10 Things To Consider When Travelling Abroad With Children Under 5

*This is a sponsored collaboration with Holiday Gems* If you are thinking about jetting somewhere nice for a short break during half term, visiting family abroad during the Festive period or planning your next family trip when school is out for summer next year you might find my 10 Things To Consider When Travelling Abroad With Children Under 5  guide useful. So grab a cuppa and enjoy top tips and suggestions from myself and other FAB parent bloggers who speak from experience.

 1. Prepare For Time Zone Differences

Sitting pretty at the top of the list is my tips for preparing for time zone differences. Ideally one would be travelling to a country that isn’t much different where the children reside but if this cannot be helped, the best way to deal with this is to gently wake your sleeping beauties on the plane a few hours before you reach your desired destination. Time zone differences can be incredibly taxing on us adults yet alone children under 5 so preparation really is key!

2. Book An Overnight Flight If Possible

Eva of Captain Bob Cat suggests to book an overnight flight if possible. It will mean that the children will be asleep for some stretchy hours so you can get some rest too. Check it with your airline, most of them supply carry cot for infants and small babies, but they need to be booked ahead. Call the customer service to make sure you’ll get one if you need one.

3. The Cheapest Option To Get To An Airport Isn’t Always The Most Practical

Speaking from her own experience, Jodie of Maidenhead Mum advises that the cheapest option to get to the airport is not always the best option when travelling with little ones. She learnt that she would rather pay extra money to be able to drop off right outside the airport instead of a bus transfer from a carpark miles away. She went on to say it is the same for your transfer when on holiday. Prebook a taxi with car seats in advance instead of going on the bus that stops EVERYWHERE as it is much better for everyone’s sanity.

4. Overpack On Healthy Snacks For ALL the Family

Let’s face it, plane food is not known for being tasty so in order to keep everyone happy and stressed free pack plenty of snacks for ALL the family advises Katy of Katy Kicker. Fresh Fruit, Pitted Olives, Asparagus, Carrot Sticks, Breadsticks, Brioche slices and juice / water a plenty should see you through your flight whilst keeping the hunger pangs at bay.

5. If Your Child has Allergies Be Sure To Notify The Airline.

Charlotte of Berice Baby highlights some important information regarding Allergies. Double check with the airline what you can bring on board in terms of food. If your child has food allergies book their meals within the timeslot required or they won’t be able to eat! If your brining a particular food, say yoghurt for example make sure you have the liquid quantity on the official packaging otherwise it will get binned. Most importantly, ensure you carry an official note from your GP stating what they are allergic to.

6. Keep Their Little Minds Occupied With Various Activities

If you are heading out on a long journey, Elizabeth of  The Homemakers Journal advises to have a collection of toys to hand to your littles every hour. Handheld puzzles, tiny colouring books, stickers and play doh will work wonders and passes the time.

7. Ensure All Smartphones and Tablets Are Charged

Kelly of Reduced Grub is a stewardess and had some FAB Tips to share. One of her tips is to make sure all the children’s Ipads, tablets and devices are fully charged before you set off. This is the difference between “Mum, I’m bored are we there yet?” and golden silence.

8. Ensure You Are Prepared For Discomfort When The Plane Lands

Landing can be really painful for some children and adults alike as this where the change in cabin pressure can effect our ears. Whilst you cannot stop it completely, there are ways you can ease the discomfort. Kelly also suggests to give the little’s a dummy, a lollipop or something to suck on about 45 minutes before landing as the plane will slowly decrease its altitude. If they are old enough to follow instructions get them to open  their mouth like a fish and encourage them to swallow.

9. Always Pack Spare Clothes and Extra Packets Of Baby Wipes For Unforseen Accidents

Children are unpredictable at the best of times and we never know when they’ll be sick, so be prepared advises Victoria of Lylia Rose. She explained that her 2 year old is never sick, but as soon as her family set off in their hire car on the first day of our trip to visit family abroad in August, he threw up all over the hire car, out of nowhere! Not expecting this to happen, they had no change of clothes or any baby wipes to hand to clean it up, so had to return to where they were staying. Learning from her mistake she now will always take a spare set of clothes for the children wherever they go, just in case!

10. Take Your Own Car Seat If Renting A Car

For those considering renting a car during your holiday Pete of Household Money Saving suggests to bring your own car seat as using the car rental firm’s will cost you a fortune. A great way to save a little extra.

I really do hope you have found my 10 Things To Consider When Travelling With Children Under 5 useful and would like to thank all of the lovely parent bloggers who contributed. Here’s to wishing you a safe and stress free flight 🙂