Travel Series - Part 4 - Your Staycation Journey Planning

I know the thought of travelling with children can be stressful, and sometimes, quite frankly terrifying! So I have decided to do a travel series with all my top tips, advice and essentials, walking you through every step off the planning and preparation, the travel, the holiday and return travel, as well as how to reset on return.

So if you’ve got the urge to travel with your kiddos, but are feeling overwhelmed, please read on. My travel series is a comprehensive guide that will give you the toolkit you need for staycations, short-haul, and long-haul travel.

The travel – Travelling to your staycation

The day has finally arrived and you are all set for your staycation. Some of you may have a long car or train journey ahead of you. But please don’t worry, I’m here to help make this journey that little bit easier for your family.

Little ones may require some essentials during the journey, so it is wise to pack a bag of age appropriate necessities and place within easy reach in your car. My comprehensive “What to pack in your nappy bag - Essential checklist” is on the Preparations for a Staycation article: https://www.sweetdreamsleep.co.uk/post/travel-series-part-1-staycations.  Snugglies and entertainment such as toys/iPad & headphones/music playlist/audio books/Yoto Mini Player can be a life saver for older kiddies, and will help to keep them occupied during the journey. Remember to pack snacks and water for you all too!

If you are in for a lengthy journey, you might want to explore the route to your destination and gage potential traffic. This will give you an idea of your ETA and help you plan ahead.

For those of you travelling with babies and toddlers, do consider timing your journey so that it coincides with their longer nap times. You may want to leave 15 minutes prior to their regular nap timings if you have the flexibility to do so. This will allow for your little one to adjust and begin to relax in the car or train. Alternatively, you may need or prefer to leave in the evening, so planning the journey at your child’s bedtime may work well for your family. Do remember to take along a portable white noise machine in the car if your bubba sleeps with white noise.

For those of you travelling with babies, you may want to give them a feed before you leave and allow enough time for winding before you set off. Depending on the duration of your travel and the age and requirements of your baby, they may need a feed during travel.

It is really important to also factor in regular car breaks for long journeys. This allows your baby to stretch their legs and get a break from the car seat. It is important not to keep babies in car seats for extended periods. This is a good time to offer your baby a feed, and a nappy change if they require. Meal times for your little ones and you can be factored into these car breaks too.

Where possible, an adult should sit next to the baby in the back seat during the journey. Experts advice not to use car seats routinely for baby sleep. Short bursts of sleep are okay, but babies should always be transferred out of the car seat and into their cot once you reach the destination.

If you are travelling with a toddler or school-aged child by car, do consider toilet breaks. For this, you really need to know your route ahead of time.

If you are likely to reach your destination close to your little one’s bedtime, it could be worth dressing your child in their sleepwear during your last car break so that they are ready for bed as soon as you arrive.

You might have all of this in place and be one hundred percent prepared for your journey. But please don’t panic if everything doesn’t go according to plan during the travel. Sometimes, little ones may struggle to sleep, or the journey could take much longer than expected. Travelling with children can be stressful but there are so many advantages of travelling by car, such as being able to take as many breaks as you need as well as following your own schedule.

There are so beautiful places to see and explore within the U.K. such as Edinburgh, Peak District, Brighton, Yorkshire, Northumberland, Blackpool, North Wales, Newquay, Cardiff, Glasgow, Isle of white, and Kent, just to name a few. So please take advantage of being able to visit and make magical memories with your loved ones. Stay tuned for travelling on your short-haul and long-haul flight, coming soon!