Tag: ToddlerTravel

Categories
Parenting and Childcare Travel

Here’s How You Can Keep Boredom at Bay When Travelling with a Child During a Road Trip

One of the key changes that motherhood brings along is that all the hasty travel plans change to a more organized and scheduled one. If this is your first road trip with kids then it would involve a great amount of planning and preparation.

From their security to entertainment- parents have to think about all the aspects. To have a fun and successful road trip here are some of the tips that you can refer to.

Plan It Perfectly

Appropriate planning is the key. Prepping for the trip beforehand can assist in several ways than one. You get sufficient time to assemble for all that you necessitate for the travel. Try and schedule the time of the travel according to the nap time of the child. You can choose to leave early in the morning hours when the kids were drowsy and the traffic on the road was less. This way you can get some quiet and constant drive time.

Safety Awareness

For smooth sailing, make sure your car is in appropriate working order. Check the condition of the battery, belts, tyres, etc. If the car servicing is due, ensure to get it done before your tour. Carry all the emergency equipment like flashlights, tools to change the tyre, jumper cable, etc. Also, make sure that the child safety locks on the door are well activated.

Stop Regularly

Riding in the car for hours can be strenuous and tedious- both for you and the kids. Ensure you take timely breaks. Study the route of your destination carefully and know about the suggested pit stops. Do not forget to ask for recommendations from friends about all the restaurants and locations that are child friendly.

Arrange for child’s entertainment

You certainly do not want to mess up your drive with a grumpy child. Thus, keep him happy by engaging him in his favourite activity. Be it toys or books or games- keep everything handy. You can also download some audio rhymes and stories that can help to keep your kids entertained. Here are some of the tips that you can do to keep your child happy:

Mix things up with a building block play-set

A practical activity can be a great change of pace after a few hours on the road. Look for a playset that is ideal for little hands and has the perfect amount of pieces to keep kids’ entertained without causing a big mess.

Bring puzzles, word builders or any creative things

To keep boredom at bay, you can ask your kids to solve puzzles and word builders. You can also ask your kids to recite a rhyme which they have learned recently or talk about the things that you can see on the road as you travel.

Snacks on board

Pack lots of drinks and snacks with you. Again keep them as per your child’s liking and taste. You can carry homemade finger food, sandwiches, dry fruits, bananas, etc that can be munched on effortlessly. For younger kids, you can keep powdered cereals handy that can be fed by mixing in some water easily. Also keep some disposable spoons, paper plates, bowls, tissues, etc. Make sure that your child’s sippy cups and bottles are spill-proof.

Road trip with kids may sound a bit challenging but is great fun. A little pre-trip planning can go a long way in making your journey simple and memorable. The thumb rule for any travel is to make sure the comfort of the child. A happy and comfortable child would surely mean a serene and successful road trip.

Categories
Travel

Enjoying a Beach Vacation with your Toddler

You might have dreamt of idyllic tropical vacations surrounded by warm Eastern seas, bright sunshine, and golden-white sands! Yet, you may have cancelled your plans because a beach vacation with a toddler seems a daunting task!

So here are some tips that will inspire you to book your next vacation at a beach resort without any hesitation:

Select the Destination

Tropical beaches are warm, sunny, and usually crowded. As you move away from the Equator, the beachside air is chilly and seawater freezing. If your toddler is prone to respiratory problems in extreme weather, they will be more comfortable at a tropical destination. So, if your pre-schooler suffers from heat and rashes in hot climates, then a hot tropical beach is not suitable.

The best beachside vacation with a toddler – A tropical beach during the winter season.

Choose The Hotel/Resort

The best child-friendly hotel will offer many fun activities for your kids (including the toddler). While choosing the best beach resort, look for amenities like:

  • Child-friendly menus
  • A good mix of sunlight and shaded areas
  • Toddler’s toys and play areas
  • Sandpits with soft sand
  • Kid’s pool with water toys and lifebelts
  • Lifeguards at the kid’s pool.
  • Facilities on the beach

You are going to spend a lot of time on the beach and not cooped up in the hotel! When you are vacationing with kids and especially with a toddler, you will need separate diaper-changing rooms on the beach itself. Trudging across to the hotel to change the baby’s diaper will be tiresome. Food vendors on the beach are another advantage to look for. The basic facilities like shower cubicles, shacks, loungers, umbrellas, and restrooms are usually available on the beaches.  Most popular beaches around the world also have these extra facilities which you can look for:

Babysitting Services

Parasailing, kayaking, boating, snorkelling, deep-sea diving, and jet-skiing are some of the water sports you are probably looking forward to. But these are not the activities that one would associate with a toddler! A hotel that offers babysitting facilities within its safe environment will be a real boon. You could leave your pre-schooler for a couple of hours and enjoy the adventure sports activities. But don’t forget to take your toddler along while you visit aquariums and go on trips to see dolphins, whales, turtles, and other wildlife.

I suggest that you keep some time for unplanned beach activities for the toddler in the beautiful sunshine and golden sands.

Packing for a toddler

Besides the usual items like a change of clothes and extra diapers, you will need lightweight toys like balls, buckets and spades, and a few water toys (e.g. plastic ducks). Other essentials you need to carry to the beach for the baby are:

  • Child-safe sunscreen lotion
  • Sunglasses
  • Swimsuits
  • Wide-brimmed hat preferably made of straw (usually available locally)
  • Waterproof footwear.

Wishing you the best beach holiday with your toddler! I hope these tips will not only help you but make this vacation a memorable one.

Categories
Parenting and Childcare Travel

Tips on How to Manage Jet Lag in Kids

Nothing can be compared to the bad jetlag suffered by kids, from not being able to sleep throughout the night to being ill-tempered and losing their hunger. As adults, we adjust and discover a way to beat it, but small children who follow routines find it very difficult to come around.

Typically parents suffer for days trying to get them back into bed at the right hour. Jet lag is a physical condition in which a person’s internal body clock is interrupted because of travelling among time zones. Jet lag influences patterns of eating, waking up and sleeping.

Here are some tips that you can refer to when managing jet lag in kids:

Think about the age of your child

According to doctors, jet lag may not affect kids from all age groups. Infants who are in the age group of 0 to 2 months have not yet started a diurnal cycle, so jet lag would possibly not influence them. For kids in the age group of 2 to 5 years, time-zone varies begin to cause deterioration. Infants who have learned to sleep through the night already may have more night wakening. Older kids will possibly respond likewise to adults physically but maybe less driven than adults to stay wakeful in attempts to adjust to the schedule.

Prepare kids

Teach kids old enough to be aware of time changes and the consequences of jet lag, and what they can expect to witness. In the days before a trip, parents should make it real for the children by saying things like, “Now we are eating lunch, but at this time in that country, they are getting ready for bed.” Besides, make sure that the kids get ample sleep before departure. Moreover, it is important to keep kids hydrated and this can be done by asking them to drink lots of water before, during and after the flight.

Select the flight carefully

Choose on a flight that will assist the parent to manage the kid’s probable time-regulation issues in the best way possible. Few experienced parents say that it is better to take a flight that leaves evening or late afternoon, as it makes it simpler to rest during the air travel. If it is nighttime, you will have an easier time convincing your kid that it is bedtime.

Get Cozy

Bring travel pillows and cozy blankets to make it simple for kids to get some sleep on the plane. At the same time, do not feel frustrated if no one sleeps much. Do not force the kids to sleep on the plane as it is going to be hard. There are too much thrill and adrenaline on the tour, and the lights are on late.

Make your mind up if a Time Change is Worth it

Think whether it is worth changing your crew over to local time. If you are only spending a few days in a diverse time zone, it may just be simple to keep your kids in your home time zone. Any person staying at their destination for less than a week should not force the practice on the children. Remember that it is an extra effort to work hard on eliminating the jet lag when the habit will be changed again in less than a week.

Jet lag is a strong possibility when traveling through time zones with a kid. Expectation, flexibility, and communication among all players are key to managing the trouble of grumpy kids.