Planning a trip with kids can be pretty daunting but adequate planning and preparation it can make your trip less stressful. Here are some tips to help you navigate through your planning.
Planning your travel time to avoid last-minute stress
When we fly alone, we usually do the absolute opposite of what was planned to have some extra time. Before I had kids, I normally arrived at my home airport with so little time that once I pass through security and walk to my entrance, I can usually board the plane in 2 or 3 minutes. If you’re traveling with kids, this is certainly not the way to go. Anything can take longer than you intend while traveling with your family, including:
- Arriving at the airport and checking in
- Passing through airport screening
- Purchasing food and beverages
- Getting on the aircraft
Be sure to arrive early at the airport to have plenty of time for something to go wrong. You don’t want to skip your flight because your stroller and bottles took an extra 10 minutes to get through screening. Then you’re stranded at the airport with angry kids, waiting for your flight to be rescheduled. That’s not fun, believe me! However, flying is also one way of doing it slowly. Leaving extra time for all aspects of your journey is a good idea. When you’re traveling with children, it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to fit four museums, three restaurants, a walking tour, and a bike ride into one day.
Pack light and don’t load up on toys
Families have a habit of bringing everything their children need at home. Bringing common things ensures that the patterns are intact and that you have everything you need. Regrettably, this is a bad plan. Carry organic baby clothes if it’s a tropical destination. After a long day of traveling, there’s a fair chance you’ll be carrying at least one child, so you don’t want to be carrying 100 pounds of luggage as well. Rather, bring as few as possible. Traveling will disrupt the daily activities in and of itself, but attempting to maintain them together will be futile. It would only result in anger and aching muscles. The best thing about traveling is that children live everywhere. Always carry baby hoodies and beanies for safety if your baby gets cold.
Pre Book everything and plan accordingly
Of course, you’ve already booked your tickets for your holiday, but don’t stop there. You may be accustomed to arriving at a destination, having a feel for the region, and then deciding where to stay. This isn’t appropriate for them. When you arrive in a new place, head straight to your lodging, drop off your belongings, and give the kids a chance to relax if they need it. This is particularly true if you’ve traveled a long distance to get there. Before you arrive, make sure you remember where you’ll be sleeping. If you want a little more choice in terms of where you lodge, book the first night or two ahead of time and then figure out where you want to stay for the remainder of your journey after you’ve settled in. The process of making a reservation does not stop with a flag.
For first-time visitors, it’s particularly important to introduce kids to the trip ahead of time.
Keep your children involved and explain your plans to them:
Children are unhappy because they are uncomfortable. Kids get agitated when there are so many new developments going on.
Going through the itinerary and what will happen will help kids grasp their condition at each stage of the journey. They’ll know what to expect next, and as a result, they’ll be more at ease with their surroundings. Asking them what to expect at the airport, on the plane, and after they arrive at your destination is one way to explain the journey. Take advantage of this time to go over the plans for their actions on the tour.
Hope this was helpful! Happy parenting
AUTHOR’S BIO:
I am Lana Murpy, a post-graduate in humanities and communications, and an inquisitive person who loves writing. My forte is a digital marketing and everything that has to do with phones and screens. I’m working for Tiny Twig. I am someone who believes that one person can make a change and that’s precisely why I took up writing which is the best tool to communicate these days. I have a decade of experience in writing and marketing.