Kiddo Alert: 10 Tips on travelling with children

Travelling alone can be stressful enough for some. Add restless, impatient and messy little tots in your group and it’s a whole new ball game altogether. Which is why it is essential to take into consideration your child’s needs into your to-do list when travelling with them, as it’s a key factor to enjoying the entire trip.

The question is, how do you do that?

Well, it’s necessary to be in control at all times so that you can anticipate the hiccups that are bound to happen. We say it’s best to plan ahead before embarking on a holiday, so to start the ball rolling, scroll down for a list of tips we’ve put together. Now, rest assured because you’re on your way to a stress-free and relaxing time!

Pre-flight planning

While checking out the layout of your flight, start mapping out aisles, windows and think about where to place your kids. Do you want everyone seated in the same row or would you rather spread them out a little in case they get a little restless next to one another? Also, if you can, pick out in-flight meals that’s specially catered to children as they tend to include more kid-friendly options that come with toys and stickers.

Get your medication supplies ready

Kids are prone to anything during a vacation – one minute they can be running around and the next they’re ill. So to make life easier for you, assemble first aid supplies like sanitary wipes, thermometers, antiseptic creams to combat bug bites and pills for motion sickness. Head down to the nearest drugstore to get them in travel packs, convenient enough to just slip into your bag.

Involve your kids

It’s a family trip, so get your kids on board by involving them in the packing and planning stages. Get them to choose their favourite toy or book to pop in your suitcase. Also, if it’s within your budget, let your kids have a turn at choosing where to go and what they want to see, because if they’re not pleased, you wouldn’t have a great time too, right?

Plan activities

Apart from books and toys, you might want to consider including music CDs for your kids to sing along to or educational games as well. But keep it as a surprise until they get on the plane. In addition, physical activities are great stress relievers for the whole family, so once you’ve arrived at your destination after a long-haul flight, find a way for the little ones to blow off some steam. A walk on the beach, perhaps?

Think healthy, stay healthy

Everyone’s going to be in a better mood if you can moderate your sugar intake. Instead of having chocolates or sweets, pack snack-size portions of crackers, cheese – basically anything that’s not loaded with carbs. So unless you want overactive, unhealthy kids that are too much to handle, save those sugary snacks for an occasional treat.

Carry extras

If your luggage still has some space to spare after all that packing is done, we suggest you add on the extras for emergency purposes. Be it an extra set of clothes, sanitary wipes, snacks or even toys, you never know when each might come in handy.

Adapt your schedule to theirs

To reduce the likelihood of your kids throwing a tantrum, it’s best to travel on their schedule instead. This just means that you should factor in their sleeping times, as it’ll be so much easier to travel then – usually overnight. That being said, do keep in mind that you’ll be arriving at the destination exhausted while your kids are ready to go, but it may be your best option yet for a quiet drive or flight out of the country.

Take your time

Plan for a slower pace, whether it’s at the airport or sightseeing, especially if it’s your first vacation with your kids. If you want to see more than one place, be realistic about how much you can cover with your kids in tow. Make this trip as stress-free as you possibly can, and you’ll be better able to take the odd day indoors, if the weather is bad.

Use the public transport

Majority of the kids love the novelty of travelling by train, bus and boat, so travel around by public transport whenever possible. You could even use this as an educational activity – get your kids to remember the route back to your hotel or memorise the names of each train station and get them to point them out to you on your travel map.

Remember to hydrate

While toilet stops may be a nuisance, there are also the dangers of dehydration, especially if you’re travelling to a country where the climate is dry and your kids aren’t quite used to it. So rather than trying to go without water to avoid constant bathroom breaks, it’s best to let them sip as much as they want, in case they’re prone to heatstrokes.

Jinghui Lee