Tips for Tavelling with Kids
My family and I have had the pleasure of travelling to Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, and recently, Vietnam and Thailand together. Traveling with children is more unpredictable than without kids, and it seems there’s always something new to learn. Here are some tips on how to make the best of it, and reduce some of the initial stress.
- Set the proper expectations with your kids – This was crucial for us. I’m not sure if it helped, but during the weeks leading up to our departure for Southeast Asia, we kept telling our oldest (because our other child was an infant) about where we were going, how we were going to get there, and even demonstrated what it was like for a plane to fly through the air and how long it would take. Including all our connections we had 9 Flights, 2 ferry transfers, and more airport waiting than I can remember. We were anxious about how the kids would respond and didn’t want to leave it to chance, and I’m glad to report that it all went off without a hitch.
- Book everything before you go – Being spontaneous is great when you’re single or childfree, but kids can be unpredictable as it is. Make your travel itinerary as predictable as possible by having all your transportation and accommodations booked. If you have small kids and expect to be in the room all night you might want to make sure you have a nice room at a decent price, and that’s easier to accomplish before you get there. I would even go as far as booking some sightseeing or tours before your departure because I’ve been disappointed about not being able to book some tours.
- Don’t forget your vaccinations – It cost us $597 for the whole family, and our oldest didn’t take it so well, AND it took 3hrs. For the Doctor to go over all the risks and differences between OHIP covered vaccinations and non-covered vaccinations that were recommended, but It was worth it for peace of mind. You can’t protect yourself against everything, but you can minimize the risk.
- Stroller or no stroller? – This all depends on where you go. While it’s convenient to have a stroller when you need it, it’s not convenient to have to carry one around if you can’t use it because the streets and sidewalks aren’t accommodating enough. This was what happened to us the first time we went to Costa Rica. We found a blog where a woman said having a Stroller was a godsend. That may have been the case where she was, but after going twice and seeing a number of different cities, I would never bring one to Costa Rica. The sidewalks were either too narrow, or too cracked. In Vietnam and Thailand on the other hand, it was a godsend. However, we brought a compact umbrella stroller and I would caution against bringing anything bigger because you may have to carry it. The next time we travel with family we plan to purchase one of these ultra-compact strollers. Alternatively, you can also bring some sort of baby carrier that you could strap to your body. We brought both for more versatility, and to be able to carry both children.
- Travel light – This was essential for us. We knew we’d be on the road for 3 weeks with multiple transfers and flights, and we also had to carry at least a small supply of diapers and wipes for our infant. Plus, we had no idea what the terrain would be like, or whether the sidewalks/roads would be adequate for a suitcase with wheels. It also didn’t seem ideal for us to have to pull a suitcase with all the other things we had to push or carry. In the end, we settled on one large 55litre hiking backpack, 1 small carry on duffle bag, and 1 small backpack. This was ideal for us because if I needed to, I could carry all 3 bags (1 on my back, 1 on the front, and the other in my hand), and still have 1 hand free. You can also minimize your luggage by rolling up your clothes. If I bring another pair of shoes I stuff socks or underwear into them before I pack them away. Solutions also has a number of totes and bags that are good for holding small items and toiletries.
- Bring a tablet or mobile device with pre-installed apps/games/movies – This was a godsend as well. We never heard a peep out of our oldest, even on the longest flights between Toronto-Shanghai. Our infant was a different story…Too bad there’s no way to preoccupy a 5-month-old.
- Bring plenty of USB battery chargers – I’m not sure if that’s what these are called, but some people call them battery packs. They’re the portable supplementary battery packs that can plug into your mobile devices and give them a little extra juice when your batteries are dying. I brought 3 because I didn’t want a dead battery to be responsible for a meltdown.
- If you bring a mobile phone, write your number in pen on your child's arm or hand – This can come in handy if you plan to go to really crowded places.
Hopefully these tips will be as helpful to you as they were to me. Chances are, you’ll discover some new things that you didn’t foresee, that are more specific to you and your family. Take a minute to sit down, and think about everything you’ll need. Organization is the key to success, and the key to lowering your stress.