Easy summer travelling with children – here are some tips that will come in handy

Moving your children from A to B during the holidays doesn’t have to be as stressful as it seems. One thing you shouldn’t do is underestimate the situation – it’s worth preparing well for any trip. Plenty of varied snacks, fun toys and lots of other tricks will help you cover plenty of miles in comfort and reach your family holiday location with a smile on your face. So which essentials will you appreciate on a long car or plane journey, what should you pack for a baby on holiday, and what will you use on a summer’s day spent by the water?

What to pack for children for the beach: car journeys

If you’re going on a beach holiday with baby, you’re sure to find it easier to travel at night. The roads will be empty, and with any luck, your children will actually sleep. You may not get any sleep, but you’ll still find this the more pleasant option, and your journey will feel far shorter. 

Make sure you take bottles of water for yourself and the children. You’ll also find wet wipes useful for cleaning your children’s hands after a snack or a toilet stop. Bringing a variety of snacks is also essential for a successful journey with children. 

So prepare a snack box for each of your little ones that contains everything they like in order to keep them satisfied during the long journey. When choosing snacks for your kids, however, take travel sickness into account. The combination of frequent twists and turns and food might not be the best… 

Don't forget the adults when preparing snacks for your trip. Any kind of energy drink will give you plenty of energy for night driving. You can also bring along some nuts for the journey. These have a positive impact on your nervous system, which you’re undoubtedly going to appreciate on a long car journey with small children.

Don’t forget to include some fun toys on your list of things to take to the beach for the kids. Just be careful when it comes to noisy ones – they may entertain the children, but they’ll probably drive you mad in the car! It’s better to take something to snuggle with – a teddy bear, a cuddle blanket, or a soft doll that can also function as a pillow.

What’s useful on board a plane

Plenty of fluids are essential for a pleasant flight with children. The amount of water on board is not restricted at all when travelling by plane with a baby or a toddler. If you need to prepare milk for your baby in a baby bottle during the flight, you can even take a 500ml flask with hot water on the plane, or just ask the flight attendant for hot water during the flight. Milk helps babies cope better with take-off and landing, when the pressure on their ears is strongest.

However, even toddlers, older children or you yourself may feel uncomfortable pressure in your ears on the plane. So always have chewing gum, sweets, lollipops or gummy bears to hand to relieve your ears on the plane and make the journey more pleasant for you and your children. 

Make sure you take plenty of snacks with you on the plane. For the little ones, pack fun crackers that they don’t usually get at home – for example, ones shaped like animals. Next, have sliced fresh fruit in a box for them and pack dried fruit for more variety in your snacks. You can also prepare a variety of crisps, puffed snacks and fruit purée pouches. It may surprise you, but food can often entertain children better than any toy during a flight. 

Of course, it's worth having a few small toys to hand for the flight. Ideally, bring at least one brand new one for your children, which will be your secret trump card in an emergency. It may even save you from an exhausted crying fit that you just can’t seem to stop.

What to pack for your children for a beach holiday

Whether you’re going on a beach holiday with your children, or you’re just going to the seaside for the day with little ones, be sure to pack a couple of disposable swim nappies, or get them washable swim nappies instead. You’ll also need a high-protection children’s sun cream with SPF 50+. For children, you’re better off getting products with mineral filters, which are generally gentler on children’s skin and protect them from the sun immediately after application. Thirdly, never forget a hat or some other type of headgear, as well as children’s sunglasses.

If you’re heading out for the day to the seaside, you’ll want to bring a snack box filled with a variety of foods from home that your kids will love. You know how it is at the seaside in summer – for lunch, you can usually only get overpriced processed or fried food, which isn’t suitable for children at all.

Finally, you may also find cloth nappies useful to cover your baby or toddler lightly during an afternoon nap. You can even tie a cloth nappy into a hat for your baby if you forget to bring something to cover their head. You can also soak the nappy in water and cool your little one down in it from time to time on a blanket in the shade.

Of course, the cherry on top of the cake is beach toys. Children can be perfectly entertained by any type of cup, which they can use to pour water back and forth almost endlessly. They’ll also love a bucket and spade, or various rubber animals, boats, and washable bath books for relaxing on a blanket. 

The bottom line is this: even a holiday with children can be enjoyable, and you don’t have to end up physically or mentally exhausted just by travelling somewhere to get some sun. You just need to prepare your list of things to take on a beach holiday with children thoroughly and know how to manage the little rascals! Good luck!