Travelling With Small Children

Travelling with kids can be somewhat like taking a herd of wild goats on vacation. Whether they're your own or somebody else's, factoring a kid 's needs into your travels involves far more than adhering on a CD full of pop songs and making bathroom stops. Here two Rough Guides writers share their hard wisdom. To start, mum of 2 Hayley Spurway offers advice on travelling with toddlers, then Ross McGovern shows how he handles to traveling with older kids. Hayley Spurway's hints for travelling with toddlers

Bear in Mind the baby wipes

Even if all your kids are long out of nappies, don't forget that the baby wipes. They're useful for washing hands, cleaning toilet seats, and wiping down restaurant tables. At the exact same spirit, little bottles of hand cleaner can be a lifesaver in a few nations, but assess the journey regulations for fluids well in advance.

Pack Pull-Ups for potty training

Planes and public transport throughout the potty training times could be a nightmare. As if you didn't have enough in your hand bag, today you're predicted to bring a potty, three changes of clothing and bags of wet, stinky pants. Potty-training gurus may disagree, but when toddlers are still having plenty of small mishaps then I'm all for putting them back in to Pull-Ups on the airplane.

Don't overlook the medicine

Whether they're out of routine, jet-lagged, or eating less healthily, children always seem to get sick on vacation. Dampen the impact of broken feet, frayed temperaments and fevers by packing an easy-to-swallow medicine like Calpol in the UK. Other basic ingredients in your first aid kit should consist of antiseptic wipes, plasters, sting treatment, and a thermometer.

Ross McGovern's travel tips for older children

Don't let the children pack their own rucksacks We went on a trip with our eight-year-old, who complained incessantly her backpack was too heavy. The main reason ? She'd brought along her entire collection of fossils "only if ". Do let the kids have input but remember to edit this heavily before death.

Brand them

If you're going to be travelling through active, crowded airports or transportation hubs, then write your mobile number in your kid 's arm in biro if they get lost.

Keep fleas

Whether you're travelling to Paignton or Peru, antibacterial wipes and hand sanitizer are handbag essentials. A wipe of this cutlery in restaurants at which you're unsure of hygiene, or a squirt of hand sanitizer when there's no washing facilities, can zap a few germs and prevent toddlers grabbing some bugs that are common.