Travelling with kids. To many, it sounds like a nightmare – but very often, all it takes to get through it is a touch of preparation. In fact, plan effectively, and you could even enjoy your journey as a family. Why not follow our top tips to achieve just that?
Plan Ahead
Where exactly are you going with the kids? What’s the easiest, fastest way to get there? If you’re not sure, now’s the time to find out. As obvious as it sounds, planning ahead is important – and if you’ve got children, it’s crucial. Head to online parents’ forums, FAQ pages on travel websites and reach out to friends on social media to work out the best route for your family. The more time you have, the less stressful it’s likely to be.
Allow for plenty of journey time
For young children, it’s typically a good idea to leave plenty of time for travelling. As you’ll no doubt have learned yourself, small ones – particularly toddlers – often love to explore. So, rather than rushing them to move on, which could result in tantrums, why not just leave enough time to let them roam? That way, they’ll be able to enjoy the journey – and because they feel at ease, so, most likely, will you. Simply use this as opportunity to make the most of your time together as a family!
If possible, don’t book onto specific journeys
As a parent, you’ll likely know that kids aren’t always that punctual. With this in mind, you may want to buy anytime tickets if you’re travelling by train. In doing so, you’ll be able to set off without having to worry about arriving at the station for a particular time. With an anytime pass, you and the kids can just breeze onto the platform and catch the next available train.
Heading abroad by ferry, for example? Why don’t you take the stress out of your journey with a train from Chichester to Portsmouth Harbour? Frequent services throughout the country make it easy to reach the departure station, while on-train facilities allow you to reach the coast in style.
If you are flying, this can be particularly stressful with children. With SEND especially, this type of travel can feel somewhat inaccessible. If budget allows, you might even want to consider on-demand private charter flights from Jettly.
Keep them entertained
“I’m bored!” It’s a common complaint among children during a long car or train journey. But with a few tricks, you can prevent your kids from getting to that stage. And thanks to tech, you don’t have to lug heavy toys on board – you can easily find age-appropriate apps for your little ones to play on. Alternatively, you could always upload stories by their favourite author onto your phone or iPod. Introduce them to tales that they haven’t heard before to boost their interest in your choice of entertainment. This is bound to further reduce their chances of growing bored.
Pack the right snacks
It’s obviously vital to bring snacks on a family journey – but nobody wants their kids to leave a mess on the seat. So, how about investing in crumb-free food? We’re talking apple pieces, raw fruit and nut bars and dry cereal. If you’re wanting to keep clutter down to a complete minimum, we suggest bringing a healthy, substantial smoothie instead. You won’t just be helping to keep the train, car or bus tidy – with this rustle-free food, you can maintain peace and quiet, too.
Whether it’s a holiday or day out, family trips are meant to be fun – so, why should the journey to your destination be any different? Follow our top tips, and you’ll be able to stay relatively relaxed during your adventure.
*This is a collaborative post.
If you are looking for eco- friendly holiday tips check out this post.
Planning is key – making the most of our last few weeks before school starts again