Only good, child-friendly planning ensures a truly relaxing vacation. When choosing a holiday destination and planning the journey, the interests and health of the children should be the main focus. After all, taking young children on long-distance trips around the world isn’t always in their best interest. During the most beautiful time of the year, tension and relaxation can be very close together. To avoid this, the needs of the little ones should be considered when selecting the holiday location—while also taking into account the interests of all family members.
What preparations should definitely be made before traveling with children?
Patrice Kragten from Travelkid shares her advice:
"The most important thing when traveling with children is the motto 'less is more'! Maybe a few things in advance: We adults process our impressions during sleep, children process them through play. Children need free time during a trip to process their experiences through playing or writing. An afternoon at the pool is not free time or relaxation. That’s also 'pure action'! At TRAVELKID, children receive a travel diary as a gift — for exactly this reason!
You also can't 'check off' an entire country with children and constantly drive from one highlight to the next. Children can't handle that. And what is highlight number 1 worth if 10 more follow? You also need to be careful with travel distances. 100 km of gravel road in Namibia is something completely different from 100 km of highway between Vienna and Salzburg! Again, 'less is more' applies.
This requires a shift in thinking for parents. You can have a wonderful time abroad without 'checking things off'. Instead, you do something different. And who knows, maybe even something better. Here's an example: I was in Western America with my daughter, and after 3 weeks of canyons and rocks, we really didn’t feel like visiting Arches National Park in Moab. Instead, we rented two paddleboats and paddled on the Colorado River for 4 hours. We had the river and the rock walls all to ourselves, and it was incredibly beautiful. We didn’t see Arches NP. But did we miss out? In my opinion, everyone who went to Arches missed out on this beautiful boat trip!"
What type of travel is suitable for which age group?
Patrice Kragten responds:
"In principle, any trip is doable for any age group. It’s more about the content and design of the trip than the type. Personally, I prefer a round trip over an all-inclusive hotel with a kids’ club, and I like individual trips more than group tours. Quality time with my daughter! It’s a misconception to think that children need other children. Children love experiencing adventures with their parents — family bonds are much more strengthened on individual trips, and the shared experiences create strong connections!
I organize individual long-distance trips for families with children aged 0 to 24 for TRAVELKID. Each trip is tailor-made. No trip is the same, because no family is the same. It makes a difference whether you’re traveling with one child or three, with toddlers or teenagers. But if you follow tips and tricks like rest days, shorter travel distances, etc., even a trip to Costa Rica or a round trip in China is doable for any child!"
Where should you travel with your kids?
From a health perspective, exotic long-distance travel is not recommended for children under the age of three. Such trips often require a series of vaccinations, which can be stressful for toddlers or not even possible for babies. Travel medicine experts recommend vacations within Western Europe for the first three years of life. Even then, the question remains whether long-haul flights are too taxing for young children.
Accessibility should play a major role in choosing the destination. Long flights or car/train rides are usually not ideal for children. It’s also important to ensure that the local climate is suitable, as children are more sensitive to changes than adults. Ideally, the vacation should last at least two, preferably four weeks, to allow enough time to adjust to the new environment.
How can you keep children entertained during the holidays?
Variety is also key to a relaxing vacation. When planning, it’s worth checking what sports or cultural activities are available to create exciting experiences. Holiday clubs or so-called children’s hotels offer a wide range of activities beyond the beach or lake and provide opportunities to make new friends and playmates. Questions about childcare, playgrounds, playgroups, and leisure activities can usually be clarified in advance.
If you're traveling with only one child, consider inviting their best friend or traveling with another family. This can help avoid the dreaded “Mom, I’m bored!”
Food and drink for the kids during the trip
French fries with ketchup are available almost everywhere—but whether that’s a suitable diet for an entire vacation is questionable. The chosen hotel doesn’t need to focus on haute cuisine, but it should offer a varied and child-friendly menu without the “yuck” factor. If you're traveling with a baby, it’s wise to bring enough baby food, as the availability at the destination may be uncertain.
Just as important as high-SPF sunscreen and a beach umbrella are plenty of drinks. Children dehydrate faster than adults, so ensuring adequate fluid intake is essential.
Which means of transport should you choose for a holiday with children?
Regardless of the mode of transport, getting there and back can be a real test of family harmony.
Traveling by plane
Flights are suitable for long distances with shorter travel times. Many airlines offer discounts for toddlers and children up to twelve years old, so the budget impact is often manageable. To avoid disrupting the child’s natural sleep-eat-wake rhythm, departure times should be chosen accordingly. Major deviations can make children cranky and irritable.
Some airlines serve children before adults and provide coloring books and similar items. It’s a good idea to reserve seats in the front row for more space. Books and toys help pass the time. To prevent ear pain during takeoff and landing, older children can chew gum. Babies can be breastfed to equalize pressure. Alternatively, placing a cup over each ear can help—this works for adults too. “Earplanes” from pharmacies also prevent pain. Saline nasal drops and plenty of fluids help with breathing and combat the dry cabin air.
Traveling by car
Many families prefer traveling by car, which offers flexibility in timing and luggage. “Are we there yet?” is a common question early in the trip, so creativity is needed. Games like “I spy,” license plate guessing, “I’m packing my suitcase,” word chains, guessing celebrities, audiobooks, or storytelling help keep kids entertained.
Breaks should be taken every two hours for at least 15 minutes to meet children’s need for movement. A cooler with healthy snacks like fruit, veggie sticks, crackers, and fruit tea or unsweetened lemonade is a smart choice.
Dealing with motion sickness
“Mom, I feel sick!” is a common travel complaint. Travel medicine experts often attribute this to overstimulation of the inner ear’s balance system. Child-friendly medications can help, but often it’s enough for the child to sit where they can see the horizon through the windshield.
Traveling by train
Train travel offers plenty of space to move and time to play. It’s important to reserve seats in the parent-child compartment in advance. Visiting the dining car can also help pass the time. Some trains even have play cars with slides and other fun activities.
Staying healthy while traveling
When traveling with children, make sure that medical care is available at the destination. A child-appropriate travel first-aid kit is essential. Since children get sick more often, it’s advisable to take out comprehensive travel insurance that includes trip cancellation and health coverage with return transport.
Trust your children more
Patricia Kragten shares her best tip for parents who want to travel with their family:
“The very first thing I absolutely want to tell parents is that they can trust their children a bit more! It’s sometimes shocking to hear how parents belittle their kids. The problem isn’t the children—it’s the anxious parents! One thing I can say: children can handle long-distance travel! They can manage long flights! Children don’t get jet lag, they find something to eat abroad, they can handle changing hotels multiple times, and they can deal with flight delays and changes in plans due to car breakdowns. Sometimes even better than the parents!
I’m also tired of hearing: ‘I’d rather wait another year or two until the kids are older.’ My daughter barely remembers our trips, but children learn so many other skills while traveling. During our travels, my daughter developed adaptability, independence, patience, and self-confidence. And that’s far more important for her development than ticking off the Great Wall of China, the Statue of Liberty in New York, or elephants in Namibia!”
* The tour operator TRAVELKID Fernreisen organizes adventurous long-distance trips for families with children.
Experienced managing director and travel specialist Patricia Kragten has over 30 years of travel experience and now travels the world with her daughter Romy.
We asked her for tips on the topic “Traveling with children.”