Things to remember when travelling with small kids

Things to remember when travelling with small kids By Karen Bleakley

My husband and I have always loved to travel. Before we had kids, we went off around the world for seven months. We spent three months island hopping in the South Pacific. We drove around New Zealand in a campervan. We explored the East and West coasts of Australia and the centre. We travelled around Thailand. And we finished with a holiday in the Maldives before heading back to real life again. It was spectacular. We returned home to the UK expecting twins. But even that didn’t stop our lust for travel as we went on to take trips with our babies after they arrived.

A few years later, and with three kids in tow, we moved our lives across the world to Australia on another adventure. Being in a new part of the world has reinforced our passion for travel even more. Our kids join us on our travels, and we wouldn’t want it any other way. These are some of the things we’ve learned:

Things to remember when travelling with small kids

Kids get tired easily.

We try not to plan in too many things in one day. Ideally, we just do one main thing and then take the day as it comes after that.

If we’re going to do something that involves the kids being pretty calm or quiet (like a museum or a boat tour) we try to do something energetic first to wear them out a bit. My three kids have so much energy, sometimes they just need the chance to run it off so they can find their inner calm.

We always build time into our itinerary to do nothing.

The days when we have no particular plans are often the best. Mini putt putt, parks, impromptu beach bbqs, hiring canoes or bikes – leaving space in your travel itinerary gives you the chance to take up unexpected opportunities.

Take treats everywhere.

Kids get bored and tired.  When they see you have lollies, sometimes they find energy they didn’t realise they had.

Have a small first aid kit to hand as you never know when you might need it.

I never leave the house without my little zip up kit in my handbag.

We try to eat dinner early.

Our kids can be a handful when they are tired and cranky, so if we’re planning on eating out we do it early. Also, our youngest has a habit of falling asleep at the dinner table if it has been a busy day, so eating out means she gets to enjoy her dinner and can crash afterwards instead of missing out.

Take audio books for long car journeys.

Our Roald Dahl collection comes out on every holiday and it keeps the kids (and us) entertained and laughing for hours.

We plan more short breaks.

When we were child-free we used to love long, lazy holidays. Now we have three whirlwinds, we don’t mind taking two or three-night trips.

Take lots of snacks and drinks.

Our kids get hungry all the time. Having a bag of snacks and drinks saves us stopping in cafes every half an hour to keep them well-fed and hydrated.

Take photos!

Tiny kids may not remember much about your adventures, but if you take lots of photos you can show them when they get older. Also, having some photos helps you remember it clearly too. Your kids will only be this age once – capture it.

Don’t listen to the negatives, just go for it!

There will always be people out there who view things negatively. People will tell you not to bother because it will be too hard to travel with kids…they say what is the point when your kids are so little that they won’t remember the trip…they say it is more fun to travel without kids. People give a lot of excuses about why they think you shouldn’t take kids on your travels.

I’m the first to agree that travelling with small people isn’t the same as your pre-children holidays.

Your trips will involve more planning, more gear and more stress. But travelling with kids also brings with it the most incredible rewards. You are helping to shape young minds by giving them access to one of the best learning experiences available. Travel has the power to change your life and open your mind in so many ways; imagine what it can do for your children.

About the Author

Karen Bleakley is the author of Don’t Panic! A Practical Guide to Twins, Triplets and More. She’s also the blogger behind the talesofatwinmum.com – a family, travel and lifestyle blog.

What advice do you have for travelling with small kids?