Many are planning on traveling with children this summer.
It doesn’t seem so long ago we were locked away behind closed doors, staring at the TV images of transportation hubs like New York JFK and La Guardia and tourist destinations such as Disney reduced to ghost towns.
Thankfully, those days are behind us and the world has returned to something close to normality. For many families, that means making up for lost time and getting away on vacation, or at least for a long weekend away with the kids.
Travel in 2022 is not so different from how it was in 2019. Here, we offer a few survival tips for those traveling with children.
Family Travel – Staying Safe
Keeping everyone safe is the number one priority when traveling, but especially when traveling with children. The necessary measures here will depend on the kind of travel you are doing – flying over to Oregon to visit grandparents is a little different from spending two weeks touring Venezuela – but then again, the kids are equally capable of getting lost wherever you take them.
At a minimum, it’s a good idea for everyone to wear an ID bracelet. There are also some useful safety apps you might consider when traveling with children. Sitata Travel Safe gives live info on any travel alerts as you move around. bSafe is a personal alarm that also sends your GPS coordinates and five minutes of audio/video to your nominated contact whenever you say the password.
Setting expectations for the children
Travel can be a scary prospect for little ones, especially if they are flying for the first time – or at least for the first time in three years, which for a five or six-year-old is tantamount to the same thing!
When traveling with children, as a general rule, children are much better at rolling with the bumps when they have an idea of what to expect. Talk to them about what will happen at the airport, including things like security and passport control. You could even practice by setting up your own pretend security checkpoint at home!
Involve the youngsters in decision-making, too, whether it’s choosing where to eat or perhaps deciding which tourist attractions to visit at your destination.
Traveling with Children – Staying sane on the plane
Ideally, try to make the first flight a relatively short one. Of course, that’s not always possible. If you are flying long haul with youngsters, you’ll need to have a few tricks up your sleeve. Some are measures you can take in advance. For example, if you can choose your seats, do so. Spending an extra few dollars on bulkhead seats is a fabulous investment.
Tech is obviously a popular distraction on a long haul flight, but a word to the wise – whatever the airline might promise, don’t rely on a reliable WiFi system. Pre-load their tablets with all the games and movies you can, and make sure you remember the headphones too – none of us want to be remembered as that family on the plane!
Finally, don’t underestimate the power of food. A clever trick is to order the kids’ meals in advance. That way, theirs will be brought out first, giving you time to get them sorted out before settling down for your own meal. Take a good selection of healthy snacks with you too – but avoid going too heavy on the sugar for obvious reasons and remember to keep everyone hydrated.
Take time to adjust
Jet lag takes its toll on everyone, but especially on youngsters. Don’t feel compelled to be a hero and dive head first into activities the moment you arrive at your destination. In fact, it’s generally a better idea to factor in a rest day when you arrive.
Relax, get to know your surroundings and maybe take a gentle walk then get an early night ready to start the vacation in earnest the next morning. That way, everyone, adults and children, will be able to really get the most out of the experience.
Allow extra time
The most common cause of travel stress is when you are racing against time. There’s nothing worse than joining the back of a seemingly endless line for security, knowing your flight is about to start boarding – only for someone to announce that they need the bathroom.
Everything takes twice as long as it really needs to when you are traveling with children. That’s a scientific fact, so plan accordingly. When you travel with Delux, the journey to the airport is all part of the fun and is an experience to be treasured, so it makes sense to allow at least an extra hour. There’s a wide choice of vehicles to suit any party size, so sit back and relax while we get you there in comfort. And remember, it’s far better to be waiting at the gate for a little while than to be getting in a panic at security.
Contact us or reserve a vehicle online to book your next trip!
