Travelling with children can be a very stressful situation for both you and your kids. It is sometimes a lot more stressfull when you are going on a holiday, because they are very excited and tend to ask a million questions while you are trying to get to your destination. It is worth it when you do eventually arrive at your destination and can start relaxing and enjoying your holiday.
When it comes to going on a family holiday, one of the most important things to do is to pack with your kids in mind. Being prepared will reduce the stress levels very much. Let your children get involved with the packing as well. It will keep them occupied and make them feel important. Here are five very valuable tips for parents who are going to be travelling with their children.
Packing in the right toys
You will need to give this one a bit of thinking, because of the weight restrictions at airports. Pack in a variety of light toys and try to ration them out over the flight. Do not just get another toy when they become bored with the first one. Explain to them that it will be a long trip and they need to have toys for the entire time you are travelling. Older children are easier to entertain, especially if they have their MP3 player close by.
Do not go without travel insurance
Making sure that you have travel insurance before going on a holiday is one of the most important things to have. You never know when your luggage could go missing, you need to cancel your trip at short notice or if an accident happens. Opting for a family insurance package could save you loads of cash, as many insurers allow kids to go free. Make sure that you shop around for travel insurance before jumping at the first one that comes along.
Get the little ones involved with the packing
Let your children help you when it comes to deciding what to pack for the trip. Smaller children tend to throw tantrums and these can be avoided by letting them also choose a few items to take along. Older children want to feel as though they have some say in matters and will be very happy if you allow them to decide for themselves what they want to take and what they want to leave at home.
Only take the essentials
Even though it is good to be organized and well prepared, you should only take what you need for the first few days of your holiday. You can easily buy any items of clothing that you may need later on, and having light luggage will be a big plus point, especially when you have kids with you. You might even have to give up some of your own pacing space to make sure that the kids are well catered for and happy.
Let your kids have their own hand luggage
Get your little ones a backpack and teach them how to pack their favourite toys and books in there. Show them that they only have so much available space and let them choose their own toys to take with. They will feel very important walking around the airport with their own individual bags.
Pack snacks, snacks and more snacks
Having a hungry child confined to a small space is never a good thing. Pack some healthy snacks into their hand luggage so that they can grab something when they start to feel a bit hungry. Granola bars, nuts and fruit sticks are great and healthy snacks to pack in, especially for long trips.
