Family vacations are an important part of everyone’s childhood, so you’ll want to make sure your kids have as much fun as possible. But this is easier said than done. As a busy mom, you always have so many things to think about, but planning your upcoming getaway doesn’t have to be as stressful as you might think. Take a look at these top tips for going abroad with your children:
Family Travel Insurance
You don’t want to think about it, but accidents do happen. In the event that you or your child becomes ill or injured while on vacation, you’ll want to know that all costs are being taken care of. It might be tempting to skip the insurance, especially if all your other trips have gone off without a hitch, but it’s just not worth the risk. Take a look at insurance plans (see safetrip for example) before taking off.
Entertainment
Depending on where you’re going on holiday, there might be a long flight or car ride involved. Even if your travel time is only a couple of hours, don’t assume your kids will sleep all the way there. If anything, they’re likely to be wide awake and buzzing with excitement. So, if you want to avoid questions of “are we there yet?” five minutes into your journey, you’d best bring along some games. These don’t have to take up a lot of space, but an activity book, handheld console, or travel-friendly board game can keep kids occupied for at least a little while.
Bring Snacks
You and your partner might be looking forward to trying the local cuisine, but your kids might not share your views. If your little ones are picky eaters, make sure to bring along a couple of their favorite snacks to keep them going in between meals. While it’s important to encourage them to try new things, if they really don’t take to any new dishes, you may have to hunt down a few child-friendly restaurants that cater to tourists.
Stay Close
Kids love a bit of independence while on holiday and often strike up friendships with other families staying in the same resort. But don’t let your little ones stray too far or go off with strangers – even if they are the family staying next door. Sit by the side of the communal pool to keep an eye on them playing or try to have a group meal with the other guests your child has befriended. You don’t want your children getting lost in unfamiliar places, so offer to go with them to explore play areas.
Leave Extra Time
Whenever you’re going somewhere with kids, you have to factor in time for inevitable moods, tantrums, or lost socks. If you’re often rushing to get out of the house in the morning, leave even more time before your flight. The last thing you want is to miss the plane because your kids couldn’t find their favorite stuffed animal and refused to leave the house.