Traveling is an overwhelming experience, especially when it comes to taking your family and kids along. If you have done it already several times, then the process will be comparatively easy for you. However, if you are someone who is giving it a go for the very first time, you will find it a bit difficult. You see, the key to traveling with kids lies in the preparation. The more well-prepared you are, the more you will enjoy the trip.
In other words, you will have to put in a bit of effort to ensure that things go smoothly. With that being said, we are sharing a list of some important tips that you need to consider before going on a trip with kids of all ages. You don’t have to read it all at once, rather give it an overview so that you have everything at the back of your mind. Therefore, without further ado, let us discuss the easiest and most useful tips you could get your hands across.
Give it time
The biggest mistake people tend to make when they are planning for a trip is panicking and deciding things in a hurry. This is a recipe for disaster. You will definitely miss out on something. In the situation where you are traveling alone, things are different but when it comes to traveling with kids, you will need to expect and consider extra things. People tend to arrive at the airport closest to the flight time. You would never want to do that.
Instead, arrive at least an hour early so that you can give time to anything that goes wrong. You wouldn’t want to find yourself stuck at the airport for some reason. A rescheduled flight with unhappy children is not a good sign. Believe us.
Don’t Overpack
The second biggest mistake is overpacking. For some reason, we fail to understand why people wish to take everything along with them on their trips. From a logical standpoint and considering the weight limits of the airports, you need to pack light. Bringing your entire closet with you is not going to help, instead, creates an additional burden. Therefore, it is suggested that you only pack essential items. The more things you have, the more concerned you will be about losing them throughout the trip. And, since you have kids traveling as well, your mind will be occupied in other things along the way. That is why pack as little as possible.
Pre-book everything
Then again, if you are traveling alone, you could walk out of the airport and explore your options in terms of searching for a place to stay. However, when there are kids, it doesn’t work that way. In that case, you need everything to be pre-booked so that you go straight to your destination, once you have landed.
Of course, you have your tickets pre-booked for the flight but the process doesn’t end there. It is suggested that you pre-book your staying location so that the kids have time to rest. Long trips tend to frustrate kids and they don’t find any amusement in searching for places to stay. Therefore, you should know where you will be staying beforehand. Pre-book at least the first night to settle yourself. Then, you can find new places to stay.
Explain the trip
Now, this is going to be one of the most important things if you are to make the kids comfortable. Kids do not like unexpected things to pop up from nowhere. Therefore, it is best to explain the trip beforehand. This way they can expect what could happen and do not keep playing the guessing game. Once they are aware of what could happen, they will feel at ease and most importantly, comfortable. Explain to them the procedure as well as what could happen at the airport and once you arrive at the destination. Furthermore, detail them about how to act in hotels, planes, and airports.
Pack some snacks
We can’t stress this enough but it is important that you pack some snacks for your trip. Hungry kids can easily turn a happy trip into a miserable one if they are not given what they need. You will never know what could happen between flights or at the airport, therefore you need to bring some snacks along. Furthermore, once you arrive at your destination or there is a connecting flight, the food available might not be according to your kid’s tastes. Therefore, you need to have something with you that could feed the kids every hour or two.
Keep track of your kids
We had discussed this previously but you cannot imagine how easily you could wind up in different problems and lose track of your kids. The worst thing that could happen while you are traveling is losing your kid or kids.
Airports tend to be a busy place. It is very easy for you and your kids to lose sight and become lost in the hustle and bustle of the airport. In such situations, it is suggested that one parent handles the logistical issues, while the other looks over the kids. Furthermore, if you are traveling alone, make sure that you hold their hands or they stay in view at all times. Consider using a small GPS if your kids are in the habit of wandering off.
Travel with basic medical supplies
Imagine having one of your family members being sick just before the trip starts. This could be one of the easiest ways to ruin your trip. In addition to that, most kids tend to vomit while the plane takes off due to motion sickness. Therefore, you need to travel with basic medical supplies. You or your kid could be allergic to pollen or might just have an upset stomach. In such cases, you would want to fix or control things as soon as possible. Be sure to check if special permission is required to enter the country with your medications.
Tag your kids
While you are keeping an eye out for the kids, tag them as well. Tagging them means, sticking or putting up your contact information on their clothes. The contact information will have everything important such as email address, contact number, and local address, etc. This is important in the case of your kid getting lost and someone contacting you upon finding him/her. Furthermore, help your kids memorize your contact information as well. You cannot rely solely on the notes. You never know when they take it out and throw it away without knowing.
Final Word
Traveling with kids is not that difficult and worrisome if you were to consider the above-mentioned tips. Trips are meant to be unexpecting and unpredictable. Therefore, as mentioned previously, you need to prepare yourself for it. Make sure that you give yourself some time to think it through. Plan the trip in steps so that you do not miss out on something important. Lastly, make a checklist and run it several times with your partner as well to double-check.