Top Ten Tips When Travelling Abroad With Tots.... -

Now that Easter is over, most of us are looking ahead to our summer holiday’s so if you are thinking of going abroad with your ‘Little Pickles’ this year or next, then here’s some top tips from Emma.

The Destination -Opt for a country that will involve the shortest flying time as well as a short transfer to your accommodation.

The Resort -Outside of the hotel itself, it is worth investigating if there are safe pathways to your local amenities. I would advise avoiding a hilly resort, the last thing you would want to do is climb hills with a buggy in the heat. Choose a sandy beach that is suitable for children, with a gentle slope into the sea.

The Airport – Consider flying from smaller regional airports. i.e. Southampton, Bournemouth, Bristol. With smaller terminals and fewer flights arriving and departing, you will certainly start off your holiday in a relaxed way. Miss out the hustle and bustle of larger international airports for ie. Gatwick or Heathrow.

Check in – Most airlines allow you to check in online from 7 days prior to departure with the ability to select your seating. It is never guaranteed that a family with young children will be allocated seating together, so always worth paying the small supplement for pre-booking your seats. Also, fast track boarding is becoming popular nowadays. Again at a supplement but well worth the extra rather than being queued up behind 200 fellow passengers trying to get seated on the plane.

The Hotel -Think deeply into your accommodation requirements. Is a basic hotel room sufficient for your young tot? Maybe you’ll need a fridge to store milk and bottled water. Again is a hotel room suitable for getting young ones to sleep at night. Maybe you will need to consider an apartment or interconnecting hotel rooms so you can relax without tip toeing around the a sleeping child.

Board basis – All Inclusive properties are well worth comparing to self-catering prices. Having a young family myself and having tried self-catering vs all inclusive, the latter works perfectly if you don’t want the hassle of waiting in restaurants for your meals, have fussy children, special dietary requirements, allergies etc. Also most of all inclusive properties offer entertainment for adults & children day and night with the opportunity for your tots to have fun in the kids clubs. Generally, kids clubs start from the age of 4 years, however, there are many properties that offer day crèches and an evening babysitting service so you can have a few hours tot free.

Baby Essentials – Many airlines allow buggies, travel cots and car seats in the hold free of charge. So despite the ever increasing hold luggage supplements, it would be worth choosing an airline that will allow free items for your tots. You can however hire these things at a lot of family friendly hotels.

Kids Clothes – If you’re heading for the heat, choose clothes made from natural fibres – sweat irritates delicate skins and can lead to prickly heat or sweat rash. Expect to change your baby’s clothes up to three times a day particularly if they’re not used to the heat and will sweat a lot. Children will need two sets of clothes per day, and sunhats with wide brims and neck flaps are worth-while when playing outdoors. Equally don’t overlook the fact that children’s eyes are more vulnerable to glare of the sun than yours get them sunglasses or goggles with elasticated straps, which stay on better.

The Extras- Over the years I have spent a fortune on inflatable lilo’s, boats etc for the pools/beach from local shops. Head to Poundland and grab yourself a selection of inflatables before you go and for £1 you don’t mind leaving them there for other children to use.When to book – Book early to take advantage of free child places, big discounts and low deposits.