My tips to make travelling with young children easier

1. Choose you destination carefully. It seems like such a basic tip, but it is maybe the most overlooked one. Destinations that are appalling to you as a parent will most probably not be to your children. It is also crucial to not rely on what people say or what social media promotes. Your family is unique and that’s why, speaking to a Travel Counsellor about what you like to do in your spare time and places you enjoyed visiting in the past, are all relevant questions that can help you decide on the best fit for your family. We visited Bali, over the summer 2023 and I was told that it was a wonderful destination with children…. well I am not sure it was the “best fit” for my family. We very much like to explore and move around when we go somewhere, specially since my girls are now 7 and 8 and the long drive due to Bali’s traffic wasn’t the most pleasant part of our trip. Don’t get me wrong, we had a fabulous time.

So, speak to someone who understands your needs and likes and tailor your wishes with the reality of the destination you have in mind.

2. Be prepared with the food. Snacks is what comes in my mind first: have plenty of them if you are travelling to a destination which is quite exotic has you won’t necessarily find the things your kids like. If they are hungry, they will make your travel time difficult. I find snacks very useful when doing a lot of driving around, in airplanes, trains… Another point is to consider the food offering in the hotels you will stay but as well as in the country in general. Specially if you have a few nights in the same place: how many times can they have the same pasta dish? Will the hotel be flexible and accommodate small requests?

My last point is considering your journey timings. When we went to Sri Lanka, 2 years ago, our flight was landing in Colombo around 3 pm but I knew we would have at least 2 hours drive to our hotel near Sigiriya. We reached our hotel by 9pm as we got stuck in the city evening traffic. Luckily, I prepared a little picnic to have in the car…. I think my kids and husband never loved me as much as that day! There was nowhere decent on the way where could have stopped so definitely a 5 star moment for mummy.

3. Sticker books…the magic word!!! I am not big on-screen time and in some locations the internet is not even available, so I think activity books are the way to go, along with cards games. We also, ask them daily what they like the most and the least about the day and share our thoughts too. The girls also carry an empty notebook and draw and write about their days, like a little journal that they will, hopefully keep and enjoy reading when they are all grown up.

Take pictures and videos but also know when to drop your screen and just be present. You spent a lot of money for this time off….be in the moment??

4. Don’t neglect the essentials. Before packing, do your research: will I need mosquito repellent, sun protection (cream, hat, proper swimming costumes), goggles, water shoes, water toys, moisturizing cream, essential medicine, THERMOMETER… Make a list…. keep it safe in your phone for future trips and research the destination to know what you must bring!

5. Finally, involve your children BEFORE you even choose where to go. You can even involve them while choosing the destination as a family. A friend who has 4 teenagers, has all family members choose a destination and present it in front of the family one night. They each get one vote and at the end of the night, they know where they are heading next.

I also encourage you to share your research about the destination with your children before going: the capital of the country, the itinerary, the currency, the history, the language, how to say “thank you”….the more you involve them, the more they feel part of the trip. We have some little traditions that have built up over the years: we collect birds houses from everywhere we go, for our garden back in Dubai, so the girls enjoy searching for them wherever we go.