Top Tips when travelling with Children
Check Passports
Did you know that children’s passports are only valid for five years? Before booking your holiday, check the dates of all passports to make sure they are still in-date. Passports can take up to six weeks to be delivered, so bear this in mind when booking your holiday. Many countries even have a ‘six-month rule’, meaning you can’t travel to that destination if you only have six months left.
Book Ahead
Yes, when you were younger it might have been fun to book a flight to Europe at the last minute, but when it comes to travelling with kids, organisation is key. Book accommodation in advance and then confirm it closer to the time too. Winging it and turning up in a town without anywhere to stay with tired and hungry children is not something you want to try – believe me!
I will always email/call the hotel in advance to ask for any room specifications. For example, if you’re taking a pushchair on holiday, you might prefer a ground floor room if the hotel doesn’t have a lift. You never know, you might even bag yourself a better room in the process!
Book Travel Insurance
Once you’ve booked and paid for your holiday, purchase your Rush travel insurance straight away. Although we always hope nothing will go wrong in-between booking and travelling, you just never know. Booking your travel insurance early means that you can relax with the knowledge that if things do go wrong before or during your trip, you are covered.
Organise Currency and Credit Cards
Don’t buy your currency at the airport or wait to get it on arrival, as it’s likely that you’ll get less value for your money. Order travel money online or in-store, to give you one less thing to worry about.
Equally, it’s also a good idea to take a credit card with you on holiday for all those extra purchases. Don’t forget to let your bank know where you’re travelling to, so that they can approve any expenditure when you’re abroad without blocking your card.
Take Lots of Food
Whatever time of day you’re travelling, pack breakfast, lunch, snacks and more. It helps to stop boredom at the airport, in the car, or even when you arrive. My bag when we go on holiday is literally full of food! However, it’s worth remembering that you can’t take liquids through security, so be wary of any baby milk or juice pouches that you might be taking with you.
Fill Hand Luggage with New Goodies
I always pack some new card games, pens, notepads and books when holidaying with my children, but pack whatever works best for yours. I find something new and exciting helps a lot on the journey, and keeps them occupied so you can relax by the pool when you get there too! A great idea is to create a ‘plane bag’ for each child, that they’ll only get once they’re on-board. Explore the toy aisle to pick up some bargains before you go, and they’ll be amazed mid-air.
There’s only so much you can cram into your bag, so you could always find some new and exciting games to play. From word association and I Spy, to a variety of memory games, there are plenty of games you can play to keep little ones entertained.
Take a Tablet
Not the medical kind, the child’s favourite accessory kind! You might not always be a fan of the electronic babysitter but travelling with a tablet filled up with their favourite episodes of television programmes is a godsend. BBC iPlayer is fantastic for this as all the downloads are completely free.
If you’re travelling with younger children, you could also download the CBeebies App, so they can play all their favourite games too! Don’t forget to take headphones though, so they don’t disturb you or your fellow passengers.
Leave Plenty of Time for travel
Always factor in extra time when holidaying with children, in comparison to travelling alone or as a couple! So, if you usually leave for the airport an hour before you need to be there, give yourself and hour and 45 minutes. Children love to explore, need the toilet more often, and can quickly become stressed if you’re clearly anxious or in a rush. Whether you’re flying, driving or going on the train, leave yourself enough leeway for unexpected stops.
Throw out the Rule Book
Although I’m a fan of the rule book at home, I throw it out of the window when we’re on holiday. They stay up late, we sleep in, we eat lunch and dinner later and we don’t say no to much. Let the kids plan a fun-filled day of activities – you never know, it might be the best day of the holiday!
Most important of all relax and enjoy the trip.
