Travelling with Kids – Travel Counsellors Top Tips!

Travelling with kids can be a fun, educational and a truly memorable time – without it needing to be a hassle. Just a little bit of planning and some know-how can go a long way to keep everyone including yourself at ease!
 

Here are some of my top tips for the leaders of the pack:
 

1. Pack light, pack smart! Consider the destination and duration you will be away for and try to avoid over packing with ‘just in case’ items. Remember to include important essentials such as medicines and simple first aid items such as band aids, antihistamine and pain relievers. 
 

2. Take your time – allowing extra time means you can stop to look at the planes or trains, take them to the toilet and tend to their needs without having to feel too much pressure of getting late. Check in online beforehand take-off and landing.
 

3. Provide plenty of snacks, and if possible feed the kids before boarding a plane. Keep their favorite snack to hand, if possible limit sweets and candies – although lollipops can be handy to deal with ear pressure discomfort during takeoff and landing. 
 

4. A new bag of activities! Be it a small pocket puzzle, wind-up toys, finger puppets, books, Rubik’s cube, stickers – something different for your child to engage with helps to keep them distracted and wrapping them up as surprises adds some excitement! Sensory pocket toys include – glitter, putty peeps, kinetic sand, and for night flights – glow sticks can be a little travel treat!

5. Pull Ups? Along with nappy sacks, sanitizer and antibacterial wipes – pull ups are handy to carry ‘just in case’ (this is an important ‘just in case’!) your toilet trained friend needs to go and time/options/toilets are with limited access. 
 

6. Talk, Talk, Talk - get your kids prepared – talking about your travel plans and giving them a heads-up on what to expect helps manage any anxiety that may arise when having to wait in ques or following routine procedures. Books, maps, movies about travel can all help prepare and discuss the destination if different from what the children have experienced before.
 

7. Expect change and try to be flexible! New places, people and environments bring a lot of excitement and whilst trying to take it all in, expect routines to be different!
 

8. Loyalty – is everything! Take advantage of all the miles, rewards and points you have accumulated over time through loyalty programs by using lounges, upgrading, fast tracking or requesting early/late check outs that the membership program may offer. 
 

9. Electronic devices – load it up with favorite stories, music and apps for when you really need to divert a meltdown – or let the little on have a go at taking a photo using it. 
 

10. Pack your sense of humor! Kids take cues from our attitude, if things appear to be falling apart, take a deep breath and try to address the issue with a little humor – as this too, shall pass!