The Oliver's Madhouse

The festive season is about to be upon us and with many families about to venture off on holidays or to relatives, after my moan about packing for a holiday earlier in the year I thought I would share some ideas on how to make things easier!

For parents who have young children and are about to embark on a holiday, worrying about how they will cope with the trip can potentially make the experience a bit of a nightmare. After all, holidays should be taken to help you relax and not cause even more stress.

Before you consider booking a trip away, careful planning is required to make the journey enjoyable for both you and your child. Here are a few tips to help you for taking babies and children on holiday.

Getting Around – If you are going abroad, it isn’t only the plane journey you should consider. Taking a taxi or minibus to the airport, as well as needing one when you arrive, will mean a car seat is required for babies. You can book in advance and request one from a UK taxi firm, although it may be preferable to take a baby seat with you despite the extra luggage weight.

Food and Drink – Depending on how long you are away for, preparing the right food for your child is essential. Take snacks and liquids to keep them happy on long journeys. You as parents should know what your child’s favourite foods are, which of course may not be available oversees.  In addition, a hungry baby on an aeroplane can be a nightmare, causing distress and embarrassment for you as well; enquire with the airline about the infant food options they have available.

Entertainment – Toddlers and children will become restless on a long journey, providing some entertainment is the best way to prevent them from becoming a nuisance. There are plenty of electronic devices on the market, like mp3 players, tablets and game consoles, which will distract a youngster from the boredom. There are also cheaper thing that can be used such a crayons and mini games. I bought several in the end from a £1 type shop and then I never worried about if they got damaged or lost.

What to Pack – Remember to pack for both you and your baby; many baby products are a lightweight and easy to fit in a suitcase. It is imperative to take enough clothes, nappies and medicines if needed, along with suitable food and drinks. As children get older, they can use their own initiative to pack but you should take control over their passport and tickets. Also be sure to pack health kits with items such as plasters, sun lotion and antiseptic creams included. To make sure I didn’t miss anything I wrote a list before and ticked off each thing once it was in the case. I also ensured that each persons items were split over the 4 cases we were taking, this ensured that if one of the cases went missing we still had some clothes for that person.

Baby Equipment – Taking such items as cots and highchairs is obviously not feasible if you are travelling abroad. If you are staying in a villa, check if these facilities are available, whilst for hotels you may need to pay extra for these provisions. If you intend to swim in the sea or a hotel swimming pool whilst away, a baby swim nappy is highly recommended. These are specially designed by companies such as Splash About to prevent accidents from happening in the water, we loved our and we even reviewed our swim jacket for Joshua  earlier in the year.

Taking your baby or child on holiday doesn’t necessarily mean your trip will be spoilt However, it does mean that more preparation is needed to ensure both of you have the best experience possible. Think about travel arrangements, especially for babies under the age of 3, and also how to keep your child entertained throughout long journeys.

Disclosure: In collaboration with Splash About

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