With the holiday season fast approaching, we here at tiddlers & nippers thought it would be good timing to share some of our thoughts and tips on travelling with children!

Travelling with children isn’t easy, well let’s face it travelling in general can be challenging! So with little ones in tow, we here at t&n believe it pays to think ahead and to be organised to help the journey go as smoothly as possible so that you don’t arrive feeling stressed at the start of your holiday.

1.      If possible, choose flight times for when your little is due to nap so that (hopefully!) they drop off on board (this doesn’t always work for instance if there is a delay! But can work really well).

2.      Explain the journey in advance to get them excited about it / prepared for it.

3.      Consider buying bulky items like nappies once you arrive to save packing space.

4.      Have two bags for food, one for the wet stuff (drinks, yoghurts etc.) and one for the dry stuff, just in case a leak occurs! This way you can also use one for rubbish and one for containers you want to keep. Oh and remember plenty of wipes!

5.      Choose healthy but tasty snacks that are minimal mess (e.g. boxed raisins), and if you have two children make sure you have two packs of each item you have chosen to avoid fights!

6.      Get to the airport in plenty of time! Don’t underestimate how long it takes to unpack and re-pack bags through customs etc.

7.      If your little one isn’t walking yet, a sling / baby carrier can be really useful for the walk to and from the plane etc. even if you are taking your buggy. You also might want to consider a lightweight fold-flat stroller type push chair for your holiday rather than taking your normal everyday one to save wear and tear (this is where eBay / FB selling groups can be very handy!).

8.      A rucksack rather than a pull-along cabin bag is easier so that you can carry baby and the bag more easily.

9.      If your child has a dummy, this can be useful for them to suck on as the plane takes off / lands to help equalise their ears. Sweets for older kids can also do the same trick.

10.   Get a few new toys / books that they haven’t seen before so they are interested. They don’t have to be expensive ones, just new to peak their interest!

11.   Stickers are great for keeping kids entertained for a while! Get their favourite character sticker book for a few minutes of entertainment! 😊

12.   Travel with boiled water in the little one’s beakers as they will normally allow that through customs as opposed to tap water.

13.   Download some TV programmes onto your tech, even if you don’t usually allow it, it can be a useful last resort distraction, as can children’s apps.

14.   If you use bottles, travel steriliser bags and tablets can be useful instead of having to look for kettles / microwaves to sterilise when you get there.

15.   Always take more nappies for the journey than you think you will need….. 😊 Oh and a change of clothes for them!

16.   Take a small pillow, it will help them to snooze more comfortable and help your arm be more comfortable if they fall asleep on your lap.

17.   Get creative! Bring pencils and crayons (ones that won’t mark the seats!) and draw imaginary pictures of your destination and the things you will see.

18.   Walking around the plane is ok (if the seatbelt sign is off! 😊). This is a great distraction technique and can tire your little one out if they are walking themselves. Plus often people on the plane want to say hello, again a great distraction!

19.   Download a baby monitor app onto your phone so you don’t have to take a bulky monitor from home.

20.   Take a travel blackout blind, the ones that stick to the windows are best as they work on most size / shape windows to help keep any early waking at bay, especially if you are all in the same room.

21.   Have a separate washbag for the children to save having to rummage around in yours when you arrive and inevitably need something for them (nappy cream etc.). It also makes older kids feel ‘grown up’ to have their own.

22.   Spray on suntan lotions are much easier to apply and rub in! We like the ‘once a day’ ones.

23.   UV protective shades you can attach to prams can be really useful if you want your little one to nap whilst you are out and about.

24.   If you normally have a routine at home, consider breaking it for the duration of your holiday so that you can be more flexible to fit things in (for instance later bedtimes to enjoy family meals together, less healthy food etc. ). Also if you are travelling within Europe, consider keeping to UK times so that you can have later wake ups / bedtimes yet still stick to normal routine.

25.   And lastly, try not to stress! Most people are very understanding when it comes to children travelling. Most people either have children themselves or know a friend / family member with them. And if they aren’t understanding, don’t worry, once you are out of the airport you will probably never see them again anyway 😊

Happy holidays everyone, from us here at t&n!