Top tips for travelling with children

Whether you are holidaying abroad or in the UK, there is bound to be some element of travel involved. Having taken a few holidays with the SnugBoys, I thought I would put together my top tips for travelling with children.

The journey to your holiday destination, be it Florida or Farnborough, Barbados or Bognor, is likely to be fraught with excitement and nerves. To make it as stress-free as possible, it is best to keep the kids entertained. Whether they are babies, or older children, they will need relatively frequent breaks to relieve themselves and stretch their legs. Believe me, you will need these breaks too – if only to give you some fresh air, and clear your head! So make sure you factor in extra time for the journey.

If your children are still of an age where they nap, try to time the journey so that it coincides with nap-time. That way you get some peace on the journey too. If they are too old for naps, you can always try leaving super-early, and try to transfer them from bed to car without waking them.

If you are flying (or driving, for that matter), make sure you take plenty of entertainment for on board – books, toys and things to keep them occupied are essential. And keep it somewhere within easy reach – no-one wants to be rummaging in the bottom of their handluggage, looking for that elusive teddy.

Take snacks. You never know when you may be held up on a journey – delays are almost part of a holiday. Do your best boy scout impression and “be prepared”. Drinks and snacks are a must have.

Accidents and illness can happen when you are away, just as easily as at home (I should know, last year I broke my arm) so make sure you take a first aid kit. It may sound obvious, but it is easily overlooked, and you don’t want to be in your apartment in the middle of the night with a screaming child, no idea where the nearest chemist is, and suddenly need the Calpol!

There are companies who offer a service of sourcing everything you need for your baby on holiday and having it delivered to your holiday accommodation, such as Bebebel, which will save a fortune in extra baggage costs.  There are also specialised holiday firms who let properties that have all the larger baby items you need – stairgates, cots, bed guards, highchairs etc, that don’t usually come as standard. Try Tots to France, or Baby Friendly Boltholes.

Save room in the car, and hassle in the airport, by leaving the puschair at home and taking a sling instead – takes up a fraction of the room, baby gets to see the holiday sights instead of knees, and you don’t have to avoid all those must-see places because the buggy won’t go up the steps.

If you have any fabulous holiday travelling tips, we would love to hear them below…