Montessori Method
¿Quieres viajar con niños y no te atreves a planificarlo todo?
Here are some tips to help you anticipate everything that might happen so that you can enjoy your long-awaited holidays!
The best way to do it is not to be afraid, keep travelling and adapt a little to their routines so that they feel comfortable wherever you are.
It is not an impossible mission. You have to pack an extra suitcase, organise transfers a little better, choose a suitable hotel, be less ambitious in your itineraries… but travelling with children is much easier and more pleasant than we imagine. Because, despite the logistical complexity, we will enjoy discovering new places with them and spending time as a family.
- Plan ahead: Information is power and avoids surprises. Get to know the destination you are travelling to, what the conditions of the country are, what services you will have at hand… Take the time to read, ask questions…
- Travel while they sleep: Take advantage of their sleeping hours to travel; this way, the trip will be much shorter for them. Book flights, especially long ones, at night or take advantage of nap time if the journey is shorter. This is one of the most important tips when travelling with children, especially by plane.
- Negotiate activities: If your child is a little older, agree on the activities you will do so that you all have the opportunity to do something you like. Express what each of you would like to do and fit it into the number of days you will be at your destination.
- Book a hotel in the centre: Unforeseen events are common when travelling with children, so stay in a centrally located hotel so that you can easily get there if your child needs to.
- Pack a small first-aid kit: You’ll usually have access to a pharmacy, but it never hurts to have some medicine or plasters in your backpack in case your child falls or starts to feel unwell. Organise your first-aid kit, too, taking into account the destination you’re going to. If it’s cold, for example, it’s easy for them to catch a fever.
- Identify them: identify your child with bracelets (for example) with your contact details on them in case they get lost. If you are going to be travelling in Spain, a family book or ID card will suffice, but if you are going abroad, it would be better to take your child’s passport. Also, find out in advance if the children need a visa, etc.
- Be flexible and patient: If you like to organise the itinerary of each trip to the millimetre… forget it! You will have to be very flexible and accept that, at any moment, you will have to modify your plan to adapt to your child’s needs. Be patient, relax and just enjoy the moment.
- Control the volume of luggage: If we abuse the «just in case» for ourselves… when packing for a child it can be even worse. Rationalise, reduce and think that if you forget something you can always buy it at your destination.
- Take entertainment and food with you: Children are children and they need to play. Choose small, lightweight toys that will allow them to enjoy and have fun while waiting or travelling. Keep a light snack in a backpack to have on hand in case they get hungry.
- Turn the trip into an adventure: Every trip is a game for the child, an opportunity to experiment, explore, learn… Give them imagination and suggest games wherever you go that will allow them to enjoy every corner more. Share everything with your child and let them catch your travelling spirit. Every family trip is a unique and unforgettable memory.
