If you’ve got kids, you know exactly what it’s like: you wait all year for your precious holiday to roll around, and then it quickly turns into a stressful melee of screaming toddlers, wayward primary school children or bored teenagers – maybe all three! But it needn’t be this way. Fixology can show you how to enjoy stress-free travelling with kids of any age.
There’s a million things to think about when it comes to pre-school kids, whether it’s the mechanics of getting there and choosing the hotel or the crucial issue of keeping them safe. Only then can you relax.
With young children there’s a whole world of restaurant embarrassments to contend with, as well as the Herculean task of convincing them it was a good idea to leave their friends behind.
And then there’s the secondary school kids, whether they’re pushing into their teens or fully paid-up members of teenagerdom. Here, the elephant in the room is boredom: the hotel’s dull; the location’s dull; and their parents are dull. Stick with Fixology, though, and you can tackle these seemingly insurmountable problems and savour a stress-free family holiday.
Pre-school: 0-5
It’s all about planning, planning and planning for really wee ones. Thoroughly check how family-friendly prospective hotels really are online, including what other parents say on peer review sites such as TripAdvisor. Plan the flight, with new toys introduced at regular intervals to keep kids going, favourite foods as treats and seats close to the toilets. Book carefully to avoid dangers like unguarded swimming pools and hotels on busy roads.
Primary school: 5-11
Eating out with primary school kids doesn’t have to be a battlezone. Research family-friendly restaurants online and make sure you have engaging things for the kids to do between courses. Choose food that they can try too. If they miss their friends, sign them up for kids’ club at hotels or look at play centres nearby. The number one thing to remember is that their rapidly growing young minds need stimulation.
Secondary school: 11-16
Tackle boredom head on by picking an unusual destination – somewhere to get imaginations going. Even better, involve children in the planning. Same goes for the hotel – teenagers might prefer that new boutique place to the toddler terror hotel across the road. Sadly, the dullness of parents is pretty much a fact of life – so try to create safe time for them when they can enjoy a touch of freedom.
- Kid-placating MP3 players or tablets out of battery? Always carry a portable charger
- Airport boredom? Buy an airport toy set and tick off items in real life
- Stressing about hygiene? Take wipes and hand gel everywhere
- Kids bored of their toys? Carry a few ‘spare’ new toys for emergencies
Direct Line has your travel plans covered. With Direct Line Home Insurance Plus, you will get annual travel insurance included as standard (not suitable if you are over 65 or have a pre‑existing medical condition).
Find out more about how to fix your everyday problems at Direct Line
