Holidays are an important slice of family life, but generally when travelling with children the idea of a nice peaceful road trip with your better-half indulging in relaxing conversation and the odd coffee-stop is unrealistic. Here are a few tips on travelling with babies and young children.

Plan everything you can control and don’t sweat the rest.

• Allow more time! As a rule of thumb add an extra 30 minutes to every two hours a journey used to take you before you had children. Plan your departure time accordingly.
• If you’re flying, allow plenty of time to get to the airport, check-in and get through security. It only takes one stinky nappy to throw the schedule into disarray!
• Consider leaving early in the morning when children are generally more cheerful and stopping for breakfast. Alternatively some families find by leaving late in the evening babies and young children sleep most of the journey. Common sense says avoid rush hour times if at all possible!
• Make a list of what you need to take. You can even make a list for older children with pictures rather than words so they can pack some things themselves.
• Pack a bag of essentials which is easy to reach – most probably by your feet! Include a change of clothes for children, nappies, snacks (see below), water bottles, CD’s, activity ideas, rubbish bag, plastic container for car-sickness, medication etc.
• Take enough food for everyone – adults, babies and children. If you’re in the baby food stage take some tried and tested foods for the journey – now is not the time to experiment with new textures and flavours.
• Raid the $2 shop for a couple of suitable new toys you can bring out as required. They will often hold the attention of your young one for several minutes – enough time to get to the next stopping place. Consider wrapping the toys as this extends the distraction.
• Alternatively pack a shoebox with a whole lot of age-appropriate little things in – it's like a surprise for each child if they started to get stroppy and need a distraction
• Toddlers and pre-schoolers need to run! Make sure you plan a few stops where everyone can get out of the car and let off steam safely. Most provincial towns have great playgrounds and public toilets nearby. A quick sprinting competition can re-energise the adults and burn off children’s extra energy. The more physical exercise toddlers get the less likely they are to have tantrums.
• Remember the window sunscreens to stop your baby or child getting too hot as the sun blazes in.
• Mug up on a few car games – click here for some ideas.

Routine is king!

• Generally speaking you can feed your baby anywhere, but timing is the key. Whatever your babies’ feeding routine is, plan your trip around this. You don’t need to be at your destination but be prepared to stop at the appropriate time for a feed. You can happily feed your baby in a rest area and change their nappy – it can be more relaxing than trying to find a child-friendly café.
• Take a familiar piece of bedding for babies and small children to help them settle down to sleeps.
• If you’re hiring a car either take your own baby capsule or car seats, or see if you can hire an appropriate model.
• Pack for snacks. To avoid the temptation to stop for petrol and fill up on lollies and chippies, pack a few snacks to keep everyone going. Simple things like:
  • Bananas, especially those little Bobby bananas
  • Processed cheese slices
  • Strawberries
  • Individual pitta breads
  • Bread sticks
  • Crackers
  • Mandarin oranges
  • Raisins and dried fruit like apricots, dates and apple rings
  • Mini savoury muffins
  • Wine or arrowroot biscuits
  • Fruit bread
  • Seedless grapes
  • Bread rolls
  • Pikelets or pretzels
  • Sandwiches (sweet or savoury fillings like marmite, jam, cheese).

 You may also find some interesting tips on flyingwithkids.com.

Endorsed by our New World Nutritionist  ||   Proudly Partnering with Parents Centre

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