The summer holidays have arrived! Some schools have already broken up for the school holidays and the rest have little more than a week to go. Summer often means getting out and about with your family so we thought these top travel tips for tots to teens might be useful.
Plan and Plan Some More
It doesn’t matter if you are travelling abroad or two hours down the motorway to visit family, you need to have plan A and B firmly in place because travelling with children is anything but predictable. Make sure that you know your route, that you have packed for all eventualities (i.e. snacks and drinks if you break down/your flight is delayed) and have plenty to keep everyone occupied.
It doesn’t matter if you are travelling abroad or two hours down the motorway to visit family, you need to have plan A and B firmly in place because travelling with children is anything but predictable. Make sure that you know your route, that you have packed for all eventualities (i.e. snacks and drinks if you break down/your flight is delayed) and have plenty to keep everyone occupied.
Set off at a time that will cause the least angst for little travellers and those who are easily bored, as well keeping an eye on the travel news in advance to avoid unexpected delays due to accidents or roadworks.
A Pushchair
At home your little one might be more than happy toddling around on their own two feet. If, however you are going somewhere unfamiliar, are going to be exploring new areas and spending all day away from your base, a cheap and cheerful stroller which folds up might be a good thing to have around. This is a particularly good idea if your little one has only recently stopped using their pushchair/stroller full-time.
At home your little one might be more than happy toddling around on their own two feet. If, however you are going somewhere unfamiliar, are going to be exploring new areas and spending all day away from your base, a cheap and cheerful stroller which folds up might be a good thing to have around. This is a particularly good idea if your little one has only recently stopped using their pushchair/stroller full-time.
Food Concerns
If you are a parent of a child with any kind of food allergy or intolerance you’ll already appreciate the importance, and often the difficulty of eating away/away from home. Speak to your accommodation in advance in the same way you would mention the difficulty to the family. Communication and understanding is key. It pays to travel with some food stuffs that are completely safe for your young one, in case you are held up/are struggling to find something that suits their dietary requirements.
If you are a parent of a child with any kind of food allergy or intolerance you’ll already appreciate the importance, and often the difficulty of eating away/away from home. Speak to your accommodation in advance in the same way you would mention the difficulty to the family. Communication and understanding is key. It pays to travel with some food stuffs that are completely safe for your young one, in case you are held up/are struggling to find something that suits their dietary requirements.
Keep Everyone Happy and Occupied
Travelling can be daunting for little ones and deadly dull (apparently) for the older children. Pack a variety of distractions and diversions, from in-car DVD players (ok in short bursts), fun travel games, new music, joke books, snacks and more. Making sure everyone has something to do to pass the time makes the journey much less stressful for everyone (and you’ll hear fewer instances of “are we nearly there yet”.
Travelling can be daunting for little ones and deadly dull (apparently) for the older children. Pack a variety of distractions and diversions, from in-car DVD players (ok in short bursts), fun travel games, new music, joke books, snacks and more. Making sure everyone has something to do to pass the time makes the journey much less stressful for everyone (and you’ll hear fewer instances of “are we nearly there yet”.
Let Children Document Their Summer Travels
Whether you spend the summer travelling around your local area, exploring new things and having adventures or are abroad for a time, scrapbooking can be a great way for children of all ages to capture those memories. Disposable cameras are fun for candid shots (although you still need to pay for film processing), while digital pics work brilliantly. Save tickets, receipts, brochures, pressed flowers and more.
The scrapbooking offers children an opportunity to use their imagination when putting things together, and you have proof for your child’s teacher when they tell them that all they did all summer was watch TV (trust us, it happens).
Whether you spend the summer travelling around your local area, exploring new things and having adventures or are abroad for a time, scrapbooking can be a great way for children of all ages to capture those memories. Disposable cameras are fun for candid shots (although you still need to pay for film processing), while digital pics work brilliantly. Save tickets, receipts, brochures, pressed flowers and more.
The scrapbooking offers children an opportunity to use their imagination when putting things together, and you have proof for your child’s teacher when they tell them that all they did all summer was watch TV (trust us, it happens).
What are your top tips for travelling with tots to teens?
