Travelling with Children: 15 Tips for a Stress-Free Family Holiday

2. Pick Your Travel Dates Wisely

School holidays mean peak season and high prices. If possible, travel in the off-season – early June or late September are often ideal: warm enough for the beach yet far less crowded and cheaper. Families with children under 6 have the advantage of not being tied to school holidays.

3. Packing for the Whole Family

Children need a surprising amount of luggage. The golden rule: give each child their own small backpack with favourite toys, snacks and a cuddly toy. This way the little ones have 'their own luggage' and feel important. For babies, be sure to pack: nappies for the first two days (buy the rest on site), a changing mat, a change of clothes in your hand luggage and a favourite dummy as a backup.

• Children's sunglasses and sun hat (children burn faster)
• Children's sunscreen SPF 50+
• Favourite cuddly toy (never in the suitcase – always hand luggage!)
• Travel car seat or booster (depending on destination)
• Snacks, snacks, snacks

4. Master Flying with Children

The flight is the biggest worry for many parents. But with the right preparation it is perfectly manageable. Book direct flights whenever possible – every connection with children is added stress. During take-off and landing, swallowing helps equalise ear pressure: breastfeed or bottle-feed babies; older children can chew gum or suck sweets.

Take plenty of entertainment: colouring books, sticker pads, a tablet with downloaded films (don't forget headphones!) and small new surprises that you hand out one at a time. The trick: something new every 30 minutes.

5. Choose Family-Friendly Accommodation

A hotel with a kids' club sounds tempting, but for many families a holiday apartment is the better choice. Advantages: your own kitchen (no expensive restaurant visits for every meal), more space, your own rhythm. Children can be loud without annoyed looks from other hotel guests. Look for: a cot, a high chair, socket protectors and a fenced garden or balcony.

6. Plan Child-Friendly Car Journeys

Long car journeys with children need planning. The rule of thumb: a break of at least 20 minutes every 2 hours so the children can move around. Service stations with playgrounds are worth their weight in gold. Start as early in the morning as possible or at bedtime – then the children sleep through a large part of the drive.

Audio stories and travel games are lifesavers: 'I Spy', number-plate bingo or making up stories bridge any boredom.

7. Plan Age-Appropriate Activities

Children under 3 mainly need routine, a beach and a paddling pool. Children aged 4–8 love animal and theme parks, snorkelling, building sandcastles and easy hikes. From the age of 9, cultural excursions become exciting when packaged the right way: a castle tour turns into an adventure if you tell the story of the knights. The most important rule: no more than one planned activity per day. Children need free time and spontaneous play.

8. Don't Underestimate Meal Planning

Hungry children = grumpy children. Always have snacks on hand: fruit, crackers, nuts, cereal bars. Go to restaurants early (5–6 pm) – it's less busy and the food arrives faster. Many countries don't have a specific 'children's menu' – simply order a regular portion to share or ask for a half portion.

9. Travel Pharmacy for Children

In addition to the standard travel pharmacy, you need the following for children: fever syrup (ibuprofen or paracetamol in child dosage), sting-free wound-disinfectant spray, electrolyte solution for children with diarrhoea, nasal drops and a digital thermometer. Find out in advance where the nearest paediatric clinic or doctor is at your holiday destination.

10. Maintain Routines

Children need structure, even on holiday. Try to roughly maintain sleep times and mealtimes. A completely disrupted daily rhythm leads to overtired, cranky children. The favourite bedtime ritual (reading a book, cuddly toy, goodnight song) works just as well in a hotel room.

11. Safety First

Write your child an emergency wristband with your name and phone number. This is essential at busy places, beaches and theme parks. Agree on a meeting point in case you get separated. When travelling to distant countries: keep copies of all children's ID documents separately and have a current photo on your phone.

12. Check Your Insurance

A family international health insurance policy is essential. It costs from around 20 EUR per year for the whole family and covers doctor visits, hospital stays and repatriation. Trip-cancellation insurance is also worthwhile – children fall ill more often than adults, and a cancelled trip can be expensive.

13. Involve Children in the Planning

Children aged 5 and up can and should have a say in holiday planning. Let them browse the travel guide, show them pictures of the destination and let them choose one activity. Those who help plan look forward to the trip more and complain less on site. A holiday countdown in the children's room builds anticipation.

14. Build in Buffer Time

Everything takes longer with children. Plan generously: an extra hour at the airport, downtime between activities, enough time to pack on departure day. The biggest mistake on family trips is an over-packed schedule. Better to see less and stay relaxed. A 'boring' afternoon by the pool is often a child's holiday highlight.

15. Create Memories

Give your children a disposable camera or an old smartphone to take photos. Children's perspectives are fascinating – they photograph things adults overlook. Collect shells, stones or postcards together as souvenirs. After the holiday, you can create a photo book or keep a travel diary together. That way the memories stay alive.