If you want stress-free travels with a family, the odds might be lower than normal. The truth is that any form of travelling brings about a certain element of stress and anxiety. Add a few young kids to the mix and suddenly the adrenals go through the roof and the screaming seems to hit a nerve like never before.
When taking a young family on the road, there are certain ways to make things easier on yourself and the family as a whole. The last thing you want when taking a break is to up the stress and decrease the enjoyment. Instead, we have some fool proof tips that if you put in place, can make travelling with younger children much easier.
Forget all the toilet stops and activities booked to keep young minds occupied, this article will talk about the practical things in between.
Tips for Successfully travelling with kids and babies
- Don’t rush
Taking your time on holiday with young children is a must. Take your time and give yourself plenty of it so you don’t have to rush yourself and the kids. Whether you are at the airport or going on a tour, give yourself more time than most. Also remember that kids love to look around and spend more time exploring, so factor this into the time too.
- Book everything you can in advance
You want the least amount of worry and planning possible when you go away. So, this could mean booking most of the activities well in advance. This way, when you arrive at your destination and literally have everything important mapped out so you can focus on your family.
- Bring fun stuff for kids
Whether they love drawing, reading or playing with cameras, make sure they have these bits available so you don’t have bored children on your hand. There’s nothing worse than trying to entertain bored kids that have been waiting in an airport for hours and you are tired yourself. So, ensure you bring plenty that can keep their creative minds occupied.
- Book a spare room if you have a baby
If you have a young one that still doesn’t sleep through the nights, it might be worth booking a spare room. This way, one parent can get some rest in pace whilst the other stays up with the little one then they can take turns. It just allows you a little extra time to recoup and gain more energy for the days ahead.
- Download apps
If the kids aren’t too young and have started using technology, then it’s a good idea to get some apps and games downloaded. Try and kill two birds with one stone and download educational yet fun apps.
As you can see, there’s a lot that can be done to bring more ease and joy to your family travel. As long as you plan ahead and keep calm, you’ll have lots of fun.