Traveling with your kids exposes them to new experiences that stimulate their development. Whether you are traveling to visit family or to go on your annual vacation, you do need to remember that safety is always your highest priority. Fortunately, you can help your kids have fun while also keeping an eye on their wellbeing by using these travel tips that make sure everyone arrives back home safely.

Know How to Manage Getting Through Airport Security

Making your way through airport security can be hard enough without having to struggle with diaper bags, toys and little ones. However, there are a few things that you can do to make it easier. Have your older kids wear shoes that are easy to remove as they go through the screening process such as slip-ons or crocks. Your younger children can likely keep their shoes on, but they may need to be warned about the need to put their belongings through the x-ray machine. 

Use the Right Car Seats and Seat Belts

The majority of places that you will travel to domestically have car seat laws in place, and you need to make sure that you know them so that you do not get into trouble with the local law enforcement team. If you are traveling internationally, then you may still want to use your child’s car seat as additional protection in the event of an accident. Lugging a bulky car seat around can be a hassle, so consider using an all-in-one stroller that reduces the equipment that you need to carry. Older kids should also be taught to use their seatbelts when they are in a rental car or taxi cab.

Never Leave Your Child Alone In a Public Space

Being stressed or in a hurry can sometimes cause parents to experience a lapse in judgement. However, you should never assume that your child is safe just because you are in a comfortable environment. For instance, you should not leave your child alone in the hotel lobby while you run out to the car to grab a few bags. Ideally, your child should always be within an arm’s reach in case you need to stop them from wandering or protect them from a kidnapping.

Discuss What to Do If They Get Lost

Despite your best efforts, it is possible that your child might still get lost at some point during your travels. If your child is young and mostly nonverbal, then place your contact information somewhere visible on their clothing or skin. You can even order special stickers and fake tattoos with your name and phone number on them specifically for this purpose. 

Older children should be coached on how to ask for help in an emergency. Talk to them about how they can identify employees at the venues that you expect to visit such as by checking for a uniform or name tag. You can also rehearse what they should say to a person in authority if they do get lost such as their phone number and parents’ names. Finally, make sure that your child knows to stay where they are if they get separated from your family. While they may need to look for an adult to help, they should not wander far from where they were left.

Use Caution at Swimming Pools and Beaches

Aquatic activities are one of the most popular things to do on a family vacation, and there is no doubt that hitting the beach or public pool is a great way to cool off and burn off your kid’s energy. However, you must always remember that no body of water is ever completely safe.

Do a quick scan of any public pool to check for signs that something could be amiss with the pool maintenance. Never let your child swim in cloudy water where you cannot see the bottom of the pool. You should also see a cover over any pool drains or filters. 

For beaches, try to choose ones with active lifeguards whenever it is possible. You will also want to give your children boundaries for how far they can go out into the water, and younger children should always be holding your hand. Remember that a beach can be overcome suddenly by rather high waves, check the weather reports before you go. You should also obey any flag warnings regarding rip tides and wave height.

Think About Bathroom Safety

During your travels, using public restrooms is usually unavoidable. Talk to your children about how to stay safe in a public bathroom. For example, you can help them look for places with appropriate bathroom dividers to protect their privacy. Your child should also be taught how to practice proper restroom behavior such as knocking and waiting to see if there is an answer before pushing open a stall door. If possible, make sure to accompany your children to the restroom, and make sure that your older kids know that you are waiting just outside the door of restrooms where you cannot go inside.

Identify Emergency Services at Your Destination

If all goes well, you should hopefully never need to take your child to the emergency room or file a police report. Yet, you should be prepared in case the unexpected happens. Trying to search for an emergency room at the last moment could delay your child’s ability to get prompt medical care. Take a few minutes before your trip to locate sources of aid that you can turn to in an emergency. You should have a list of these resources for every place that you intend to visit so that you are confident about seeking help if the need arises.

Taking a trip as a family is a great way to bond and build wonderful memories that you will cherish forever. Yet, the last thing you ever want is to experience an accident when your family is far away from home. By focusing on doing everything you can to keep everyone safe, you can look forward to stress-free travels that lead to only wonderful experiences for your family to remember.

There was once a time where travel was a simple affair. Then, the kids came.

Few would disagree that this brings a different complexity to enjoying your holiday. Now, you’re perhaps not choosing destinations based on vibrant nightlife, but more on what it takes to keep the little ones happy.

Of course, planning such a getaway is easier said than done. This is what today’s guide is all about, as we look at four areas you should be looking to keep on top of as you plan your child-friendly holiday.

Consider Cities Like Portsmouth

If you are planning a trip to the UK, you might have your heart set on London – and this isn’t a surprise.

However, when traveling with your little ones, a degree of common sense needs to enter the picture. It’s cities like London which bring crowds of tourists and if your family is young, this is something that is going to be difficult, and stressful, to deal with.

It means that this presents the perfect opportunity to think outside the box. Consider somewhere like Portsmouth, which still has plenty to do but without the tourist-heavy crowds which can really weigh your trip down.

Stay longer in each location

For those of you who might be looking at staying in several locations across your trip, this point is for you.

Again, if we return to your younger days, there’s no doubt that “city hopping” was a big thing. Staying a day or two in one city, before jumping to another, was the fashionable thing to do.

Unfortunately, such an approach doesn’t work quite as well with little ones. This is the exact way to prompt more stress; the process of moving between places isn’t easy and needs to be reduced by any means possible.

As such, try and stay longer in each location. It might mean that you don’t manage to tick off each and every destination on your list – but trust us, it will save you in terms of stress.

Be shrewd with your baggage

Next, it’s time to be shrewd about your baggage. As we all know, as soon as parenthood comes upon us, a trip to the shop becomes a huge adventure. It means that many of us automatically think that we should consider packing up everything we have with us for our trips away.

Well, it doesn’t have to be like this. Let’s not forget that the more things you take, the more stressful trips become. There are more things to lose, and tired shoulders don’t play well into anyone’s mood. Ultimately, you need to remember that if the worst does happen and you desperately need a particular item, you can simply buy it in your destination country anyway.

Plan your flights around sleep patterns

Of course, this final point can sometimes relate to your budget. After all, we all know how flights at certain times can shoot up in price.

Nevertheless, if you do have the luxury of choosing, try and plan your flights around sleeping patterns. If you know that your little one sleeps on the plane, try and opt for a night flight. Alternatively, if you know they are going to be awake for the entire flight, going for the opposite course of action should be your way forward.