Kid Travel
I travel a lot with children. From 1990 until around 2010 it was with my elder son. 2010 was probably our last big trip together, to Thailand. Before that there were superb journeys to the West Coast (2004) and the East Coast of the USA (2006). After that he definitely preferred trips with friends his own age and with his wife. With my younger son we started travelling when he was 3 months old. That was in 2008. And so it has continued to this day.
Over the years I have gathered a great deal of experience and a good few observations. I am happy to share them, and perhaps they will prove useful.
When to start travelling with a child
When should you start travelling with a child? Contrary to appearances, a child who is still breastfed makes a good travelling companion.
What kit should you take? A pushchair? A car seat? Food?
Remember that a child has his or her own interests and expectations, and these need to be taken into account and respected. I will tell you about the “box of happiness”, and about castles, towers and ruins.
Children see the world in black and white. If you spend an hour at the pool at the start of the day, for a child that day is already a pool day, and a successful one. They do not need to notice that afterwards you spent hours sightseeing in town or went on an exhausting excursion.
Children perceive reality differently. When small children see animals for the first time, they treat them like cuddly cartoon creatures. You have to be careful in such situations, because the child will not be aware of the danger, or the size, smell and appearance of the animal may simply give them a real fright. We had experiences like that with elephants and with sea urchins.
Theme parks, camping and practical tips
Theme parks are worth considering, but be prepared for heat and queues, and do not force your child onto rides they may not be ready for, whether because of their age or their temperament. A roller-coaster ride can be downright traumatic.
Playgrounds usually go down well, even small and not particularly attractive ones. Cycling, and bikes can often be borrowed where you are staying, gives a young traveller a lot of joy.
Older children love camping. It is a real adventure: pitching the tent and then sleeping in it, cooking meals, a night-time trip to the toilet with a torch. Sharing a bed of sleeping mats builds bonds and makes a child feel a fully fledged member of the family, backed up by their parents.
If your child takes medication, make sure you have a sufficient supply. For younger children, swallowing tablets, such as antimalarials, is difficult.
If your child is blond, you are at a disadvantage from the start. In some countries pushy locals will insist on touching them or taking their photo. At first it is funny, but then it becomes tiresome. We did, however, find a very good way to get rid of these travel pests.
I would like to expand on many of these points in future posts. Children are generally welcome everywhere and often make travelling easier. They let you skip the queue, not only at airport check-in but also at border crossings. At first, travelling with children costs you nothing extra. Little travellers let you stop, take a closer look at something and slow down.
If we have the chance, let us travel with our children and ignore comments that “it's not worth it, because the child won't remember anything anyway”. Someone once rightly pointed out that by that strange logic you should not cuddle small children or tell them fairy tales either, because they won't remember any of it anyway…
Children bring so much joy on the road - if you possibly can, travel with them!
