How to Travel Europe Stress-Free with Kids

Have you decided to be brave and take your kids halfway around the world on the European holiday of a lifetime? If so, then you’ve probably had plenty of people offering you advice, but we think there’s always room for more. Here’s a few tips we’ve found invaluable.

Before You Go

You’ll have your own checklist of the essentials to pack, both for travelling and once you reach your destination. Bear in mind that your kids might be surprised by the European climate, which has its seasonal extremes but can also be highly changeable at any time of year. In Northern Europe particularly, you can experience wind and rain for half the day and bright sunshine for the rest. You might be resilient enough to cope, but your kids will need clothing for all eventualities.

Pack some basic medicines too. Doctors and pharmacies will be available, but for minor complaints like headaches, allergies, motion sickness and upset stomachs, you don’t want to be hunting around unfamiliar streets when it’s simple to bring medications with you.

The airlines such as Quantas also provide excellent travel and security advice.

Getting There

It’s a long journey so preparation is essential. As a parent, you’ll know that when the kids get hungry, it doesn’t always coincide with mealtimes. When you’re taking a long-haul flight from Oz, this problem can be magnified. Make sure you have plenty of snacks and drinks on you to see you through the journey. Also, bear in mind that once you reach your destination, your kids’ first experience of European food may leave them unimpressed. It might be worth easing them in with global staples like pizza and burgers.

Food isn’t the only thing you need to provide in quantity to help those long hours in the air go faster. Don’t forget to bring their treasured electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets and handheld gaming consoles like the Nintendo DS. Preload films and TV shows onto tablets and don’t forget to pack headphones and chargers.

Once You’ve Arrived

It sounds obvious, but keep track of your kids. In your home environment, you might have a sixth sense and your kids know where they are all the time, but in a foreign country, you can’t take anything for granted. If you’re visiting a major city, it only takes a few moments for one of them to get lost. Make sure you keep them in sight, or know exactly where they are. Don’t rely on them being able to keep in touch with their phones – batteries can drain, signals can drop, and phones can be lost. Tell them where to find a phone to call you and make sure they have your mobile number on them since speed dial won’t be of any use. For very young kids, you could even tie a card to their belt or shoe with their details – sounds crazy but if it works, it works.

Sometimes it can be hard to keep your kids’ attention engaged, especially if you’re on a sight-seeing tour. We’d highly recommend giving each of your kids their own camera – even if they already have smartphones – because it helps to turn the tour into a project or a mission. You can even turn it into a competition to see who can capture the most unusual picture. There will be endless chances to take some really interesting pictures of landmarks, people and animals. Restaurants with great photo ops will be everywhere, for example.

Be Flexible

On a trip like this, it makes sense to formulate an itinerary so you can fit in as much as possible but remember that your kids won’t always want to do everything you’ve planned and might be inspired by something else they see or hear about. Have the flexibility to adapt and let them decide on the next destination or activity. You might be surprised by how much you enjoy an unscheduled stop.

Allow for Downtime

Just because you’ve come a long way and spent a lot of money, don’t feel compelled to fill every moment with activity. Just chilling with the family, in the park, at the beach or even in the hotel, is as important in any holiday as tearing around from one tourist experience to the next. You’ll never get around to seeing everything. The most important thing is that you’ll enjoy it in a way that suits everyone.