Travelling with your family, especially with little ones, can feel daunting at first. However, if planned correctly it will be a rewarding experience filled with memories you’ll cherish forever. The key is to consider a few essential things in advance and keep a positive attitude. We’ve teamed up with Compare&Choose to bring you some ideas!
You want to go where?
Long-haul flights and tropical climates are okay as long as you’re prepared for challenges to arise. For instance, how are you going to entertain your little ones during the flight? Are your little ones okay in humidity? All of these you should consider before picking your destination. Has your location got any children day-cares available? The activities you’ll be visiting, are they of interest to your children? Doing hours upon hours of sightseeing might be of interest to the grownups but might leave kids restless, bored, cranky and tired.
Get kids excited and involved early on
You can use the trip planning process to get your kids excited for some notable things to see at your chosen destination. Planning with you can also be a great learning experience for the little ones and, who knows, it might awaken the wanderlust in them!
You can play trivia games with your kids to get them excited about the destination you’re headed to. This will help keeping them interested as you do a bit of sightseeing as well!
Pack wisely
When travelling with your family, it’s tempting to pack want to pack everything, especially when travelling with young children. It’s essential to evaluate, what’s really going to be useful and what are the necessities for a trip of a certain length. Keep in mind, often hotels offer rental services for things such as pushchairs, car seats, booster seats and cribs, so there is no need to bring those with you in your luggage!
Encourage your kids to pack their own carry-on luggage – this will help with developing a bit of independence and get excited for the adventure that awaits.
Consider where you’ll be staying
Booking appropriate accommodation is key when travelling with children. Gone are the days of grimy hostels for only spending there few hours of night sleep. Opting for a hotel or a self-catering flat will be more suitable. You can compare hotel prices online against other types of accommodations, basing your search on necessities such as plenty of sleep space, location etc.
Plan but be sensible
Knowing what you’ll be doing at all times is useful as you can pre-book many attractions and that way save money. However, be mindful, when travelling with kids. Plan some time for resting, afternoon napping and ice-cream breaks!
Beware of allergies
Being in a new place, you might not even know that you or your children are allergic to something either in the local environment or cuisine. Be prepared with appropriate travel insurance and don’t forget to bring any medications that you or your loved ones take daily.
Have you got any tips for travelling with your whole family for the first time?