Summer Travel Tips For Families

Families the length and breadth of the country are packing up and getting together. It’s a wonderful time of year – it strengthens inter-generational bonds and is a great way for grandparents to really get to know their grandchildren.

Travelling with small children can be a bit labour intensive, but with good preparation, it needn’t be difficult.

• Be extremely well organised
• All parenting/grandparenting is easier when you are well organised. Small children have a lower tolerance for discomfort, and aren’t afraid to tell you about it! When you have all eventualities covered, you’ll be told less often.
• Pack easily accessible, non-messy snacks, so that you can keep tummies from growling. It can be tempting to ‘grab something along the way,’ but it’s often hard to find what you want, when you want it, or in the form that suits everyone.
• Schedule regular toilet stops/nappy changes to avoid accidents
• Take your time – if you see a park or rest area on the roadside, stop and stretch everyone’s legs. Your trip may take longer, but isn’t getting there half the fun? Rest stops are great places for family photos, and will prevent bored, grumpy children.
• On days when you will be travelling, don’t schedule other activities that will create a rush. Always allow more time than you think to pack/travel with children.
• Never underestimate the power of food! A hungry little one can prove to be a disaster when traveling. You might think you can always pick up a bite en route, but it helps to have a backup, just in case. If, for some reason, you’re delayed, you’ll be thankful to have an emergency kid-friendly food stash!
• Whether you choose to entertain the junior members of the party with colouring pads, ipads or the classic kid-friendly toy cars and dolls, it’s key to bring fun items along when travelling to ban boredom at all costs!
• Remember the adults’ comfort. It’s easily to overlook the spare outfit/drink/snacks for children, but remember the eventualities for you too! Kids are sometimes travel sick, and sometimes spill their food or drink far and wide. It’s no fun in finishing your journey covered in something unpleasant.
• Don’t leave anything to chance. When traveling ‘en famille’, it’s vastly preferable to have every little logistical detail tied up. Book transport or transfers ahead. Know who is picking you up, book the tickets ahead – there’s no such thing as winging it with the kids in tow!
• Even when budget is an issue, remember to indulge occasionally to make life easier. Rather than negotiating a public transport system after a long journey, it might make sense to treat yourself and the family to a taxi, especially if you have a lot of luggage. Think about how much the ‘hassle factor’ is worth to you.
• Keep to the rules – on a long trip it helps to have the kids understand there are rules and they need to be adhered to. Explain the rules are there for everyone, including parents, such as waiting patiently for example. Share the plans with them and explain what is expected of them, and for how long.
• Take ‘time out’ for yourself every now and again. It’s fine to occasionally organise a babysitter, or plan an adults-only event. Kids are absolutely wonderful, but it’s your break too!