Tips On Traveling With A Toddler

Travelling with children can be somewhat like shooting a herd of wild goats on holiday. Whether they're your own or someone else's, factoring a child's needs to your journeys involves far more than sticking on a CD full of pop songs and making bathroom stops. Here two Rough Guides writers share their hard wisdom. First up, mum of 2 Hayley Spurway offers advice on traveling with toddlers, subsequently Ross McGovern shows how he manages to travel with older kids. Hayley Spurway's tips for travelling with toddlers

Ross McGovern's travel tips for older children

Don't allow the children pack their own rucksacks We once went to a trip with all our eight-year-old, who complained incessantly that her backpack was too thick. The reason ? She'd brought along her entire group of fossils "just in case". Do allow the kids have entered but remember to edit that heavily before death.

Don't overlook the medicine

Whether they're from regular, jet-lagged, or eating less healthily, children always appear to get ill on holiday. Dampen the impact of broken nights, frayed temperaments and fevers by packaging an easy-to-swallow medicine like Calpol in the UK. Other standard ingredients on your first aid kit must include antiseptic wipes, plasters, sting treatment, and a thermometer.

Maintain the actions coming

In case you're heading out on a long journey have a collection of toys to be passed out once an hour. Handheld puzzles, miniature colouring books, decals, wordsearches and even very small packs of Plasticine will pass the time on a long flight or car travel.

Encourage them to keep a travel journal

Get your kids drawing and listing things that they 've observed and intriguing foods that they 've attempted. Who knowsthis might also encourage them to try unique foods. Collecting postcards from areas you see and requesting them to write themselves a message on the back means they can reach adulthood with a library of memories all their own.

Be Ready for the climate

It's easy advice, but kids dressed comfortably for the weather and terrain will be more happy in a new environment. With all the gear accessible, there's no excuse for dressing up toddlers in ski-suits four sizes too big, forgetting their gloves, or leaving them barefoot on a beach where sea urchins lurk.