Kids
Getting away on a family holiday is as easy as picking a destination and packing, right? The truth is, whether it's camping, a week at the beach, or an overseas holiday - careful planning will make the holiday memorable for all the right reasons.
Often, every member of the family will have different ideas on what they want from a holiday. Compromise may be the key to ensuring that everyone is happy with the final choice and planning now will save you a lot of time. Begin by writing a list of what everyone wants, and go from there. With babies and small children, consider the options that make a holiday easier and more enjoyable for them, as well as for you
Camping
Camping is a great family holiday. Children from toddler-age find it a real adventure and a huge learning experience. But if you have never been camping before you can save yourself a great deal of trouble and expense by hiring or borrowing most of the equipment you need. You will also enjoy the experience more if you go with another family who are experienced campers. Some families like to return to the same camping grounds each year, and often get to know other families doing the same.
Making a list of everything you will need is crucial - setting up camp and finding you don't have anything to boil water in for that much-longed for cup of coffee or tea is not a good start. With camping, little things can make all the difference for a comfortable holiday. For example, a transportable cot can keep babies and toddlers in a safe spot while preparing meals, but you can also go overboard and pack too much - another reason for a thorough list!
Many campsites offer cabins as well as camping grounds and this could be an alternative for your family. Check the facilities a campsite offers. There are camping grounds with playgrounds, pools and all facilities but standards vary so it's important to check the site's rating, or go on recommendation. (The NRMA has a Tourist Park Guide which gives star ratings to most camp and caravan sites).
Or you may want to get completely back-to-nature (not recommended for first-timers on their own)!
EB member Eilleen says,
"Be prepared. Don't forget to pack a good First Aid kit. St Johns Ambulance has excellent kits available online or you can ask at a travel medical centre.
"There are heaps of things to look at and explore when you're bush camping, so I would keep toys to a minimum. I only brought one toy for my daughter, and she played with leaves, rocks, the torch etc 95% of the time."
A comprehensive source of information on national parks can be found at www.atn.com.au/parks.
Resorts and hotels
Many resorts are geared to families, offering extensive pool areas, playgrounds, kids clubs and games rooms.
They can provide parents with much-needed rest and relaxation but they can also be noisy and crowded in high season. It is important to shop around when choosing a resort, not just on price and taking into account added extras, but also on facilities including style of accommodation - apartment or hotel room. Look for special deals with buffet breakfasts, or even all meals included.
Travelling outside school holidays can reduce the price of family holidays. Think carefully before skimping on room size or trying to put the whole family in a one-room unit; If you are going to be at a resort for a number of days, it can be worth paying a little extra for more space and a bit of peace and quiet.
Overseas destinations
With so many fantastic holiday deals on offer, many families head overseas on their holidays. Fiji and Vanuatu are two of the popular destinations at the moment. Once again there are high seasons and low seasons and in tropical areas low season may mean it is the cyclone season.
When you are travelling outside Australia there are special considerations. Each member of the family needs a passport (and sometimes a visa as well). A full birth certificate is required before obtaining a passport. Information on passports can be found at www.passports.gov.au.
Though it is possible to book overseas holidays on the internet, there is much less likelihood of problems if you book through a travel agent who can advise on the best resorts/hotels for your family and budget, on whether you will need visas or vaccinations, on travel insurance (a must if you are travelling with children) and on what is the best time of year to travel. If you want to check on the internet first, take this information to a travel agent and let her do all the work - you will probably get a better deal in the long run.
For travel advice and bulletins for Australians travelling overseas, go to the website of The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs, which has the responsibility of sending out travel warnings to Australian travellers. Your travel agent can also advise you of these or check www.dfat.gov.au/travel
DON'T FORGET - If you are flying, check with each airline you will be travelling with to determine whether there will be restrictions on hand luggage. Some airlines have restrictions at times on carrying baby and toddler food and drinks as well as other personal items.
Cruises
With the rise in popularity of cruises, cruise lines have developed ships that cater particularly for families. Out of Australia, P&O's Pacific Sun and Pacific Sky offer similar services and facilities to many of the resorts and can provide families with a relaxingly different holiday. Most travel agents have brochures on the family ships.
Don't forget that you can ask a question or post an idea for others about any kind of holiday in EB's 'Family Travel Tips & Questions' forum.
Getting there
Long distance car travel
If your destination means a long car trip, you'll want to ensure that the whole family is as comfortable as possible. Babies and young children often sleep for long periods whilst travelling, which will make the trip easier. Here are a few suggestions to help keep kids entertained while travelling in the car;
- CDs/tapes, with lots of lively kids songs and stories, can help young children stay entertained; you can borrow excellent story CDs from your local library.
- Magnetic board games, books and drawing boards can be good for older children - but may have the effect of making them feel car-sick.
- For children prone to car-sickness, games, such as I Spy, that have them looking outside the car are best.
- Portable DVD players are now available that can be hung from the back of a car seat and are perfect for keeping kids entertained that little bit longer to get you to your destination.
An overnight stay will break up a very long trip, and low-cost motels can usually be found along the way, but if you are travelling in peak time do book ahead. And of course, stop and revive every two hours.
Overseas travel and long distance flights
A long flight needs careful planning and a really long flight is better if broken with an overnight stop-over. You can book your trip on the internet, but if you use a travel agent you will have fewer worries as she can deal with details such as food, bassinets and car seats. Dress everyone in layers, even if it is hot when you leave. Planes can get very cold and have been known to run out of blankets and pillows. Toddlers and children can have their own backpacks with a few essentials and you will need a small bag for baby.
If you are booking a seat for your toddler (under the age of two they may sit on your lap), ask about taking a car seat when you make the booking (you cannot turn up at the airport with a car seat and expect to be able to use it). These are a much safer alternative, more comfortable for your toddler, and you can use the seat when you get to your destination.
Feeding
* Baby and toddler meals are provided on many airlines, but it is important to request these and to advise the airline of the age of your child.
* Fruit juices and water are also available, though it is always wise to have your own supply of both drinks and snacks as these may not be available when you want them.
* Airlines do not provide infant formula, which if your baby is breastfed will not be a concern. If you will need to bottle-feed, put the formula in a separate container and take a bottle, or bottles of boiled water. Never take pre-mixed formula. Apart from the problem of leaking in pressurised cabins, pre-mixed formula can be a health hazard. If baby doesn't finish the bottle discard the leftover as you would at home. Full tins of formula may cause problems as Essential Baby member, Mumbo found out:
"Take individually packaged formula! I can't stress that enough. We took a tin of formula on a flight to the UK. The lid came off in our hand luggage mid flight! It completely destroyed our $1500 video camera. And then.... when we arrived at Heathrow, we couldn't help but feel nervous/suspicious about being spotted with a trail of white powder from our bag! The customs officers laughed and waved us through."
Bassinets
Check if the airline has bassinets for babies if you are doing your own booking.
EB member (and veteran overseas traveller) Tal says,
"Two days before your flight, check if you have been assigned a bassinet position seat (I highly recommend them); you'd be amazed how many times these two things 'fall out' of a booking. You must do it two days before, as one day before (especially for an international flight) they may have closed requests."
Baby's cabin bag
Be sure to include a change kit, including a couple of disposable nappies (sometimes airlines run out midair), a change of clothes, a baby wrap, a bib or two and spare dummies if you use them, a pair of socks and baby wipes. Packing baby's items in clear plastic sealable bags may help in the event of airport security emptying out the bag - small items won't spill everywhere.
Toddler's cabin bag
Your toddler will also need a change of clothes, a favourite toy or his cuddly, a storybook and his slippers and pyjamas if you like for night-time flights.
Older children also need some of these things and will enjoy having their own backpack cabin bag. Most airlines provide kids' packs for different ages and these, together with the in-flight entertainment, can provide hours of fun.
Cabin pressure
It helps to breastfeed or bottle-feed babies when the plane is taking off and landing. Your toddler will also find a drink, such as a fruit drink box, will help. The swallowing motion can help reduce the build-up of pressure in their ears, which is quite painful for babies and children. Giving a dummy may also help as may chewing sweets or dried fruit for older children.
Dry cabin air
The dry air in an airline cabin is dehydrating and can irritate nasal passages. EB member Tal suggests asking, "your pharmacist for a 'buffered isotonic saline' nasal spray for infants, which reduces discomfort and reduces chance of picking up bugs. This was what our paed recommended when we first flew with our son at six weeks corrected age (he was an eight week prem - needless to say we were being ultra-careful with our precious 4kg bundle!) I've used this every time and Finn is yet to catch a cold from a flight!"
Find out more:
Talk to others. Visit the Essential Baby 'Family Travel Tips & Questions' to get advice from other members or to share your travel tips.
Handy online resources:
TouristParkGuide- published by the NRMA
Recommended Books:
Gregory's Caravan and Camping Guide- available from book shops.
Lonely Planet Travel with Children - available from bookshops and libraries and online.
