General tips

20 March 2008

Travelling with your baby.
This is perhaps the easiest as babies haven’t yet learned to ask are we there yet! Babies are also usually quite happy as long as you are.

Some things to consider:

look at the noise levels around the accommodation. You don’t want to go where the nightlife is gong to keep your baby awake.
look for accommodation close to amenities. You’ll need to carry or push your baby everywhere and you may want to get back to your base throughout the day for feeds or naps.
check that there is enough to keep you occupied near to the accommodation.
look at the safety of the accommodation if your baby is crawling.

Travelling with toddlers and older children
Some things to consider:

try to include them in the planning. Let them know about where you are going and what they can do there.
young children generally don’t appreciate being couped up for any length of time, so you may want to consider accommodation with a short transfer time from the airport.
look at what you all like to do and choose a destination that can offer that. For example, football for the children, shopping for mum and golf for dad. You will need to make sure that children of all ages are catered for.
consider what your child is like. If they can be clingy then a holiday club where they can go all day isn’t going to be of much benefit to you.
make sure there’s plenty to do for all of you.
your peace of mind. You need to be able to relax, so check out anything that is important to you. For example, checking that holiday clubs are run by fully trained and experienced staff or your accommodation is in a safe area.
as mentioned above in what may not be good for a baby, farm holidays or theme parks are great for younger children. Check that the theme park has suitable attractions for the age of your child.
safaris. These are a fantastic opportunity fo older children and sure to keep them entertained.

Don’t forget, no matter where you go, to have all of your holiday essentials before you go.