Guest Post: 6 Tips for Travelling with Small Children
Family trips are always exciting and result in wonderful experiences. However, they can be stressful if you’re travelling with babies or young children. Here are six great tips to keep your family vacation economical and stress-free.
1) Plan in Advance
Planning makes perfect. Plan your route to the airport, to the hotel, and to your tour bus, and get a general sense of how your trip will be structured. Leave gaps for free time but make sure you always have a backup plan to keep unexpected changes (and cranky toddlers) at bay.
Vacations should be fun first but that doesn’t mean they can’t also be meaningful. They’re an opportunity to instil your values into your children. Volunteer travel lets families participate in environmental, natural, and social causes. Parents and children work together on things like tending to animals at a wildlife sanctuary, helping to build a community centre, or working alongside biologists re-vegetating wildlife habitats. It doesn’t have to last the entire trip but time out from theme parks to provide real hands-on help can offer children the opportunity to learn about their place in the world.
2) Yes, You Can Pack Light
Well, maybe not exactly light, but you can at least pack lighter. Travel expert Thom Brown reviews several brands of clothing that are manufactured precisely for travelling light. These unique travel items get less wrinkled or smelly, take up less space in your luggage, and offer more protection from sun and heat than your standard wardrobe. Thom also advises going with polyester since, among other things, it’s light and easy to wash and dry in a hurry.
3) If Your Pet is Traveling With You
When your family holiday means the entire family, even the four-legged ones, you’ll need some extra prepping. The first thing you’ll want to do is make sure they are up to date on all their shots and are properly microchipped. Bring a paper copy of their health records in case of an emergency. If you’re travelling abroad, you’ll need to obtain a pet passport. This means your pet won’t have to quarantine when you arrive in a different country. Make sure ahead of time that their kennel is the approved size and type for air travel, and if travelling by car, always secure your pet with a car safety harness.
4) Keep the Kids Entertained
While you're in the car or on a plane, it is a good idea to have a means of keeping the kids entertained when they have to sit still for long periods of time. Toys, books, games, and music are all excellent ways to keep the kids happy. In addition, portable WiFi and streaming services can keep them engaged and content with their favourite shows and movies.
Encourage your kids to keep a travel journal, noting everything they find interesting or fun. Make sure they have notebooks, pens, and even crayons so they can illustrate what they see, too. If you really want to go all-in, furnish them with a video camera and let them create their own travel vlog. It can also be a fun way to share the experience with friends and grandparents along the way.
5) Rest Regularly
If you're on the road — whether it's for a long road trip or a short day trip — rest and refuel frequently, as mileage is better when you have more petrol in the tank. This will save money and you won't have to stress over finding the next gas station. What's more, it gives everyone a chance to get out and move around. Road travel is tiring, and everyone will need to rest.
6) Home Sweet Home
One of the best things about a trip is coming home from one. Parents are tired, kids are wound-up, everyone is ready for a holiday from their holiday and home will never look so good. The last thing you want is to come back to, however, is a mess. Everyone needs time to chill out before getting back into their school and work routines. Optimise your living space for unwinding and de-stressing. Do you have food in the cupboards? If you’re planning on being gone for an extended period, make plans to have a neighbour shop for you and see that you have plenty of healthy fruits and vegetables in your fridge. Also, ask them to make sure your thermostat is set to a comfortable temperature. Your home should be your “ahhhhh” place.
Having a plan in place is never a bad idea. And with the travel tips above, your family is sure to enjoy a happy and stress-free holiday.