Traveling with babies, toddlers, kids, teenagers and adult children can be fun! In this article we give practical tips on traveling with kids. If you plan accordingly and have realistic expectations, you can travel the world with your brood. Here are some of our best family travel tips:
Think Ahead – If you are traveling with a baby, they aren’t going to have much of an opinion on where you go or what you do, so just make sure you bring the essentials, make your itineraries using common sense, and be prepared to deviate from
Tumore prostatico: la prognosi in base a stadio, grado e rischio
your plans if necessary. If you have a toddler or young child, consider their interests when making your plans.
From a very young age, our son loved navigating. Before we would travel to a new city, we would print out a copy of the subway lines and city maps for him to study. He loved coming up with routes and now, as an adult, it is one of his biggest contributions when traveling – he knows exactly which metro line to take, where to change trains, if it’s better to walk to a destination or catch the city tram.
Our daughter loves food, so we always make it a point to stop and try the city’s specialties with her. Some kids love traveling more than others and some have a hard time being in an unfamiliar surrounding, so just be practical. If your child doesn’t love museums, don’t plan a trip with multiple days spent walking through quiet collections. Instead, opt for something that you think they can handle and will actually enjoy. It makes the days better for everyone.
Flying – If you are traveling with a baby or a toddler, you will be allowed to board the plane early. If you have a partner with you, our advice is to have one adult board early with all of the gear while the other adult waits at the gate with the child(ren) and boards last. The first adult can get everything situated and the kids can board the plane closer to take off and reduce the time they have to be cooped up. If you have a child under two, they don’t technically need their own ticket, but if you can manage it, get them their own seat.
It can get very uncomfortable holding a baby or toddler on your lap for hours and hours. I have heard that you can request a bassinet from the airline (usually bulkhead seats have them). We tried many times when our daughter was an infant, but were never able to actually get one. If you can pull it off, I imagine it would be an awesome perk.
Museums – Many major museums have special scavenger hunts designed to keep kids interested while you take in the galleries. Check to see if this is an option at your intended destinations ahead of time. You can also look to book a private tour.
Some are even specially geared toward families. In our experience, even on tours not specifically tailored to children, the guides did a wonderful job keeping things interesting for everyone in our family. You can read more about private tours and other ways to simplify travel here.
Etiquette – Part of the fun of traveling is the planning and anticipation. If your kids are old enough, include them in coming up with your agenda. Make sure everyone has parts they are looking forward to. Also, read up on your destinations. Know the site-specific rules (enforced and implied) and follow them. You want to be a traveler, not a tourist, and small efforts go a long way.
Learn basic phrases in the country’s primary language and teach them to your kids. Use them as often as you can; you will find people greatly appreciate you trying, even if you don’t get it right. Be respectful of traditions and don’t expect other cultures to accommodate what you are used to. Embrace what is different – it is the whole point! If you show your kids that the unfamiliar is amazing, they are much more likely to feel the same way.
Parks and Pools – On one trip to the UK, we found ourselves with a day with no plans whatsoever. After a very full itinerary for the past week or so, we decided to declare it Kids’ Day and we let our 14 and 10 year olds come up with the agenda.
It was a fun, stress-free day for us all. When our kids were small, we always incorporated time spent in parks to every outing. For a while, they even kept a running list ranking their favorite parks around the world. If your hotel or vacation rental has a pool, take advantage of it and wear your kids out before a long flight home!
For baby and toddler gear recommendations, check out this article.
Rome is a wonderful family friendly destination. Check out our post on 7 Days in Rome for inspiration for your next family vacation.
Give your kids the gift of new destinations and experiences. Bringing the entire family on your next adventure will require some extra planning but your will be talking about that family vacation for the rest of your lives.
Enjoy the journey!
The Passporter