How To Prepare Your Little One For Their First Big International Holiday
It’s lovely to go on an adventure with your little one and to show them the world. But of course, the world is a big, scary, unpredictable place even for us adults, and that goes tenfold for children. Moreover, children tend to experience the rigors of travel a little more than we do, because while a three-hour drive might be nothing to us, it’s everything to them. They don’t just ask “Are we there yet” because they want to frustrate you, they genuinely are curious as to why driving takes so long.
Preparing your little one for their first big international holiday can be a great place to start. If you have everything needed, they’ll feel safe, excited, and interested just as you are. Of course, infants are unlikely to be reasoned with on the same level as a small toddler or child that has reached around five or six, so in this post, we’ll help you with that most of all.
In this post, we intend to give you several tips to achieve just that:
Show & Discuss Where You’re Going
You can get your little one pumped up and excited by talking about all the cool things you’ll see and do at your destination. Show them pictures, read kid books about the new environment – really build that excitement. It will help them feel less worried and more tolerant of the long trip.
A Few Favorite Toys Can Work Wonders
Bringing along a few of their beloved stuffies, plushies or toys from home can provide much-needed comfort in new environments. Just don’t go overboard packing every single one, because you might find a nice little souvenir while there, too.
Teach Those Basic Travel Phrases
If you’re traveling somewhere with a different language, teaching them simple phrases like “hello,” “thank you,” etc. can make them feel more included. If they’re also old enough to understand, you might teach them what words like “boarding” mean if you’re catching a plane, so they can understand you.
Explain The Airport Experience In Child-Friendly Terms
The airport can be overwhelming for kids – heck, it can be for adults, too. You’ll want to explain security, boarding procedures, and so on, as it’ll help them know what to expect and avoid feeling scared or confused.
Practice Time Zone Adjustments
Helping them understand time changes by adjusting schedules a few days before your trip can really make jet lag way more manageable. You can also encourage napping to help them adjust, and have a day where you relax instead of going full gung-ho into your vacation so you can all recover well.
Help Your Child Contribute To The Packing List
You can inspire your little ones to get involved by having them list must-have items they want to bring. This will build excitement while also making certain you don’t forget any essentials or home comforts that work for all.
Introduce New Foods Ahead Of Time
If the cuisine will be quite different, having them try small samples ahead of time can prevent it from being too shocking to their palates. For example, if you’re heading to Greece then having a few Mediterranean foods, age-appropriate for a child, can be a good idea. That’s not to say usual favorites won’t be available abroad, but sometimes children are picky and it’s nice to help them feel familiar at home rather than confused abroad.
Rest Days Are So, So Important To Plan
Don’t try to go-go-go the whole trip. Scheduling some lower-key resort or hotel days allows everyone to recharge their batteries in between activities, which can help reduce the chance of tantrums or your little one becoming overtired.
Get Those Travel Documents Ready
Make sure you have all those important birth certificates, passport copies, IDs, etc on hand. Of course, this shouldn’t be a responsibility for your child to take care of, but making certain you have all this on hand is an important preparation anyway. Having this carefully held in a small ziplock bag can prevent you from loosing them among all your other documents like plane tickets or rental care agreement printouts.
Consider Packing Travel Snacks
Everyone needs a snack from time to time. If adults can get hangry, children can without a doubt. Try to bring along helpful snacks that aren’t too sugar-filled. Dried fruit can be a good place to start, but of course, more substantial meals like healthy sandwiches can be ideal to pack. Just be mindful you can’t bring everything onto a plane, and it’s important to declare what you do have.
Bring Along Those Comfort Items
A familiar blanket, stuffed animal or even a pillowcase with the scent of home can really help ease anxiety in all those new environments. You might also purchase and bring a travel cot from home instead of from the hotel you stay at, as this can add a sense of familiarity in a relatively unfamiliar place. Of course, not all children are worried about unfamiliar spaces as much as others, so you get to decide which comforts are most appropriate.
Research Kid-Friendly Activities
Looking into fun, age-appropriate activities at your destination can keep them engaged and also ensure you know where to go to begin with. There might be an area suitable for families at a local beach (away from surfers or partying areas), and that’s good to know in advance. Perhaps your hotel has family floors that are quiet throughout the week too. Having those accommodations considered in advance really will make a difference.
It’s Good To Introduce Cultural Differences
You may want to gently discuss how things might be done differently than at home to mentally prepare them and avoid culture shock. That’s not to say you’re headed to an alien culture, but a child has very narrow reference points. For example, maybe most people there aren’t your ethnicity. Explaining that in advance can prevent an awkward and loud (if not malicious) question in the middle of a restaurant.
Schedule Doctor Visits
If your child has any health considerations, or if you just want to make sure you’re all in good health, having a doctor visit in advance can be helpful. They may prescribe you enough medication to last your journey or make your insurance approach clear if you need treatment abroad. They can also make recommendations in case you need to be prepared for certain types of travel. At the very least, having this peace of mind can be appropriate. At the most, you can attend to a health emergency with confidence thanks to your preparation.
Get Travel Insurance
Speaking of insurance, travel insurance is usually worth the investment. This means that if you lose your luggage, need additional medication, or need to cover the cost of a loss, this can be provided to you. While this might not affect your child directly, having issues like this while also looking after a little one can be immensely stressful. At the very least, you’ll know where to go and how to make your claim should a difficult experience show itself and require your attention.
Discuss Safety Rules
It’s important to discuss safety rules and important behavioral expectations for your little one. You might not put it in such grand terms of course, but it is important. For example, never running off, always staying close to you, holding your hand in busy areas, sitting in the buggy or pram during long walks, or not going in the sea without a parent. Of course, warning them against stranger danger, as you usually do, is even more important on vacation where you won’t know anyone at all, and many tourists are around. Little directions can help them know what you expect, and you can then repeat those instructions closer to when they’re most relevant.
Arrange Those Travel Comforts
Even in adulthood, it’s easy to get tired of those long commutes to your destination. That’s why investing in a nice travel pillow, cushions, booster seats for the rented car (or hiring a car with new options available), and blankets so they can fall asleep easily is a good idea. You can also purchase a little child eye mask and overhead ear muffs so they can easily sleep without distractions or discomfort. Sometimes, if a child sleeps well throughout the entire trip, you can come out the other side with an energetic and happy little one, instead of a tired and cranky child (don’t worry, we all get tired and cranky during this time).
With this advice, we hope you can put several steps in place to prepare your little one for their big international holiday. There are many steps to remember here, but luckily when they’re all done you can enjoy your wonderful planned trip through and through.
If this is your first time traveling with your child as a parent, don’t worry, you’ll still have a great time. Moreover, the next time you head out, you’ll be so much more experienced and certain of how to do it well.
*This is a collaborative post
