As many parents will know, when you decide to go anywhere with your children it can be a massive military style undertaking, it’s never as easy as just getting up and going at the spur of the moment. Sometimes even if you think you have prepped well for the trip and planned for all eventualities, traveling with children means you will find you have forgotten something or that something will go wrong.
To give you a helping hand, My Voucher Codes have prepared handy tips for traveling with children for parents to use to at least help prepare for travels, whether short breaks and day trips or long holidays far away.
Check them out:
Planning
- Plan your holiday together as a family
- If it’s your first family holiday with very young children, stay closer to home or take shorter flights
- Plan out your days with what you want to see, how to get there, and what there is to do
- Get older children to help with what to see and do whilst away
Packing
- Don’t let children pack cases on their own, have them help you so nothing is left behind
- Pack your children’s favourite toys, books or games
- If taking mobile phones and tablets ensure you have chargers etc.
- Encourage older children to keep a travel journal to document the trip
Trains, planes and automobiles
- Book train and plane tickets so you travel at night when you would be sleeping
- If you’re flying, make sure you book your seats in advance so you can all sit together
- Buy water for the flight or bring an empty bottle and fill it up
- Book table seats when taking a train so you have more room to interact
- Make sure you have headphones for your electrical devices
- When driving, ensure you take plenty of breaks
- Plan interesting stop offs on long car journeys
- Pack plenty of water in your car
- Portable DVD players or tablets can be handy on long car journeys
Accommodation
- Book hotels in central locations in safe and quiet areas close to amenities
- Check reviews before you book to ensure it suits your needs
- Opt for apartments or suites if you feel you need more space so you’re not all cramped in one room
- Book resorts which cater for children and adults
- Look for hotels which offer child minding, babysitting or kids clubs
Food and drink
- Encourage your children to try new foods as a family
- Fill up on free breakfasts if included with your accommodation
- If it’s a buffet, take extra food for snack or ask your hotel if they provide picnics
- By snacks and drinks from local supermarkets not from hotels or minibars
- Make sure you have snacks with you when out and about
- If you’re self-catering, fill up on breakfast there and make your own picnic for lunch
Cost
- Keep to a budget with some money aside for emergencies
- Have your children keep to a budget for souvenirs and treats too
- Check for free days at museums and other tourist sites
- Try to always take public transport as it will be cheaper than local taxis
- If available use apps such as Uber or Lyft for cheaper taxis
- Use hop-on, hop-off buses as these will take you to the tourist hotspots
Other
- Always allow more time when traveling with children
- Pack a mini medical kit: Plasters and blister packs, antihistamine and Calpol
- Always have antibacterial gel, wet wipes and tissues to hand
- Invest in a child tracker device
- Take spare clothes on days out
- Make sure you’ve got medications and details if you need to get more whilst away
What do you think of these tips? Have they missed anything out or do you have some sage advice learnt from experience? I you do please get chatting in the comments below!