Whether you are going abroad, or staying in your home country, a family holiday can be the time to create amazing memories – but how do you make sure they’re all good ones?
Taking kids away from their routines can be challenging, and promises some difficult scenarios when you are away from home. But with a bit of planning, and preparation, the family holiday should go swimmingly. Here are out top tips to ensure your family has a perfect time away.
Leave Plenty of Time
With kids, everything will take a little longer when you’re travelling. Be sure to get to the airport early to leave room for error and in case things go wrong. Taking it slow is important when you’re travelling with kids, so make sure so there’s no need to rush, making the trip less stressful for all those involved.
Bring Snacks
This goes for when you are actually travelling to and from your destination, and for days out on your holiday. To make sure your kids enjoy themselves and allow you to do the same, make sure you always have some snacks on hand so you don’t have to deal with a hungry (and this usually means cranky) child.
Pre-Book
When travelling with kids, it’ll make things a lot easier if you pre-book as much as possible. When you arrive at your destination, you want to make sure you know exactly where you are staying as the kids probably won’t feel like wandering around after a long journey. Pre-booking activities and days out is also a sure way of knowing that the family will always be entertained and amused, making for a more enjoyable holiday.
Expect things to go wrong
It’s important to accept that when you’re travelling with kids, things will certainly go wrong, whether that be your child needing the toilet just before you need to catch a bus, or if they leave their toy on the backseat of a taxi. If you are ready for things like this to happen, it will be less stressful for you and your family when it happens and you are ready to problem-solve and move past it as quickly as possible.
Travel with Medicines
It’s easy for a family holiday to go wrong if a family member isn’t feeling well, particularly if they are a child. Be prepared, and make sure you pack basic medicines such as paracetamol, allergy medicines, settlers for bad stomachs and some medicines to help with motion sickness. All of these can be accessed over the counter and are very effective in managing symptoms.
Ask for child discounts
You’d be surprised at how much money you can save by simply asking for a child discount. Asking for discounts of transportation, private guides, tours, attraction entrance fees and restaurants is always worthwhile.
Keep track of your child
While this is obvious, it’s important enough to mention. Children are constantly wandering off, and when their curiosity gets the better of them, it may cause them to stray a little further from you than you realise. Always know where your children are and make this a priority. If you’re travelling with another parent or adult, it can be helpful to share duties, such as one of you watching the kids while the other buys tickets.
See Also: Camping Still The Best Family Getaway
