Travelling with children will never ever be the same as travelling before kids. Leave your hopes of sundowners, outfit changes (unless you are one of the kids), and reading time at bay. All the Instagram memes are correct — parents don’t go on vacation, they just parent at a different location. But sarcasm aside, travelling with children has always reaped more rewards for me than regret. My son doesn’t care how many activities I have lined up for him, but enjoys us being a unit, focused on each other during a holiday. There are no rules for family travel — it is more guidelines on a good day and annoyingly accurate on a bad day. I learn something new every time I travel with children. Many homegrown brands and Amazon finds now make travel fun for your kids. Having tried most of them, here are some that truly work and excite children.
Kids’ luggage: Pack right, travel light
One way to excite and involve kids of all ages is to get them to pack their carry-on bags. Whether it’s a road trip, train journey or flight, a small carry-on bag is essential. That’s where the little ones come in to pack. Basic entertainment toys, a change of clothes, a book, headphones, dry snacks and water — you will have a happy independent camper. The other essentials are stowed off safely with the parents. Mokobara has a small, lightweight, easy-to-pull bag. My little kid with big opinions loves this one.
Check it out here.
Keep it organised with personalised essentials
Rosada Baby is an emerging brand that designs personalised travel gear for children. The neck pillow, travel tags, passport holder are all useful. It makes kids identify their belongings and instils responsibility. The organiser makes it easy to pack and repack children’s clothes throughout the trip. You can easily store and transport essentials.
Check it out here.
Have fun on the go with travel games
Finding ways to keep little ones entertained in a confined space can be challenging. If you don’t want to rely solely on screen time and not leave a mess behind, it’s another story altogether. Amazon has innumerable travel games age-wise, refillable water colouring books are my favourite. Scoobies has a ‘squish and shape’ Wiggly Doodle Board, which can create endless designs and art without mess. Children get to fidget and doodle together!
Check out the Amazon finds here, and the Scoobies doodle board here.
Happy tummies, happy travels!
A hungry child is a cranky child. This is the golden rule that applies to every child. To make sure your travel time and holiday is smooth, carry snacks — load them up. Choosing travel snacks is an art! They should be nutritious yet familiar, they should not be high in sugar but fibre, they should be convenient and not perishable. Long haul flights, road trips and train journeys can run smoothly if you choose the right snacks. What I have learned is that snack boxes help. My son chooses what he wants to eat and has fun. It’s his own mini buffet, it’s his favourite part of sitting on a flight. Any box that is leak-proof, compact, with multiple compartments will do the trick. I prefer the Yumbox from Bombay Kids Company.
Check it out here.
Entertainment without the noise
Foldable headphones for the win. There are many volume controlled headphones available. Some brands even have noise-cancelling ones for tweens. Ages 3 onwards children are fascinated with them. Bluetooth headphones help keep little ones entertained through long travel time at the recommended decibel level.
Amazon has a few options you can check out here.
Bluetooth headphones help keep little ones entertained through long travel time iStock (Representational Image)
Comfort for those little feet
These footrests or foot hammocks work as full beds or feet resting space for little and big kids on flights and trains. It makes the journey more comfortable for them, and in turn, for you. The design of the hanging travel pad makes it easy to carry around. The compact design allows you to fold it and pack it in a carry-on bag, making it the perfect travel accessory. Definitely a great assistant to make kids more comfortable.
They are available on Amazon, check here.
A multipurpose baby hammock is a smart buy
Heading out on an adventure with kids is exciting and a test of patience (for both the young and young-at-heart!). The more you travel with them, the more confident and comfortable you and your children become.
The author is an economist and full-time millennial mother, struggling to cope with daily chores