Travelling with children comes with a whole host of benefits for families. Beyond the sunshine and novelty of a new place, travel exposes kids to new cultures, languages, and traditions helping to foster curiosity and open-mindedness. And it’s also a fantastic opportunity to deepen your family bond, create lifelong memories, and enjoy real quality time.

However, traveling with children does come with one major stress point – keeping your children happy, comfortable and stress-free during flights, train rides, and long car drives. So, what family travel tips do you need to know to ensure you and your family arrive safe, happy and ready to enjoy your holiday?

Read our How to Travel with Children guide before you leave to make sure you know all the tips you need to keep you and your kids content on your next long trip together.

How to Travel with Children – Top 10 Travel Tips

Travelling with kids can be a rewarding and fun experience if you make sure to prepare and plan with plenty of time ahead. A rushed, unplanned journey is likely to result in extra stress. You will realise you’ve forgotten some travel essentials, are pressed for time, and haven’t considered how to keep your children entertained for hours on end. Here are the top 10 things for you to consider as your vacation dates approach.

1.      Research Your Accommodation Thoroughly

Before you book your accommodation, you need to make sure you have thoroughly researched the best local options for you and your family. Look for hotels and holiday homes that include family-friendly facilities and amenities. If you have younger children, make sure to check if cribs, high chairs, and child-proofed rooms are available.

Another key tip for how to travel with children is to ensure that there is plenty of space for them to play during your holiday downtimes.

2.      Schedule Your Holiday with Your Children in Mind

If you have been looking forward to visiting a dream location for a long time, then it’s natural to try to make sure you don’t waste a minute while you are there. However, packing your schedule with trips from attraction to attraction may not be a suitable approach for families on holiday.

One of the best family travel tips is also concerns being prepared to change your plans. Allow plenty of flexibility in case there are times when your children are tired or overstimulated.

3.      Plan Your Packing and Pack Smart

Start planning your packing with plenty of time and keep a list which you can add to as new travel essentials occur to you. Obviously, it’s always best (and cheaper) to pack light, but you need to make sure you have all the essentials.

Think about the activities you and your family will be enjoying each day and consider what clothes, toiletries, and accessories will be necessary. Packing items which can be used over several days can help you to cut down on luggage weight. If your hotel also has laundry facilities, you can use these to cut down on the amount of clothes you need to bring.

4.      Include Some Treats and Toys in Your Carry-On

Discovering how to travel with children also involves planning what you will do on your flight. The items you pack in your carry-on are going to be your arsenal for battling tantrums and tears while in the air. Make sure to include toys, books, water, and snacks to keep your children comfortable and engaged. You should also include some extra clothes, a small first aid kit, and any necessary medication.

5.      Plan Regular Routines During Your Holiday

Children tend to thrive when following regular routines. Obviously, if you are on holiday this can be difficult as you want to make the most of all the great attractions around you.

So, our top family travel tips include scheduling regular meals and sleep times while away. These will help your children to feel comfortable and cut down on tantrums caused by hunger or tiredness.

6.      Let Your Children Help Planning

Involving your children in the holiday planning process can help them to feel more empowered and engaged throughout the vacation. Talk them through the different places you can visit and ask for their suggestions. Creating an excitement about the location can help to make the journey there a little smoother.

7.      Prepare for Delays and Disruption

In an ideal world, we’d all arrive at the airport on time, hop on our flight and arrive at our destination at the estimated arrival, ready to enjoy the sun and sea. However, delays and disruption are an unfortunate reality for many travellers.

To avoid extra stress and tantrums, make sure to bring along some extra comfort items such as teddies and blankets. Helpful family travel tips to think about include packing some additional snacks, books, and other entertainment options.

8.      Safety and Identity Precautions

Make sure that you keep your children close to you in crowded places and talk to them ahead of time about how important this is. You should also invest in some identification bracelets for your children to wear detailing your contact information and the hotel where you will be staying.

Another key part of how to travel with children is to teach your older children about what they should do if separated from the family.

9.      Keep Your Children Entertained

Your family vacation should include time for parents to relax, and it is only natural to want some quiet time on the beach or poolside. So, another of our top travel tips is to make sure the kids are entertained during these periods. Bring colouring books, downloaded movies, and travel games. (Make sure you bring enough toys so that your children don’t get bored and frustrated.)

10.    Stay Flexible Throughout Your Trip

When you travel with children, you should expect unpredictability and some unexpected events. Your reaction to this will influence the moods of your children and how the family as a whole enjoy the trip.

Commit to remaining calm and flexible no matter what the vacation gods throw your way. Be prepared to adapt and make new plans to ensure you and your family thrive in the sunshine no matter what!

Conclusion: How to Travel with Children – Top 10 Travel Tips

If you follow our family travel tips above, you will increase your chances of enjoying a fun and stress-free experience for you and your kids. Planning ahead, preparing for unexpected events, and remaining flexible will help you to stay in control, calm, and able to enjoy the unique bonding experience that family travel offers.