People often ask well “what’s the difference between a holiday and traveling?” For us a holiday is hop on the plane, catch your transfer to your arranged accommodation for a week or two and then reverse for on the way home. Traveling is so much more. It may mean multiple flights, a longer period of time, a change or a few of accommodation which is where these useful tips will come in handy. Don’t get me wrong, many will still be useful for holidays too but some may not resonate with those off on a chill “vacation.”

So, first thing is first – flights! For long haul, it actually tends to work out better to book in advance. Most airlines announce their flight paths around 10 months in advance so if for example you want to fly December 1st then look out for your flight exactly 10 months ahead of time. When traveling, unlike your package holiday I find I get much more freedom and flexibility to book everything separately. By doing this as well you can shop around to get better deals on your flights that travel agents can’t actually get (0% commission on flights so they don’t earn anything/can’t alter them etc) For example, I use a BA AMEX credit card – you collect points for spending which can convert in to points and once a year you can get a free flight for a companion! Additional points can also be used to deduct off the remaining balance and/or be used towards hotels etc too.

I always book the first night or two in advance as the last thing we need when we are tired is to be traipsing around trying to find somewhere to put our head down! However, after those first couple of nights are up we are free to roam! We always have a rough plan of where we are going to go. I spend a lot of time reading through other blogs, instagram posts etc for suggested itineraries but we enjoy the flexibility of being able to move on if we don’t like the area or extending our stay if we do. This obviously works better in some countries compared to others, for example Asia is really easy to move around and find somewhere to stay. Alternatively, you can ask people, chat to locals and tourists and book ahead online once you know your next stop. My advice would be to only book one night. That way you can still extend or leave depending on how much you love the place. Also the likes of booking.com etc take a big commission so by booking one night ahead and then extending your stay with the host themselves you are going to get yourself a much better deal and help out what is hopefully a small business!

Clothing and packing – I know, it is a nightmare! Do you bring a suitcase so you have the wheels through the airport but have the hassle at hotels and transferring between place to place or what about a backpack but the frustration of not being able to find your clothes?! I have a solution!

So we have the travel sorted, the packing sorted but what about the entertainment if you have kids in tow? No kids in tow? Then you probably won’t find the next paragraphs of interest unless YOU are the big kid that needs entertaining.

For long haul flights I try to book a night flight on the way out in the hope *some* sleep will be had. I also don’t like the idea of my kids just being wide awake and glued to the screen in front for 8-12 hours (or however long your flight may be.)

Kindles have been a lifesaver for our kids, myself and the boys are avid readers so having that handy little travel sized book keeps us stimulated in our imaginary worlds without the weight of it in our backpacks. However, tired eyes etc sometimes actually reading isn’t as enjoyable. Enter the world of Yoto: https://uk.yotoplay.com/

These little devices (yoto mini) are travel sized speakers which can also be used with headphones. The company themselves creates cards which simply slot in to the device and the children (or big kids) have access to an audio book or music. These also come with the option to buy blank cards and pop your own sounds on them so any other music they don’t do or perhaps even a grandparent reading them a story. We have also discovered that all our books purchased on the kindle become audible if you sync up with the little speaker so you have a lot of material at your disposal!

Journals and colouring are also a big one for us. We carry journals to document our travels, useful for occupying the time in the evening as a wind down or perhaps when you are on the train/bus to your next destination.

Make sure your children know your number in case of emergency, they get lost. I know this is the last thing anyone wants to think about it but unfortunately it can happen! If your children are too young to memorise your number then then safety bracelets are an excellent option: https://www.easy2name.com/safety-wristbands?gad_source=1

I hope you have found some of these tips useful, I wanted to share some of these to help others realise traveling with kids really isn’t that scary! It’s much the same as traveling single or as a couple you just need a few extra little things for entertainment during the waiting part of it all. I also feel like a lot of people are too nervous to take the plunge with adventurous travel and so stick to the package holidays which is amazing if that is what you really enjoy but there is a lot more of the world to see!

Feel free to post in the comments any extra tips you have for those about to embark upon their first travel adventure and let us know what you found the most useful!

Francesca <3