Tips For Travelling With Kids - A Backpacking Mom’s Guide

Aishwarya Rai is doing it, your colleague in marketing is doing it, that random girl you befriended on Facebook is doing it, Gurgaon Moms are doing it, even your irritating neighbour is doing it and you should too. Travelling with kids can be quite enjoyable and relaxing actually, if you have the right tips.

Russia, Mexico, US, UK, South Africa are some of the places we’ve been to with our children, since they were aged 10 weeks. So here are some basic tips for travelling with kids under the age of five.

How to Ensure You Travel Hassle-Free

1.     Plan a Holiday to Include Your Kids

Yes, you have been eagerly waiting for that break, and can’t wait to go explore Spain since you saw Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara. It’s going to be an epic trip starting in Paris and driving through Spain. STOP. If you’re not planning to leave the kids behind with the grandparents, plan to include activities on your holiday that they will enjoy too. They look forward to the holiday as much as you do, but long scenic drives may not be their dream vacation. Plan for beach stops, play areas, open parks to chase pigeons, etc. Also, expect for the vacation to be less packed with activity; you may not be able to tick off all the tourist spots.

2.     Do Your Research and Ask the Locals for Kid-friendly Activities and Places

Most cities have some kid-friendly activities and hotels/restaurants. Read up on the local city guide or your very own Backpacking Mama’s recommendations. If you know what to do with the kids in the city, there won’t be the last minute frustrations of ‘not enough beach time’ or ‘too much travel time’.

3.     Plan Snack and Rest Breaks Through the Day

Once you’re at your destination, expect the days to be less active (unless of course, you have a one to two year old kid, then the only real rest you get will be at night or in the pool). Hungry or tired kids make for a cranky day, so plan to take a rest/snack break every two to three hours.

4.     Invest in a Good Stroller

You can also borrow one from friends (if that’s an option). If you are travelling with a child under the age of three, this will be the best thing you packed. Kids are full of energy through the day but start to tire out by evenings, making the walk to dinner a tough one. Strollers also come handy for a quick afternoon nap for the kids and are a blessing when you want to hang those heavy shopping bags.

5.     Pack a Wise Day Bag

Not too heavy, but packing in all the essentials - one change of clothes for the kid(s), a bottle or two of water, a couple of snacks (you could carry nuts, biscuits, fruits), one or two small toys/surprise distractions in case of an impending tantrum, wipes (yes, even if you are travelling with a ten year old), a stole (I swear by this one) and sunscreen. You may want to pack in other stuff depending on how your day is planned out.

Not on the list, but most critical is some calm. The vacation is meant to be relaxed family fun, so it shouldn't be ruined by dirty clothes or a delayed flight! 

Now that you’ve mustered the courage to book your holiday, don't let the additional cost change your mind! Here are some tips that will help you make the trip with kids easy on the pocket.

How to Save Money While Travelling

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1.     Travel When the Kids Are under Two Years of Age

Daunting as that may seem, the cost of the flight ticket alone is saved quite a bit. All airlines charge only the taxes for children under the age of two. Plus, most hotels are happy to give you special treatment with that cute-looking bundle!

2.     Make Good Use of the Breakfast Buffet

Most hotels have a good breakfast spread. The awesome news is that it can serve you a day’s worth of snacks too! Carry small empty boxes to the table and pack in fruits, dry cereal, yoghurt, salami and cheese sandwiches, butter and jam sandwiches, and cakes, and you are sorted to tide through the day.

3.     Use the Open Water Parks for Entertainment

Kids absolutely love spending time in water. So find out about the open fountains or water play areas and carry a swimsuit and stole along. Most kid-friendly cities will have open fountains– Singapore, Melbourne, Moscow are some of the cities where we found these.

4.     Try to Book the Double Queen Room at Chain Hotels

When staying at a chain hotel like Holiday Inn, Accor Group etc. request the hotel for a Double Queen room. These are rooms with two queen beds, which means a separate bed for the kids, but charges for a single room apply as long as the kids are under twelve years of age.

5.     Look for Special Queues at Tourist Spots and Live Events

Well, this one is time-saving. Most places have a separate queue for kids, pregnant women and special-needs travellers, which move much faster! We breezed through to the Christ the Redeemer in Brazil, showing my five-month pregnant belly and two-and-a-half-year old daughter, while the other folks took three hours at the least.

Here’s hoping that I’ve convinced you to take that vacation. Now if the thought of flying with kids sounds daunting, check out my blog on Top Tips for Flying with Kids- across the ages.