Travel Tips for Tots to Teens

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.

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.

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.

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”.

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).

What are your top tips for travelling with tots to teens?

Weddings with Children

We are well into the summer wedding season now and many of us will have one if not more invites pinned to the fridge or noticeboard. Of course these days weddings are not just a summer affair with many embracing autumn colours and winter fun as part of their nuptials. Whatever the time of year a wedding is you need to be extra prepared if taking the family along.

Travel

Unless the grand affair is very local the chances are you'll spend some time travelling. Depending on how far they have to go many parents choose to make a weekend of it and book accommodation rather than doing two long journeys in one day.

Either way there are things that you can do to make travelling with little ones easier. Our previous blog on travelling with little ones is packed with top tips. The main points however are to ensure that children have plenty to do when in the car, that they are comfortable and of course safe (have you read our piece on the latest child car seat regulations?).

Pack a range of different travel friendly games and toys

Eating

A large part of wedding celebrations are the food. Most venues cater for child portions and offer booster seats and/or highchairs however it would be wise to check this in advance. To help your "grown up" little ones to eat and drink along with everyone else don't forget to pack their drinking bottles and cutlery that is designed for their little hands. Bibs (and lots of wipes!) are a good idea too, especially when wearing special event clothing.

Keeping Little Ones Occupied

As fabulous as weddings are they can be long affairs and children do get easily bored. As well as packing toys and games for the journey to the venue don't forget to bring things along which will keep little hands busy and their attention held, especially during key times such as the speeches and the ceremony itself. Sticker books, colouring in and similar easy to carry items are perfect for keeping little ones happy while the grown ups are doing their thing. Packing each child a bag with books, toys and games, as well as snacks is a great way to ease boredom and keep junior attendees happy.

Sleeping

If you are staying over or expect very little ones to need a nap while there make sure that you bring something that smells of home or is familiar. Sleeping in a strange place may be hard for some younger children but a tedding bear or a favourite blanket makes it much easier.

Do you have any survival tips for attending weddings with little children or children? If so please do comment!