How to handle kids during holiday travel
Traveling with kids is a real challenge. They can spoil all your vacation fun without reasons. Also carrying kids is your responsibility, if you don't, then who else? Follow these simple tips to make your holiday travel with kids a lot of fun and no mess.
Beware, kids are traveling with us! LOL!
Well, they come in many shapes, sizes and colors. Do not take me wrong, I am talking about those little champions always eager to learn new things and fly high like birds. Many varieties I often see around and many more while traveling; naughty kids, fussy kids, talkative one and silent types at times. All kids have one thing common in them; it's called Tantrum. When I say Kids, I mean starting from newborn to teenagers.
Holidays are most exciting times for kids; it means no homework worries and gala time to them.
Children are curious to learn from new things. Holiday travel with parents fill them with joy and new energy. However, this is your responsibility to take care for every small and big need of your children. Traveling with kids is a challenge; on one hand they are playful enough, on the other hand they are prone to new weather conditions etc. To make your holiday travel worry free here are Holiday Travel Tips with Kids and Teens.
Chose Best Time Of The Year: India is a vast geography. Climate varies a lot, some places always stay hot like Chennai, and some always stay cold like Shimla. Kids most easily affected with weather conditions. Also a lot depends on the kind of climate you and your children are used too. If you are someone living in hilly regions do not go to places like Kolkata in summers where it's extremely hot. If you are traveling with toddlers, schedule your journey for early in the morning or late in the evening as this the time small ones sleep often. Whether you are planning to travel by a car, bus, train or airplane; do not forget to carry some additional food and water with you. In case you are going with a toddler, things like milk and emergency medicines are important to carry.
Buy Some Quality Travel Gears: The type of travel you chose may vary on whether you are going by road or air. Buy some travel gear for your kids they truly love. For example, if traveling in a car invest in pillows for kids in shape of some animal; a dog or kangaroo. They will love hugging and sleeping with it. Buy a travel tray. Kids will love putting toys in this.
Are you planning to travel by plane? Well, buy a baby carrier if you are with a toddler.
Also Read: Our recent visit to Bannerghatta National Park and Zoo
Pack the toys your children love: A fresh pack of cards, Rubik's Cube, crayons, paper and stickers give your kids and you gala time while traveling or waiting to clear the road at a traffic light. Pack some old toys, your kids often play with. Also buy some new one for excitement, something they have never seen before or the one wish to get often.
Do not buy fruits from street vendors: Especially, if you are traveling in a car, across India you will meet vendors selling eatables. Your kids may insist to get some. Eating one such food can make your child sick. If they are little bigger, educate them about good and bad food before starting your journey. Pack from home favorite foods and juices your children loves may be in shapes of animals, cartoons etc.
Tune In To Music or Play Car Games: Play Holiday Music and give your children the luxury of car games like license plate game, the Alphabet Game, Padiddle etc. When engaged in an activity, your child will never find time to throw tantrum or complain boredom.
Travel Safely: Never leave your children alone in the car or in the hotel room. While traveling, at times you may need to leave the car to see something, may be a small temple on the way or to buy coconut juice may be. Well, never leave your children back in the car. Better safe than sorry. When you feel like leaving car for couple minutes take kids along with you. Close the doors properly before you step away from vehicle. Also do not leave your children alone in the hotel room. Unexpected never comes with a warning.
Recommended: A few tips to visitors to Kerala
Do not let go children ahead of you in crowd places or zoos etc. When walking through a crowded place, always hold the hands of your children. Never let them go ahead of you in the crowded places like a market or church etc. They may get hurt. If you are visiting zoos etc, do not allow your child to go near an animal alone.
Teach Them While Traveling: You can use your journey to educate children about various things like plants, animals, birds & bees and cultures etc. There is nothing much effective and permanent on children's memory than learning by doing.
That was indeed a very helpful article. But here as you started with Tantrums, I was expecting a few behavioral tips of how to handle them, as the safety measures aren't exactly the answer to that really big issue.
Hope to get a few more tips on that issue in your next articles.