If you are now wondering whether you should travel with kids or not, then the answer is that it depends on each parent’s opinions and conditions. But, for me, traveling is always an enlightening and eye-opening experience for children of all ages. They have a chance to explore a lot of new things behind what they have learnt from their parents and teachers. However, there are many couples who are still going to wait their kids get old enough or even think that travelling with children may also be an overwhelming task. Yes, they are not wrong because the long packing lists, unpredictable schedules, and even cranky kids are just a few of the challenges they can encounter along the way. That’s why we are here to help make your family trip with kids easier and more comfortable.
After all, you and your children should spend every moment enjoying your vacation as well as creating lifelong memories along the way, right?
Best tips for travel with kids
Looking forward to the upcoming family holiday, but want to ensure that younger members in your family will also have fun time? Thus, keep them engaged at any time. Based on how old your angels are, the specific strategies you use to help them enjoy a good time are different. After all, remember to do some research on kid-friendly activities in your travel destination before the trip. Of course, a little preparation will go a long way.
Infants
Is traveling with an infant possible? Of course, the answer is yes. It is surprising to know that babies in the newborn to the age of 2 are the easiest groups to travel with. Why? At this age range, you can take them anywhere and keep them close as much as possible. What they need is you – their beloved mom, instead of books, games or even playgrounds. The world, at that time, is still new and strange to them.
Tips: During you vacation, make sure to bring along your baby’s favorite toys and create a comfortable environment for them. Avoid keeping him/her strapped in a baby stroller all day. Instead, let’s give your infant an opportunity to see and experience how great the outside world is. Besides, there is no need to worry about the supplies as well because diapers and baby bottles can be found in the convenient stores all over the world.
Toddlers
Toddlers can bring you both exciting and busy moments as it is time when they begin to be curious about different sights and activities around them. Once you travel with kids like toddlers, they will amaze you by their willingness to meet new friends and embrace other cultures, regardless of the language barrier. They help you gain a more authentic and open-minded travel experience. As a bonus, taking a younger child, especially a baby and toddler, along for on a trip often does not cost any more than couples travel. While transportation fees are inexpensive when a child still sits in your lap, this also effectively works for accommodation, since an extra bed is not required. Furthermore, there is no need for parents to pay admission for their babies while visiting museums and theme parks. There are many great advantages, right?
Tips: When building your travel itinerary, it is better to let your toddles have much more time to release and refuel their energy.
School-Age Children
In my opinion, kids at 5 years of age and older is the best age to travel with. At that age range, they are capable of walking, talking, climbing and carrying their own luggage with ease. And travel is a perfect way to help them become more responsible for their own behavior, practice patience for longer periods of time, and realize that there is a huge world out there and they are just a tiny fish in a vast ocean. Moreover, it is also the best age to start exposing them to many different foods, cultures, languages, and even people.
Tips: The key to keeping the school-age children engaged and excited with a family trip is to get them involved in the planning. That means you should let your dear kids freely choose between several activities they are interested in, instead of giving them no direction whatever. For instance, if you are going to make a beach holiday, tell them if they love a half-day swimming relaxation or a fishing excursion. In addition, selecting the right guides also makes a huge contribution in keeping your child keen on where he/she is. Hence, once you’re researching tour packages and activities, spend time reading reviews from other guests to know which guides have engaged well with children in the past.
Tweens and Teenagers
If you travel with kids whose ages hit double-digits, then your family can enjoy the meaningful and unforgettable vacation because the children are ready to step outside of their comfort zone and willing to try new things. That age range is when they really make long-lasting memories that will linger on their mind during their lifetime.
While tweens and teenagers start becoming curious about cultural differences, travelling can help to widen their own knowledge about how the world works. For parents, it surely gives them a new way to bond with their kids so that the family can create an invaluable and cherishing memory together.
Tips: In order to enjoy a smooth trip, let them design one of two days of your travel itinerary, such as allowing them to feature landmarks they are interested in seeing or activities they are engaged in. Just listen to what they suggest and consider adding them to the plan.
So, what do you think?
After all, it is still your own opinion when it comes to the issue “Should you travel with kids?” And the post is simply my own view. But, I don’t want you to think that making a trip with little ones is a rosy path at all. Certainly, there are lots of the downsides while bringing kids with you, such as stressful, inconvenient, and busy. But, what I want to highlight is that it is quite worth a try. The unexpected joys from your children during a trip do outweigh any negatives.
