Traveling with children: 16 tips

Recently, we have quite a lot of traveling. And not just travel, but do it with a five-year son, who is not always a good girl, like any five-year boy. Our tour of the planned and predictable easily turn into unexpected and full of surprises. That's what happened last time, when we decided to spend 2 months in Croatia. The saying "Do you want God laugh - build plans" suitable for this trip could not be better - we had to break away and go almost a month earlier to drop at the same time for a couple of days in Istanbul.

After this marathon, I realized that wherever we went, and not depending on the period: a) my luggage to be lifting, and the bag - easy; b) if he was never interested in his child does not want to go to the toilet, but simply take the hand and lead there. Otherwise I risk to be back in the middle of the highway in 8 strips on the concrete bus stop with very heavy bags and the baby, who was impatient to the toilet.

Leo Babauta, author of the blog zenhabits.net traveled for three weeks with his wife and five children, so that he does have something to share.

1. Baggage should be easy

As I said, in recent years we often travel with a child and travel these are fundamentally different from single or paired. Every time I have to carry a first aid kit, which would have envied a small pharmacy in the town. And each time all of this was used in all a maximum of three drugs - from the common cold, cough, and, as a consequence of my headache. But every time I reinsure (think mom will understand me). The same was true of clothes - a huge amount of warm jackets, pants, jackets and shoes (and suddenly cold ?!), and a T-shirt and skirt, and did not have the number. As a result, we cruised to the beach in a swimsuit and light cloaks, and my three evening dresses and have not waited the hour of triumph.

The last time I did get collected on a trip to the Crimea with a child one is quite lifting a suitcase for two.

And yet - a messenger bag or backpack should be very comfortable. For our family, we chose the option of hiking backpacks - each with its own displacement and the weight that he is able to for a long time to carry on their shoulders. The child, incidentally, is also a small backpack.

2. Rent a room or an apartment rather than a hotel, in downtown areas

When we searched the price of hotel room in Istanbul, the cheapest of the more or less decent, which is not terrible to live with the child, turned out to be a room cost 120 euros per day. On the outskirts of the city hotels were cheaper, but if you consider the fact that Istanbul is about 4 times more than in Kiev, on the way to the center and the main attractions, we spend a lot more money than to save on room.

We decided to use the service AirBnB and rented a nice two-bedroom apartment near one of the central squares of the city (Taksim Square) just 56 euros per day. And it was very close to the main attractions - the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia.

3. Walk everywhere and look into all corners of the new place

I confess to you honestly - I'm not a big fan of excursions or clearly planned routes. Most of all I love to just wander the streets. This is where you can get to the most beautiful and interesting places without the crowds of tourists. So if you have comfortable shoes and a few days in a new city, I strongly advise to devote one day excursions, and then just wander and look in the nooks. But not tonight! In the evening, better to send their curiosity and love for pedestrian walks to sleep. And if you wander, only the central and well-lit streets.

4. Get lost

Map - a necessary thing in your hand luggage tourist. It is a must when searching for specific locations. But if you hide the map and you will just wander through unfamiliar streets, you can discover a huge number of amazing and interesting places!

This is how we found quite by accident diner iKebab, where orders are taken on iMac, while they themselves were incredibly tasty kebabs. So we found the market and shopping for local and bought all the souvenirs at 2.5 times cheaper than in the central tourist streets.

In Lviv, there are lots of lovely patios and cozy cafes that just will not find. And if you know what doors to knock at the city center, you can get to the courtyard with a large black and almost tame ravens in a huge cage.

5. Ice cream will return your children a good mood

Just in case, if the child is not sick! And so it really is a great tool not only eat, but also to support the fighting spirit in your children. When we walked in Istanbul and traveled to a small town in Istria, Croatia, Ivan behaved well and withstood long walks in the literal sense "for ice cream." And the ice cream there is delicious!

6. Use your journey as a mini-courses on foreign languages

Such trips - a great opportunity to learn a few new words in a new language or to perfect skills already acquired. Locals with great pleasure to help you. Moreover, the attitude to you, too, will change dramatically for the better when they see that you are trying to contact the local language.

Probably because you will understand what language is given to you easily and decide to learn a couple of new ones.

7. Ask for advice from local residents

Of course, all the books and City Guides are an excellent source of information about the main sights of the city, but the most interesting are you still will not tell. Only local take you on the best wine shop or a pizzeria, where they cook the most delicious pizza in town. Only local know secret routes and all the interesting places that are not indicated on the map.

You can pre-write a friend of the country in which you are going, or write with the group on the social networks. And, you can check out the tips in Foursquare or Google maps. We checked - works!

8. Avoid the "tourist traps"

On the tourist trail the most expensive restaurants and cafes with dishes of questionable quality and the most expensive shops. In this case, they are unlikely to please you with a wide variety of goods and food.

Try to buy something or to dine away from the main tourist streets. This is especially true cafe - the price is reduced, and the taste is improved the further you move away from the center. Buy in such places can only be what you can not buy anywhere else - souvenirs.

9. Always carry something that will take your children

Not all excursions or trips will be of interest to your children. I'm not talking about the hours spent waiting at airports. If you do not find what to do with your child at risk to make a headache and feel dissatisfied with dozens of views of others on his back.

Pencils and razukrashki, books, toys and computer games - there is no limit! Believe me, a six-hour shuttle service to Vienna airport - not the best place to ponder how this activity or the game will be useful and informative for your child. By the way, in the same airport, we found a small free razukrashki on aircraft theme that stood in the stands across the hall.

10. Naps and again naps!

After long walks are very nice and helpful to take a nap after lunch. This is especially true for children. Even if the child rests and assures that the bed does not want and would not go to sleep (play, play, play !!!), it shuts down faster than his head touches the pillow. Some even manage to sleep for a meal.

In addition, naps will be useful to you in order to gain strength for new walks.

11. Buy products in store

Cafes, restaurants and street food - it was good. But if you have the opportunity to cook in the apartment, which you shoot, it is best not to miss this opportunity. I am not in any way do not agitate to cook all day, but make soup for the children once a couple of days possible. Moreover, not necessarily something to cook, you can simply buy a yogurt, fruit, vegetables and bread - it is cheaper than in the cafe, and the house always have something to eat.

And not always food that is served in a café or local cuisine as a whole can come to your children. Vanya very long time to get used to Thai dishes, and the first two weeks I fed it exclusively home habitual meal.

12. One or two days is not enough to see the new place

Moreover, if you want to really feel the culture and learn a lot, and two weeks will not be enough!

If you just want to see as much as possible, stay in one city for 4-5 days. And if you want to understand how the local live, do not stay less than a month.

13. Remember the lessons of history

The travel history comes alive. After all, you can see and touch the Coliseum, or pyramid ruins of a Greek temple. Go through the history of the place or city in which you are going to be useful not only for children but also for you. And, of course, in such journeys children much more likely to listen to these stories and memorable. After all, they not only read about it in the book, but have seen with my own eyes! The rest Doris rich child's imagination;)

14. Arrange a day of rest

Constant walking very tiring and at some point, you will no longer looking for new places. Despite the fact that the children are just seething with energy, they get tired more. Most do not get tired, and they just get tired of always somewhere to walk or drive.

Therefore, to arrange a free day without a clear program, when you can just sit back and relax (or lie on the beach, if possible). And then with renewed vigor and enthusiasm to plan new routes.

15. Wine relaxes and makes things easier

After a long and busy day glass of red wine for dinner will be very helpful - very relaxing. But this option is not mandatory, if you do not drink alcohol or are not a fan of wine.

16. Travel - it's always an adventure!

And not the loony bin for collection and transportation of things and trapping the runaway siblings. Travel - it's great! This new places, meeting new friends and maybe make new friends. This new experience and new knowledge. This discovery you unfamiliar side of the world. You can not plan everything and keep everything that happens under control. So just relax and let yourself flow.

I for myself have identified three basic rules: a minimum of things (only required), convenient bag or backpack and tickets floating date;)