Holidays are luxurious treats that allow us to escape the perils of everyday life, but for parents, holidays can often seem like more trouble than they’re worth. Something that is supposed to be relaxing can quickly turn into a nightmare.

If it’s your first time travelling with children, or if you’ve had a disaster experience that has sworn you off holidaying until your children grow up and move out, we understand why you might be reserved when it comes to booking a week away. We’ve all had terrible experiences and travelling with children is a learning curve for everyone involved, but we have picked up a few tips and tricks along the way that will hopefully ease the burden of taking your offspring away for a well-deserved break.

Safety First
Every parent’s worst nightmare is losing their child, but the harsh truth is that it’s easily done. Children don’t tend to like being restricted with harnesses, and mixed with a new environment that may well be crowded, it can be extremely easy for someone to get lost along the way. Designating a meeting point that is easy to see in case someone gets lost, or investing in a child locator are both solid methods of ensuring you know where your child is at all times.

Bargain
Don’t be afraid to ask for some sort of family discount; be it on accommodation, travel or dining. Most places offer family deals, even if they don’t shout about it. Travelling is expensive as it is, let alone with children. Haggling a discount, no matter how much, will help you out regardless. The worst they can say is no, and as the old saying goes, if you don’t ask you don’t get.

Forward Thinking
Unlike adults, lazing around in the sun all day isn’t always a child’s idea of fun. They like excitement, and holiday parks can only provide so much fun before they get boring. Having a look online at nearby attractions that are suitable for your child and booking tickets in advance is a good way to get organised and keep little ones entertained. Planning in advance takes away the stress of scrambling around every morning trying to find something to do. Make a good schedule and include a variety of things for each day, for example, have a beach day, a theme park day, a hotel day, a zoo day, a shopping day etc.

Get Children Involved
Whether it’s packing or picking activities, affording children the freedom to get involved and help you prepare for your trip may reward you with better behaviour. Children love to be treated as adults, so giving them a little bit of responsibility will make them more inclined to be better behaved and less likely to throw tantrums. Let them pack a backpack or pick some clothes, but always double check exactly what they’ve done because you may find they’ll be complaining that they’re too hot when you arrive in a sunny country and all they’ve packed is snow suits.

There are so many products out there for you to choose from when it comes to going on holiday with little ones, many of which are labelled as ‘must-haves’. Most of these items aren’t actually necessary, but we’ve handpicked a few that we definitely deem as must-haves.

1. Lightweight buggy – if your child is at an age where walking a considerable distance will tire them out, or if they still need naps during the day, then investing in an all-terrain lightweight pushchair is essential.
2. Antihistamines – going on holiday can expose you to lots of different things that might not agree with you, especially if you’re going abroad. Carrying antihistamines wherever you go is always a safe bet.
3. Hooded towel – buying your child a hooded towel is great for those days spent by the pool. It will keep them warm and dry them off, but they will also look extra stylish.
4. Nightlight/blackout blind – a lot of children are afraid of the dark, and a change of environment can often play on their fears. Packing a small nightlight might prove to be a life saver on your holiday. On the opposite end of the spectrum, blocking out the sunlight is essential for most people – especially children – to get to sleep. Taking a small blackout blanket or travel blind will serve you well in these instances.
5. Tablet – probably the biggest issue parent’s face when thinking about going on holiday is how to occupy children when travelling. Toys are often bulky and take up lots of room, so investing in a cheap children’s tablet with games and television shows downloaded onto it is the best option. Tablets take up next to no room and will keep children entertained for hours.

If you’re thinking of going on holiday but are worried about the stress of it, or if you have never travelled with children before, these tips and must-haves should help to ease the burden and give you that all important break you deserve.

We would love to hear your travel tips and hacks for holidaying with little ones, so if you have any you would like to share then don’t hesitate to get in touch on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

At Early Learning Furniture we are experts in early years’ education resources including classroom furniture, school dining furniture and school play equipment. For more information about our products please contact us or call us on 01733 511121.

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