Travel Tips with Kids!!

Kids usually come with a lot of stuff!!

 

When travelling with kids some of this stuff is a must and sometimes you can get along just fine without all the stuff!

 

When travelling with kids that either can't walk or can't walk very far then you need to think about how they are going to get around and the types of touring that you will be doing on your vacation. Some things to consider are:

• Are you going to be on and off different forms of transport ie buses and train where you will need something that folds up quickly and isn't too bulky once folded?
• Are you staying somewhere that has lots of steps? We went to Venice and although there are bridges everywhere there are usually steps up to the bridges which make it a nightmare for prams or buggies.
• Is there a chance that it might get stolen ie when you have to leave it at rides (you would be better of taking a cheaper alternative)
• Are you taking your car seat on the plane? Airlines recommend that children under 40 pounds should properly restrained in a child seat system. You will then need to consider how you are logistically going to manage a buggy and a car seat up to the gate?

 

 

Some of my solutions to the above problems are:

•  If you need your system to be portable you could consider the Ergo Baby Carrier (pictured below). This carrier is fantastic because it is made out of material only. There are no rigid parts so when not in use it can be stuffed into a backpack. It can be used from newborn right up to age 4 (depending on the child's weight). It can be worn on the front, back or side. The baby or toddler can sleep in it without their head wobbling around (it has a privacy hood). You can nurse discreetly hands free whilst carrying your child hands free. This truly is a hand free carrier. Men are usually willing to wear it. My husband wore our son in it for our month long trip to Europe. He preferred to wear our 18 month old on the front but I found that he weighed less when he was born on the back (just like a backpack). We didn't need to take a stroller at all whilst using this. We visited Venice which has steps everywhere and not to mention all that water so this carrier was ideal. I fully endorse this carrier and am still using it with my 3 year old and will use it when we go to Disneyworld later in the year when he gets tired and doesn't want to walk anymore. There are plenty of other great carriers on the market and I urge you to consider them all but this one was created by a chiropractor so is ergonomically designed to be comfortable to wear for long periods of time without doing any harm to your posture. In fact it encourages better posture when worn correctly. An added bonus is that you can get a backpack that fits onto the carrier so that you can carry the child and all their stuff at the same time and still be hands free. Check out the link to the website on this blog.

• If you don't fancy carrying your child around then the next best option is an umbrella stroller. These are usually cheap and fold down like and umbrella. You can even get versions that recline (for the younger child who will nap in one). You can even buy one online and have it delivered to your destination if you don't think you will need it at the airport. These are also great for getting on and off transport as they aren't as bulky as a regular stoller when folded down. There are even one's that fit into a bag that you can wear as a backpack and are very lightweight such as the backpack stroller pictured below.

• My recommendation for a child under 40 pounds that has to have an airline approved safety restraint is the Cares Kids Fly Safe Harness. (Pictured below) This turns a regular airline seat into a five point safety harness. It takes up very minimal space in a carry on bag and is much better than just the lap belt alone. The only downside is that your child has to have their own seat. If you child is under two and you don't have to pay for a seat for them then you could take the chance that there will be an extra seat for them, otherwise you have to add the cost of an extra seat. I personally wouldn't pay for a seat when I didn't need to but then again I was happy to nurse my 18 month old on long haul flights across to Europe. My tip here would be to make a deal with your partner to take turns in eating cold meals as there is no way you can have your lap tray down and have a child on your lap at the same time, there just isn't room.

As for the rest of the stuff that kids need like highchairs and cots etc, most of this can be provided by your accommodation provider (usually at no extra charge if you scour the web for the best deals). If you eat out most places have high chairs. We also made do with a bed rail that folded flat in the bottom of our suitcase so our toddler could use a regular bed without fallling out.

Feel free to ask any questions about any other stuff that you think the kids may need. You can usually get travel versions of lots of things that will take up less space in your luggage.