Choosing Vacations with Under-Fives in Mind

How to Have a Stress-Free Holiday with Younger Children

Jul 6, 2009

Helpful hints for choosing a holiday that is suitable for families with the Under Fives. How to travel and what accommodation to choose.

Traveling with the under-five's can be tough, especially if one is new to this type of holiday. However the stresses can be greatly reduced if a few factors are kept in mind.

Choosing Vacations Suitable for Under-Fives

Going on holiday with young children takes planning and effort. it can seem like a military operation, especially if there is a baby involved. Extra equipment that may be needed include bottle sterilizing equipment, travel cots, push chairs, nappies, etc.

Airports are noisy and harsh environments for small children, and meal times go completely out of kilter. The hell of flight delays is bad enough for adults – for young children it is unbearable as they cannot understand what is going on. Read on for some useful hints in minimizing the stresses.

Choosing the Best Flights for Young Children

Flying with young children is especially difficult, since they are being placed in an environment that is totally alien to them. Often young children have a strict routine that is completely disrupted by travel. They do not understand the social niceties of being still and quiet. They may struggle with the effects of air pressure on delicate ear canals and sinuses, causing them to kick up quite a fuss.

Some Tips for Easier Traveling with Under Fives

It is wise to choose a flight that will interfere as little as possible with the normal routine. Initially, until a child understands what is happening it is best to go for a day time flight, allowing them to sleep in a bed or cot at night on arrival at the destination. This does mean losing a day each way in travel, but has the advantage that the children will be fresher and ready to go the next day.

If flying low cost airlines, book flights as far in advance as possible so that the pre-board ticket allocations are available. This means that families are boarded ahead of other travelers to ensure that they are seated together.

Arriving late is not a good idea, nor is arriving too early as luggage check in will only start when the desk is opened for a particular flight. Before leaving for the airport it is a good idea to do a last minute check on the internet to see if there have been delays in the flight. This could help in avoiding a lengthy wait at the airport.

Feeding Small Children

If flying low cost airlines that don't provide child friendly food, it is wise to take a picnic to the airport that can be consumed before takeoff. If hand luggage allowances are generous then take their favorite packed meal on board. Some airlines still offer children's meals but these usually need to be booked in advance.

The VIP Lounge Option

One doesn't have to be a film star in order to use a VIP lounge. By paying an annual membership fee anybody can have access to VIP lounges and this could be a Godsend if long delays are experienced rather than having babies or young children exposed to the chaos of a busy airport.

Choosing Child Friendly Accommodation

Choosing the right accommodation is crucial, and with small children to look after, hotels aren't necessarily the best option. Self catering accommodation offers the flexibility that a family needs, so that meals can be taken at the appropriate times to suit young children.

The villa or apartment holiday is a very comfortable option, especially those that come with all of the extras provided, such as cots, change of towels, maid service, baby sitting service and support from local staff. The local contacts are extremely helpful in sorting out any difficulties that may occur and it is worth asking for baby equipment to be provided as part of the package to cut down on luggage.

Villa and apartment holidays offer the sort of privacy that families need, and there are options to have access to a shared or private swimming pool. A word of caution though. Small children should never be left alone near a swimming pool and so this does create an additional pressure. Share the job of watching the children. In this case it is good to have along a few extra family members to help as "life guards".

Child Friendly Vacation Activities

The beach holiday is obviously the first option for young children. Choose a resort that is family friendly with clean beaches and sea and lots of facilities such as showers and changing facilities. Look for places with options for eating en-famille.

Keen cyclists may like to hire bikes with child seats for local excursions. This can be a fun experience for children 18 months and up who are able to sit up safely. Don't forget those helmets please!

If you are driving from the airport to your destination, or if you could be arriving late, it is a good idea to take a GPS unit programmed for your destination country. Rather than depending upon street names, which are often completely absent, ask for a precise GPS fix on your destination so that your navigation system will take you to your door.

Before you go program in all of the useful data that you are going to need e.g. the airport (to help you on your return), the car hire address and any other destinations that you might need during your stay.

The copyright of the article Choosing Vacations with Under-Fives in Mind in Spain Travel is owned by Christine Fadhley. Permission to republish Choosing Vacations with Under-Fives in Mind in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.