For many, an all-inclusive holiday doesn’t just mean flights, accommodation and meals, but also the inclusion of kids.

Travelling with a herd of little monkeys can be fun for everyone – their innocence and childish joy adds a whole new level of excitement to the trip. However, that’s not to say that holidays with children are without their … how do we put it … ‘quirks’.

To help you have more fun holidaying with little ones, here’s a quick guide to doing it right!

 

Keep calm and plan ahead

Kids can have all kinds of funny reasons for getting stroppy about going somewhere. If your kids regularly get stubborn or you want to increase their excitement levels, involving your children in the planning phase can be helpful. What activities do they want to do? What locations do they want to visit?

 

YOPO (You Only Pack Once)

family-pool-port douglas

It would be wise to nominate one person – likely yourself – to have charge of the entire packing operation. Although you won’t want to literally fill everyone’s individual bags, having a single overseer can make the process smoother, and ensure everyone takes what they need (and remembers underwear!).

This is also an opportunity to teach your children about packing intelligently, so write up detailed lists of the necessities they have to take, then maybe allot a few spare slots at the bottom of the list for personal items (such as video game devices or books).

 

Fly Right

Worried about the flights? Parents often stress about taking their children on planes, but, with a bit of careful preparation, you could make the whole endeavour a lot easier.

Step 1

Find out what food will be offered and ensure your kids will eat it. If not, bring snacks. Although planes also serve drinks, it would be wise to take some bottled water as back-up.

Step 2

Ensure you have entertainment in your carry-on luggage. The last thing you want is for the kids to get bored and restless on a long flight. Remember all those times you’ve gotten frustrated at them playing video games or watching movies? Well, now’s the time you should hope for the opposite.

Step 3

A flight’s descent, as you probably know, can be uncomfortable or painful for your eardrums. For kids, it’s an even bigger concern. To counteract this little bout of unpleasantness, consider bringing along some lollipops or something else to suck, as the sucking motion can relieve pressure.

 

Attention span, attention plan

Something to keep in mind during your holiday itself is that children generally have a smaller attention span than adults. You need to plan for a trip that involves activities in short, manageable bursts, rather than longer experiences.

Many parents recommend planning the things you adults want to do for the mornings, when kids are at their most energetic, and then doing something for them in the afternoon. Anticipating their own activity could help them get through your relaxing botanic garden walk, rather than eliciting pouts and pleas for a return to the resort.

If you’re travelling a long distance, or doing something that simply takes a while, make sure to take regular breaks and bring snacks. This will help keep energy levels running high, and moods even higher!

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