Whether it’s your first holiday away with your young baby or you’re planning some quality time together with your older kids, it’s hard not to get a little overwhelmed when trying to plan the perfect family holiday. With a family, there are a lot of people to keep happy, so some careful consideration needs to happen to make everything run as smoothly as possible. There’s nothing more exciting than a fun-filled getaway with all the people you love and so, here are our top tips to get you on your way to a stress-free family holiday.
Flight times
When booking a holiday, people tend to go for the cheapest or best value holiday that they can get their hands on. Unfortunately, this can often mean some pretty unsociable flight times.
If you have young children, the last thing you want to do is disrupt their sleep patterns, causing grumpy children and stressed-out parents. Try your best to find flights that fit nicely around their sleeping habits, keeping everyone relaxed and on top form for the holiday ahead.
Packing
It can be hard enough just packing for yourself when going away, but there’s even more to try and remember and fit in when packing for children as well. Make it fun for your little ones by getting them a Trunki suitcase to take with them. They’ll enjoy riding it around the airport, plus it gives you more space to take everything you need. Don’t forget, you can save weight in your case by buying all your toiletries when you arrive at your destination.
Keeping occupied
Parents can often get nervous at the thought of traveling long distances with their children. No one likes the idea of being the parent with the bored or over-tired child, screaming and crying at the top of their lungs on the plane, so the trick is to be prepared.
However long your flight is going to last, try and pack enough things to keep them occupied for each 15-minute block. These don’t need to be big things; a toy car, a small coloring book, a packet of sweets…chances are, you won’t need all of them, but it’ll keep things varied.
Board basis
Depending on the age of your kids and what kind of holiday you’re looking for, the board basis that you go for can make a huge difference when it comes to how relaxing and stress-free your holiday can be. If you’re travelling with babies or younger children, then you might find it a lot easier and convenient to book an all-inclusive getaway. That way, everything is right there at your fingertips and it can help you budget better too. If your kids are a bit older and prefer getting out and about, then choose a hotel in a good enough location, close to shops and restaurants, so that self-catering or bed and breakfast can be an option.
Staycation
If, however, you’d rather not travel abroad with the family at this time, then there’s always the option to go for a staycation instead. There’s nothing better than getting everyone together, jumping in the car and heading off on a road trip.
If your usual car won’t quite cut it for the adventure, then look for car hire in the UK that will suit your family best. Once you have yourselves the perfect car, you’re free to explore anywhere from the beaches of Cornwall and the Highlands of Scotland or the sights of London; the choice is yours.
If you travel with your family and kids, what else would you recommend to keep in touch to enjoy a stress-free holiday?
