Travel hacks for busy parents
Travelling with little people can be daunting. There’s no two ways about it – you’re worried they’re going to act up on the plane, in the airport and ask you ten thousand times how much longer it’s going to be…
But I find as long as you’re prepared (make a lovely list!) – you’ll all come through it unscathed and relatively sane. Here are a few of my top tips for travelling with children:
Snacks, snacks, and more snacks
Keep a bag of snacks handy for hungry little mouths – if your children are anything like mine, the minute they are even slightly bored they’ll be letting you know they’re hungry. It’s not easy to follow your regular schedule when you’re travelling – so pack your children’s favourite snacks and be prepared. I always try and balance it with healthy snacks and treats so they’re not overloaded with sugar.
Activities
Bring a plethora of entertainment goodies – mine love colouring, wordsearches, activity books, sticker books & small toys (I find it easier to keep these in a bag on the plane otherwise you’re bound to lose some under other passengers seats!)
Plan your stops
If you’re driving a long distance, try to plan your stops – if it’s a particularly long drive we will stop for lunch and to stretch our legs half way through – I try to tie this in with places we want to visit (when we visit North Wales driving from Cornwall we always stop at West Midlands Safari Park for a few hours and I find them much more content then for the remainder of the journey because they’ve had that break). We also try and tie in seeing new national trust places along our journey if we can. We’ve found some really beautiful places along our travels around the UK that we wouldn’t have otherwise seen.
Download content before you leave home
If your children have a device like a tablet or iPad, try to download movies and child-friendly apps directly to the device, for them to play with and watch during the journey. You might be able to pick up wi-fi in your next location but you might not – so it’s best to have back up!
Power Banks
Take a power bank (or two) for said devices with the appropriate charger – you don’t want to be running out of charge part way through a movie and in the middle of the flight.
Travel during sleep time
Look into flying overnight if you’re travelling long haul, and you might even all manage a bit of shut eye during the flight
Comforters
Lastly, don’t forget to bring your child’s comforters.. mine love a pillow and blanket for travelling, and both carry their own backpacks with their toys and books.
In summary – try and relax and have fun. Likelihood is your children will be so excited about going on holiday, and spending time together as a family that they’ll love the experience as much as you but if you’re stressing – they’ll pick up on it and it’s bound to affect their mood. Just keep in mind that routines will be out the window, and go with the flow! Travelling with children and seeing the world through their eyes can be pretty wonderful ❤️
If you’re a busy mum, or dad, and just can’t find the time to prepare for your travels, or maybe you even need some assistance planning your holiday in the first place – why don’t you check out our services page, or book a discovery call. We offer lifestyle support alongside our usual business support services and can take the stress out of your hands.
Let’s not forget the Grandparents! Check out this blog if you’re a grandparent navigating travel with your grandchildren!
