When you are traveling with your family, there are lots of things that come into play, and some of them might seem like minor hurdles, but others are full flung huge obstacles. Travel with your kids might always be some small adventure for you. Kids need some preparation for long term trips. Somewhere in the middle is the difficulty of keeping children entertained and stopping them from whining and nagging all the time. It might seem impossible, but with a bit of patience and creativity and putting some of the following tips to use, it is quite an attainable task.
Take your time
Source: travelmamas.com
Usually, children can get easily distracted and lose sight of the bigger goal, so it might be difficult to keep them on track. Certainly, if you hire a minibus, it will spare you some nerves, since you will not have to deal with the pressure of public transportation, keeping everyone on schedule and behaving properly. In rental24.co.uk, car hire would be a solution to your problems, but even so, remember not to rush your kids too much. You would be able to pick up a suitable car for your family to make your upcoming trip quite unforgettable.
Moreover, try to allot more time here and there to let the kids explore sights at their own pace. You have to keep in mind that children can have a different temperament than you do and might need more time to get ready and get going. So, not to be angry and burst out shouting at the kids, take your time getting ready.
Bring lots of entertainment and snacks
‘Bored’ is the word that you might frequently hear from your kids on the road. It can be quite a task to keep them entertained and you might be tempted to just let them use screens most of the time. Whereas relatively easy choice, it will end up backfiring, since children will get frustrated when pulled away and you can have more temper tantrums in the end. So, while you can use screen time as the last resort, make sure to pack enough board games, books and toys to keep kids busy. If you choose 9 seater van hire, the luggage will not be an issue.
Another perfect way to distract children is to give them snacks, especially the ones that they do not get that much on the regular basis. Children can get cranky when hungry, so be sure to pack some healthy snacks for the road to grab a bite on the go, so that you do not have to stop a hundred times in 1 kilometer.
Do not overpack
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You might be tempted to pack all the essentials for the children, including food, clothes, toys, and lots of toiletries. Whereas it is not much of an issue when you opt to hire a minivan, it can be a big deal when you are in the airport and have to manage to get around somehow. Keep in mind that there are only so many things that children actually require and need, the rest are just some bits to make us more comfortable and that we can actually do without for some short time.
Get the children’s input
Most often than not, it is easier to get the children to cooperate if their opinion is taken into account. Ask children what they would rather do and what would be of more interest to them. Of course, you do not have to centre the whole itinerary around their preferences, but you could interweave them into the agenda. It would not work with the younger children, so toddlers can get involved in some other ways, but older children need to be a part of the planning committee.
Do not overbook your itinerary
Source: tripsavvy.com
When you are traveling to the new location, you will certainly want to make the most of your trip and see all the sights of the city. However, you have to come to terms with the fact that it is simply impossible with children. First of all, you do not want to rush from one place to another. Secondly, you have to be ready to give up going to some places, if you see that the kids are simply not in the mood to do those things. You might want to coerce them into going sightseeing, but in the end, none of you will actually take pleasure in the whole ordeal.
Flexibility is key
You have to be flexible and go with the flow sometimes. You should expect the unexpected and be ready that things will not always go according to plan. Be sure, that you might have to give up some things and try not to plan too much into the schedule of one day. This way you will not be under pressure and children will mirror it and be calmer and easier to manage.
Overall, traveling with family is the best thing you could do provided you put enough preparation into it. If you do your research and book accommodation and tickets in advance to avoid the extra weight, the trip is bound to be smooth and fun for everyone.
