Holidaying with young children can be quite a challenge – there’s so much to think about and organise, and it can often be difficult to know where to begin! Tots to Travel share their 5 top tips…
As long as you have the know-how, family travel can be a doddle –at Tots to Travel our family holiday experts have shared their top five insider tips, to help you have the most blissful and stress-free holiday possible…
- You don’t need to overpack
Huge extra baggage costs are often the biggest worry for parents holidaying with young kids – but this doesn’t have to be the (suit)case.
Keep things simple by only travelling with what you’ll actually need, and choose accommodation that already comes equipped with most child friendly essentials, such as black out blinds or sterilisers. Each of our properties comes with our Essential Kit, which contains over 20+ key family holiday items!
- Late night flights could be a mistake
You may think that booking a cheaper late night flight will mean your little ones will simply sleep through the journey – don’t be fooled.
In unfamiliar settings it is unlikely that your child will properly settle, and hours of overtired screaming in an enclosed cabin space is no way to begin your trip! Opt to fly during the hours in which your child is usually most awake, perky and pleasant, so that the journey becomes an exciting adventure rather than a sleep disturbance.
- Flexibility is key
Many parents think that the secret to a happy holiday is rigidly maintaining your child’s normal routine. Realistically, this is often a lot more complicated and stressful than you’d think!
Encourage your child to adapt to the local time as best as you can, but don’t get too wound up about it. A holiday is a time to relax, so if your little one does stay up a bit later than usual or doesn’t feed at the same times, this is not a major issue. Just enjoy the trip and rest assured that when you get back to the familiar comforts of home, your child will slip back into their old routines too.
- You should always book genuinely child friendly accommodation
Lots of holiday properties claim to be ‘family friendly’ but in reality, it takes a lot more than an extra sofa bed and a couple of toys to define true family friendliness. Always do your research and aim to choose accommodation that has undergone rigorous child safety checks – for example, all the properties on Tots to Travel are reviewed with a 30 point+ child safety checklist before they are even featured on our website.
Check what child friendly facilities are available and consider things like the set-up of the rooms and the type of accommodation you want to stay in such as a villa, resort, apartment etc. Each type has its own perks, to make sure you’re choosing the right destination for your family, always ask for advice.
- A pool alarm won’t do the job
When young children accidentally fall into swimming pools, they sink quickly and silently – it’s a frightening prospect, but one that’s incredibly important to consider.
Whilst a pool alarm is useful, by this point the child is already in the water – but choosing a property that has a secure physical pool safety barrier in place, means you won’t even need to worry about this potential family holiday disaster giving you complete parent peace of mind. Some things just aren’t worth risking!
Wendy Shand, mum of three and founder of Tots to Travel, says…
“As long as you prepare properly, family holidays are a wonderful experience. Do your research and select a getaway that will suit the individual needs of your family from start to finish. Never skimp on safety, choose the right destination for your kids, give yourself some time to relax and ALWAYS pack extra baby wipes – a successful family holiday is sure to follow!”
About Tots to Travel
Tots to Travel are a unique luxury holiday company who really go the extra mile to craft safe, blissful and stress-free getaways that are specifically catered to the needs of real families with young children.
From ensuring every private pool has a physical safety barrier, to personally hand selecting, inspecting and perfecting each destination for parents with little ones, every location is rigorously analysed for child friendliness. Each property is equipped with the TOTS ‘Essential Kit’ containing 20+ key family items and where possible, gardens are enclosed and layouts are specifically selected for their suitability for parents with young kids.
TOTS offers 5* customer service, with friendly and knowledgeable Family Holiday Experts on-hand to advise and design holidays that are perfectly suited to the needs of each individual customer, ensuring that parents and children can enjoy the stress-free and fun family holiday that they deserve.
Useful Links: