We love travelling and have already been on seven international trips with our two young children, including Dubai, America and Paris.
With a bit of know-how and preparation, travelling with your small children to another country needn’t be a hassle. In this article, we’ll give you a quick checklist of the items you need to consider bringing with you on your next travel with your kids.
Clothing essentials. If you’re planning to go on a short trip, one change of clothing for each person per day plus 2 extra shirts are generally enough. For long trips, bring around 5 plus 2 shirts and plan to do laundry while on the road. Dark colour wears and patterned clothes wear longer than whites. Plan to dress in layers when possible rather than bringing bulky sweaters. However, do bring a jacket for each person. If you plan to do a lot of walking, bring an extra pair of shoes.
Cosmetics and health kit. Bring a health kit for everyone with focus on the kid’s needs. It should include items like Tylenol, ipecac, nose drops, powdered Pedialyte, sunscreen, repellents, etc. Always double check expirations before going. Bring your cosmetics, glasses, extra contacts, toothpaste, plus prescription if applicable.
Baby Essentials. Bring 5 diapers per child daily. If you’re travelling for more than 5 days, bring 2-3 days’ worth of diapers, and buy more at your destination. Bring a full package of wipes as well. Bring a cheaper stroller as most airlines won’t pay damaged or gate checked strollers.
Of course, bring bottler with sterilizing bags, sippies if your kid prefers it, and a couple of your kid’s favourite snack foods.
Comfort items. A few toys for the hotel room should be enough since you probably won’t spend a lot of time staying in the hotel. Plus, you’ll have some toys when boarding the plane, so you don’t need much.
Three to five paperback children’s books are generally good enough if you have a story bedtime ritual. Don’t buy too many as you might end up buying a few new children’s book in your travels. Bring your children’s favourite blankets. This gives travelling kids a little extra security, reducing anxiety.
Your travel insurance. This is a no-brainer, especially since you’re travelling with kids in tow, and even more so if you’re dealing with allergies. Get yourself secured weeks leading to your flight date. If you’re worried about the cost, you can always get a free quote for cheap travel insurance online, so there’s really no reason not to obtain it. What’s great is that most travel insurance includes your children in the security, so speak with the provider to get the exact details of the coverage.
Here’s a quick packing guide to help as you prepare for the flight:
Medication
Toothbrush
Sunblock
Swimsuits
Camera and film or extra digital memory
Entertainment (CD’s, Videos, Audiobooks, Games)
Sun Hats
Snacks
Crayons and colouring books
Toys and activity books
Motion sickness pills
Tylenol
Sunglasses
Umbrella
Bottled water
Older children
If you’re travelling with older children aka teenagers, don’t forget to engage and involve them.
The best way to avoid a sulk from your teenager is to include them in the preparation of the holiday and request for their input on what they’d want to do. You might be amazed to hear it’s not spending all day playing games or going on the internet.
That’s it! So, where are you planning to go with your family this coming holiday season? Share it with us!
*This is a collaborative post with Chubb Travel Insurance
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