FAMILY TRAVEL: Top tips
There's much more to think (and lug) about when you want to take the children along. Don't fret – follow Amanda Morison's top travel tips for parents and make jetting off with junior plain sailing
It's a mini adventure!
Get rid of all the excess baggage at the first opportunity: First Luggage (0845 270 0670; www.firstluggage.com) will collect your gear from home (suitcases, prams, skis), and deliver it to your hotel or villa (and back home again), from £49 each way in Europe.
Another way to reduce your load is to pre-order bulky children’s paraphernalia to be delivered ahead of your arrival, saving you the hassle of searching for favourite brands and forgotten items when you land; Tiny Tots Away (01257 424241; www.tinytotsaway.com) sells all the essentials – from nappies and wet wipes to organic fruit bars and swimming aids – and delivers to your hotel. The delivery service costs from £70 for up to 12kg of goods within Europe (and £10 for every 12kg thereafter).
QUICK PICK-ME-UPS
For parents, airport valet parking (aka ‘meet and greet’ parking) is like being able to wave a magic wand. For an extra charge, you can arrange to be met in a designated zone at Departures where your car will be whisked away and securely parked. When you get back to the UK, call the company once you’ve got your luggage, and your car will be driven back to meet you at Arrivals. Get the low-down on your options and compare parking prices at www.airport-parking-shop.co.uk.
FAST FOOD
All it takes to make a journey happier (and hunger-free) is a plastic beaker of Cheerios, raisins, cherry tomatoes or (if you really want to spoil them) chocolate buttons. But go easy on the sugar unless you want to make your children hyperactive – Marmite sandwiches, carrot sticks and pretzels are all appetizing, filling alternatives.
BAG IT UP
Get older children to pack a carry-on or car bag with their favourite toys. Do the same thing yourself for the younger ones, and include their other essentials, such as nappies; however old your child is, a pack of baby wipes will always come in useful.
A bag of your child's favourite toys will keep them occupied, or you could wrap a few extra treats to give them en route
Wrap some small toys or treats and hand them over when energy levels start to flag. A pack of new crayons and a notebook, a favourite comic or a pack of Top Trump cards will make all the difference between a fun and a frazzled journey. Tomy (02380 662600; www.tomy.co.uk) has some great travel toys, including magnetic drawing boards that can be wiped clean an infinite number of times, and AquaDraw Draw 'N' Go mats that use a fuss-free pen filled with water – perfect for mess-prone zones.
However relaxed a traveller you are, you should never take risks with health. Children can get very ill, very quickly, and might not bounce back from a bout of malaria. Find out which vaccinations you need and get information about EHIC cards and staying healthy abroad at www.dh.gov.uk/travellers.
DON'T LET THE BUGS BITE
If you want to fend off insects without resorting to chemical DEET sprays, try Alfresco’s range of natural anti-insect beauty products; it’s ideal for babies, children and sensitive skins. We particularly like the ‘floriental’ scent of Acqua D’Alfresco, which will be loved by your fellow travellers but loathed by bugs. Order online at www.alfresco.uk.com. It cannot prevent every single nip though, so if you’re going to a malarial area, take the proper precautions against mosquito bites.
A sling or wrap-style carrier
leaves your hands free
If your child is still small, take a sling or papoose-style carrier so that you can lug them easily around the airport; www.littlepossums.co.uk has a good selection of slings and wraps that can be used to carry children up to the age of four, leaving your hands free to handle bags, tickets and passports.
Alternatively, if you can cram your child into a buggy, do it – even if they object, at least you can strap them in so they can’t run off while you’re waiting for bags or in a taxi queue.
Most children grow out of in-flight bassinet seats by the time they’re five months old. Instead, check with your airline and take your car seat onto the plane. Juniors will be safe in an environment they recognise both on the plane, and in the car when you land.
ARE WE THERE YET?
Don’t leave home, ever, without a few sheets of paper, a roll of masking tape or some Blutack, and some crayons or stickers. Wherever you are in the world, you’ll get a few moments of guaranteed quiet simply by attaching the paper to walls (or wherever) and letting your kids get creative. Consider taking a portable DVD player. Yes, you want Master and Miss Smith to see the world rather than a TV screen, but remember how long and boring car journeys seemed were when you were little? You could even hire one; Zintech (01202 763355; www.zintech.co.uk) rents out portable DVD players from £25 a week.
LIGHTEN UP
You really don’t as much as you think, but I guarantee you’ll be miserable if you forget a thermometer, Calpol, waterproof coat, warm jumper and endless T-shirts. And bunny – or bear, or blankie, or whatever else your child likes to sleep with.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST…
Priority boarding because you’ve got children with you sounds like a good idea, until you realise it means an extra half an hour on the plane. Sometimes it pays to be last. Alternatively, one parent could board first and secure space for all your hand luggage while the other keeps the children occupied. While you’re waiting, play something energetic like catch, and hopefully you’ll have worn the little Smiths out so they’ll fall asleep on the plane.
For ideas on family holidays in stylish destinations, click here to check out Smith & Kids, our round-up of the best child-friendly hotels.
Amanda Morison is a freelance journalist, travel editor of Red, and mother of two.