traveling with kids

Tips for Traveling in Europe with Kids

December 1, 2017 by Christine Leger

Kids have a mind of their own on the best of days. Planning a successful vacation with the children doesn’t have to be painful or expensive when their needs are taken into consideration and certain accommodations are made. Speaking from years of experience, here are some great tips on how to successfully travel in Europe with kids

Traveling in Europe with Kids

Traveling in Europe with kids isn’t like traveling in Asia or in North America. There are a ton of things to do, right next to each other, and it can be overwhelming at times. Making a “battle plan” for the day’s activities is the best way to keep nerves calm, see what you want to see and save time/money at the same time. Here are our tips for traveling in Europe with kids.

Slow is best.

Take your time in each location. Going too fast only adds to the kids’ burn out and overstimulation. Try not to visit too much in one day; Google locations has a great little review section where people mention how much time they have spent or would recommend you allocate to each activity/experience. Take these into consideration.

Plan downtime

Plan a few things just for the kids, either by visiting a kids’ museum or visiting a playground. This is when the kids get to blow off some pent-up energy and just be themselves. You will soon find that the more you allow them to do, the more willing they are behave while fulfilling mommy and daddy’s bucket list.

Don’t always go to the cities

Not every vacation needs to be in a large city. While we have done our fair share of city-scaping, taking time to explore the countryside also has its benefits. A nice resort on the beach, hiking the trails or skiing with the family; there is something for everyone.

They will be jetlagged for a few days.

Don’t plan too much for the first day or two. Learn more about how to deal with jetlag by clicking here.

Bring your own snacks

Having a little bit of home not only reduces costs while on vacation but lower the children’s anxiety. While in a strange place, with strange sights and sounds, having that familiar snack can ease their nerves and settle them down just long enough to accomplish a task or two.

Budget airlines are not always the best option

While finding the best deal on a flight around the world sounds like the greatest accomplishment of your planning stage, there are unforeseen drawbacks to saving money. The departure times and layover lengths, for example, may get the vacation going on a rough start. Do they provide in-flight entertainment and are drinks provided? The devil is in the details.

Check-in online

Checking in online means you don’t have to wait in the drawn-out queue at the airport to print your boarding passes and drop off your bags. Going Carry-on only? Even better, no lines for you today.

Also, checking in online means you can choose your families seats and ensure you are all together and in an area of the plan that you feel most comfortable. We don’t want to be too far away from the toilets, or too close either.

1 checked bag per family

This both saves money and a headache. Most budget airlines allow guests to purchase carryon only seats and add a number of checked bags to the reservation. By booking this way, you can have your 4 seats, and only one checked bag.

The headache comes from waiting at the carousel for your luggage and lugging them around the city and to your hotel. By only having one checked bag, you alleviate that stressor. Now one parent can focus on the children and the other on the bag, instead of both parents pulling double duty.

Carry-on only when you have kids that can help

For every child that is capable of pulling their own carry-on bag without assistance, for the duration of the journey, they should be allowed to do so. This will help lower the cost of checked bags, as well as free mom and dad’s hands for more important things, like duty-free packages.

Taking the train? Carry-on only

The storage compartments in trains are not the largest, and they do not hold much. The overhead bins, on the other hand, are made to hold a carry-on suitcase and can fit just about one piece per seat. This has the added advantage of never being too far away from its owners, making theft or damage less likely (though never impossible)

Packing Cubes

Packing cubes are a life saver. Having everyone’s clothes neatly divided into cubes means no more rummaging and giant messes in the suitcase. One can also easily transfer the contents from the suitcase to the hotel dressers easily.

Go from this…

to this

Use a stroller that is small and compact, but durable

Not all strollers were created equally. Some are made for day to day activities, some for less active families and even others for more off-roading needs. A compact, flat, durable stroller can be hard to find, and even harder on a tight budget but we have never regretted getting a proper travel stroller. The smaller and more compact, the less likely of it being damaged in transit, and will also fit in your hotel room that much better.

Baby carrier

When all else fails, have a baby/toddler carrier. Not all buildings are meant to allow strollers and even less have free, guarded stroller parking. If the stroller needs to be left at home, or in the hotel room, having a backup to managing the little ones is imperative.

Refillable water bottle

Instead of buying a new bottle each day, simply purchase a good, possibly collapsible water bottle and refill it in the hotel room each morning.

Cities like Zurich and Rome have perfect tasting drinking water, free of charge, right from the town’s fountains. Don’t be caught buying water when you don’t have to.

Traveling in Europe by Train with kids

Traveling Europe by train is the easiest and fastest way to get from one major city to another. And a quick transfer can get you to those more remote locations with just as much ease. Train travel means you don’t have to worry about cramped spaces, bathroom breaks or nap time – everything is at your disposal. There are, however, a few considerations and planning procedures that need to be taken before embarking on such a scheduled adventure.

Seat reservations

Get seats in the compartment or near the door to keep an eye on the luggage. Furthermore, the earlier you book, the cheaper they are. Just like airline tickets, everything is based on supply and demand, and prices get increasingly more expensive the closer you get to your travel date. Seats also become increasingly harder to find, in a group.

You May Also Like

Tips for kids activities

The ugly side of traveling with kids

Traveling Europe by Train

Best stroller for travel

picking the right Carry-on bag

Flying with Kids

Bring your own snacks

This goes back to my earlier point of cutting cost and having comfort food for the kids. Being prepared for the unexpected delay also serves as a reason to at least stash a few snacks for a “rainy day”.

Stations are not all stroller friendly

While Europe is chock full of train stations, very few of them are stroller or handicap friendly. They will have the odd freight elevator but when multiple platforms are common in the larger cities, or tunnels that run under the train tracks in remote locations, lugging a stroller on your own is not comfortable and not always practical. Know which stations and platforms are accessible and plan accordingly.

Activities and headphone splitters

Have a few activities in your proverbial back pocket to keep the little ones happy. Be it colouring books, a game of tic tac toe or even a pack of stickers, anything to keep them happy for just a few minutes longer.

As for the headphone splitters, sometimes technology fails us and the kids need to share. A pair of headphone splitters will help settle most arguments – once they have decided what to watch, of course.

While tablets and iPods can only pair with one set of Bluetooth headphones, there are a few brands out there that allow their headphones to be converted to wired headphones, then attached to a headphone splitter. Our personal favorite is the Kidz gear Bluetooth headphones – they come with a set of AUX cables so you don’t need to buy anything extra.

Getting around in Cities in Europe with kids

Once you have arrived, it is time to find your hotel and get out into the city. City vacations are different than “off the beaten path” vacations. There are significantly more people around you, making transit and travel time a real concern, as well as distances needing covering in order to reach each activity/attraction. These tips are for getting around in cities in Europe with kids.

Taxi from hotel to airport

The majority of international airports aren’t actually within the city limits. Taking public transit may be the cheapest form of transportation, but it could be the longest option. Take into consideration how the kids are feeling after the journey, how you are feeling, and how will everyone manage the luggage and personal security while in transit. While a taxi isn’t the most economical choice, it may be your best choice. Check your options before heading out so you know what to expect when arriving.

Kids under 5 get free metro in most cities

Once you are in the city, public transit becomes the fan favorite mode of transit. The kids love the freedom of sitting in their own chair and looking out the window. Grab a 24hr or more city card for the adults and remember that all kids under 5 get to ride free with their parents – be sure to ask the selling agent about these rules, as they may assume the age of the children and charge you more than necessary.

Metro stations not very stroller friendly

While taking the local tram is the best way to get to and from a location, the stations themselves may not be amazing. Check out the transit maps for locations of handi/stroller friendly stations and make appropriate modifications to your schedule. Do you get out a few stops early so you have access to an elevator, will you collapse the stroller and take the stairs, maybe use a carrier while visiting that section of the city? Know before you go.

Plan ahead if separated from the kids

If the kids are old enough to walk on their own, without holding hands, make sure they know what to do if they get separated. Even the younger ones should have a little information on their person just in case they wander away.

As our friend Special Agent Oso taught us, there are 3 steps to finding help; 1 – stay put. Moving around after getting lost only makes it that much harder for someone to find them. 2 – ask a grown-up for help. Preferably someone with a badge (if they are in a store, an employee, or police officer), but a parent can also be approached – this means they can ask anyone that has a child with them. 3- Tell them “my name is… and I’m lost”.

Smaller children need to know the difference stranger-danger and helpful-citizen. What information are they allowed to tell and what do they keep to themselves. Preferably, all they are allowed to say is their name and their parent’s name. If they know a phone number, this is also great to give but a note in their pocket or safety-tattoo on their person is best at this age.

Booking family-friendly accommodations in Europe

Hotels and other forms of accommodations in Europe are not the same as in North America. We were used to standard rooms with two double beds and that was it. In Europe, there are a great number of variations and different types of accommodations outside the chain-hotel brand. Some have 1 double bed, some have 3 single beds, and some have bunk beds, it all depends on your needs and how much you are willing to pay for that Perfect room.

Most hotel rooms are small and have occupancy restrictions

Rooms don’t have an excess of space. With so many tourists and only so much room to build, Europeans are used to everything being a little smaller. Homes are smaller, yards are smaller, hotel rooms are smaller. This is normal, so don’t expect your $200-night room to look like the Presidential Suite.

Also, when they state that only 4 people can stay there, this is law, not personal preference. According to the fire code, they are only allowed so many persons in each room and they are very strict. Babies count as a person; be sure to check if and how many children are allowed on top of this occupancy restriction. On booking.com they state specifically if 1 child is allowed free of charge when using an existing bed. This means you are not charged for the extra body, but they will not provide a spare bed. A baby bed can be requested, and they may charge for this service.

Apartments are generally best, as they have 2 rooms; Bedroom and living room

Apartments, still reserved through Booking.com, have proven to be the best choice financially and physically, for families. There are separate rooms for the children to sleep, meaning mom and dad aren’t forced to bed at 8 pm, and there is an optional kitchen. When a kitchen is available, breakfast is not included, but this also means you can feed the kids what they like without paying for a buffet full of foods they don’t like.

Not all hotels have an elevator.

If your party requires an elevator, check the fine print for all bookings. Chain-brand hotels typically have an elevator or two but they tend to cost more than local hotels and apartments.

If a stroller is required, consider leaving it in the car or behind the front desk while not in use.

Travel with a Stroller | Should You Travel with a Stroller?

November 9, 2017 by Christine Leger

We travel with a stroller, what consideration do I make when setting out on a holiday, below I take you through my thinking on the subject. Enjoy this article highlighting my reason to and NOT to travel with a stroller.

…

How to Travel as a Family with Chronic Pain

July 27, 2017 by Christine Leger

What family travel looks like when one of you is traveling with Chronic Pain

Traveling is not always sunshine and rainbows. For many of us, there are hurdles to over come, and sometimes those hurdles are not so easily remedied. There is a significant proportion of the population that lives with some form of chronic pain. While many of us would huddle in a corner and wait for the pain to subside before continue one with the journey, chronic pain doesn’t work that way. By definitely, chronic pain is, well, chronic. Persistent. Never or seemingly never ending. There are temporary fixes available in terms of physiotherapy and medication but it is too easy shut oneself in the house and let the pain over take you.

Natasha from Meldrums on the Move is here to show us how she makes the active decision to travel with chronic pain.

Travelling can be tough for any family. There is so much more to consider when you decide to take on the world with a child, you need to think of portable strollers, kids cases, entertainment, how to always have drinkable water.

Travelling can really be a headache in so many ways, but that is magnified when you are travelling with chronic pain. There are a whole new number of things you need to consider, including getting the right medication, extra money for special doctor visits and being flexible enough to have a lot of rest days.

What is hyper-mobility?

Hyper-mobility was not something I had ever heard of before. I knew many people who claimed to be doubled jointed and could pull tricks with their joints that shocked me. I never thought anything more of it.

People with “joint hypermobility syndrome” are subject to many difficulties. For example, their joints may be easily injured, be more prone to complete dislocation due to the weakly stabilized joint and they may develop problems from muscle fatigue (as muscles must work harder to compensate for weakness in the ligaments that support the joints). Hypermobility syndrome can lead to chronic pain or even disability in severe cases.

Then pregnancy got me. It was like being hit by a bus, not the beautiful picture my friends and movies had painted of pregnancy. I remember my first episode of what would later be termed pelvic girdle pain. It was around 7 weeks when I went to the store with my Mum. I ended up sitting on the floor of the supermarket while my Mum finished her shopping. It was embarrassing but it felt like the only option to the severe pain I was experiencing in my hips.

Traveling with Chronic Pain would normally stop one in their tracks but this family shows you how to travel with kids and manage the pain.

I put on a brave face but I was suffering for a long time

I was on crutches from ten weeks and should have been in a wheelchair had I accepted the position I was in. I didn’t and kept pushing myself to carry on. Pelvic Girdle Pain (PGP) is meant to disappear when you have your baby. In rare cases, it doesn’t and I am one of those rare cases.

During pregnancy, the body releases certain hormones that alter ligament physiology, easing the stretching needed to accommodate fetal growth as well as the birthing process. The combination of hypermobility and pregnancy-related pelvic girdle during pregnancy can be debilitating. The pregnant woman with hypermobile joints will often be in significant pain as muscles and joints adapt to the pregnancy. Pain often inhibits such women from standing or walking during pregnancy. The pregnant patient may be forced to use a bedpan and/or a wheelchair during pregnancy and may experience permanent disability.

What does that mean for me?

For the first few months after giving birth, I was on bed rest. I felt like I had ruined my life and I would never experience the one thing I had dreamed of for years… travel. I attended every kind of physiotherapy available, including private. After a year, I had made enough improvement to be able to take a trip with my husband, David.

At the time, I was still in too much pain to be able to travel with a child so I took a short trip to Thailand with just David. There were days I cried in pain and days where I was too exhausted to have any fun.

What changes do we need to make when we travel?

We learned pretty quickly that long trips on a motorcycle do not work with my condition. For anything more than 30 minutes we need alternative transport, which in Asia hikes up our costs. We also have to pay more for better accommodation so I can be sure the mattress isn’t in a bad enough condition to make my hips slip out of place.

We take the long layovers on flights so I can get a longer rest and we fly with airlines we know provide a pillow and some free drinks (helps to numb the pain.) Unfortunately, we cannot travel without plans, I always need to know where I will be and when so I can research the best sports therapist in the area and organize to get the same treatment I receive back home.

Where can we go?

We can go most places, but we have to consider staying in each place longer than some quick travelers would. This is because there will be days where I am a total write-off and we have to cancel our plans.

I can do most of what other travellers do, but have to limit my time at it

Normally we have to find accommodation which is close enough to the airport or the sights we hope to see. This means I can spend as little time in transit as possible. Walking is actually one of the toughest things for me. My doctors determined that the stroller is one of the main issues with my pain so I have to avoid long periods of pushing it.

Personally, I think I manage my chronic pain quite well. I have had it long enough now that I know how to hide it and work around it. Most of the time my family will have no idea how something is affecting me unless I tell them. I have some really strong pain medication I can take when things get bad, which means I can usually do the activities I want and mask the pain with medication after.

For some great tips on how to travel with EDS, check out this woman’s story

I like to think I make the travelling experience as enjoyable and normal as possible for my two boys. I want to live a normal life, the travel life I always dreamed of. I manage the pain in my own way, and I would be in just as much pain at home anyway. Travelling with hypermobility does not stop me, or us travelling the world and living life our way.

About today’s Author;

Natasha is a travel blogger at Meldrums On The Move. She writes about family travel and aims to make it cheaper, easier and more enjoyable for other families who want to hit the road.

~ Featured Items ~

~ click the items ~

Plan Your Trip – Stay and see everything

[wp_ad_camp_1]

Accommodations

Booking.com 1,136,997 properties worldwide. Including 581,306 holiday rentals in 105,263 destinations in 225 countries and territories

Flights

Skyscanner.com compares millions of flights to find you the cheapest deal, fast. Fly for less with Skyscanner!

Car Hire

Blacklane.com Take your time and relax. Airport pickups include 60 minutes of free wait time, and all other pickups include a free 15 minutes. Limousine Service!

Pin this to Pinterest:

Do you have any Tapped Out Tips?
Questions or Comments? Join the conversation below.

Disney Culture. Around The World, Visiting Every Disney Property

June 12, 2017 by Christine Leger

To visit every Disney property in 1 year!

A few months ago, I ran into Natalie and her family on Facebook. She had recently completed her goal of visiting every Disney property in just over 1 year. I knew that she was the person to talk to if I wanted to accomplish my own personal goal, of visiting every Disney Property within my kids’ childhood. Natalie was gracious enough to take a few minutes away from her travels to answer a few questions for me, and to help us all start our own goal of visiting each Disney location.

When did you decide that you wanted to do all 6 Disney locations in 1 year?

We are huge Disney fans and already had Walt Disney World booked for Christmas and Aulani in January. We decided to keep those reservations and add on the rest of the parks since we wanted to visit those countries as well. It wasn’t really to accomplish it all in a certain time-frame, but we were in a position to visit all these countries during our travels so we made it a point to go to each park.

When did you start planning for this? Was this the end goal or was it a happy accident

It was a happy accident and it all happened very fast! We were originally planning to move closer to the girls’ school. When we couldn’t find anything we wanted we decided to change our plan and travel instead. We put our house on the market, it sold in one day with multiple offers, and then we were on the road in two months!

What makes each park different?

While the overall magic of the parks are there, each park definitely has its differences. Size is the main one. With Walt Disney World being the size of a small city to the quaint single parks like Hong Kong… They each have their charms and will appeal to different guests.

Food in the Asian parks are overall healthier and better balanced than in the US parks. We had so much good food, comparable to restaurants within those cities! Theming is also better and more fun!

What stood out to you most about each park?

Disneyland – It was great to be there for the 60th anniversary celebrations. It is the closest park to us and I grew up going to that park. It will always hold special memories.

Disneyland Paris – Paris was our first stop for our full-time travels. Both girls wanted to spend their birthdays in Paris so it was perfect timing. My oldest turned 7 in the park and the Cast Members were so good to her. She had such a great day. The Ratatouille ride was so much fun! We went on it a lot during our trip.

Walt Disney World – My hubby proposed to me during Wishes in Cinderella’s Royal Table many moons ago so it will always be special. This trip was the first time both girls went to Cinderella’s Royal Table and we got a picture of all of us standing in the spot where he proposed. We celebrated Christmas there and it was so magical.

Tokyo Disney Resort – Japanese culture is so polite, that even though the park was crowded it was so enjoyable. The food and merchandise here is so unique and amazing! I could shop and eat here all day. Disney Sea is one of a kind, you truly need a few days to really appreciate the details that went into the design. Also, the characters for meet and greets are rare compared to the ones we see in North America.

Hong Kong Disneyland Resort – The park is small but has two of the best rides out of all the parks – Mystic Manor and Grizzly Gulch. We were so lucky during our visit that we had virtually no lines and were able to walk onto everything. This was such a nice change! Disney dim sum at The Crystal Lotus in The Hong Kong Disneyland hotel is so good!

Shanghai Disney Resort – Pirates and Tron are AMAZING!! I could go on an on about how well done these rides are. They are so technologically advanced compared to any other Disney ride. Those two rides alone make the trip worth it.

Also see; Disneyland Paris Planning Guide

What advice would you have for someone trying to follow in your foot steps?

There’s no guarantees in life. We are all taught to wait until we retire to travel… wait until the kids are grown up. Well, we decided we wanted to do it now. We don’t have a crystal ball to see when we can actually retire or what our health would be like. We live in the most expensive city in Canada. We had the opportunity to sell at a good time and we decided to go for it. We were tired of being house poor when there is a whole world out there that we could enjoy with our children!

Would you do it again; were some cultures a little harder to adjust to than others;

Haha, we already have tickets purchased for Disneyland and Disneyworld. Our DVC reservation has already been made for our Disneyworld trip in April! We are obsessed!

We would definitely visit all the parks again. The parks are always expanding and changing, there will always be something new to experience. As my youngest gets older, she’ll finally be able to join us on more thrill rides. I can’t wait until we can all ride together and we get those awesome ride pics with our Photopass!

I, fortunately, can speak some French and Cantonese so that was handy in the parks, but it is not necessary at all… All signage will have English on it and hand gestures can go a long way. Overall I found Cast Members to be very helpful and attentive. We had great experiences with everyone from the hotels to the parks. They made many magical moments for my girls and it made their trip truly special.

How was the food/souvenirs/local people ?

The merchandise in Tokyo is the most unique. The other parks have some merchandise that is park specific but the rest is still part of the Disney Parks umbrella. Tokyo has so much of their own merchandise that no one else has!! It was hard not to buy everything.

I would say the hardest culture to adjust to was Shanghai. Unfortunately the rumours are true – line cutting is a big thing, there are scalpers selling fastpasses and knockoff souvenirs in the parks! Later in the week we noticed an increase in security but it did not curb the number of people approaching me in line or getting off the resort bus. My patience and manners were definitely tested here.

In terms of being a digital nomad, how has that affected your plans? How did you divide your time between the city and parks

We have been on the road full time for almost 9 months. We spend a lot of time exploring each country we visit, not just to visit the parks. When we visit the city itself we stay elsewhere like an airbnb or serviced apartment. When we get to the parks we stay onsite.

We stayed in Paris for 2 weeks before visiting the park for a week. We were in Japan for 5 weeks before visiting the parks for 8 days. We are in Shanghai for an additional 3 days after 4 days in the park before exploring more of China… Depending on your goals, you could do just the parks in each country, but you would be missing out on such a wonderful cultural experience!

Please describe how the conversation first got started – to sell everything and travel the world.

My husband is an industrial electrician. His job was in another province on shifts (2 weeks on, 1 week off). We decided since he was away for two thirds of the year that I would stay home with the girls. I ran a successful cake decorating business from home, before that I worked in IT for a telecommunications company.

We lived in an area with a very hot real estate market. Our original plan was to sell our home, pay off our debts and downsize to a smaller house closer to our daughters’ school. This would eliminate the 3 hours of commuting I usually do to take the girls to and from school, and also reduce some of the financial pressures of being a single income family.

When it came time to purchase another home we couldn’t find anything suitable and felt pressured to make a decision and pay over our desired budget. So, in a moment of frustration I said, “Let’s just take a break. Let’s just take the kids out of school for a year, travel, and see what happens with the market when we come back.” My husband’s contract with work was just about to finish so the timing was right and said the magic words, “OK”!

How do the kids feel about the traveling, what do you do for home schooling?

My girls love exploring new places! It has been awesome to actually step foot in all the countries they’ve only heard about a year ago. Nothing in a book or classroom could replace that. They are both very social girls so this has been a great experience for them, meeting local families and seeing how other children live.

We are currently enrolled as home-schooled, but not following any curriculum. There is so much they learn through their day to day activities that I do not need to force any lessons with them. We also engage the kids in activities like cooking in each country we visit, they visit museums, animal rescue centers, places of historic importance etc… they are outdoors most of the time and learning so much being exposed to different cultures. It’s been a wonderful experience for all of us!

Would you suggest DVC points as the best way to accomplish this goal or would park packages be the best way to start off?

No, we only used DVC points for our Aulani and Disneyworld stay. While points can be used for the international parks, the conversion is not worth it. Most of the parks had packages available and we took advantage of any that would work for the time frame we visited. In Paris and Hong Kong we had meal plans, extra fast passes, priority seating for parades and fireworks… we wouldn’t be able to get that through DVC points.

Also check with travel agents and airlines for packages! We fly WestJet all the time and there’s such good deals to Disneyland and the Good Neighbour Hotels I hardly use my points there.

Sincerely,
Natalie Chen
My Wandering Family

We would love for you follow along on our journey:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/mywanderingfamily

Instagram: https://instagram.com/mywanderingfamily/

Blog: www.mywanderingfamily.com