) must participate in a two-week orientation period, followed by three months of probation.

All Beaches resorts maintain a caregiver to child ratio of 1:3 for the newborns to age 5; 1:5 for the 6 to 7-year-olds; and 1:8 for children 8 through 12. Because of concerns over potential sexual harassment claims, there is a minimum of two staff with children at all times.

According to Chandley, Boston-based consultants Parents in a Pinch worked with Florida State University’s Nursery Readiness program to develop the resorts’ training regimen, which includes 1st Aid, and classes in health and safety, supervision techniques, role-playing and local etiquette. One hundred twenty hours per year of additional and ongoing training is required of all childcare staff, some of it with Sesame Workshop experts, to enhance the learning sessions that Sesame Street characters do with children.

Sesame Street in the Caribbean

The Sesame Street initiative masks a number of changes at Beaches. Appealing to the preschool market was originally the way to build occupancy levels during the school semesters, and filled a programming need for that age group, but the response has been greater than expected. Commenting on the guest experience at Beaches Turks & Caicos, general manager and father of three Derek Meanhy, noted happily, “Sesame Street has really kicked it up a notch.”

Sending the lovable, brand name characters from Sesame Street to the beach was also a way to answer families’ growing interest in learning vacations. Once or twice per year, guests who are at the selected resort during the Sesame Workshop training periods may participate in parenting seminars covering such topics as “Preschool Readiness.” In May 2005, these proved so successful for guests at Beaches Negril that the sessions were taken out to the local Jamaican communities.

Following the Caribbean’s trend away from moon-dancing wait staff -- and toward professionally produced evening entertainment -- Beaches now features a very popular, live show directed by VEE Productions, who do the traveling “Sesame Street Live” shows throughout the US.

Echoing the cruise industry’s move to more varied dining options. Beaches has a la carte French, Italian and Japanese restaurants in addition to the mainstay buffets. Resort guests also have the opportunity to dine with Bert, Ernie, Elmo, Cookie Monster, Zoe, Grover at a Beaches signature buffet breakfast. Any crowd dominated by under-3s is tough to carry, and many are too shy or too stunned to fully participate, but every family walks away with some great snaps and solid memories, just what together vacations are made of.