Travelling with kids can be a wonderful and rewarding experience. Introducing them to new countries and cultures is an amazing thing to see, and you can create lifelong memories together.
However, it is also isn’t the easiest experience in the world.
We have plenty of blogs on what to do when you are travelling with children, but it is also very important to remind ourselves what not to do when travelling with our kids.
We’ve all been there, we’ve all made the mistakes.
Avoid making these same mistakes yourself by avoiding these following 3 pitfalls.
Not Packing Enough Essentials and Spares
One thing you can be sure of when you are travelling with little ones is that accidents will happen. No matter how many spare socks, pants, vests and nappies you have packed already… You need more.
It isn’t easy to get things cleaned on holiday sometimes, and sometimes you are in the airport or car for a long period of time. You need spares of everything in the case of spillages, suncream incidents, toilet accidents and everything else that could happen.
If you expect a certain number of accidents will happen, double that figure, and then you will be on the way to being prepared for your trip.
Prepare for the worst, hope for the best.
Not Packing Snacks From Home
Children don’t always take to foreign cuisines and foods straight away, and we can’t really expect them to either.
One of the biggest mistakes you can make when travelling with a child is not bringing some of their own favourite snacks from home for them to eat while travelling.
There is no guarantee that you will get what you need or usually get while you are in a different city or country. And if you are going to a tourist spot, theme park or attraction, you will very often pay double the price for the same things you have sitting at home.
The best things to bring are small snacks that are packaged individually, have good expiration dates, and don’t need to be kept in the fridge. Bring some in your hand luggage or pockets for the travelling part of the holiday, to avoid the tantrums of hungry children, and pack some away in your main luggage for the duration of the trip.
This is something future you will thank past you for, big time.
Picking The Wrong Accommodation
A big mistake you can make while travelling as a family is not picking accomodation that is child friendly. It is sometimes tempting to book a hotel or apartment that you have stayed in before as a couple and loved, or somewhere that simply has the best price.
However, not checking if it is kid friendly in advance is a recipe for disaster.
Wherever you stay needs to have catering options for children, entertainment and play features for children, and the level of safety you need to bring your children.
Avoid party hotels, at all costs.
You need your children to sleep well, or everyone will have a nightmare holiday.
Another thing to consider is whether there will be a bath in the hotel room or not, especially if you have small children.
Check you’ll have everything you need to keep your children happy and healthy while you are there, and don’t get sucked in by good deals with false promises.