5 Things You Need When Taking Your Kids on Their First International Trip

Taking your kids on an international trip can be a great way to assist in fostering their curiosity. While it may seem like a simple trip, to begin with, that’s not always the case when traveling with children. Here are five things that you’ll need when you’re taking your children on their first international trip.

Photo Identification Documents

While you may not have a lot of trouble traveling with your children domestically, going to international places can create some extra hoops you’ll need to jump through. As a good rule of thumb, you should have your children carry their photo identification documents with them when on the airplane or ship. This includes a student identification, driver’s license, and even a copy of their birth certificate is a great idea.

Prepare for Longer Layovers or Schedule Non-Stop Flights

When you’re traveling with your children, it’s going to be much harder to maneuver through the airport quickly. You have to get all your children through the security checks and to the right terminal. It’s best to schedule longer layovers if you have them so that you can have more than enough time to get everyone prepared to enter the next flight. If your budget allows it, opting for non-stop flights can help to eliminate any of this layover headache.

Name Identifiers

You should be putting a name identifier on all of your children’s items to ensure that anyone who finds them knows how to get ahold of you. Getting a laser engraved luggage tag with your name, address, and contact phone number is a necessity. Children are more likely to lose items than adults when traveling. Therefore, everything should have a name identifier on it including electronic devices.

Pack Extra Clothes in Their Carry-On Bag

Each child should be entitled to their own carry-on bag by the airline. Use this to your advantage by having each child pack an extra set of clothing in their carry-on bag. This way, if any of your luggage goes missing, they’ll have something to wear until you get it back from the airline.

Schedule Jet Lag

Most of us are familiar with the tiredness of jet lag. When you’re traveling with children, they’re going to have it. It’s best to schedule some necessary rest time after your flights to ensure that everyone is well-rested. This will help to decrease the amount of irritability that your children have when traveling.

Traveling in international waters with your children can be a trip that they remember for the rest of their life. However, traveling with children requires some added planning. The above five things should help you to have a successful international trip with your kiddos.