Photo by Mika Baumeister on Unsplash
Travelling with children is amazing for their self-development and teaching them about the world, but long trips with little ones can stress out even the most organized of parents. The amount of items children seem to need is staggering, so we’ve put together a few tips for packing smartly.
Make a plan
Before you do anything, take a moment to think about the trip. Whether it’s a family holiday or a school trips to Paris, you should know roughly what they’re going to be doing and the expected weather conditions. From here, you’ll be able to make a list of the types of clothes, shoes, and accessories you’re going to need.
If the place you’re visiting has laundry facilities or a washer on the property, then you won’t need to pack as many changes of clothes, you can wash while you’re there.
Buy smart storage
There are lots of suitcases aimed at children on the market. Some of them are branded with movie or comic book characters and others have built in-wheels and seats. Many parents love these, as they encourage kids to carry their own things, and also keep them amused. If your child loses interest quickly, then you might find yourself trying to wheel a tiny suitcase around an airport. In that case, it could make more sense to buy bigger luggage for yourself and put your child’s items in that.
There are ways to pack that can save on space too. Storage cubes or vacuum bags can organize your child’s things and reduce the amount of space they take up.
Share toiletries
How often do you go on a family trip that involves every single person having their own separate toiletries? It’s much easier to find a shampoo, shower gel, toothpaste, and moisturizer that you can all use. The same goes for sunscreen. Kids’ sunscreen is often a higher SPF, which is great for keeping you protected as well. So rather than trying to pack bottles in every bag, you can just take a set for everyone to use.
Pack items to keep them occupied
Travelling can be boring for kids, or you might want something to help settle them down for a few hours while you relax. You can’t pack all of their toys, however much they want to too. Put a few items in there that don’t take up too much space such as tablets, paper, colouring pencils, and stickers. Kids love new things, so perhaps buy one or two new things which will keep them occupied for a while.
Leave room
While you’re away, you’ll probably end up buying new toys, gadgets, and souvenirs. If it was a struggle to close your kid’s bag before you left, there’s no hope of getting it in on the way back. Leave a little room for those extras.
Takeaways
Great packing is an art form. Some people are just great at it. If you have kids too, then it’s worth learning a few tricks in order to make the process as easy as possible, or you’ll find yourself lugging most of your possessions around with you.