Tips for traveling with kids during the holidays

It is always interesting to travel during the holidays, but if one has kids, this is a good time to travel with them. As much as fun is made on the family holidays, a lot of work goes into planning and coordination and arranging in order to have a hitch-free trip. Here are some traveling tips to enable you to have a fun holiday adventure when you are with kids.

Plan and book family-friendly flights

When flying, it is also important to look for flights that have special services for families such as boarding first, extra space for legs, and entertainment for kids. Try not to book connecting flights in order to avoid having to run between gates during the layover. Domestic flights that take off during the early morning are usually not as full as other flights, and on-time performance also means decreased stress for both parents and children.

Packing tips: Streamline and strategize

When going on a trip with children, space should be saved in its optimum manner by packing all items. Here's how you can simplify the process:

Essentials first: Prepare an on-board bag with everything that a baby might need, including diapers, wet wipes, baby’s formula, food, spare clothes, presidential seals, and other medicines.

Organize by categories: Buy packing cubes and then sort clothes, toys as well as toiletries to make them easily accessible.

Entertainment on hand: Young children should be given small toys, coloring books, or tablets with downloaded movies to entertain them.

A word of caution, avoid one too many bags, it could prove a real nightmare trying to manage all while having your hands full of the kids.

Activities for kids during layovers and flights

For children, not being too bored during layovers or overly long flights is very important to avoid cases of breakdowns. Here are some activities for kids that can make the journey enjoyable:

Interactive games: Cards, a bag of small magnets, or even some small travel board games that occupy very little space can help kids, for example.

Creative play: Let children draw, color, or write a travel diary.

Screen time with limits: Ensure there are already educational or entertaining apps downloaded to your devices, and have good headphones for the children.

In addition to this, children may just walk around airport play areas or around terminals during their waiting time before a flight.

Travel safety tips for families

Traveling safety of members of the family cannot be overemphasized. Here are some essential travel safety tips to keep in mind:

Keep IDs handy: Passports, visas, vaccination certificates, and identification documents should be produced by you and your children always.

Label belongings: Ensure children’s backpacks are also labeled, and all luggage is labeled with an identification tag. And lastly, ensure you write your contacts somewhere in case the items are lost.

Child safety gear: For the child, depending on your travel destination you may need to carry items such as outlet covers, otherwise, for both children and infants, consider hiring strollers and car seats to use while on travel.

Emergency plan: Explain to your children a basic safety plan that would help reunite if you get lost, say, wait at a particular area or ask persons in vests for assistance.

Healthy snacks and hydration

Another tip for airplane food – most children are not fans of airplane food, so bring some nutritious snacks instead, such as granola bars, crackers, dried fruits, or nuts. Ensuring that you take enough water for the trip is as crucial; carry your personal bottles of water, which can be refilled after going through the security checkpoints.

Comfortable clothing for all-day travel

Both the airport and airplane cabins might be cold, therefore layer kids for comfort when temperatures are changing. And of course, you should also not forget about comfortable shoes and a spare set of clothes in your hand luggage in case of unpleasant delays or an upset tummy!

Stay calm and flexible

Even if a lot of planning is done beforehand such as booking flights, there will be problems like delayed or cancelled flights. Dealing with your kids also becomes easier when you avoid stressing yourself or becoming nervously worked up. A positive attitude toward your plans and a desire to change the plan in time can help in case of minor omissions.

Make your holiday travels stress-free with JetSaver

Holiday traveling with children should not be a daunting task. There are so many things that people do not know about traveling with children. So, whether you are planning a family vacation or simply a business trip that does not require flying first-class, with JetSaver, you will be able to choose a cheaper option. Starting from flexible timetables to pocket-friendly offers, JetSaver ensures that you have hassle-free travel so that you can make precious moments with your ones. Don’t wait any longer and start planning your next family adventure right now.

What are the airline rules for traveling with kids?

There are many different rules in the airline for children, such as the rules of seating, allowance for the baby stroller, rules of carry-on baggage, and restrictions on children who can travel alone. For more information and rules about bringing food and beverages on the plane, visit the specific airline’s policy page.