5 Tips To Successfully Travel With Children

Raising children is a beautiful experience they say and then travelling and a quest for exploring different places, is considered as one hell lot of an experience too.

So, let the kids take part in our wanderlust and add memories and value to our travels.

We all want to make our experiences not just social media worthy, but store them in a corner of our hearts and minds to pull them out as and when we need a dose of nostalgia.

Here are few tips to plan your travel with children.

1: First priority in my opinion is to on how to feed their minds.

Depending on their ages, remember to pick places keeping them in mind. The kind of activities they love is another indicator.

Assuming you have teenagers, make them responsible for choosing a place or two of their choices. Travelling, they say frees and feeds your mind. And you want your children to develop a well-rounded personality.

Travelling means a lot of time together. But it does not necessarily mean doing things together all the time. Aside from sharing meal times, fun and game together, you can all find individual experiences to enjoy and later share with each other.

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These days we all own smartphones, encourage them to document their own experiences via pictures. It will give parents a peek into their minds, imagination.

If one of your children is inclined towards writing, encourage them to write blogs.

Or buy them reading materials to help hone their skills. And this also keeps them occupied while on a bus, plane or train rides.

2: Being aware of regulations across borders lowers the stress levels.

There are few things that are not mandated, letter of consent is recommended for the child or children if travelling with only one parent. There was this one time when I was travelling with my son and was stopped by an official at the Pearson airport, Toronto.

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I explained we were heading to join my husband in the USA, who had left earlier that week to attend a meeting. I was sure we were going to be denied the exit, but we were allowed to board the plane.

This is one example. I am positive, there are rules (mandated or otherwise) each countries, counties, regions and airlines might be following.

3: Packing for the trip.

I love this part. It has a bit of everything, physical activity sure is, a lot of mental too, as it involves planning and organizing and emotional too. Try asking a teenager to not add XZY and see the reactions. Yes, you get the idea.

Stick to a check-list if possible.

There has to be a designated person responsible for all the travel documents.

Make children pack their travelling cases/backpacks. Giving them a list of the do’s and don’ts is a good support followed by you adding or deleting few things/items from their bag before taking off. They are going to hate you for this, but do it anyway.

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Give them reasons, say things like walking, trekking with some of the stuff might be challenging. If there are expensive items, teach them to value it rather.

Packing a few games or a collection of activities, not just computer ones for passing time on long flights, rides etc.

Medicines if any, remember to pack them and the prescriptions as well, either in a paper form or a virtual one.

Phone service providers have different travel plans to choose from. Make sure to have them before you start travelling.

I try and pack a few instant foodstuffs like cup noodles, cereal bars, candies, (our family does not mind sugar in our food), cheese and dehydrated fruits like apple, strawberry slices.

4: Leadership lessons

Yes, if you want your children to become independent well-developed individuals, give them responsibilities. Little things like asking for their help/opinion in planning activities. I let my children take turns to choose the places we might dine in. They also choose different forms of entertainment for the family to enjoy collectively.

Remember, travelling as a family is also about getting a peek into things we miss on a daily basis while working, going to school, etc. Doing the routine stuff mechanically at home does that to most of us.

5: Safety and Health are priorities

Be prepared for upset stomachs and other travel ailments.

First-aid kit comes in handy and it should contain ointments for bruises, band aids, pain killers (age appropriate and regulated).

In case of emergencies like child/children getting lost, provide them with contact phone, maps, even identification. We always message copies of ids, contact etc. the moment we set out to our children while travelling, even if we are participating in activities together.

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Remember small details help a lot.

Charging phones, ipads, laptops is a must.

Packing chargers is a good idea. Malls and few transits have station/spots for charging.

Travelling is all about experiences and at the same time getting a feel of home away from home.