Travelling with kids can be a bit of a nightmare to say the least, especially if yours are of a young age. With worries over temper tantrums, nappy explosions, and general bad behavior, it’s a miracle that families ever make it to another country. That’s all without the stress of packing for a family vacation.
If you are used to packing a suitcase just for yourself or for you and your partner, you need to know that packing for kids is a completely different ball game. It requires common sense, patience, and a lot of creativity.
Find out more about how to pack when traveling with kids below.
Make A Packing List
Gone are the days when you could simply go through a handful of clothes, cosmetics, and toiletries in a case and head straight for the airport. Now that you have kids, you need to be a lot more strategic in your packing technique.
The easiest way to make sure that you don’t forget anything is to write a packing list. You may even want to create several packing lists for different types of vacations, such as beach vacations, camping trips, and city breaks. Although this can be time-consuming, it will save you so much time in the long run.
Embrace Inflatable Toys
Although you may not want to pack too many toys, you will need a few to keep your kids occupied while on vacation. Avoid any noisy, disruptive, or toys that take up too much space, and instead, opt for inflatable ones that will not take up too much space in your suitcase.
Packing a few new toys that your children have not seen before can also be a good idea so that you can use their newness as a distraction if they need something to take their minds off the stress of traveling.
Avoid White And Light Clothes
When packing clothes for your children to wear on vacation, limit the number of white and lightly colored garments as these will show stains more easily. Instead, choose darker shades that are more forgiving and will not require as much cleaning.
It can also be a good idea to shy away from fabrics that easily crease, such as linen, and pack ones that will not require ironing, such as denim and cotton. If you don’t have many items like this, why not hit up your nearest boy or girls clothing stores and splurge?
Don’t Forget All The Essentials
You don’t need many essentials when traveling without children that you do need when you are. For example, your child’s favorite soft toy or blanket they cannot sleep without.
You also need to pack any medicines that they may need and, if you are traveling with a baby, all the essentials, such as nappies, wipes, and bottles. Make sure you check with the airport before you travel to see what you can and cannot bring through security to avoid any problems upon arrival.
