Traveling around the world is very pleasant and interesting. It’s always interesting to discover something new, communicate with local residents and try national food. For me, the most important thing when traveling is my family. I really love traveling with my husband. How nice it is on winter evenings to remember your flight trip and plan your next voyage. It wouldn't be so great alone. A couple of years ago, a new family member was added to our travels - our beloved baby. Traveling remains just as enjoyable for us, but it also adds a little hassle.
Today I will share my experience and tell you how to organize your first traveling with a 1.5 year old baby. Perhaps my advice will be useful to parents who want relax with a small child, but don't know where to start. The first part of the note will be about the flight. I want to repeat that these are my personal, introductory tips. For more accurate and detailed information, you need to contact the airline’s website, the embassy (to obtain a visa) or the Federal Migration Service (if the question concerns a passport).
What you need to do before your trip.
Documents.
Now international passport issued from birth. The passport is issued for 5 or 10 years according to the standard procedure, at the Federal Migration Service at the place of registration. There were no problems with the Schengen visa; it was issued at the Spanish Embassy (for a stay in Spain).
Having read a bunch of reviews online before the trip, I stocked up on everything necessary documents per child. I took my birth certificate and power of attorney with me.
Birth certificate may be required at the border to establish your relationship with the baby.
Power of attorney(notarized) I needed it to obtain a visa. Having collected a whole package of documents at the border, I didn’t need them, no one simply asked me for them. As soon as we approached passport control, Petya began to smile at everyone around him with a radiant smile of 12 teeth). But I still strongly recommend taking all the documents with you. Just in case.
During the flight.
Check-in and boarding.
Having a small child in your arms is a big plus. Queues for inspections, registration and passport control immediately disappear. With children they let you through without any problems and at the same time they smile. During check-in, you can ask for the very first row in the aircraft cabin. Some provide space in front of the first row where you can attach a special cradle for infants, and there is more legroom there. But it is better to clarify such details with the airline before departure. We were unlucky with all these advantages; our Petya was 1.8 years old at the time of the flight, so we stood in line like everyone else.
On the plane. For children under 2 years old, the air ticket is free without a seat (or with small fees, you need to check with the airline). From 2 to 12 years old, tickets are sold at a discount, but you also need to check. We decided to take a separate place for the baby, which we have never regretted. During takeoff and landing, you will be asked to hold your baby in your arms, but the rest of the time, an extra seat is a real lifesaver. The child could lie down quietly (even sleep) and go about his business without any problems.
If you don’t want to spend extra money, then a sling can be a very convenient thing for you. But again, this is for those kids who are familiar with him. It is very comfortable to hold the baby on the mother’s chest, feed him and he sleeps much better this way. And mom’s free hands will always come in handy for other things. Petya grew out of a sling, so I already forgot about him.
Since small child does not know how to regulate intracranial pressure, it is recommended to give him water or food during takeoff and landing so that his ears do not get blocked. We have no problems with this, since Petya was on breastfeeding. I just sat him on my lap and hugged him tighter. Several other children older than Peter were flying not far from us; they were so fussy during takeoff and landing. And babies generally tolerate the flight well. Petya's first flight was very successful and calm. I hope the next ones will be the same.
Advice! If possible, buy tickets for a daytime flight. Night ones are cheaper, but less convenient. Don’t expect that your child will sleep the whole time; he will be distracted by a new place, people, noise, light and other little things that adults don’t notice. And if the child does not get enough sleep, then sleep disturbance and Bad mood provided for a couple of days. It's not for me to tell you about this. Be sure to take this fact into account when traveling long distances and changing climate zones. The best thing is to choose the optimal flight for your baby’s schedule.
What to take with you.
Nutrition. As I wrote above, Petya on natural feeding, because food is always with me, and therefore with the baby. You can carry water into the aircraft cabin without any problems, baby food, juices and other children's food. Perhaps there are some restrictions on the volume (you need to look at the airlines’ websites), but having a child in your arms removes all prohibitions. Since we don’t eat formula, I only had water, juice, cookies and fruit. The flight lasted only 4 hours and there was enough food for this time.
For a nursing mother, nutrition for herself is more important than for the child. So better take some food for yourself. Even if you feed your children formula, you can take all this with you. It is advisable to take an extra bottle/pacifier with you in case it falls and needs to be replaced quickly. Don’t forget to put cottage cheese and other dairy products in special refrigerated containers or bags.
Clothes and more. It is necessary to take a couple of sets of spare clothes in your hand luggage (in case of unforeseen circumstances), as well as diapers, a bib and wipes (wet and dry). You may also need a set of warm clothes, socks or a blanket. It can sometimes be quite chilly on the plane. All we needed from the above were wipes and a couple of diapers.
If there is a line for the toilet on the plane, then you and your child will probably be allowed in without it. But this is provided that there are few children on the plane. This advice is not relevant for the summer months and popular destinations; everyone flies there with children. If your baby is already out of diapers, it is very convenient to take a travel potty with you, such as Potette. A very convenient thing and takes up minimal space in your hand luggage. We then took it with us on road trips.
Toys/books. It is better not to take many toys into the cabin of the plane. The baby will quickly get tired of them, and why do you need the extra load. I recommend taking only your child’s favorite toys and books. And he will be calmer, and you will have a few minutes to relax. Our Petya really loves books with stickers. A trouble-free flight was ensured; the child could play with stickers for up to half an hour. True, provided that I took part in the process. Petya also loves to look at family photos and travel photos. He can look at them and comment on them for a very long time. It's very funny to watch and communicate in this way. Here's a developmental method for you. Many children at this age love to draw and listen to audio fairy tales and watch cartoons. In this case, you need to stock up on pencils, a player or a tablet. In this case, you are also guaranteed a quiet flight.
Baby stroller. There is no need to check the stroller as baggage; you will still need it after checking in for your flight. If the baby is capricious, then it is enough to put him in it and calm him down. Walking with a child for 1.5-2 hours before landing in your arms will be very difficult. When entering the plane, the stroller must be folded and given to the flight attendants. You can pick it up either upon exiting, or along with your luggage, or in a separate place near the luggage. They will tell you where exactly. Before the trip, we bought a specially lightweight Maclaren stroller.
That's probably all the main ones adviсe for air travel with a small child. Nothing complicated, right? If I forgot to write something, tell me in the comments.
And the most important thing during the flight, and throughout the entire journey, is probably the peace of mind of the parents. Don't be nervous, act natural and everything will go fine. Let your first trip with your baby be the beginning of a joyful and interesting life for you.
In the next post I will tell you what is better for a child - accommodation in a hotel or apartment and how to properly relax at sea.
Stay connected!
There are so many colors and beauty in the world!
We travel a lot and lately we have been increasingly amazed at how many beautiful places there are in the world, people whose existence we did not even suspect.
Just because you don't know something doesn't mean it doesn't exist. (c)
For example, living in St. Petersburg, it is impossible to see such sunsets.
Living only in Asia, it is impossible to enjoy the joy of snow.
Living only in a metropolis, it is impossible to understand and experience the charm of village life.
Finding myself in one of the most beautiful places on the planet, I thought that this is a model for our entire life.
And all the boundaries that we have are only a projection of what we know, can and do.
Don't be afraid to travel with children!
This article was written in Bali. Where we flew as a family of 2 adults and 3 children.
At the moment when we were flying to Indonesia from Malaysia, at an altitude of 10,000 m, I suddenly realized that I was sitting and simply enjoying the flight. How is this possible?
It seems like the children should be screaming, the parents should be freaking out, and the other passengers should be nervous? Are these usually the expectations of those parents who are planning to travel with children?
In this article I will share tips for traveling with children. What is important to know if you are going on vacation with a child so that the trip is a pleasure.
Most people travel with children aged 2 to 6 years. During this period, it is already clear what to feed the child and what to do with him. In the end, you can already come to an agreement with the child.
And the least likely families to go on vacation are those whose children are still very young, infants or schoolchildren.
Among my friends there are several couples who traveled half of Europe before having children. And then that’s it. There are also those who used to always winter in Asia. And then the child went to school, and it seemed like he couldn’t leave.
But all the boundaries that we have are only a projection of what we know, can and do.
For a flight with a baby, you just need to properly prepare, and for a schoolchild, you can absolutely safely take 1-2 months of leave even during the period of study (upon the parents’ application, in which they indicate the reason for leaving the country and add a line - I take responsibility for completing the program during the period of absence myself).
You will be released.
That is, to travel with a schoolchild, it is absolutely not necessary to go to family education. You can safely skip 1 quarter of school. The Education Law does not prevent this.
If you do not have time to return by the end of the year, then send a handwritten application with your signature to the director by e-mail, in which you ask to certify the child according to the three available quad grades (we did this with the boys)
Or ask to create a schedule for passing the certification for the current class remotely (if school will start for a meeting or in the fall)
When traveling with a baby it is important:
1. Choose a comfortable and correct stroller (we prefer yoyo)
More information about our stroller in the video
2. Know that diapers can be bought in any country and even much better than in Russia and not worry about it.
We are in new country let's try different options local diapers, and choose the best for us. In Malaysia, the simplest and most inexpensive diapers turned out to be the best, but in Indonesia we didn’t like the local ones, so we buy Japanese ones.
3. Buy a comfortable carrier (we preferred hipsit)
This type of carrier is much more convenient and practical than any kangaroo or ergo backpack. The child sits as if on a high chair, and his weight is not felt at all. Convenient fixation and several positions for carrying a child.
4. Be able to communicate at least a little English and ask locals for help when you need something.
They will never guess that they need to bring a separate glass and a teaspoon for the child to drink. They don't always think of bringing it for you. child seat. You won't always be even offered to take the subway.
But only if you ask with a smile, everything will be done for you right away and as needed. And they will grind the soup in a blender, and pour clean water, and even take the child in their arms and entertain him while you have lunch, for example.
5. Tune in to the fact that the child is not an obstacle to travel and to your active family life, but on the contrary - the child will easily integrate into your usual pace of life and complement it with his presence.
Travel and sunshine, a change of environment, are no less beneficial for the development of young children.
When traveling with a student you need:
1. Think about the child’s leisure time.
It’s not a fact that he will just look out the window and enjoy the trip. Most likely, he will be very curious and talkative. And you’re unlikely to get away with playing “keep silent.”
We play various oral games: “Unfortunately, fortunately”, “What did I wish for?”, “Do not use yes/no in answers” and others.
From trip to trip we take with us cards, dominoes and an e-book with children's stories: Dragunsky, Nosov, the children have already read The Wizard of the Emerald City. We also read Little Lord Fauntleroy and now we are reading the story about Petter and the rebel piglets.
2. Immediately establish a study regime (if you are resting and no one has canceled your studies) and follow it.
Take workbooks. But you don’t have to take paper textbooks; it’s better to download electronic versions of books.
Following the study schedule is the primary responsibility of parents. Because if you fail two or three times, don’t be surprised that the children will then also begin to “sabotage” their studies.
Our children will learn remotely by listening to lessons and completing assignments in workbooks
3. Engage the child.
For example, we prepared together for a tour of the city using mind maps and remembered important facts about Kuala Lumpur. On the way we talked a lot about what we had already learned. Now we bought the child a Rubik’s cube and showed him how to solve it. Children are re-engaged
In Thailand, we were frequent visitors to the local aquarium. A trip to the largest butterfly park in Kuala Lumpur was a real adventure!
4. Remember that at school the child will learn to follow orders, sit still and answer only when asked and only in the right way.
You can teach him how to use it practically English language, communicate with different people, go to places that schoolchildren have never even heard of. Conduct a live lesson about the world around you or about history.
5. Don't give up gadgets.
They will allow parents to take a break and relax after the journey. The main thing is to relax and accept that nothing will happen to your child in a few hours in front of a tablet or phone.
Traveling always means getting emotions. See new things and feel life in every cell of your body. Travel always gives progress in life - to each their own.
- On one of the trips, Nikita learned to swim (while studying in the pool at school for a year, he did not master this skill)
- On another trip we learned to ride a bike and overcame our fear of renting a car
- We rode elephants for the first time, saw a sunset from a cliff, a waterfall and skyscrapers for the first time while traveling
- New sources of income have opened up
- For the first time, the children never got sick during the winter, and for us this is great progress.
- Lots of emotions and ideas
- Healthy and happy children
And it doesn’t matter whether you have one child or five.
I know people who, even without children, do not want to go on a trip, but I also know those who, even with four children, can easily travel tens of thousands of kilometers.
There are also those who, not knowing important and useful things, after the first trip with a child on vacation, gave up on it, because there were a lot of problems, quarrels, scandals, and incomprehensible things.
And he doesn’t go out anymore, since the trip from a vacation has turned into hard labor.
At one time I was very inspired by the stories of acquaintances and strangers who, no matter what and against all odds, traveled. And I wanted to do the same someday and not get tired)))
Today our family experience includes 12 countries: Ukraine, Finland, Greece, Bulgaria, Italy, France, Egypt, Turkey, Tunisia, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia. We have been to some of them more than once.
We traveled with children of different ages, in Russia and abroad, by car, motorcycle, ferry, plane, with infants, preschoolers and schoolchildren.
Do you want to travel with children with pleasure and enjoy the trip?
At the height of the holiday season, we are conducting a free one-day course “Traveling with Children for Fun”
We will look at how to travel with children and arrive rested and not tired
Look at the questions that you will find answers to in this free training:
- Sequence of actions: visa, hotel, tickets, what comes first, what comes next. Tour or independent holiday
- Selection of tickets, which services. All about airlines, luggage. How does registration and flight work? What you need to know, pitfalls
- Independent travel insurance
- Visa nuances, cash, amount of money for entry, return ticket
- Why might they not be allowed to leave the country?
- Choosing a location. Hotel search. Services and nuances of how to look for the best places.
- We rent a hotel with the best price/quality ratio. How to choose and not miss?
- Review of travel medications
- What to take with you and what not to take with you
- What to do with children on the road. Review of games and useful gadgets
- Hand luggage v.s. luggage
- Lifehacks for traveling with convenience. Cooking
- How to find a taxi and order a transfer so as not to be ripped off. Where and how and most importantly at what moment (those in advance or immediately before arrival)
- Using Uber abroad and the Airport Taxi service. Online transfer services.
- First day in a new city/country. How to find your way where to go. What to pay attention to
- Why tourists always lose a lot of money on the first day and how to save it
- Issues with educating children and organizing leisure activities for children
- Entertainment on vacation. How not to get tired of vacation
- Bank cards when traveling, banks, cash
- Money exchange
- How not to fall into the trap of being a “sucker” in the country of arrival
- Local shops, cuisine
- We read the menu. What you can eat and what you can’t. How to navigate the menu in English?
- Tips, payment by card, VAT, service charge and other food nuances
- Overview of countries and resorts: All resorts and cities in southern Russia (Anapa, Yeysk, Genendzhik, Tuapse, Adler, Dzhubga, Lazarevskoye, Sochi) Bulgaria, Indonesia (two islands), Thailand, Malaysia, Turkey, Italy. What are the benefits of traveling as a savage?
- Baby and trip. What you need to borrow. At what age is it better for a child to take a stroller? And what kind of stroller to take. Stroller and plane
- Children of preschool and school age.
- Card for 150 important things on your trip English words and mini-course “Language for flying on an airplane”
- Question about renting a car or bike. International Law and Police
- Internet, communication. Calls home. Wi-Fi in a cafe or local SIM cards. How to choose an operator and tariff.
The time you spend on this course can be repaid on your next vacation by saving on hotels, flights, guides, transfers
But this course is not done primarily to save money.
The main goal of this course is to bring back the passion for travel to parents.
After this program, you will know the answers to 90% of the problems that may arise when traveling with children, which means saving your nerves and having fun
As a person who loves to travel and has visited 40+ countries, as well as a large number of cities in Russia, I have developed my own arsenal of life hacks that help me survive traveling with children without killing each other.
If you want to not only gain new experiences, but also relax, here are a few rules that personally help me survive and feel good on vacation:
1. The trip should be planned in as much detail as possible and taking into account the characteristics of your children.
That is, you need to clearly understand whether your child can drive 11 hours in a car, if so, what is needed for this, whether he can stay alone in the children’s room in a hotel, etc. The amount of your free time depends on this. This also determines the hotel’s infrastructure and similar things. Determine what kind of hotel you need, what you are ready or not ready to do.
For example, are you ready to cook or do you want to take a break from the “everyday life” that can eat up your vacation? If, for example, you know that cooking does not bring you joy, but rather adds negative emotions, then apartment hotels are not suitable for you.
The more detailed you can visualize your ideal future vacation, the more better result you will get it in the end. My experience is to remove all household components as much as possible in order to leave as much time as possible for “doing nothing.”
2. Take your grandmother, friend or someone else with you (in general, whoever agrees).
The main thing is that this person is able to stay with the children for a couple of hours a day and give you the opportunity to swim, go shopping, go on an excursion, go on dates with your husband and similar delights.
If this someone lives in the next room or at least in another room of a two-room suite, it will be doubly pleasant and comfortable to spend evenings and nights. And sometimes you can even “drop” your child “for the night” and spend the evening for your own pleasure)
3. If you have a long flight or move, prepare your child.
Tell him how everything will happen in as much detail as possible. Play a travel game, for example, play out the transfer at the airport, what you will do while waiting, where you will go, etc.
4. Stock up (various).
During any trip, even if it’s an excursion, you should always have at hand: something to drink, something to chew, an extra set of clothes (even 7-year-old children sometimes wet themselves or wet themselves), wet wipes, just napkins, diapers (if you use them).
In general, my approach to diapers is this: I put them on my child in the car until he was 6 years old. Of course, only for moving, but it really helped not to stop at every intersection.
5. On vacation, everyone can be “forbidden.”
You're not the only one on vacation, are you? Use it. Candy, cartoons 2 hours, a little coca cola, play on the phone and even ice cream. This is personally my “forbidden thing”. The child is happy, I am calm and resting.
6. Don’t be afraid to break the routine, do everything to make you feel comfortable.
If you need to see something on the other side of town during your child's nap, you go. Otherwise, you will later regret your aimlessly spent vacation. Here without fanaticism and with common sense, but believe me, children adapt and adapt well.
7. Everyone line up!
Another important point, closely related to the previous one - when preparing an entertainment program, plan at least one children's entertainment per day, or alternate (I like the second one better) children’s and parenting days, for example, one day we go on excursions, another day in a water park, etc.
8. Real devices that help out when traveling are, of course:
- a stroller on which, in addition to the child, you can load a bunch of bags and clothes,
- a scooter for older children, especially if you plan to go on walking tours,
— as well as a folding crib with a mattress + hipsit (more on this miracle a little later). The crib is indispensable if you are traveling by car. It can be used both for its intended purpose and as a playpen on the road. It is very convenient and allows the child to travel “with his usual surroundings”, and you get rid of the problems of finding hotels with cribs, worrying about who slept in it, etc.,
— hipsit is our personal “helper” for trips to places where a stroller cannot pass or where it is better not to let the child run around so that he does not knock anything, for example, in a museum. This is a seat-stand that is put on the belt and the child sits on it. Suitable from 8 months, when the child is already sitting down and has enough hips for up to 2 years.
8. Prepare yourself for the fact that your children will have broken knees, wet noses, a mood of “whining”, “misbehaving” and the like.
It won’t be smooth, it won’t go according to plan, and every 100 meters along the walk you’ll need a toilet. Just prepare for it and give yourself permission to experience it, and sometimes ignore it. It will be easier for both you and the children. This will save you from the effect of unjustified expectations. And they can ruin your vacation! Like, “We still need to go to this museum and get there in time, but because of you now we won’t have time to get anywhere...”
9. If trouble does occur and your children get sick, then you should always have a minimum set of medications on hand.
I have this, of course: antipyretics, entrosgel and enterefuril for rotavirus infection (just must have), nasal drops, warming rubs, Beponten, patches, iodine and nozzle suction.
10. If you want to cut down on household chores, take as many clothes as you need so as not to wash or wash at a minimum.
This will save your time and nerves. Of course, you don’t need to take out your entire children’s wardrobe. I usually take 1 set with me for 2 days, + 2-3 additional sets
11. Always take with you a supply of baby food for at least a couple of days.
Especially if the child needs special nutrition and you are traveling to another country. You may not be able to go into the store immediately upon arrival. Or you will have to look for a store with products that suit you, but here everything is at hand. Then, in a calm atmosphere, buy everything you need.
12. Block early rises.
If you don’t want to get up early on vacation, and the child, as luck would have it, jumps up at the crack of dawn, I offer you this option: after the child falls asleep, place a whole arsenal of his favorite toys next to the crib. Then in the morning the child will be able to reach them. Let him play and you sleep. It really gives me an extra hour of sleep in the morning!
These are some simple tips that I hope will help you on vacation with children. Remember: the more you travel, the easier it becomes for you, and the more children get used to traveling and possible inconveniences, and you get used to coping with it and not paying attention to many little things.
Travel is wonderful! Perhaps traveling with children will not allow you to sleep and read a bunch of books, lie on the beach, but a change of scenery is also a vacation :). Therefore, even if you don’t get much rest, at least you will unwind and be able to “recharge your battery.” And often this is even more important.
Summer is ahead, have a great trip and new pleasant discoveries! Write which life hacks were useful to you, and share yours!
How to endure a flight with a child as painlessly as possible, read
Alexandra Ugoleva, mother of two daughters, creator of SHKAM - a project for mothers who want to remain mothers and not forget about themselves and their careers (www.mamschool.ru)
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