7 tips for travelling with children
Travelling with children can be fulfilling but also challenging. Here’s what I learnt on a recent overseas holiday.
As we boarded our international flight to Bali, I was feeling excited and a little nervous about how my daughters, aged four and two, would handle a two-week holiday.
While we had an amazing time, we learnt a lot about travelling with little ones. Here’s my advice before you jet off with kids.
1. Travel at their pace
One of the first things we realised as we started our overseas adventure was that we couldn’t jam-pack our itinerary with activities. Do too much and you’ll end up with overtired and cranky children. Don’t be afraid to do one or two short activities a day and then hang out around the hotel or by the pool. If you do have a full day of activities planned, make sure there’s some downtime throughout the day to give the little ones a break.
2. Take Tupperware
Tupperware containers were a lifesaver on various occasions during our Bali holiday. We used them to store leftovers, as an extra plate if we were splitting the kids’ meals and even to hold the girls’ puzzle pieces. It’s also a good idea to pack some spare cutlery for the children.
3. Make the mundane things fun
Standing in long lines at the airport can be a bore at the best of times and your children might quickly lose interest and become unsettled. Try to make the most mundane moments a little bit of fun by playing games. Waiting to get through security? Play follow the leader or green light, red light. As the line moves say green light to your kids and when you approach the person in front say red light. Your children need to freeze on red light and not move until you say green light again.
4. Have low expectations
It’s easy to get caught up in making sure your kids behave for the entire trip so they don’t interrupt other travellers. At the end of the day though, they’re kids and there will be moments when they have big feelings. Take each moment as it comes and remember they’re in a new, unfamiliar place.
Don’t expect any miracles at the dinner table either. The children might be trying new foods they haven’t had before so don’t put pressure on them, or yourself, to eat everything that’s on their plate.
They’re on holidays as well so if they want plain pasta or chicken and chips occasionally, let them. It’s also a good idea to book accommodation that has a kitchen so you have the option to cook the children familiar meals.
5. Go direct… if you can
Who wants to run through a busy airport trying to make a connecting flight, with kids in tow and bags under their arms? No-one.
Try to book direct flights if it’s possible. If you must make a stopover, give yourself plenty of time to transfer to your connecting flight.
6. Pack snacks
Children get hungry and sometimes you might be on the move or nowhere near a food outlet. Pack a variety of snacks, both for the flight and when you’re sightseeing at your destination. Buy a couple of Tupperware containers that have multiple compartments so you can fill them with a mixture of dried fruit, nuts (if your kids aren’t allergic), biscuits, crackers, and any other snacks your child eats.
7. Pack a first-aid kit
When my daughter got a small cut on her leg while we were in Bali, I was counting my lucky stars that we had the foresight to pack a first-aid kit, which included Betadine and Band-aids. You can either pack your own or buy pre-made first-aid kits.