Does the thought of travelling with kids fill you with dread? Between packing, planning and keeping everyone entertained, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed before you’ve even left the house. The good news is that a little preparation goes a long way. Here are 6 simple travel tips to help make travelling with kids a genuine breeze.
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#1. Use Tech For the Journey
We’re all trying to cut down on screen time, but when it comes to travelling with kids, a little extra tech time is completely justified. Thanks to the huge range of child-friendly apps, audiobooks, podcasts and games available, you no longer need to pack a bag full of toys to keep everyone amused.
That said, it’s still worth packing a favourite book, or for older kids, a journal and pen so they can record their trip and look back on it in years to come.
Recommended Reading: 15 Of the Best Apps for Kids Travelling
#2. Label Favourite Items Before You Travel With Kids
Labelling favourite items makes it much easier to identify bags on the carousel, towels and clothes piled together at kids’ club, and precious items like teddies, blankets, sunglasses, cameras and books that could easily get left behind on a plane, train, bus or in a restaurant.
Include a phone number so anything misplaced can find its way back to you. It also adds a layer of security at busy terminals: if you and your child are separated, having your number on their belongings can help you be reunited quickly.
As a bonus, once you’re home, those same items are already labelled and ready for after-school activities.
Recommended Reading: Tips for Travelling With Kids With Allergies
#3. Get Kids to Help Plan The Trip
This tip works best for older children, but getting their input on where you go and what you do once you arrive can turn a good holiday into a memorable one.
You might even discover a new family activity you’d never have considered, from stand-up paddleboarding to pony trekking, hiking or snorkelling.
You May Also Enjoy: Surviving City Breaks With Kids
#4. Be Prepared When Travelling with Kids
Here’s a handy packing list of essentials to keep close by:
- Any medicines you may need for earache or fever
- Cups with lids to avoid spills
- Ear plugs to help with pressure on planes
- Baby wipes for quick clean-ups of hands, surfaces and messes
- Healthy snacks to avoid a sugar-fuelled energy crash
- A change of clothes for everyone
Packing these items in your carry-on can be the difference between a calm journey and a stressful one, whatever your mode of transport. And if your luggage is ever delayed, having these essentials to hand means you can settle in without an urgent search for a pharmacy or shop on arrival.
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#5. Leave Time When Travelling with Kids
Everything seems to take longer when you’re travelling with kids — it’s just one of those mysteries of family life. So build in extra time to get to your destination.
Plan for toilet breaks, even on short car journeys, allow time to browse the shops at the airport, station or ferry terminal, and factor in time to eat before boarding.
Travel hubs get especially busy during school holidays, and the last thing you want is to be the family sprinting for the gate, or facing an expensive rebooking fee. Even if you make it in time, arriving stressed and flustered rarely makes for a pleasant journey for you, your kids, or your fellow passengers.
You May Also Enjoy: More Top Tips for Travel With Kids
#6. Be Organised for Travel with Kids
It might sound obvious, but staying organised makes a real difference when you’re travelling with kids. Before you go, it’s worth running through a quick checklist:
- Check your passports — children’s passports have a shorter validity than adults’, so expiry dates can catch you out.
- Have you printed your boarding passes and completed online check-in?
- Have you booked seats together?
- If you’re hiring a car, do you know where to collect it, and do you have your driving licence with you?
- Double-check your car insurance covers driving abroad — not all policies automatically include cover for other countries.
- If you’re using public transport, do you know the timetable and where to find your connections?
- Do you have some local currency for your destination, and a backup card cleared and ready?
- Have you packed too much, or too little?
- Do you know what the kids have packed — and have you checked their hand luggage for anything that isn’t allowed?
- Have you saved or printed copies of your insurance details, accommodation booking, transfer details and any agent contact numbers?
- And finally, have you downloaded the e-books, games and apps that will keep everyone entertained along the way?
The list can feel endless, but getting organised before you set off saves stress — and arguments — once you’re on the move.
Recommended Reading: 20 Travel Hacks To Make Holidaying With Kids Easier
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the most important thing to pack when travelling with kids?
A well-stocked carry-on makes the biggest difference. Prioritise any medicine you might need, spill-proof cups, healthy snacks, wipes and a spare change of clothes for everyone. These small items can turn a stressful delay or mess into a minor blip.
How can I keep kids entertained on a long journey?
Downloaded apps, audiobooks, podcasts and games are ideal since they don’t take up luggage space. For older kids, a journal or notebook to record the trip can also keep them happily occupied.
How much extra time should I allow when travelling with kids?
More than you think. Build in time for toilet breaks, browsing at the terminal, and a proper meal before boarding, especially during busy school holiday periods when queues and crowds add extra time to every step.
Should older kids be involved in trip planning?
Yes, where possible. Letting them help choose activities or destinations often leads to a more memorable trip, and sometimes to a new family hobby you hadn’t considered before.
You Might Also Like
- 15 Of the Best Apps for Kids Travelling
- Tips for Travelling With Kids With Allergies
- Surviving City Breaks With Kids
- 10 Top Tips for Happy Car Travel With Kids
- 20 Travel Hacks To Make Holidaying With Kids Easier
Got a travelling-with-kids tip of your own that we haven’t mentioned? We’d love to hear it — drop it in the comments below.
Save These Tips For Later
Planning a family trip takes a few weeks of prep, so if these tips are useful now, save or bookmark this page to come back to before your next getaway. Browse our travel section for more ideas to make family trips easier.
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