“I want to travel, but I have a child.”
Have you ever said that statement? If you are a parent of young kids, you might choose to stay at home instead of traveling. But did you know that traveling with kids need not scare any parent or grandparent?
As long as you are equipped with the things you need for traveling with a baby or toddler, you can go to any place you want. So, what do you need to travel with a kid? Check out the things you need to know when traveling with kids.
Benefits of traveling with kids
Many couples stop traveling once they have kids. And while some resume months after giving birth, others might be too afraid to venture again bringing their noisy toddlers with them. But did you know there are many benefits of traveling with kids?
Besides learning about the different cultures of other countries, there are many benefits of family road trips (and even plane trips). Here are some of them:
Priority lanes
You do not have to worry about that long line because you can get a fast pass when you bring your children along with you. One of the perks of having young children is that you can save time lining up and getting priority treatment you could not have when you travel only with your partner.
Meet new friends
Children love playing, and they enjoy other people’s company too. Our toddler would smile at people from across the table. And more often, the people would smile back at him.
Some other people are friendly enough to talk about their children, and you can share stories with them. In an instant, you found a new friend!
Freebies
Some restaurant owners provide small toys for children while customers are waiting for orders to arrive. If you are lucky, you get a free dessert when you have children. And even luckier are those parents whose children are not fans of sweet treats.
Never boring
You have to admit it, your life became very exciting after having kids around. Children always find ways on how to make us parents laugh, cry, and many other emotions to feel.
One of the reasons why you should bring your kids to travel is for you not to get bored. Kids always make their parents either jump with joy or want to jump out of the car. Nevertheless, we love every bit of them.
Relax trip
If you want to have a relaxing trip, traveling with kids is the way to go! No kidding! You can slow down and see the beauty of places and people when you bring your children because they take a while finishing their meals or watching the scenery.
While you plan a jam-packed itinerary as a couple, you should schedule only one or two places to visit a day when you have kids. But what matters is that you are enjoying your trip, right?
Tips and tricks for traveling with kids
We love bringing our kids to places for them to learn and enjoy. Knowing what to pack for a child when traveling can help a lot for a stress-free journey. Here are some tips and tricks for traveling with kids.
Do it
We used to travel as a couple; it was easy because we adjust quickly to changes. However, now that we have a toddler, it is different because we have to consider our son’s needs.
He has to take a nap in the afternoon, so we have to ensure to have time for him to recharge. But it does not have to stop us from traveling. If you want to travel with your kids, you might think they are still too young to remember everything.
However, going to places with kids helps strengthen your bond and helps them appreciate the world. Plus, does it not make you feel happy to see their delightful little faces? Seeing how excited and joyful my son is always makes us want to bring him on adventures even if we have to prepare more than we normally would traveling as a couple.
Manage your expectations
One of the best tips when traveling with a small child (or even a big child) is by managing your expectations as parents. If you and your partner both love going to the museum or libraries, you might have to exclude them this time now that you have children.
When traveling with kids, it is better to avoid going to places that might not interest them. You save yourself from hearing whines when you go with your kids to places that will excite them.
Why not add the zoo or theme parks to your itinerary? How about visiting the gardens and the wildlife? Knowing what your children likes can help you decide which places to go. You can always go back to your favorite places when your kids are all grown-ups.
Plan your trip with children in mind
Bringing children on travels means that you have to consider what they need. Ensure that you pack what you think your children might need. Is your child allergic to a specific food? Bring her antihistamine.
Does your child sleep with her favorite blanket? Make sure to pack it in your luggage. How about if your kid always has to take naps throughout the day? It would be helpful to pack a stroller so you do not have to carry her the whole day.
Being prepared for what might happen is one way to travel with kids without getting stressed. Keep a note about the essentials, so you can have a blast when going to places with your children.
Talk to your kids about the trip
It is helpful when your children know what they would expect when you go travel with them. For example, when you air travel with kids, they might get excited to view the scenery on window seats.
You can also start telling stories about the places you will go. It is one great way to teach them about the different cultures and practices of other countries you will visit. Traveling is one of the best ways for your children to see the beautiful nature not found at home.
Don’t bring everything you could
Sometimes we are tempted to bring everything we might need specially when traveling with kids. We might be afraid of not bringing enough when in reality, we only need to bring as little as we can.
You know how to travel light before having kids. But now that you are more than two, you might bring too much, so you can meet your kid’s needs. Learning how to pack light can make it easier for you to move around.
Bring some favorite toys
One effective tip when traveling with toddlers is to bring some toys, especially for long road trips. Knowing what your child is currently fond of playing with can save you from a lot of stress.
Make sure to bring toys that are useful for your child’s age because some toys are age-specific. Clays are not safe to let kids who put things in their mouth play. Older kids will just get bored playing with stacking rings.
I buy some cheap toys so my child has something new to play with whenever we will travel. This way, I would not be bothered if the toy gets lost for whatever reason. As a plus, my toddler gets all excited over a new toy without me going bankrupt.
Be ready with snacks when traveling with kids
Every parent knows what to pack when traveling for an infant: and that is to bring milk. The same concept applies to toddlers and older kids. Bringing snacks is one great way to have peaceful travel.
Even adults get all cranky when hungry, so how can it be any different with toddlers, whose minds are not yet fully developed? Make sure that you have enough snacks when traveling with kids. Otherwise, you have to handle the tantrums of hangry kids.
The Takeaway
Traveling with kids is one way for children to learn a lot. Not only that, parents can experience a whole new adventure when they bring their children to see places. It might be scary to think about what mishaps may happen when young children are still very young.
But, it is a great experience riding on planes and boat rides with young children. And who knows, you might just find yourself booking that next getaway in no time! So, I hope this post has helped to push that traveling with kids dream you have been planning to do! Bon voyage!
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