Traveling with kids defines, to a large extent, the destination you’re going to pick, the flights you’re going to take, and the accommodation you’re going to book. Planning a family travel trip with your little ones requires much more time and effort than travelling alone, with your other half, or with your friends.
However, showing your kid the world’s wonders is well worth the time and at the end of the day you’ll be happy about sharing this experience with your family’s younger members. All you need is good planning and a little bit of patience.
Wait, before going on holidays we have a little tip for you: already have the most important travel apps? No?! Check out the list of the best travel apps!
Picking the Right Family Travel Destination
Choosing the right destination for family travel is both easy and difficult. You’ll find dozens of long lists online with kid-friendly countries but that doesn’t necessarily mean you can just book your tickets.
You have to think of the distance between your home country and the destination, the weather in the period you’re planning to travel, and the kid-friendly activities this country has to offer.
Looking for something entertaining AND cheap in Europe? We found out that Bulgaria, the Canary Islands, and Croatia are options. What else is on our list? Check out our article about the most affordable european destinations for the whole family.
Avoid Long Flights
While you’d like to travel from one hemisphere to another, if you’re bringing your kids along you’ll have to give it a second thought. Being on a plane with a toddler for more than even three or four hours will feel like torture for both of you.
The same goes for flights that have a long layover. The ticket price might be lower but spending 6 or 7 hours in the airport or roaming around the stopover city with your kids involves a set of challenges that you probably don’t want to experience before your holidays have even started.
Keep Kids Entertained
If you’re a culture buff planning to visit every museum during your trip, chances are you’ll hear “I am bored” more than once from your little ones. That means you’ll have to cross off a few historical sites from your family list and maintain a balance in your daily activities.
Find museums that feature a kids’ section and make a deal with your kids: exchange several hours in an exhibition with equal time in an amusement park.
If you’re planning a trip to Germany with your toddlers, we have good news: there are a lot of cool places to go. Moreover, you can visit adventurous museums, read it here.
Find the Perfect Accommodation
If you book a room in an all-inclusive hotel, finding the right accommodation and keeping the kids entertained is easy. If however, your budget doesn’t allow you to stay in a luxurious inn with playrooms, kids pools, and a 24/7 babysitting service you’ll have to search deeper for suitable accommodation.
Not every hotel is family-friendly nor every Airbnb has the required facilities for kids. Make sure to check the type of the room before booking your stay.
Check the Destination’s Weather Conditions
Extremely low or high temperatures might be manageable for adults but they may not be for kids. If you don’t want to spend your family holidays nursing the flu or sunstroke you should research before choosing your next destination country.
Pack a Fully Stocked First Aid Kit
When traveling abroad, it is rather likely that one or even several mishaps will happen. It may be food poisoning, getting the flu, or twisting an ankle. If you don’t want to try explaining in a foreign language what kind of medicine you need, consult your doctor on what kind of medicines you should bring along and bring a fully stocked first aid kit: painkillers, antiemetics, and antacid.
Create Invaluable Memories During Your Family Travel
Even though family trips might sometimes feel overwhelming, by the end of the trip you’ll know it was worth the while. Seeing your kids’ eyes widening in amazement and sharing your knowledge with them is a priceless experience.
Many people say that kids won’t remember their trips during childhood and while that might be true, it’s also not why traveling is good for kids. Growing up, kids might not recall the exact day the swam between exotic fish, ate a Thai dish, or reached the top of the Eiffel Tower but experiencing different things and creating memories with their parents will follow them their whole life.
To capture the awesome moments, it’s important to use your phone or camera! How can you make the best of the the endless pictures of your children? We have some ultimate tips for infant photography.
For all guys who need a little bit more support in travel photography, we have a really cool travel photography guide.
Gain Travel Experience
As with everything in life, the first couple of times you’ll travel along with the whole family will be the most difficult ones. It won’t take long though before both you and the kids understand what to do better on your next holidays. Eventually, your family travels will be nothing less than pure pleasure.
Family Travel Can Make Kids More Easy-going
Taking kids out of their home’s comfort zone can be beneficial in many ways. They learn how to adapt to challenging situations: new kinds of food, riding a crowded bus, or parting with their beloved cozy bed for a few days. Common travel experiences make kids more flexible.
It Boosts Love for Learning New Languages
Realizing from an early age that people around the world speak different languages will fuel kids’ interest in learning new languages. Plus, the younger a kid is the easier it is for them to learn languages.
History and Geography, a New Class
For most kids, learning geography and history is a chore. However, for kids that are frequently on the road geography isn’t just simply in books. They become eager to learn where the country they’re visiting is, why it has different buildings than their homeland, why people look different, and why they speak in another language.
They Become More Adventurous
Whether you’re traveling in a city filled with archeological sites or taking a trip to the country, kids’ imagination will run wild. They might not understand the importance of a monument built hundreds of years ago or recognize the wide variety of plants in a tropical forest, but they’ll become curious to learn more and their imagination will be ignited.
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