Children don’t entertain themselves, and equally when you are travelling it doesn’t get any easier.
In fact travelling with children can be a complete nightmare unless you think through properly the child friendly options you are likely to need, or depend on if you have two or three children!
Based on my own personal experience managing two terrible but lovable twins,
I’ve put together a few items worthy of reflection and guaranteed to make any holiday you take less intense and more enjoyable for all the family.
Kids Stay for Free – Keep an eye out for a child friendly hotel where kids can stay for free! Many hotels advertise deals like this.
These deals will help you save money on the price of a hotel room and are a sure signal that children are welcome.
These offers are commonly found on travel websites and travel agencies.
Swimming Pools – Child hotels with swimming pools are a great way to keep children cool, happy, and occupied while traveling.
Look for a hotel that has a swimming pool for guests to use.
Parents can relax on the side of the pool and enjoy a refreshing drink or snack while children get some exercise.
Mini-fridges – Mini-fridges in child friendly hotel rooms are great for storing kidsí juice boxes, fruit, and other healthy snacks.
Microwaves are also great for warming up oatmeal, leftovers, or baby formula if you have very young children.
A bathtub – Many budget hotel rooms, as a space saving strategy, offer only showers. If you are traveling with children, make sure your room has a bathtub children can use.
Some hotels offer other amenities if you ask, like stepstools children can use to reach the bathroom sink, or changing tables.
Outdoor space or playgrounds – When picking out child-friendly hotels, take a look at the grounds. Are there paths to push a stroller on? What about a pavilion for picnics?
Some hotels offer play areas with slides and swing sets where children can have fun, burn off steam, and make new friends.
Is there a quiet conference room or lounge area where you can take a baby who wakes up before the rest of the family?
A babysitting service – Some child hotels have even started offering baby-sitting services.
With trained and reliable staff, parents can feel safe dropping their child off for a few hours while they enjoy dinner at a restaurant, attend a performance, or go for a stroll around town.
Your children may have so much fun they will barely notice that you are gone.
Extras – Finally, a true sign of a child friendly hotel, is one that goes above and beyond the minimum.
Many luxury hotels offer extras like laundry service, milk and cookies before bed, or organized field trips to child-friendly local attractions.
These kind of extras make families with children know they are really wanted.
What I hope is that now, the next time you plan a family holiday you can do so with this checklist in hand, and take a relaxing holiday yourself!
Featured images:
License: Image author owned
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License: Royalty Free or iStock source: http://depositphotos.com/3903938/stock-photo-Mother-and-daughter-drawing-together.html?sqc=1&sqm=493&sq=15v945
Marjorie Peters is a writer based in London, who works in the Travel sector. When she’s not writing about travel business in her city, her interests are traveling and trying new recipes.