Here’s my guide of tips for travelling with young kids. Travelling with young children can be an adventure in itself. While the thought of a family holiday is always exciting, the reality can bring a unique set of challenges. From packing, to keeping kids entertained, there are just so many hurdles to overcome before you can actually (hopefully) relax. I remember the first flight we took with our first baby.
I was so nervous he was going to scream the whole time… his ears would hurt, everyone around us would be glaring… Actually it turns out flying with a baby who doesn’t move much is SO much easier than traveling with a toddler who just wants to crawl around and make friends… Either way, fear not! Here are five game-changing hacks that will transform your family travel experience and make your journey smoother and more enjoyable. Hurrah!
1. Packing Smart: Tips for Organising and Packing Things for Kids when Travelling
Packing for a family trip can feel like preparing for a month-long expedition with Kardashian levels of luggage. To make the process less daunting:
Create a Checklist:
About a week before leaving, I start making a packing list with everything I could possibly need on there. Right down to calculating how many nappies are needed each day and then add an extra few as a buffer). Although it’s very likely you’ll be able to find nappies in your destination, I prefer to be extra prepared! Starting the list in advance helps because if you’re missing something, you have enough time to order it (thank you, amazon). Don’t forget to include essentials like snacks, nappies, and toys (including bath toys, and a bath thermometer!) on the list.
Pack a ‘Go-Bag’
Have a smaller bag readily accessible with items you absolutely need to access during the journey. This includes wipes, snack packs, drinks, and a change of clothes. I always make sure I pack some calpol and a thermometer in hand luggage, as you never know when you might need them. Better to just have a little peace of mind.
Use Packing Cubes:
These packing cubes have been an absolute lifesaver for me, particularly when it comes to cabin baggage on airplanes when you just need to be able to access everything all at once. In your main suitcase, the organisers can separate your child’s clothes from yours, making it easier to find what you need when you need it – like if it’s bedtime as soon as you get to the hote, you can go right to the bedtime cube and access everything without emptying the whole case.
In hand luggage, you can keep wipes, nappies and a change of clothes for your baby in one packing cube, snacks in another, and a change of clothes for your baby or toddler in another. Trust me, they make life much easier when you’re travelling.
Bring a lightweight change of clothes for yourself in hand luggage
I learnt the hard way on this one. Landed on our flight from Rome, got covered in projectile baby vomit, and had to stay on the plane for another hour. JOY. Also bring an XL ziplock bag to put any dirty clothes in, keeping them separate from everything else.
Bring Multipurpose Items
Think of items that serve multiple purposes… like a blanket that can double as a play-mat, or a soft toy that can act as a pillow. This saves space and keeps your packing efficient.
2. Entertainment on the Go: Tips to Keep Kids Entertained Whilst Travelling
Tips for travelling with young kids and keeping them entertained is crucial for a stress-free journey:
Interactive Toys and Games
Pack toys that encourage a lot of interaction and those keep little hands busy. I love etch-a-sketch drawing boards, puzzle and sticker books, and busy boards to be very engaging for my little ones.
Download Apps and Videos
I definitely started out as one of those ‘lets limit all screen time’ mums, but actually when travelling, having a kid’s kindle has been really helpful, and certainly not all bad. It is of course possible to download the usual apps like prime video and netflix so they can watch their favourite shows, but my 2 year old also loves the educational games on offer… but anything for a moment of silence, right?! I’d suggest pulling out the tablet when you’ve exhausted all other options and need your children to wind down- like during long waits, delays, or long haul flights. Don’t forget some over-the-ear kids headphones too!
Creative Kits
Something that’s a little easier on trains than planes, where there is a bit more table space – a small kit with crayons, colouring books, and stickers. These simple, quiet activities can keep children engaged and gives them loads of time to be creative
Storytelling
Bring along a few favourite books, and download audiobooks. Listening to stories or songs is one of my 2 year olds favourite things to do. It really calms him down, and makes me happy that he’s enjoying it so much.
3. Tips for Choosing Family Friendly Accommodation for Kids: Criteria for Selecting the Best Places to Stay
Selecting the right accommodation can make all the difference to your trip away, and I’ve had some amazing holidays since having babies purely because of the hotels we’ve chosen have been so accommodating and helpful.
Look for Family Amenities
Choose hotels or rentals that offer family-friendly amenities such as bottle sterilisers, cots, high chairs, kids clubs, and swimming pools.
Proximity to Attractions
Make sure your accommodation is nearby to key attractions reduces travel time and hassle. This means you don’t have to faff around with car seats, and makes it easy to return for naps or breaks. Certainly for younger children I’d advise staying in the centre of locations you’re staying in.
Check Reviews
This one is a no-brainer really, but reviews from other parents can inform you about how child-friendly the accommodation really is. I think there’s a huge difference between a hotel that provides travel cots and has a waterslide at the pool, compared to a hotel that provides car seats for the transfers, white noise machines in the bedrooms, and baby puree in the restaurants. You know where I’m choosing!!
4. Planning Around Kids Nap Times and Routines: Tips on Scheduling to Minimise Disruptions when Travelling
As much as it may not always seem the case with a teething baby or a strong-minded toddler, children do thrive on routine. Maintaining some kind of semblance of their regular schedule will make your whole travel experience that little bit easier:
Plan Flights Wisely
Whenever possible, book travel or flights around your child’s nap times. This increases the chances of them sleeping during the journey, and you’ve got free white noise on the plane as an added bonus. For loud announcements, get yourself some baby ear defenders. I bought ours from amazon and they work really well. Finally, if you can, I really find it’s worth upgrading to business class. You often have lounge access to relax in advance of the flight, and on board you get more assistance, and vitally – more space.
Keep Routine Elements
Bring along familiar items like blankets, small soft toys, or bedtime stories, to help recreate the feeling of home.
Schedule Downtime
Something I overlooked at the beginning, but learnt very swiftly was to make sure there’s enough down-time each day. On our first trip away as a family we went to Rome. I really overloaded the itinerary on the first day to try and fit everything in. That didn’t go down so well, and just led to a cranky 7 month old, and some overwhelmed parents. I found doing a couple of activities each day around nap times far more enjoyable for all of us!
Adapt Meal Times
Try to stick to regular meal and snack times to keep your child’s energy levels stable. Also bringing an abundance of snacks for the journey really helps. Especially if any go accidentally flying across the aisles, and you need a top up…
5. Engaging Children in the Journey: Tips to Involve Kids in the Travel Experience
Making children feel involved can turn travel into an exciting adventure:
Create a Travel Journal
So my baby and toddler are a little too young for this one, but I really love the idea of giving your child a travel journal where they can draw, write about their day, and collect mementoes. If they’re not able to write yet, perhaps let them dictate, and you write it all down. Then at bedtime have a look over it, and ask them what they’d like to do the following day. Instant excitement creation!
Teach Them About the Destination
Before setting off, show them some videos and share fun facts and stories about your destination.
Let Them Help with packing
Okay this is completely ineffective for when actually trying to pack, but children love being involved with everything. When we’re going away I ask my 2 year old to help me with really simple jobs like choosing snacks that we’re going to have on the plane, or packing his favourite toy into his backpack.
Explore Together
Plan activities that everyone can enjoy together- you don’t have to just stick to the child-only like soft play, or adult-only like galleries. It could be a visit to a zoo, a beach day, or a little walk in nature, it’s those shared experiences where everyone is having a great time that create such lovely and lasting memories.
Conclusion
Travelling with babies and young children isn’t the easiest thing in the world, but it also doesn’t have to be super stressful. Even if you’re not feeling relaxed, try to stay calm on the outside, because your little ones are likely to pick up on your mood and reflect it.
By packing smart, keeping kids entertained, choosing the right accommodation, planning around routines, and engaging them in the journey, all your preparation is going to be worth it. I hope these tips for travelling with young kids are handy for you!
I found that once I got the first trip under my belt I felt so much more relaxed and prepared for what was to come.
Onwards to making wonderful memories!