Travelling with children? Essential tips to make it as easy as possible

Travelling with children can be a challenge. Although it may not be easy, exploring the world with your children can be a fantastic experience. You can make wonderful memories as a family and take it as an opportunity to teach your children about other cultures and history. There is a rise of travelling families and world-schooling, parents educating their children on the road rather than keeping them in school. As long as you can prove that your children are being adequately educated, it’s a great option if you want to teach your children more about the world than they would learn in school.

If you’re looking to travel with children for a short holiday, My Voucher Codes have prepared useful tips to consider when travelling with children.

Preparation



If your children are old enough, involve them in the planning of the trip. By planning your holiday together as a family, it will help your children feel involved and get them excited for new adventures. If it’s your first family holiday with very young children, then look at staying closer to home and taking a car or take short haul flights to minimize disruption.

Before you travel, plan what you want to see, how to get there, and what there is to do, ensuring appropriate tickets are bought before you go, you have planned enough time and you have all the information you need. Also, if you have older children get them to help with research into what you can see and do whilst away.

When booking accommodation, keep in mind you will be wanting central locations in safe and quiet areas close to amenities if you’re staying in big cities. If you need more space, opt for apartments or suites, checking out reviews from visitors before you book. If you’re looking at resorts, make sure you book somewhere which caters for adults and children; many resorts and hotels also offer child minding, babysitting or kids clubs.

Travel

If you’re flying, make sure you book your seats in advance so you can all sit together, you can’t rely on getting seated together when you check in. Bring empty water bottles and fill them up in the airport after clearing security and pack your own snacks. This will not only save you money but if your child gets hungry before the cart comes round, you can stop a tantrum if you have their favourite snacks. You’ll also want to bring headphones that your child is comfortable with so they can watch TV; not all the free ones supplied are suitable for children.

If you’re taking the train, book seats with tables so you can all sit together and have more room to interact and play games. For train and car journeys, portable DVD players or tablets are great for entertainment. Again pack your own drinks and snack to save yourself money and ensure you have something you know your children like. You can make long car journeys more interesting by take plenty of breaks and planning these stops in places of interest to stop along the way.

When travelling with young children, pack their favorite toys, books or games and ensure you have fully charged mobile phones and tablets and you pack the chargers. If you have older children encourage them to keep a travel journal of your adventures. It’s great for family memories to treasure. If they have their own camera you can also get them to make a scrap book when they return of your adventures. Even for younger children it’s a good opportunity to teach them how to take pictures and, don’t worry, you’ll also be taking your own so you will have some to look back on.

Finances



Right when you book your trip, set a budget and stick to it. Keep some money aside for emergencies and also budget money that can be spent on souvenirs. By researching your destination before you travel, you can anticipate somewhat the cost of food, eating and drinking out and other costs so you can budget for that too.

When looking at places to visit, check for free days at museums and other tourist sites; check online for offers and vouchers for money off deals. You should also try to take public transport as it is cheaper than taxis. If they are available where you are you could opt for apps such as Uber or Lyft for cheaper taxis. In touristy cities use hop-off buses as these will take you to the sightseeing hotspots and can be bought with one day to a week pass for families.

With careful planning a successful and safe trip with all the family can be achieved.