Traveling with a baby, despite the obvious upset which they go through, was actually much easier than traveling with small children between the ages of 2-5. In fact traveling with small kids, is a bit of nightmare which is only made better by the fact that at this age you can see them really absorbing what they are doing and the places that they are seeing, something which of course isn’t the case at a younger age.
There are some technical challenges of traveling with kids, and this is what I want to speak about today, sharing some tips on how to travel best with them, and with as little stress as possible.
Sleeping
Now I would never recommend the idea of depriving your kids of sleep, that would just be cruel, but smart management can ensure a very tired child just at the right time. If you are flying or overlanding then you have to start the prep a good couple of days before you go. A late night and an early morning may result in a slightly cranky child, but nothing more than that. If you plan it right, you can make sure that your child sleeps for the duration of the trip, which of course is absolute bliss. I must warn however, if this goes wrong then you end up with a tired child who can’t sleep, which is a fate worse than death, this game of Russian roulette is not always in your favor.
Eating
A couple of tips on eating here, always make sure that in the days leading up to the trip, that your kids are eating a sensible diet from reliable sources, a street food kebab is a surefire way to a plane journey filled with tears and diarrhea, so don’t take that chance. Another key point to remember is that food is energy and if you sugar load your kids before a flight or another type of journey then you are going to be in for a wild one. Kids with energy plus them being in a confined spaces not going to be good for anyone involved.
Involved
I have always tried to get the kids as involved as possible in the trip, and whilst this doesn’t really happen until the age of 4/5, it is well worth doing. It is so easy to do as other parents do in putting them in front of an iPad and letting them watch their favorite cartoons, but I prefer to only do that under emergency circumstances, preferring instead to try and get them on board with what we are doing. I loved talking to my kids about the plane, what all of the parts were, how it worked and how it took us up into the skies, showing them views of mountains as we soar above, and watching their faces light up.
These are the key tips which I have learned so far about traveling with kids, I will keep you all updated as I learn more.
