If you first decided to go with a child on vacation abroad, it is justified that you do not know all the subtleties and pitfalls of relaxing with children. And for useful information you should not contact a travel agency offering you a ticket, and not your local pediatrician, but parents who have rich experience in such trips.
Where to go
If you are traveling for the first time, then you should not immediately plan large-scale travel in several countries. Children don’t really like moving, so that your trip is not full of unplanned excesses, it is better to choose one resort for the entire vacation.
First, decide which area is larger than
Mom.
Child.
Kindergarten.
Suitable for your child . If you want to go to the sea, then think about which beach to choose: with sand or pebbles. For young children, a sandy beach is more suitable. In addition, if your child is allergic or suffers from bronchopulmonary diseases, it is better that there are conifers in the place where you live. Having drawn these subtleties in your head, choose a resort . Doctors do not advise for the first time to somehow significantly change the climate zone, so Turkey, Bulgaria, Croatia or Montenegro are best suited for the first trip. Some parents like to bring their children to Spain or Greece.
With an older child, you can go to Europe if you are more interested in seeing the sights than spending time on the beach. Many cities in Europe have something to interest a child: zoos, amusement parks, attractions, etc.
Getty Images/Fotobank
Where to live
After choosing a resort and specifying which hotels are located in the area you are interested in, select a hotel. You can book a hotel or buy a tour at a travel agency. They will answer you the necessary questions. It is important for you that the travel agency answered the following questions:
Does the hotel have a cot? Some hotels offer a stroller and a changing table.
Does the hotel have a children's table? If your baby is breastfed, you don’t need to worry about nutrition. But if the child is already old enough to eat "adult" food, it is important to make sure that he feeds food suitable for his age. Even if you are told that the hotel’s kitchen has a "children's table", specify what is meant. In many hotels, the menu of the "children's table" includes only hamburgers and french fries. In this case, check if there is a diet table. It is better then to feed the child dishes of the dietary table. Read more at the https://www.theodysseyonline.com/10-best-travel-tips
Getty Images/Fotobank
Do babysitters, children's animators work at the hotel and whether there are mini-clubs for children. In Europe, most hotels have no mini-clubs.
Are far from the hotel there are shops or grocery stores where you can buy products (if most of the children's table products are not suitable for the child), as well as pharmacies to purchase personal hygiene products. Are there cafes and restaurants near the hotel.
Many traveling parents prefer living in apartments. Of course, good apartments at a good price are booked in advance, even in winter. But you can find good options for the month. It also makes sense to register at various parent forums and online communities dedicated to families with children. There are often advertisements for apartments suddenly vacated that were previously booked, but for some reason people refused to travel.
Having chosen a hotel or apartment, it is advisable to read and analyze all the reviews that you find on the Internet. You must be prepared for the unexpected.
How to go
If there is a question, go on the road by train, plane or car, it is better to choose a plane. From experience, children are better at flying than shaking in the train or in the car for a long time. Tickets are better to purchase through travel agencies, so it will cost you less. Be sure to check if there is special baby food on the plane .
If you intend, in addition to relaxing on the beach, also to go on excursions, you better take care of the stroller in advance if you use public transport. If a stroller cannot be rented at the hotel, it is better to bring a convenient cane with you. Of course, provided that your child is already sitting or walking. It will also be appropriate to rent a car. This can be done on the spot, but it is better to arrange a rental in advance. So you can choose a car yourself, and not choose from those that are available. A car can be ordered both in large well-known companies that have representative offices in different countries, as well as in small firms in many cities. In large companies, you will pay more for rent, but you will have a guarantee of the quality of services, but in small companies you cannot be guaranteed.
baby food of even the same manufacturer may vary in taste in another country
Going on the road
When packing your bags, you need to consider the following points:
Food. If you have a baby and he is an “artificer”, you will have to take for him, in addition to bottles and a mixture, a sterilizer and a bottle warmer, as well as water for diluting the mixture. If the child already receives complementary foods, then make sure that on vacation he has enough jars with ready-made complementary foods (in case you have not decided to rent an apartment and cook for him yourself). You must be sure that local stores have complementary foods in cans of the same company your child is used to. Or another brand, but only if your child is not picky about food. Otherwise, you need to buy jars at home and bring with you, because baby food even of the same manufacturer may differ in taste in another country. It will be very difficult for you if the child suddenly does not want to eat local food.
First aid kit and hygiene items . With diapers, the same problem as with baby food. If wipes and powders can still be purchased at local pharmacies, then the diapers that are sold there may not be suitable for you. Therefore, if you are not sure whether there are disposable diapers of the same manufacturer in the city where you are going, you need to bring along. For older children, you can buy disposable pots so as not to plant it "under the bush" in an unfamiliar country.
Pay special attention to the medicine cabinet. Take what you usually use at home. It is advisable to have a cream and drops for allergies, ear drops, hydrogen peroxide, iodine, brilliant green, Smecta for stomach problems, Kalgel, an antipyretic and analgesic, an antiviral drug for acute respiratory infections, sterile cotton wool, bandage. Cream "Lifeguard" and cream for sunburn are also useful .
Clothes and toys . Do not take much clothing. Only the one you use at home. Do not forget warm clothes in case of rain and weather and slippers or sandals for the beach. From toys it is better to take only a sand set.
Writer