As any parent will testify, once your little bundles of joy arrive into the world, your life changes… Yep just like that… With a snap of fingers, say a sad farewell to spontaneity and wave a weary hello to precision organisation. Everything from a trip to the supermarket to a walk around the block requires an unbelievable amount of effort and newfound multi-tasking skills, especially if you want to do it all on a punctual schedule. If you don’t already have them, you soon learn pretty quickly…
Tips for travelling with young children
This leads me neatly to the subject of family holidays. It’s a daunting prospect, to say the least. When Monkey was about six months old, we desperately wanted to get away. But I admit, the thought of taking him abroad, on a plane and having to prepare for it, filled me with dread. So, we opted for a staycation in Wales and we packed our car to the rafters with his bouncy chair, toys, cot etc and it was essentially a home away from home.
Don’t get me wrong, we had a wonderful time, but looking back, having now taken Monkey abroad on several occasions, I’ve realised that children are hugely adaptable. It’s us parents who feel the need to be surrounded by our belongings. Babies/toddlers just want to be fed, watered, have fun and have their parents’ undivided attention.
So, it’s with this in mind that I’ve devised this checklist for mums and dads who are planning on travelling with young children.
Research, research, research!
If you’re nervous about going abroad for the first time, don’t choose a destination that’s more than 2-3 hour flight time away – and opt for a country which doesn’t have a big time difference.
Check reviews online via sites like TripAdvisor. Ask yourself: does the hotel have good children facilities, crèche, cots, facilities to warm up milk/food etc. Is dinner time early enough for you to work into your routine.
If you are going for self-catering choose somewhere that has had good reviews from previous holidaymakers. Will they provide cots and highchairs etc. How far is it to the nearest shops; will you need a car?
Cover all bases that will affect you.
Plan ahead
Make sure you plan ahead of time for important documents such as passports. Don’t do what I did and leave applying for your baby’s first passport until the last minute! The passport office lost the documents and I had to reapply again. There were a lot of phone calls and a lot of tears, but we received it the day before we flew. Check if you need travel vaccinations, and make sure your travel insurance includes your child/children.
Get organised
Make a list of all the essential items you need to do and pack – from nappies to armbands, you can never have enough lists! I love them and find they are the best fail-safe way of not forgetting anything.
Check-in with your airline
Make sure you double-check with your airline what you are allowed to take on board the flight – and that you won’t be charged extra for travel cots, pushchairs and car seats. Make sure you know what baggage allowance is included in the cost. I would recommend buying cheap luggage scales. Mine has come in very handy, when I’ve been worried that I’ve exceeded my limit. You don’t want to be facing a hefty bill at the check-in desk.
Be prepared for all eventualities
You don’t want your little ones to get hurt or sick, but packing a first aid kit is essential. Stock it up with all the usual medicines such as Calpol; rehydration powders for diarrhoea; and antiseptic wipes and creams for cuts and grazes. If your baby is teething, don’t forget teething gels or powders. A thermometer, plasters and mosquito creams or insect-repellents that are safe and gentle for young babies and children are also a must.
Familiar toys
Take a few favourite toys with you, the smaller the better, so they can be packed easily. Also, books and stickers are great to keep toddlers entertained.
Take an ipad!
Or some other portable media device. This has been the most invaluable piece of kit for us. There are just some occasions, particularly on the flight, where nothing else will do but an episode of Peppa Pig or The Gruffalo will keep our son from getting too restless. Educational apps are also a bonus. Remember, don’t forget the charger!
Snack attack
I’ve always packed a few favourite snacks for Monkey to enjoy such as popcorn, raisins and snack bars. Also, a Yumbox Bento box is brilliant to use for long-haul flights – pack their favourite foods, and you have them all in one place – when it comes in handy if you’re out and about, as you can never be sure that nutritious and healthy snacks are on hand or easily available. For babies, pack enough formula for the flight if you’re using it – and for weaning youngsters, enough pouches to last your journey and a few as a back up while you’re on holiday.
Nap/sleep times
A snooze shade has come in very handy for us. It’s a great invention, which works as a sunshade and partial blackout blind. It fits over any pram and buggy and has worked for us during the day for naps, and during the night when we’ve gone out to dinner.
Have a good time!
Enjoy yourselves. I am guilty of liking the rigidity of routines. But over the last few years, as I’ve relaxed, so has the need for control on holidays and at home. So what if your kids have a late night or so what if they’ve scoffed an ice cream already! Shock horror, they went to bed a couple of hours later… Holidays are about a break from the norm, so shake it off, chill out and go with the flow. Everyone will be better for it…
Pin for later – Tips For Travelling With Young Children
All good advice for a stress free time away
Well. hopefully as much as possible! Thanks Fiona for stopping by
Great tips – agree with everything. Although my daughter did see a Snoozeshade (and similar) as a challenge to be escaped from. In the end, we had to let her drift off then drop a dark muslin over the buggy!
They do like a challenge those little ones don’t they?
All fabulous advice Ting. We weren’t brave enough to take our twin daughters abroard until they were 3, but soon realised that it wasn’t so hard as long as you plan ahead.
Eaxctly, it’s all about the planning!
I love that snackbox! That looks great!! And yes ipad!!! My 12 month year old is not into it yet but my 2.5 year old can be entertained for hours like that! #sharewithme
Isn’t it so cool! I wish we had these in our day!
Great advice and the snack box looks amazing!!! x
I love a snack box!
Having done a fair bit of travelling with our lot; holidays, visiting family, trips back to the UK; these are all great tips 🙂 We have a snoozeshade, it was fab! And we also have a brilliant, lightweight travel cot that fits in the back of the buggy 🙂 Although, we’re hitting the point where we don’t need these things any more, our packing will soon get much lighter 🙂 #sharewithme
PS. Love the new look 🙂
I love a snoozeshade! You’re a dab hand at travelling with kids, I’m pretty sure you know more than me! I’ve yet to do longhaul! x
I am still adjusting to your new look! Goodness I didnt know its you =P
If theres someone who knows about traveling and should be giving advice I know its you and your blog and these are some amazing tips here. Thanks for sharing =) #sharewithme
Thanks Merlinda, very kind of you 🙂
Great tips here as I travel with my two toddlers in tow alone a lot I can vouched these are handy!!! lol I love travelling with them but being prepared beforehand is so helpful. Thank you ever so much for linking up to Share With Me. #sharewithme
Brilliant tips. When ours were young, there were no iPads (shock, horror) and we always brought colouring books, puzzle books and mini aquadraw sets which would keep them entertained for ages. (blimey they’re only 13 and 9. It makes them sound as if they’re ancient!)
I have to applaud any parent who didn’t have the ipad as a distraction! Although I think puzzle books are ace. I’m going to have to pack the kitchen sink at this rate!
Excellent list and fits well with the recent post I wrote on packing for toddlers.
Perfect – great minds think alike I reckon 🙂 It’s so worth the extra effort… a happy child, is a happy parent methinks!
Such a sweet and helpful post Ting! I need to save this for the future!!
I already like to plan everything ahead, so this won’t change much when I have a baby. Though, I am wondering how is it going to be to take him/her to Brazil for the first time, ohhh my!! I will need all the tips I can get hahaha
This is all very good advice and I wonder how we ever manage to go away at all with all the packing and prep we end up doing! It takes me at least an entire day to pack for me and 3 kids to go on holiday (hubby sorts himself out) and then there’s the tidying the house / sorting out who’s feeding the cat etc etc. Aaagh!
It’s stressful and I’ve only got one kid! So hats off to you. I like how your hubby sorts himself out! I have to do mine. He forgets things! Lists, lists, lists – it’s the only way 🙂
Fab post! So helpful and full of great information! I haven’t been abroad with the twins yet (eeeek!) but been away to many UK destinations and that was traumatic enough! Off to London soon so will be re-reading this again 🙂 Jess x
I love this post and the images included, even though I don’t have kids myself I can appreciate it being a nanny for a long time. Thanks for a good read!
Thanks Angeliqa – organisation is the key most definitely when you have children, but having been an au pair, I am sure you know all about organising kids! 🙂
Fab tips my lovely, the iPad is an essential for us!!! Not sure if I said already, but your new blog look is gorgeous xxx
I really don’t know how parents managed before iPads! What did they do?? Thanks so much for your kind words. Means a lot xxx
Brilliant post, we are going away soon so will be referring back xx
Thanks so much Vicki. Glad to be of help 🙂 x
Fab article with some great advice. We have used the Yumbox, such a neat way of travelling.
I love Yumboxes, I think they’re really useful. Thanks so much for stopping by 🙂
What a great post – what you wrote is so true! I remember when my daughter was a baby and we had to visit a friend at her place for two hours I was getting ready and was taking so many things as if I am going on a two day trip!
It gets better though when they grow older but then there is other things to consider like temper tantrums 🙁
Oh temper tantrums! Not good on a long flight… Sweets and bribery I think, or if not… drugs? Just kidding 🙂
Yes, I had cookies and biscuits, some books and toys, and the iPad but I didn’t use it because they had little monitors on the back of each seat!
Great tips! Forward planning is definitely a must- knowing where you have to go is a big help particularly if there is a distance between the airport and your hotel- unknown public transport and kids never go hand in hand but being prepared can prevent any issues. Toys and distractions are worth their weight in gold on a flight!
Thanks Jess, yes I think it’s so much better to be prepared. An iPad is the best invention ever! In terms of entertaining kids anyway!
Great tips. Haven’t been on a family holiday yet. too nervous about It. if it was just one child I would definitely go but we have a 3 months old now on top. #thelist
Thanks! I don’t blame you for being nervous but you’d be surprised how well it will turn out. I think the anticipation of stress never pans out in the end. Preparation is key I find. Thanks for stopping by 🙂
Agree with all of them! Snacks are a must have and great for when you get to your destination too. Am a firm believer in the fun factor too. They are so adaptable and travel is an adventure for them!
Defo. Kids are brilliant at adapting. Much more than us adults!
These are great tips for travelling. We went to Thailand in February and we didn’t really need all the things I packed for them in their hand luggage! My eldest held onto to her teddy and they both napped , played the iPad and watched TV on the plane.
The iPad really helped when we were waiting 6 hours in Abu Dhabi airport too!!
You went to Thailand too?? We just got back. Ipads are a godsend. Truly. Not sure how parents managed before!
Great tips Ting – snack attack so spot on, I reckon you can cope with almost all eventualities if you’ve got limitless supplies of great snacks for the whole family 🙂
Brilliant advice, we took our then 7 month old to Tenerife and although thanks to a very mean security guard waking Toby up we had an awful flight, I was so pleased we went away and didn’t decide it was too much hassle because it’s not really xx #TheList
Yes totally agree. I think we imagine it to be much worse than it is. After all, you will be getting off the flight at some time! xx
Great tips! I really need to take particular notice to the top 3 (at the very least!!)
Thanks for linking up to #TheList xx
Ha ha! I’m sure you’d smash it! xx
I’m loving that snack box! I think I’d want one for me too. On our first trip we did with our (then) two year old, we were so uptight. Worrying about her upsetting people or running around and getting in the way. After three months travelling around Europe we learnt to use any opportunity we could to get her to run around and wear herself out before getting on a plane. Playing on travelators (sure thing), Singapore airport play areas (awesome!) – anything we could find really!
Oh yes, you must get it. They’re available on Amazon. I agree when Monkey was younger I used to worry about what other people thought but I’ve relaxed so much more. It makes things so much easier
We’ve been traveling with our little guy for as long as he’s been alive haha! But we might be taking our first trip abroad this fall and it’s making us a bit nervous. Thanks for sharing these tips, I love reading other family’s success stories!
It’s just about organisation and planning most definitely. Good luck, you’ll be fine 🙂
Parent will appreciate your advice and tips, I am sure of that.
Amazing Post
Being a parent I really loved your post. The tips that you have shared are really beneficial . I will keep all these tips in mind while traveling next time.
Keep Sharing…!!!!!