For childless frequent travelers, we’re sure you all know the pain of being stuck next to a screaming young child throughout a plane, bus, or train ride. Yet, until you’ve had to deal with the child mentioned above yourself, you have no idea how painful traveling with children can be.
Everyone with children knows the struggle of just getting your kids out of the door, let alone onto a mode of transport – and we’d wager that most parents get more anxious from this than any other aspect of parenthood.
But when you’re well-versed in dealing with temper tantrums and judgment from other people (which is somewhat worse for some reason?), taking your little ones on holiday doesn’t have to be like the horror stories you’ve heard, and all your worries soon disappear.
According to experts, experiencing the world is beneficial for children as it can help with their development, so there’s no reason why unpredictable schedules, sour attitudes, and long packing lists should get in the way.
Therefore, we’ve created this article outlining tips for traveling with young children, from aligning travel time to nap time to booking far in advance! Keep reading to learn how to make your and your partner’s holiday (and lives!) easier.
Book As Far In Advance As You Can
Although nobody likes waiting for ages and ages for their upcoming holiday, booking far in advance can benefit those with younger children as they are more likely to qualify for savings and other early-bird options. Especially if you’re at the mercy of working around the school holidays when the prices of flights, accommodation, and other methods of transport might be susceptible to a price increase.
As well as getting better prices for your intended travel dates, those who book early can benefit from more availability options, better accommodation offers, better seats on transport, and much more. Even if it’s only a minute saving, you can put anything you’ve saved towards another activity, or higher quality accommodation/rental cars, which you wouldn’t have been able to do had you not booked way in advance!
Consider Other Travel Options
Traveling via plane isn’t the only way to go on holiday with your family; there are plenty of other transportation methods to consider, like by bus, subway, train, and much more. So, if you find that you cannot get flights or your day of travel, or if you’ve previously had a bad experience on a plane with your little ones – there are always alternative methods to consider.
For instance, if you’re planning to take your family on vacation somewhere inter-state, you could consider traveling via train instead of by plane. Unlike planes, trains are much more flexible since children can move around much more freely in the cabin, making for a much less stressful and more comfortable experience than flying.
If you want to enjoy a more luxury train line, then an Acela train could be the train for you. Covering the Northeast Corridor between Boston and Washington, DC, you can take your family to a few different destinations. This includes New York City and Washington DC, plus many more top family destinations. Using the Wanderu website or mobile app, potential travelers can search for Acela train routes, compare prices, book accommodation, and much more, all with the click of a button.
Avoid Overpacking
Everyone tends to overpack when going on vacation, as you’ll never know what you might need! However, parents are more guilty of falling into this overpacking trap since they are urged to bring everything their child (or children) uses at home.
Generally, this comes from the fear of not having something and your child falling out of a routine because of the item’s absence. Yet, going on vacation can knock your day-to-day home life, so trying to maintain all of them isn’t going to work!
Instead, pack as little as possible; if you need something you haven’t brought, you can always purchase it once you’ve reached your destination. On the other hand, you may discover that you didn’t need something that you would have usually packed – which can save you a lot of packing frustration (and a sore back from carrying everything!).
Be Honest With Your Children
To an extent, dealing with young children isn’t that dissimilar to dealing with the elderly. Yes, they might lack the energy that comes with youthfulness, but both demographics are keen to explore and like to be in the loop with everything.
Especially if your children are first-time travelers, you must fill them in every step of the way to avoid negative moods. So, sit your children down and tell them what to expect throughout the journey, from when you leave your house to when you touch down at your intended destination.
Once your children know what to expect from the trip, they are much less likely to ask you questions throughout it. Because let’s face it, there is nothing more annoying than a child hanging off your coat sleeve at border control shouting questions at you. Instead, they will be calmer, happier, and more likely to behave better, which is always a bonus!
Don’t Forget To Pack Snacks
A happy child makes for a happy parent, and we’ve never seen a child as happy as when they’re eating. Since your children are constantly growing and have heaps of energy, you will find that they will become hungry quicker than you and your partner, which is why it’s always handy to carry a few snacks in your travel bag with you.
Ideally, you should aim to give your child something to eat and drink every three to five hours, and perhaps even sooner during times of excitement (like when they’re going on holiday). Of course, they’ll likely be doing a lot more running about and burning excess energy.
Fortunately, whether you’re planning on taking an Acela train to your intended destination or a plane, you can bring food with you on these modes of transport so long as it’s in solid form. You never know when they’ll be a holdup. You could be in a position where you can’t find a drink or snack for your child – so ensure to stock up before leaving home!
