10 Tips For Travelling Internationally With Kids

Traveling with your children internationally is the best thing you can do for their future. My children learn and grow in new ways every time we travel abroad. It gives us a lot to talk about, and it helps them to bond with me. These are my 10 best tips for traveling with children abroad.

1. Plan your family trip

Ask yourself if there’s a destination that is at the top your list of travel destinations. We usually start our planning by making a list with destinations we would like to see, either new or places that we want to revisit with the children.

We also get the older kids involved as it increases their enthusiasm and cooperation while traveling, which results in less whining. We watch videos about the destination and read books to get excited.

2. Check passports

Don’t make the mistake to check your passports a few days prior to travel. You can trust me because I’ve been there, and learned the hard way. Check well before you travel and ensure that your passports are valid 6 months after the dates of your trip.

3. Global Entry

I recommend that you enroll your entire family in Global Entry if you travel to or from any of these airports on a regular basis.

We were able to pass through immigration, passport control, and baggage claim within 20 minutes after disembarking from Europe. I kid you not, hundreds of people were waiting in horrendous, long lines, which were even standing still. It’s bad enough when you travel alone, but it is even worse with jet-lagged children.

4. Always carry the following items

Hand sanitizer, wipes, toilet paper, and any other medications your children might need.

Use packing cubicles for organizing and separating your child’s clothing from yours. You will never pack the same way again. You can trust me! Packing cubes saved my sanity on a recent trip to Scotland where we changed hotels every two days!

Pack your children’s favorite stuffed animals, blankets, or water bottles. Anything that will help them feel at home and make them remember their homeland, even when they are on the other side.

Remember to bring your patience when traveling with children. You’ll be glad you did, as nothing else is so rewarding.

5. Prepare yourself for long flights

Children can find long flights difficult, but they can be particularly challenging for them. When my children had been toddlers, I would wrap up a bunch small toys and give them to them to unwrap when they became restless.

As they get older, I give them a few new magazines or books to keep their attention. I also bring portable electronic devices and headphones of good quality for playing games and watching movies.

You should also pack some healthy snacks for your children, since they always get hungry while traveling. Also, bring a few extra clothes in case you have any accidents or spills.

I would also recommend that you invest in a good travel pillow for your children so they can get some sleep. The huzi Infinity Pillow has been a lifesaver for me and my kids. It can be used so many ways.

6. Teach a few local words to them

Before you travel, you can easily teach your children the words for “hello”, goodbye” and “thanks”. They will be eager to use them wherever they travel, and will feel more excited and appreciative of their trip.

7. Transfers

Pre-book your transport from the airport to your accommodation. We always arrange transportation ahead of time because when arriving with exhausted kids, after a long overnight flight, the last thing you want to do is wait for a taxi/uber/bus/train/shuttle.

If you are not going to be travelling with your children, but they need car seats, you can arrange for the company providing them in advance.

8. Use local tour guides

Traveling is unpredictable, and I love it. Relax and go with the flow. Don’t over plan your day, but plan enough to see how excited and amazed your kids are.

It’s fine to go sightseeing on your own with a guidebook. But it’s amazing how much more you can learn if you have a local guide share their stories with you. I have access worldwide to incredible experiences and guides who can engage your children in the sights and history of a city.

Our most memorable international family travel experiences were in the company a local guide, who took into account both our interests and those of our children to create unique tours that were tailored specifically for us.

9. Sleep and food

All kids will be happy if they are well fed and well rested. Choose your late-nights carefully. Build your schedule around your children. Do not over-schedule your days. Allow for plenty of downtime. Always keep snacks handy for those times when you don’t know what to eat.

10. Journal

We encourage our children to record their daily travel memories in a journal. Journals can be a great way to get kids to reflect on what they’ve seen and done during their holiday.

When we return home, they become precious mementos from family vacations. They are placed in their “memory boxes”. Years later, they often bring them out to reminisce. This is so great.