Traveling internationally with kids is 100% worth it. I always remind myself that we are ‘making memories’ and the exposure to the greater world around them that travel brings is worth a few hours of grimacing on an airplane. I think it’s important that kids learn to adapt to change and nothing helps serve that more than travel.
While I’m based in Ibiza, our family travels frequently throughout the year for work commitments and for my husband’s touring schedule. So we’ve had plenty of practice taking the kids around the world.
1. Check Your Required Travel Documents & Vaccines
It’s a pain to keep on top of the admin, but since the pandemic everyone is much more aware of how strict different countries can be around travel. Check your passports are all in date and make sure you don’t need any specific vaccinations to visit the country you’re headed to.
2. Book Family-Friendly Accomodations
Before I started Kid & Coe, we were on tour in Sydney as a family and were fortunate enough to be checking into a nice hotel as it was for my husband’s work, planning to base there for an extended period. But within two days we realized it wasn’t going to work for us as a family. Once my son was asleep at night, we were tiptoeing around him in the dark, whispering so we wouldn’t wake him. I think all parents that have stayed in hotel rooms with their kids know this scenario! We realized he wouldn’t be eating any healthy home-cooked meals and we just needed more space to enjoy our family time together.
When I started the process of looking for an apartment to rent, it took days. Most were unsuitable for a young child. I had to go and personally check them all out. When we found somewhere that did work, I then had to source a baby equipment rental firm to kit us out with high chairs, stair gates and the rest. It took a chunk out of our trip just getting to that point.
But then everything opened up. As soon as we were situated, it felt that all of Sydney was our Sydney: we had a base to find local fresh grocers, nearby playgrounds, farmers markets, and cafés.
That’s how Kid & Coe started. From that I realized that staying in a house as a family was the way to go. Spending too much time going through uninspiring websites looking at uninspiring houses that claimed they were family-friendly made me realize there was a real lack in the market for people who need the space of a home the most. And we try to make Kid & Coe an elegant solution for traveling families.
3. Get Your Kids Excited About The Destination
The most fun thing to do with children usually comes from what they say. What do they want to do? What’s exciting for them? I let each big kid plan something they want to see, and we have a loose structure that keeps us all happy. We took a trip to Rome because my son was studying ancient Rome at school and it was really rewarding for all of us.
There are so many opportunities around the world to experience different cultures, languages, foods and scenes so encourage them to pick something different.
4. Prepare For a Long Flight
I always take a baby carrier up to about 2 years old – even if I never use it at home anymore. It’s the only thing that has worked for me in the past with an irritable toddler on long-haul flights: bouncing in the galley with a scarf draped over to block out some of the stimulation when they’re tired.
In terms of packing your carry-on, I recommend:
- These I-spy books for toddlers are amazing – you will possibly lose your mind repeating yourself, but you can easily distract a wiggly toddler with them.
- I recently discovered those little post-it flags on our 12 hour flight to Singapore and they were brilliant for just peeling one off slowly and sticking everywhere.
- A little pill box of the week with those little compartments also can waste some time filling with sweets.. Raisin boxes are your friend.
- Never underestimate the impact of novelty – new little sticker books, playdoh, and a lollipop to be pulled out right when the air pressure changes.
- We always have ziplocks – they come in handy for wet clothes, trash bags, snacks, whatever you need, a ziplock can help.
5. Handle Jet Lag Like a Pro
My number one tried and trusted trick is get out into the fresh air as soon as you can. Sunlight helps your body regulate awake time / sleep time. We never nap when we arrive – I force us out into the sunlight and into the rhythms of where we are going. It really helps!
I also give my bigger kids child Melatonin gummies at bedtime, which also helps. They’re usually so knackered though they snap to the right time zone pretty quick. Kids are so adaptable.
6. Stick To a Familiar Routine
I immediately get us outside – be it to a café for breakfast or pizza for lunch. I will look for a local playground or a nice walk or a swim in the pool – anything that keeps us outside and not succumbing to jet lag.
I try and unpack the kid’s suitcases and have been known to move things ever so slightly around in a rental to make it suits them settled in that way also – little creature comforts can go a long way. Oh, we usually do a quick grocery run also – us mamas never underestimate the power of a box of cookies.
7. Have a Safety Preparedness Plan
Check your closest hospital, and how you can get there if you don’t have a car. This is a great question for a vacation home host, as they’ll know about the best hospitals for kids or where takes longer to get to in traffic.
If you have multiple children who like to run loose, you might want to consider getting them an ID bracelet for the trip, especially if you’re traveling somewhere where they don’t speak the local language.
8. Travel Light
Through the years I have gotten more minimal with my carry-on packing. I pack a diaper for every two hours plus a few extra, as well as a change of clothes for babies. And baby wipes, always, even when not traveling with a baby.
I think the lighter you can travel, the better. I’ve also learned that when kids are really young, those cute little backpacks usually get carried by mom so best to just keep everything in one bag and keep things as lean as possible. I always have a scarf, hand-cream and Aquaphor for anything dry on the plane.
9. Be Flexible
We often have to travel around work schedules, so it can be hard to be super flexible. However I have managed this by extending stays or reducing stays where I can, speaking to flexible hosts from the vacation homes.
We’ve also had plenty of trips where we’ve stayed in 2 or even 3 homes during one vacation, staying on the move to experience different areas of one country when we couldn’t find longer term availability.
Book Your International Stay With Kid & Coe
If you’re thinking about traveling internationally with kids, you can start your journey with Kid & Coe. Browse the best family-friendly vacation homes around the world, get inspired by our team newsletters, or get involved with renting your home to fund your family trips.
Frequently Asked Questions
I think for parents, traveling with young babies is ideal. We had some of our best trips when my son was 1 – they’re super mobile, they’re still napping, they’re quick to acclimate. We had some of our best lunches scheduled around our little one’s nap schedule on trips.
Traveling with school age children is also a joy – from about 4 years old they’re so open and curious. There is such great programming now for young children also – museums offering tours for kids, theater for young viewers, families are just becoming increasingly mobile and I feel there is more opportunity to discover and enrich than ever before.
Traveling with kids is tricky, but the alternative is you don’t go anywhere, which is no alternative at all! It’s a little like childbirth – the actual journey is painful, but you seem to forget that part and do it again!
I love beach holidays with toddlers. City breaks can also be fantastic too – playgrounds, playspaces, classes and more are available to you – and a lot of museums and cultural institutions have toddler-friendly art spaces and more.In the last year we’ve visited Amsterdam, London, the Cotswolds, the Greek Islands and more. If you find the right home and the right local knowledge, you can take kids anywhere!
- https://www.kidandcoe.com/destinations/camden-town/the-camden-town-residence
- https://www.kidandcoe.com/destinations/merida/the-centro-merida-residence
- https://www.kidandcoe.com/destinations/notting-hill/the-ossington-street-residence
- https://www.kidandcoe.com/destinations/trancoso/the-casa-lola-residence
- https://www.kidandcoe.com/destinations/ibiza/the-santa-g-residence
- https://www.kidandcoe.com/destinations/santa-monica/the-rustic-canyon-residence