If you have young children, there’s no need to have to wait until they’re older for you to all enjoy a family holiday together overseas. For the majority of parents with a young baby or toddlers, the idea of getting on a packed plane full of travellers wanting to get a few hours of rest before their holiday commences can be a nightmare. Tiredness, boredom, travel sickness and a lack of facilities can be a recipe for disaster when you travel abroad with little ones – but with some careful planning and lots of preparation, this doesn’t need to be the case. In fact, if you plan it right, travelling with your kids can be a fun, enjoyable experience for everyone.

Flight Time and Drive Time = Nap Time

Many parents are being savvy with flight and drive times, booking flights and driving during the hours that they know will coincide with a time of day when their toddler is asleep. Booking a late flight or driving during the night time so that you can travel when your toddler sleeps helps to make the whole experience less stressful, as you won’t need to deal with boredom or worrying about your baby disrupting other passengers if they start to cry or make loads of noise on a plane. Just remember that driving in the dark does require a lot of concentration, so it’s best to share the job.  If your partner hasn’t passed their test yet, encourage them to practice for their driving theory test on Toptests and get their practical lessons booked as soon as possible.

Kid-Friendly Destinations

Arriving at your dream holiday destination only to discover that they barely offer any facilities for visitors with children can be a parent’s worst nightmare. Even worse, turning up at the hotel or apartment that you’ve booked to discover that the area is teeming with young partygoers, hen groups and rowdy stag groups can be enough to make most parents want to turn around and get on the next plane home. When you book your accommodation, make sure that you spend a bit of time researching and checking the destination as well as the place you’re staying at to make sure that it’s family-friendly with loads of facilities for kids. It’s also a good idea to opt for places that have plenty of children’s activities in the area.

Safety First

When it comes to keeping your little ones safe on holiday, you can never be too careful. It’s far better to pack tons of sun cream and end up having to take some back home than not packing enough and your little one’s sensitive skin being burnt. When it comes to packing, sun safety should always be a priority – opt for long sleeved, loose clothing that covers little shoulders and legs for the best protection, and don’t forget a sun hat! It’s also a good idea to pack distinctive clothing to make your toddler stand out in a crowd – this way you’ll be able to identify them easily if they get lost at the airport or on the beach.

Taking kids abroad doesn’t have to be stressful!