Getting away with your entire family means that you will run into challenges that might stress you as a parent. Whether you are packing up the car or booking a flight, it’s important to plan things in advance. If you know how to manage your family on board, all worries will slip out the window! Here are 11 travelling tips for parents that will make your next family holiday absolutely hiccup-free.
1. Arrive Early (Literally Everywhere)
If you are used to solo traveling, we understand that you might not be familiar with the idea of planning for extra time. But when you are planning a family holiday, everything will take longer. When we say everything, we mean everything from checking in at the airport and getting through security to buying snacks and boarding the plane.
So make sure that you arrive at the airport way earlier than your take-off time. You don’t want to miss your flight just because you couldn’t get your stroller and car seat through airport security. If this happens, you are stuck at the airport waiting for your flight to be rescheduled with a bunch of upset kids and trust us, this is the last thing you would want.
And this applies to almost every place you are going. You simply can’t squeeze in two museum visits, a bicycle race, a walking tour, and three restaurants in a single day while traveling with kids.
2. Plan Ahead (With Your Partner and with Kids)
When kids are unhappy, they can throw a tantrum. Which can happen when kids are being introduced to a new environment or schedule. So it’s always wise to pre-plan everything and discuss it with your family before you pack your bags.
Go over the highlights of your trip with your children and rearrange things accordingly. Sometimes, your kids might not enjoy certain things that you were so sure they would. It’s also very important to discuss your trip with your partner and decide on how much you want to spend so that you guys won’t have any clashes during the trip.
3. Don’t Overpack
One of the best travelling tips for parents is to not over-pack. Managing kids is stressful on its own, you don’t want to add to your worries by having to carry over-flowing luggage everywhere you go. At the same time, having some essentials with you while traveling with kids is very important. For instance, extra warm clothes, raincoats, medicines, strollers, car seats, and sling carriers.
If your kid is used to eating a specific type of food or snack, you should also pack some extra packets of those to keep your kid happy since some children can have a very picky food pallet.
4. Pre-Book Everything
Most solo travelers like to arrive at the destination, get the feel of the town and then pick a place to stay. However, this is not how it works when you are traveling with kids.
As soon as you arrive at the place, you and the kids will want to dump everything at your lodging and have some downtime before setting off for your adventures. This will give kids some time to rest and ease into the new time frame.
So book everything in advance, it will remove one item from your long list of tasks.
5. Find Out About Laundry
It’s one of the most important travelling tips for parents. When you are traveling with kids and if it’s a long trip, you will probably need to do your laundry at least once. Unless you are staying at an Airbnb or a long-term rental, it’s unlikely that you will have an accessible do-it-yourself Laundry.
So if you don’t want to pay your hotel extra charges for laundry, find out about nearby Laundromats or ask the concierge about it.
6. Pack for Entertainment
To ensure your children’s mood stays bright during the trip, don’t forget to pack things for family entertainment. Bring their tablets and electronic devices with you. You can also bring their favorite snacks, comfort toys, and books to keep them occupied during long boring car rides.
7. Give Kids Your Contact Information
Safety is another important thing you need to take into account when on a family vacation. Write down your name, phone number, hotel address, and local security number on a piece of note and tell your kids to keep it in their pockets. If they don’t have pockets or you are scared they might lose them, attach them to their collar or belt hoop.
Help older kids memorize your phone number and hotel address and encourage them to save it on their mobile phones or tablets.
8. Pack lots of Snacks
A hungry kid can make your peaceful trip a nightmare in a matter of minutes, so make sure that you have all their favorite snacks. It’s possible that your kid might not like the taste of hotel food. They might take two bites and then refuse to eat just because it was not what they were expecting.
If your kid is a picky eater, it’s best to ask your kids about their favorite snacks in advance and pack them with you for hard times.
9. Ask About Family Deals and Discounts
Even if there is nothing mentioned on their websites, it’s always a great idea to ask. You will be surprised to discover how many places offer discounts for families with children. You can get discounts on transportation, attraction entrance fees, and tour guides.
10. Invest in Good Gear
Before packing your bags and setting off for your trip, make sure that your gear is trustworthy. There is nothing worse than your stroller breaking down when you have a hyperactive toddler with you. So spend some extra money on good gear including baby bags, strollers, and comfortable carriers.
11. Accept That Things Can Go Wrong
At the end of the day, things can and will go wrong doesn’t matter how much you have prepared. Your teenager might forget his phone in a taxi or you might arrive at their favorite restaurant only to find out that they are closed for renovations.
So yeah, things will go south. The sooner you accept it, the less stressful it will be when it happens.
You need to stay calm during these hiccups. This will help you a ton in keeping everyone’s mood lifted and light. We hope that these tips will help you in smoothing up your family holiday plan. For more family-friendly travelling tips for parents , visit thecreativewannabe -your one-stop solution to all traveling concerns!