Make a Holiday with Young Children More Enjoyable with these Stress-Free Family Travel Tips
Travelling with young kids can be demanding, but you can enjoy a stress-free holiday with the right plans. Give the exercise enough time to ensure you pack everything you need and lay out the itinerary properly.
Here are some stress-free family travel tips on how to make a holiday with young kids more enjoyable and relaxing. In fact these simple tips can even be adapted should you decide to extend your family holiday and move to another country, in which case visas and immigration rules need to be added to your list.
Stress-Free Family Travel Tips #1 – Set Up a Budget for Your Trip
Planning your budget before you go is essential as it helps you anticipate what expenses you will have for your trip. The last thing you want is to rack up ridiculous debts on your credit cards. If it’s an all-inclusive holiday, then you just need to consider how much you need for snacks and sundries, and of course some shopping and souvenirs. If it’s a pay-as-you-go style holiday, you’ll need to budget more wisely. And as mentioned before, if you are considering an extended holiday with the view to moving somewhere new, ensure you have budgeted for immigration visas and have the finances associated with these.
Further Reading: Is There A ‘Right’ Age For Baby’s First Vacation?
Stress-Free Family Travel Tips #2 – Consider a Private Mode of Transport
It’s stressful to wait for a taxi, train or bus. With young kids in tow, it’s exhausting, and managing luggage is a tall order. Renting private transportation is an economical way to travel with kids as you get your car or shuttle to take you around at your convenience.
You can also carry as much or as little luggage as you want, have more freedom with your itinerary, and your kids will be comfortable. Check for motorhomes and campervans to hire in Ireland that meet your needs when on a camping trip with the entire family.
Further Reading: Planning a Family Road Trip? 5 Things to Consider Before Hitting the Road
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Stress-Free Family Travel Tips #3 – Decide Which Attractions to Visit
You don’t want to spend all day in queues, so decide what’s essential for your kids and you before you go. If possible, book events in advance and limit your days to one or two major activities.
Further Reading: 5 Top Checklist Tips – What to Pack for a Beach Day or Holiday
Stress-Free Family Travel Tips #4 – Visit The Attractions at Off-Peak Times
Some places have special deals and discounts if you go during non-peak hours, such as weekdays or early in the morning. If you can, take advantage of this. You’ll have more fun, better attention from the attendants and avoid overcrowding.
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Stress-Free Family Travel Tips #5 – Critically Look at The Accommodation Options
Travelling with kids means that you’re more concerned with their comfort, convenience, and safety. If you’re on a budget, make sure the accommodation your family will be staying in is kid-friendly.
When looking for hotels and resorts, look beyond the room rates and amenities and pay attention to features such as the beds’ comfort, cleanliness of bathrooms, space and, more importantly, how child-friendly the location is.
Consider going for a rental because they can offer more amenities than hotel rooms. The advantage of a rental or even aparthotel is that you have the option of preparing meals, and it’s usually much bigger so can happily accommodate the whole family with extra accessories from home to make your stay more fulfilling.
Going for rental accommodation is especially recommended if you are holidaying with the aspiration of moving country as it can give you a real sense of locality and the perfect way to check out local communities. You never know, with the right plans, visas and savings you could be exchanging those rental keys for ‘home sweet home’ keys!
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Further Reading: Holiday Checklist and Packing Tips for Travel with Small Kids
Stress-Free Family Travel Tips #6 – Have Enough Days for the Holiday
Having a few days means that you’ll squeeze in all the activities or not have enough time to enjoy each planned activity. Too many things to do will leave the children tired, cranky and more likely to throw tantrums.
Make sure your days are well planned out and that you have enough time for rest during the day. And don’t forget to budget in time for naps, as they’re a must for young children, especially on holiday. If possible, try to keep a mealtime and nap schedule close to the one you have at home.
As the days unfold, prioritise your child’s needs. When they’re tired and want to sleep more, skip some of the activities to enable them to re-energise. Also, consider the activities they love and involve them in making plans.
Further Reading: Parenthood: Planes, Trains and Automobiles – Tips for Travelling with a Toddler
Feature Photos by Point Blanq – CCO Licence
PIN: Holidays with Kids – 6 Stress-Free Family Travel Tips
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