3 Things Children Need When Travelling

When travelling with kids below 9 years of age, packing for them is different than packing for adults. For instance, Adults can pack fewer clothes to reuse, but children need to pack double pieces of clothing. It will be the death of you not to expect the need to change clothes often or plan for proper entertainment during the journey. And if you’ve ever had eager kids that keep asking, “Are We There Yet?” you’ll know packing specifically for the journey is as important as packing for the destination.

So here are essentials you must take with you for the journey before you reach your destination:

1. Thick Clothing

The bus or aeroplane gets cold during the journey so it’s important to dress kids up in thick clothing or layered outfits. That means a singlet underneath, a t-shirt/sweatshirt and a jacket or cardigan. That way they can stay warm without needed a blanket. Also, make them wear socks, preferably thick ones and shoes that are well-padded to keep their feet warm. When their fingers get cold, you can always rub them with yours or tell the children to put their hands in their jacket’s pockets. The jackets can be denim, 50% cotton and acrylic or woollen, as long as it can keep the body warm, it’s ideal for the trip. It will definitely come in handy when travelling during the rainy season.

2. Entertainment/Edutainment

Children easily get bored during the journey. Sometimes the central entertainment in the bus may not be children friendly (like drivers who play Nollywood Movies or Hollywood Movies Rated 18). Or if you are taking a flight and the children’s channels are unappealing to them, they might quickly become irritable or bored. 

The best way to deal with this potential problem is to pack your own form of entertainment. Either you get them a kiddie tablet with fun games on it which have been charged the night before. Or you can let them watch their favourite cartoon on your iPad. If they have holiday homework, taken it with you along with a pencil, crayons, workbooks and spare paper/notebooks. This will help them engage their mind when they are not interested in the tablet/iPad. A few storybooks won’t hurt as well; just make sure the children are the ones who choose which books they would like to read or have read to them during the trip.

The duration of the trip might require you to carry items for both edutainment and entertainment; it’ll make the trip seem like a flash especially when coupled with a long nap.

3. Snacks and Food

Children eat 4 – 5 times a day, but you can break it down to 3 times a day if you carry enough snacks with you for them to eat in between meals. So carry a few stick sweets (lollipops) and non-stick sweets, biscuits and soft drinks with you. You can decide if you want it in your carryon luggage or if they should have their own travel trolley/backpack with their snacks and entertainment items. Make sure you pack at least one meal for them along with the snacks (if you are using other means of transport or if your flight does not offer a meal plan during the trip). It is not just the duration of the trip you should count but also the time spent transporting to the station/airport/bus park before you reach or after you leave your destination.

Of course, it goes without saying that you’ll need to take tissue, wipes, and a few other items we listed in a previous article that may come in handy during the journey to your destination. Is there something you believe children need to have while travelling? Share your thoughts with us. 

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ann

Ann Esievoadje is a freelance writer who is passionate about encouraging a reading culture and personal development. She has authored two books, The Quilt (fiction) and Being Mummy and Me (non-fiction). She manages Pulchra Publishing which offers a content creation/editing, transcription, different forms of writing (including Ghostwriting) service and her blog, Life Love and Anything Goes at annesievoadje.blogspot.com.ng. You can reach her at annesievoadje@gmail.com

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