7 Tips for Travelling with Kids

This is our first summer in 6 years I would describe as "adventurous". When I say "adventurous" I'm not talking Amazon rainforests. But I am talking multiple flights, road-trips and train journeys. Since my kids have been born, we have taken 50 plus flights with our 3 children. And I get asked often by people if my kids are really easy flyers, because of this. And let me tell you, even if you go on 100s of flights, children have their moments and their own personalities. My first child was relatively easy from the get-go, my second was not, and my third aka the "plane screamer" has given me a lot of travel anxiety, which I am only just getting over now. Through all of this experience, I've come to realise that travelling with kids is mainly all about two things: 1) damage control and 2) being prepared with the right things. Here is the list that helped me arrive at a place where I no longer dread travelling with my kids, and actually look forward to the process of travel.

1) Snacks, Snacks, Snacks

There is very little that a snack can't fix. And when you're a seasoned kids traveller, you'll come to realise that there are different "tiers" of snacks, and ALL are important for the travel journey. There are your healthy snacks - the ones you actually want your kids to consume, then there are the unhealthy snacks - the chips, cookies, the things you know you need to provide for a long journey, and then there are the bribe snacks - the things you don't keep at home, but wow they can help in a tough situation. We designed our 9-compartment Travel Snack Kit after all the experiences I had with my kids, and till today, it is the single product I will never travel without. Find it here: 9-Compartment Travel Snack Kit

2) Busy Bags

When it comes to entertaining kids, you're going to need plenty of resources. And it doesn't just stop at the flight. For every restaurant you're waiting around in, or every long car journey, it's always best to be prepared, and these go a long long why. I always pack a Busy Bag for each of my kids which includes play-dough, stickers, reading books, mess-free magic water books, snacks, plasters, colouring pencils, colouring books, travel games and so much more. There is even enough space for an Ipad if you need one. Find it here: Travel Busy Bag

3) Mess-Free Magic Water Book

This one is a particular favourite for smaller kids. Anything reusable AND mess-free is a double win, and we always travel with these. With 12 pages of reusable fun, it is a winner. Find it here: Reusable Magic Water Book

4) Travel Pouches

When travelling with kids I know there is a lot of STUFF, and in a sticky situation I need everything within easy grab-and-go access. This involves organising my items by type, and I have found keeping pouches for different uses goes a long-way. Particular helpful are the pouches for Travel (with all the passports, tickets etc), one for Medicines and one for Snacks. I also love to create my own for Wipes, Toys and Nappies. Find them here: Pouches

5) Reusable LCD Doodle Pad

One of the best things I have for my children is this reusable doodle pad. It works for all ages, and as your kids get older and start learning how to write, you can play endless word, maths and draing games with it, that you would not ordinarily think of. "Draw me something you can see out of the window beginning with B" - this game saved us on a 50 minute airport taxi ride home. Best of all, with siblings, they can play against each other which doubles the fun. Find it here: Reusable LCD Doodle Pad

6) Children's Travel Bag

After my children hit the age of 4, they started travelling with their own travel bag. And this was a game-changer. In it they housed all their snacks for the flight, all their activities and their pouches, and it really added so much to their experience of travel as they were excited about making their bag and felt empowered with it. Two days before we travel, my son will plan what's going in his Duffle, and he takes ownership of his belongings, which definitely increases his independence. Best of all, it easily slides on to a trolley bag. Find it here: Travel Duffle Bag. 

7) Extra Clothes

Whatever the age, ALWAYS carry at least one extra sweater, or an extra pair of clothing. Spillages are super easy as well as unexpected sickness. Having an extra pair of clothes will save lots of potential hassle. This also goes for anything you rely on such as nappies or baby milk, always carry extra in case of flight delays and potential flight cancellations. My golden travel rule is to ensure you have on you whatever you need for a full night stay.