Family Travel Tips for Going Abroad

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With lots of families jetting off to warmer climates for the first time this summer, you may be wondering how other families manage it. How do they get to the airport on time? How do they appear to be so calm amongst the travel delays and all the waiting around? How do they manage to fit in all the sightseeing and have a wonderful family holiday together? I often wonder the same but one thing I’ve learned over the last nine years of parenting is that nothing is ever as it seems. Here are some top tips for family travel abroad this year. 

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Top Tips for Family Travel 

As a parent, instinctively you want your family to have the best time on holiday. It’s a chance for everyone to unwind, enjoy the freedom of a new country and experience the culture of countries distant from home. But you’ll need to put in some graft before you go. I asked Original Travel for their top travel tips on how to make the best of your family holiday, before you go and whilst you’re there. 

Plan and Prepare 

Before you pack the suitcase, you’ll need to do some research as to where you are going. Are you looking for a hot, beach and pool kind of holiday or are you looking to book a car and explore the local sights? Make sure you check out the facilities of the hotel you’re booking or the amenities close to your accommodation. Make sure the location of your holiday destination suits your family’s needs. Popular destinations for family holidays are Greece, Portugal and Spain. The people are so friendly and as they rely on tourism and TEFL providers for language barriers, they always make sure families are well looked after.

Think about the whole family 

If you’ve got kids that span different age groups, the holiday needs to be chosen to suit the pace of the youngest child. There will be ways to appease the older ones throughout – whether that’s with an activity or free time in the evenings with a pocketful of local currency – but no-one wants to contend with an overtired, overwhelmed youngest. 

If you’ve got younger kids, don’t jampack the itinerary. Kids tire easily – and will tire you out too – so make sure you allow plenty of downtime and one key activity a day is enough. Embrace that slower pace by really getting under the skin of a destination.

The travel day 

On the day you’re travelling, pack a backpack for each child (or ask the children to help pack some of their favourite things). Include something to read, a pencil case and colouring book, their favourite teddy or comforter and make sure you have lots of activities to keep them busy. A new sticker book works wonders on the plane! Make sure you pack some ‘independent’ activities that the kids can do by themselves, so you don’t always have to join in. Audiobooks are a saviour and those magic water painting books can buy you 10 minutes or so. Travel can be such an educational experience, with children not even realising they’re learning so make the most of that. From the airport or train station, remind them it’s an adventure and watch their faces as they explore something new. 

Set boundaries and rules 

Set boundaries early on. You can scrap any kind of bedtime curfew, as long as everyone is up and ready to go by 9am in the morning. Screens are allowed only on journeys or at a certain time in the afternoon etc. If you’re holidaying with other families, agree with the other parents on joint rules. The last thing you want is to try and wrestle yours in bed at their usual bedtime only to discover their kids are being allowed to stay up until the early hours. 

Relax and enjoy! 

Holidays are the time for relaxing and taking a break. Take it in turns to watch the children to ensure you all have some time ‘off’. Even if it’s 30 minutes for a nap, some time in a book or even an early morning swim. Take some time for yourself, you deserve it!