Travelling with children?

You don’t want to stop travelling overseas just because you now have children, and what’s more you still want quality accommodation, great facilities and time for yourselves to relax. Great kids’ entertainment and occasional supervision for your children can be important. Here are top tips on how to avoid having a stressful journey with the kids:

1. Pace yourself. Go with the flow and don’t pack in too much. Build in rest days and be realistic about what you might see and do.

2. Travel is great for broadening the mind, even if you’re a five-year-old. Start getting your little ones prepared for their holiday by treating it like a project. Read a guide book to them or watch a video or perhaps even try some of the local traditional dishes you may expect at your destination. Encourage them to keep a holiday diary, collect photos, ticket stubs and draw pictures of what they have seen and record new words they may have learned along the way, and give things a try.

3. Research and prepare a “things to do and places to go if the weather isn’t great” list. This is particularly good if travelling out of season in the February or October half terms.

4. If possible, check-in online as knowing you are seated together will give you piece of mind.

5. Choose a hotel that caters for children. Kids clubs can give parents a welcome break but make sure you check age ranges, what hours they operate and at what time of year (many run only in high season).

6. Taking a buggy or pram, even if your child is now walking, can be handy as they double up as places to rest from the heat or if up a little later than usual to rest in a restaurant, for example.

7. Check hand luggage restrictions before travelling, including the latest rules on carrying liquids, gels and creams, which will more than likely include milk and nappy cream for example. Chances are you will be able to carry them, but they may have to be stored in a specific way and not carried over a certain quantity. Rules change often so it’s always worth checking close to your travel date.

8. Requesting a ground floor room if available is often a good idea as many rooms lead onto gardens, giving extra play areas.

9. When flying it’s helpful to have something such as a boiled sweet to suck on, or to drink during take-off and landing. Make sure you have plenty of ways to entertain your little one such as crayons, books and their favourite toy.

10. Enjoy ! When you book with Travel Counsellors we'll make sure things are perfect!