Travelling light has always been the secret to stress-free travel. Whether planning a trip to Bali’s sandy beaches, mountain climbing, skiing in the Alps, holidaying in beautiful Croatia, or enjoying exotic Marrakesh, learning a new culture; your travels become more enjoyable and less stressful once you remove or reduce the hassles of baggage.
What about a long trip with your children? Just the thought of it can be quite overwhelming, let alone actually planning it all out. It would seem, to most, that extra stress is just a part of travelling with children. We strongly believe that flying with kids shouldn’t be any less enjoyable for parents or guardians. It may seem like this is an unattainable goal, but with a bit of proper advanced planning, we can show you how.
The following tips will help guide you to plan your trip effectively and make it fun for everyone, including you.
Book Early Morning Flights
Early morning flights typically have fewer delays at take-off.. These flights also tend to have fewer passengers, and most passengers, including kids, are tired and want to catch a nap. This makes it ideal for parents. A greater chance of predictable, on-time take-off helps prevent bored and irritable kids waiting impatiently at the gate because of delays.
Be Flexible when choosing your Ticketing Arrangements
Travelling as a family group can be stressful for many reasons and booking seats together is often the start. How to ensure that the family stays together during the flight? The answer is to forget about that and book your tickets to be as flexible as possible. For example, if you are travelling as a family of five, try and book two seats in the same aisle and the other three in another aisle. Not only will this probably be a less expensive option, but it also allows you to separate children from each other if necessary.
The type of seat you choose will also have a great impact on your travel as a family. Think twice about booking basic economy seats as they may appear cheap but have a lot of disadvantages for families. One major downside is seat assignments are often done last minute in basic economy. Depending on the airline, this process can even end in passengers losing their seats due to overbooking. Do your best to book tickets that allow seat assignments where possible. Choose a seat that will allow easy movement to inflight amenities (i.e. bathrooms) because kids tend to use them more frequently.
Pack Adequately and Worry less about baggage limits
Parents should pack all the essentials not only for their children but for themselves as well. Packing for a holiday is a very important part of ensuring you have a comfortable and safe stay. Despite its importance to your vacation, excessive restrictions and fees by airlines make packing an incredibly stressful experience. There are ways to get around this stress. Many travellers are discovering that using our services at Luggage Delivery Company can be a budget-friendly and stress-reducing option. Before packing, draft a packing list first and let it be your guide to avoid forgetting anything important. Start with organising all travel documents and then prepare a list of the things your kids will need. Some even recommend separate lists for the plane ride and the travel destination. After packing, separate your carry-on luggage from the rest of the baggage to be shipped. Some important things to include in your carry-on luggage include:
- Travel documents and personal ID’s
- Wipes and sanitisers
- Plastic bags for trash as kids can be messy
- Comfort items as a neck cushion or a good number of pacifiers if you have a toddler
- Snacks that are low in sugar
- Colouring books and crayons and other small toys
- Charged tablets and smartphones (download of their favourite shows or games because wifi can be spotty when traveling)
- Headphones for adults and children
Reasons you should always take advantage of our Luggage Shipping Service
- Skip baggage check-in and claim at the airport and go straight to your accommodation
- Reduces the hassle of carrying your luggage through the airport to check-in.
- Without bags in tow, public transit may be a viable option for getting to and from the airport.
- Door-to-door delivery service means your luggage will be sent and arrive when you decide
- Luggage Delivery Company’s rates are often lower than checking bags witht the airlines
- Less stress, all around, means less time worrying and more time making travel memories with your family
Confirm the weather conditions of your destination
Look up the weather at your destination. Knowing the weather and climate conditions will guide the packing process. Also, this will help you decide what activities to plan and pack for. If the forecast is for rain, maybe don’t plan to hike and don’t pack those heavy boots. Conversely, a sunny trip means less need for bulky coats or winter gear.. Another important piece to be aware of is local medical facilities and pharmacies. This is important for all travellers but especially so in case anyone is on medication and might need a refill. If you are travelling with somebody with chronic conditions, pack their medical records to make treatment easier at your destination.
Have your Kids Help Pack their Bags
Getting your kids involved in the packing process will help get them in the travel mood. Depending on their age, they may also have strong feelings about what they want to wear and when. Giving them ownership over part of the packing will get them excited about all the things they will experience. It also helps drive home the idea that travelling is something to plan in advance and enjoy together as a family. Most importantly, getting kids excited about a trip makes it less difficult on the actual travel date.
Booking Attraction Tickets Before Travelling
If your itinerary involves visiting local attractions like museums, zoos, or national parks, you should make sure to do some research in advance. Does the site allow for the advance purchase of tickets or reservations? If so, you should consider booking early to ensure you don’t miss out. You can often get a discount for booking these attractions in advance. Booking in advance can also allow you to skip lines, which can be essential when travelling with kids who are easily bored. Some sites are only available by reservation so do your research to make sure you don’t miss anything you wish to see.
In addition to making bookings online yourself, your local accommodation may have discounts to area attractions. Contact your reserved hotel to find out what they recommend and what discounts they have available. . You can also find some attraction sites that welcome children under six for free and have a special package for large families. A bit of forward-thinking and advanced planning can make travelling with kids something to be enjoyed for everyone involved.
