With the arrival of summer, we begin to prepare to travel with children and with it a feeling of stress arises that invades us. Some parents have an adventurous spirit, but others have tranquility as their vacation concept, thus looking for nearby and peaceful destinations. The place, dates, means of transportation, departure time, etc. depend on us and our choice. Proper planning can help us feel calmer when the time comes. In this way, we are going to offer our children some fun, calm and educational days. There is no better way to enjoy your family than being together without worries.
So what should we keep in mind if we travel with a baby? the fragility, the care it demands and the luggage it needs with the elements to have control. It is important to inform us at our destination if they have a bathtub and high chair to go lighter, and if not, be prepared so that your baby is comfortable wherever you go. For older people, portable DVDs, tablets, CDs, snacks, juices or gum for motion sickness, among others, are essential items to carry in your handbag.
As a recommendation, it is advisable to make a list of useful objects for the journey and the place we are going to visit, prior to the start of the trip. We will complete it as things occur to us. But when we talk about the baby, the sections multiply: from creams, pacifiers, sunscreen, insect repellent, thermometer, antihistamines, antipyretics, alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, health booklet, to diapers, tiny scissors, and bottled water.
As they grow and acquire responsibilities, it is very positive to invite them to participate in preparing this list. It is important not to forget the toys for the trip, which have to be small to be able to transport them.
If we travel with a baby, the ideal is that when planning the start of the trip, and therefore the moment we begin the route to the desired destination, it is recommended that the hours of the trip coincide with their hours of sleep, so as not to alter their rhythm. However, the best times to start a trip with small children are early in the morning or late in the day, as they will spend almost the entire trip sleeping and the heat will have reduced during these summer dates.
It is important to remember that if we want to enjoy these days to the fullest, although children have a great capacity for adaptation, it is not advisable to abruptly change their routines.
We come to the time of transportation: Which method is most comfortable for children? We tell you the advantages and disadvantages of the different transportation methods.
If we travel by car we are free to organize the route according to our needs. During the journey we can stop as many times as we need, a minimum of every two hours being recommended, and we can also carry more luggage than on other means of transport. Seat belts must be worn throughout the trip. In the event that the child unbuckles the belt in the middle of the walk, we will stop without alarm and put it back on, praising him for keeping it on and emphasizing that we all wear it, creating a need to belong to the group, and of course, use the door locks. Dizziness and vomiting must be taken into account. It is advisable to use the air conditioning in its proper measure and put parasols to avoid the discomfort of the sun.
If traveling by plane, we will bring chewing gum to avoid ear blockage and we will let the children sit in the window seat so that they are more distracted. This means of transport has the advantage of being the fastest, and the flight staff also collaborates by facilitating, for example, the possibility of heating food in the microwave. It is advisable to bring a blanket in case it gets colder than expected during the flight.
If we travel by train, we will take the smallest luggage. The train has an important advantage over other means, and that is to allow greater mobility and movement: if children get tired they can get up for a while.
In the case of traveling by boat, we will have numerous services on board that allow us to meet the needs of our children. The mobility space is also expanded: we can move around and walk around the deck. In this means of transport the biggest drawbacks are dizziness and bad weather that can delay departure.
Once we have decided on our means of transportation, we know the essential elements for the children to enjoy the experience and ultimately, we have everything ready to go, we also offer you some ideas to make the trip much more bearable for the little one. We start with attractive toys for babies, small in size and, depending on the means of transport chosen, not an inconvenience for the person driving or for the passengers sharing the journey. Also traditional games such as I spy or chained words, searching for cars of a certain color or a license plate that contains certain numbers or letters, turn out to be hobbies that motivate and distract children. Another popular distraction method is paints and blank pages for drawings, or word games by categories. Of course, be careful with dizziness! Also for older people, we recommend travel consoles. Finally, the trick that never fails: tablets, CDs of favorite songs or DVDs of the trending movie will make you not even realize you are traveling.
Now that we have given you the most useful tips when organizing a trip with the people we love most, tell us in the comments about any tricks you use at home when planning a team trip. And of course, if this summer you have decided to travel with children: congratulations, you will create unforgettable memories for both you and your family.
