To help you enjoy your time traveling with your family, we have put together a quick family-friendly travel guide below.
1. Plan in advance
Whether you are planning a family camping break or an around the world trip, it pays to plan in advance.
Never underestimate the importance of planning when travelling with kids in tow. Make sure to book your flights, accommodation and transfers in advance. There is nothing worse than being stuck with tired children and nowhere to stay or no available transport. So, ensure you always plan and book everything in advance.
2. Allow lots of time
Make sure to always allow extra time when you are travelling with children. Kids love exploring and looking at new things and don’t like to be hurried along. To ensure you don’t miss your flights, factor extra time in for things like toilet trips, stalling and even temper tantrums.
3. Be prepared
Think about where you are travelling to, and be prepared for it. Make sure to dress your children in suitable clothing for the climate you are travelling to.
Children who are dressed correctly for a new place will be happier and more comfortable. Do your research and find the best clothing options for them – the last thing you want is a sulky toddler who is too hot or too cold.
Don’t just think about their clothes, think about their shoes too. If you are going to a tropical country, think about whether they will need beach shoes. Is the sand too hot to walk on? Do sea urchins lurk underneath?
If you know you are going to be sat in the car, on a train or a plane for a long time, make sure to bring enough activities to keep the little ones entertained.
Crayons, coloring books, hand held puzzles, and travel games always go down well. If you are planning on taking crayons and other art materials, make sure to pack crafts that are simple for adults to do too – kids love it when mommy and daddy join in with them.
If you are flying and have to travel light, leave the toys and games at home and load as many child-friendly apps onto your phone or tablet as possible. A fully charged device loaded with lots of children’s games can make one of the best traveler toys. Best of all, it doesn’t take up too much space.
5. Pack a mini first aid kit
Kids seem to have a habit of getting sick whilst travelling, so make sure to pack a mini first aid kit in your suitcase. Fill it with Calpol, plasters, antiseptic wipes, antihistamines, and anything else you might need. Always ensure you pack a thermometer as well.
6. Don’t lose them
Kids love running off and exploring, but when you are in a foreign place, this kind of disappearing act can be incredibly worrying.
Before you travel, look into the best child location devices. All you need to do is clip part of the device on your child, then if you lose sight of them, activate your controller and follow the sound till you find you find them again.
You could also write your phone number on your child’s arm or leg, so that if they end up getting lost you can be easily contacted.
9 travelers' comments:
Traveling with kids can be stressful, I would agree! You have laid out some great tips here and I appreciate that! I think allowing extra time is a great time! Oh yes and not losing them :)
I love your last tip - Don't lose them! I can't recall how many times I have worried whenever we traveled with our kid and my nephew and nieces. That's because kids just innocently wander and if you take your eyes off them for a second...oh goodness! No telling where they will be!
These are amazing tips for traveling with kids!! It can be hard to travel with them. I always seem to over pack when we travel with them. I figure its way easier to do that then to try to find a store to pick up what we need!
I had to laugh at the last tip. I totally agree that children have a way of getting away from you - especially in a crowded place. These are great tips, and the one about giving yourself extra time is really important. I forget sometimes how much longer it takes to get things done with little ones
I always love planning in advance for everything to be organized to the details. It's really hard to be in another land especially when there's language barrier. It will also help if you have insurance on top of the first aid kit so you can save all hassles in expenses later.
My son needs toys and activities when we travel. There are these pack and go boxes at Target for a buck that have a coloring book, crayons, and stickers. They keep him really entertained on long trips! My son always needs an activity!
They say is you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Planning is so important in a trip. I love your tips on proper clothing and shoes. So important.
Such great tips for families while they are traveling... I know when my niece comes to visit we have to pack about a million things every time before we leave the house! I'll definitely have to share these tips with my sister to make her next visit run smoother!
These are great tips! As the mommy of two little boys - I can totally relate. It's so important to plan in advance - I am a list person and have to have things written down. It's the only way I survive!
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