How to Travel with Kids
Travel can be an enriching and enlightening experience for children of all ages. In fact, it is the best education. They get to learn about the new place and its food, culture and history. They also get to have a date with the nature and learn about the people around too. They do all this by having fun all the while. But traveling with kids can also be pretty overwhelming. Long hours on the road or flight, unfamiliar surroundings and unpredictable schedules make the kids clingy and cranky.
It’s true that traveling with kids for a vacation is not as easy and simple when compared to travel that is solo or with friends. But it is not all that difficult and in fact having them around makes for some great fun times, with some beautiful memories.
The most important thing that needs to be taken care of is the needs of the children. Yes, that’s right! If we pay attention to their needs which are actually 6Es, we are sorted, yes, even on a vacation.
1. Enthusiasm. Check. When we plan and talk about the forthcoming trip with excitement, it kind of rubs on the children too. After all nothing is as contagious as enthusiasm. Disinterested and uninvolved children can dampen the holiday cheer. Let them help in packing. I know, how much of a help that is, but still! The idea is that they too should be looking forward to the fun and exciting times. And half the battle is won.
2. Expectation Matching. Check. Going for a trek or a visit to a fort on a hill with toddlers can exhaust you physically and mentally. (Of course, such excursions are pretty do-able and manageable, if you plan well!) Going for a vacation and doing things that all in the family enjoy and love results in happy smiles all around.
3. Engage. Check. What do kids love the most? Playing games, obviously! Bored kids can be very cranky. So, how about taking their favourites along with you, like UNO cards or Beyblades or Chess or whatever interests them. For example, on one vacation with our friends, the kids played UNO and we too learnt it from them which graduated into marathon UNO sessions involving all the adults and children. Needless to say, who had fun beating whom… initially!!
4. Enjoyment Galore. Check. With our modern lifestyles, indoor culture and addiction to technological gadgets, our children are far more removed from nature than us. Vacations are perfect time to relax and let children be children and let them recapture the simple pleasures of dancing in the rain or climbing trees or playing with sand.
5. Explore. Check. Children are such curious creatures. They explore, question, and wonder, and look at everything with a different perspective. A trip to a museum was such an enlightening one, only because we had two ten-year olds with us. Their steady stream of questions made us read up and hire a guide and that was truly enriching.
6. Expect the Unexpected. Check. Not everything goes as per the plan always. There would be surprises and there would be surprises. Like once a child had a tummy upset, so we had to take frequent breaks during our road trip. While the parents took turns in taking care of the child, rest of us made the best of our time by capturing memories in our cameras and chatted with the villagers around and soaked in the beauty around.
Rumi said, travel brings power and love back into your life… and children pack it with more power and love along with fun and happiness and lots of magical moments and memories!
See the world, with your children. It’s more fantastic than any dream made or paid for in factories. So where are you heading these vacations?
How has been your travel with kids? Share some of your best and nightmarish travel memories with kids.
My theme for this year’s Blogging from A to Z April Challenge is Notes from the Road, which has my thoughts, views, experiences, tips, stories inspired by my years on the road.
April 12, 2018 1:53 am|
We love to travel with kids. (All the parties we host also include kids.)
April 12, 2018 9:02 pm|
That’s so sweet. Kids certainly add more fun and liveliness in any setting!
April 12, 2018 7:15 am|
I am yet to experience travelling with a child and I fear I maybe not very patient with them. I am just not used to being around kids!
K is for Artemis Fowl #atozchallenge
April 12, 2018 9:03 pm|
I understand that completely. Now that I have a teenage son, I have outgrown the kiddie phase and my patience with small kids is a little low too 😀
April 12, 2018 8:01 am|
I guess traveling with them to easy places, inexpensive ones initially will be great. And as they will grow up, the budget and distance both can increase. My mother recalls many times, I was the huge pain on trip when I was young and , after growing up like you have mentioned we used to carry lot of games, especially on train-journeys.
April 12, 2018 9:07 pm|
Yes, it makes sense to start with short and easy to manage trips. Once the child gets accustomed to travel (they are pretty adaptive), you can explore more.
April 12, 2018 8:13 am|
Traveling with children is very good for them because they learn so much in terms of knowledge and how to navigate the world. I always traveled a lot with my children also because I didn’t want to deprive myself of the experiences – hahaha.
April 12, 2018 9:08 pm|
Hahaha… yes, one should have all kinds of experiences and kids have the power to give you just that 😀
April 12, 2018 9:36 am|
Some great tips , Shilpa. Sharing this post with my Mommy friends.
April 12, 2018 9:08 pm|
Thanks a lot, Mayuri. Appreciate it! 🙂
April 12, 2018 10:03 am|
You forgot one very important point. Expect the unexpected. Children always want the things that are not in your bag. Be prepared for biscuits when you carry puri and a cough and cold when you have Aspirin!
April 12, 2018 9:09 pm|
Well said. Thanks for sharing that, Sunita!
April 12, 2018 10:06 am|
Excellent tips Shipla. Enthusiasm is certainly contagious:)
We used to play games like ‘I spy’ etc. on driving holidays when the children were tiny. It kept us all entertained and engaged (yes, other games or the radio had to be used at regular intervals to maintain sanity!)
Even now, as young adults, our children like to play word games like ‘contact’. It’s the best and fun way to make memories of being ‘together’.
J is for Jam
April 12, 2018 9:10 pm|
Oh yes, games are best to keep the kids engaged. We have had some fun times playing antakshari or dumb charades or names of countries etc. Thanks for sharing your experiences, Arti!
April 12, 2018 12:06 pm|
I started traveling with my son when he was 2.5 months old. Now he is a seasoned traveler. He is learning more from travel than school. We always make sure to tell him about the history of the place, the geography of the place and he has more practical knowledge than I had when I was his age. This is once again another great post from your treasure chest.
April 12, 2018 9:12 pm|
You are doing great with your son, Balaka. Instilling the love to explore and travel in a child is one the best gift you can give to your child.
Thanks Balaka for your kind words.
April 12, 2018 3:01 pm|
Forwarding this to my friends with kids 🙂
April 12, 2018 9:12 pm|
Thanks much, Damyanti 🙂
April 12, 2018 3:11 pm|
Since I have no plans of traveling with others’ kids (I have seen enough on planes), this post is of no use to me. But I’ll be sharing this post with friends of mine who are parents and looking to travel with their kids in tow.
Boy, it sure is not easy, isn’t it?
April 12, 2018 9:13 pm|
Thank you, Soumya.
Believe me, it isnt easy, especially with kids till the age-group of 5yrs 😀
April 12, 2018 4:27 pm|
Nice to read this post shilpa, yes I agree with all the 6E’s . I always loved to travel. I could not much with Emmanuel needed special attention hence, I had to choosy of the places we chose, some times I used to feel bad for my daughter for depriving her of the fun she deserved. .. its all past now but i am grateful to God that Dorothy has started enjoying travels, last year she made 3 trips – Delhi, Kerala and Coimbatore, two she was attending youth programmes and one for her study tour to kerala.
April 12, 2018 9:15 pm|
I can understand. Thanks so much for sharing your experiences and thoughts, Genevive. A big hug to you ♥
April 12, 2018 4:53 pm|
I liked the 6Es. I am sure this post will be of so much help to parents. Very well written, Shilpa. I am sharing it 🙂
April 12, 2018 9:17 pm|
Thanks a lot, Purba 🙂
April 12, 2018 5:49 pm|
Wanderlust bug bit my son and daughter quite early in life, courtesy us, parents!
I remember one such outing at Istanbul, where the younger one slept in the pram most of the time and the elder one happily roamed about the streets all through out the day, during the heritage walk. Whenever, he felt tired, we used to take a break. It was he who would bounce back first and insist on us to move on!
Travelling with kids, if planned well does turn out to be the best time together.
April 12, 2018 9:18 pm|
Aha! That’s so wonderful, Anagha. So happy that your kids enjoy travel. Great going!
April 12, 2018 6:07 pm|
Thanks a lot for this post Shilpa, what perfect timings. We are going on an extended weekend small trip and this is right checker before mom and dad step out with kiddo.
April 12, 2018 9:19 pm|
That’s awesome, Dipika. Have a great time traveling with your family. 🙂
April 12, 2018 6:18 pm|
Perfect post for parents planning their summer vacations! 🙂
April 12, 2018 9:20 pm|
Thanks Shilpa!
April 12, 2018 6:38 pm|
engage, enjoyment galore and expect the unexpected – those are the 3 key E’s in this one for me 🙂
April 12, 2018 9:26 pm|
Thanks Roshan, glad that this post resonates with you!
April 12, 2018 6:43 pm|
Traveling with kids needs proper planning. I have 5 years old son. He started traveling with us when he was only 6 months old. That time we always kept 1/2 days extra in our trip plan for his rest and to adjust to the new environment. Your tips are very useful for parents like us, who travel a lot with the small kids.
April 12, 2018 9:27 pm|
Aha! You started travel for your son pretty early and that’s so nice. Thanks Sayanti, glad you find this post informative and useful.
April 12, 2018 8:52 pm|
I am so very thankful the days of traveling with kids are over!
April 12, 2018 9:27 pm|
Aah! Me too 😀
April 12, 2018 8:54 pm|
This is a lovely article – I don’t have children, but travelled a LOT with my parents as a kid. It was such an amazing experience, and I think if there’s a chance, people should definitely do it 🙂
April 12, 2018 9:29 pm|
Yes, kids must get the exposure to travel from an young age. It really helps them learn and grow. Thanks Kim 🙂
April 12, 2018 9:42 pm|
Very cute post Shilpa. What I loved the most in the six E’s is enthusiasm. It gives the little ones so much of positivity.
April 12, 2018 9:51 pm|
Thanks Roma. Yes, Enthusiasm is key to make a trip happy and enjoyable one!!
April 12, 2018 11:33 pm|
I also wrote a similar post some time back. I love travelling and make sure my kids enjoy and explore the places around. These are great tips for parents.
April 12, 2018 11:35 pm|
Oh that’s wonderful. Will check out your post, Deepa. Thanks 🙂
April 13, 2018 12:15 am|
All great points, Shilpa! I love traveling with kids–no matter what happens they’re always so enthusiastic and fun. Moreover, we get to see things through their eyes and that’s a refreshing perspective!
April 14, 2018 10:53 pm|
Oh yes, travel with kids (grown-ups 😉 )is fun and exciting 😀
April 13, 2018 9:41 am|
I am just back from my first trip with both my kids. It was a first with only me and my husband with both the boys. I think setting the expectations right is the key. Like on the second day we had to trim our sight seeing list because my elder one kept complaining of stomach ache. While it was hunger, he could not point it out and we had to rush back to the hotel.
April 14, 2018 11:01 pm|
Yes, setting clear expectations especially with small kids around is a great way to ensure a happy and hassle free holiday. Glad that you traveled with your boys, Anupriya and managed it well too 🙂
April 13, 2018 12:34 pm|
I feel the thing is.. the first few travels with kids is indeed tough.. The unexpected happens, and coping with it is quite a task. But the point is not to let go of travelling, children or no children, and soon they learn to adjust and cope up.
April 14, 2018 11:04 pm|
Believe me, children are superb at adapting. There might be hiccups initially, but it’s a smooth and enjoyable sailing after that!
April 13, 2018 1:26 pm|
we used to have all the board games during our travel shilpa. now travel has become rare since my son is doing his a levels.
April 14, 2018 11:07 pm|
Yes, we used to have ludo, chess, snakes and ladders and our own games of dumb charades, name-place-thing, raja-mantri-chor-sipahi etc. Such fun games, that made travel more fun.
All the best to your son for his A-levels and hope you get to travel more soon, Deepa!
February 18, 2020 7:35 am|
that’s such a well-written post I truly believe that trip with children is an adventure ride not just a trip. it has its pros and cons but it can be pretty amazing too. thanks for the tips
February 18, 2020 1:44 pm|
Travel is so important for families as a whole, it is the one time you can switch off from everyday life and get to enjoy each others company in new environments. it is very important that each childs needs and expectations are met, but also that they learn to share the needs and expectations of the others so that all experience something new
February 19, 2020 11:15 am|
I can’t wait for my baby to grow up and go on hikes with me. I agree, kids need to be enthusiastic too. It’s impossible to force a child to be cheery while doing something they don’t like, no matter what the parent feels. It’s a tricky situation to have all the items checked on a holiday. Love your pictures.
February 20, 2020 10:00 pm|
Thank you for these fantastic tips Shilpa – I found traveling with my kids really hard at first because they would really perform and since it is usually just me and the kids it can be quite trying. However over time and regular traveling it has become so much better since they know what to expect and I know how to plan better to keep them entertained. We make the most trips to my parents – every holiday we go visit and it is 350km each way. We make sure to bring some things to entertain them in the car and we make stops for food and to stretch our legs. I’ve also taught them each town we drive through and how to work out how much longer we need to drive and how long between each town. Thankfully my youngest likes to sleep most of the way which really helps and then my daughter and I chat.