We’ve just endured 20 hours of travelling with the kids, plus internal flights on top, so here’s what we’ve learned:
(It’s worth it, promise!)
1. Before booking check the airline and airport for their child policies and offers. Some airport lounges have soft play areas.
2. Check-in online: it should make the process quicker at the airport.
3. Take plenty of snacks and sometimes you can take kid/baby food and drink through security just check in advance but like me, they may make you taste it!
4. Rather than taking too many crayons and bits… take a sticker book for each kid and ask the airline if they have free kids packs.
5. Buggies/pushchairs: Most airlines I’ve been on will carry your pram for free. And some will provide them at the airport e.g. Emirates pushchairs in Dubai.
6. Download child-friendly apps and programmes. It’s a great and easy way to keep the kids entertained without using your mobile data when travelling far. Our favourites are CBeebies playtime and storytime plus the kids iplayer app. All free to download but do this in advance as it’s BBC so you can only download programmes etc in the UK.
7. Old school games/activities such as eye spy and Simon says… they don’t require battery power and can be fun for all the family. And you can get some magnetic board games too suitable for travel.
8. Have treats for different stages of the journey as an incentive to behave/sleep/share.
9. Travel packs: We loved these as kids and it’s a lot cheaper than buying things at the airport. I buy the girls new bags to take for the journey and i fill these with some of the above as well as new clothes to change into and travel size toiletries etc.
10. Keep Calm and breathe: It’s easy to get stressed when traveling in confined spaces with kids but everyone was a kid once. And more often than not fellow passengers will feel sympathetic. If they’re not, well screw them, you’re just doing your best as kids deserve to travel too. And remember your own children’s tantrums/tears/outbursts sound worse to you. I actually don’t mind other kids crying it’s just my own that hurts my ears.
Happy travels!
Please note the above are just my personal experiences of travelling with kids. It’s essential to check with your travel agent/air line/airport first.