Introduction
Traveling with kids is a fun adventure, but it can also be stressful and frustrating. That’s why it’s important to prepare for your trip well in advance of your departure date. It will help you avoid any problems along the way so that you can focus on enjoying your time together as a family.
Get Good Travel Insurance Before you go
It’s a good idea to get travel insurance before you go. Travel insurance can cover lost luggage, medical emergencies, and trip cancellation. You can purchase travel insurance before or after you book your trip. You can purchase it from a travel agent, online at the airline’s website, or through an auto insurance company.
Contact the CDC for information about vaccinations you and your family will need for your trip
- Contact the CDC at 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636) or visit their website to obtain information on when to get vaccinations, where to get them, and what vaccinations are required for your destination. You can also find a clinic near you that provides vaccinations.
- If traveling abroad, contact the CDC’s division of global migration and quarantine at 1-404-639-3091 or by email to learn more about how to get vaccines abroad and how often they require updated information on traveler’s locations.
Check the State Department
Check the State Department’s website. As the U.S. government organization that advises Americans on travel abroad, the State Department issues travel advisories for all countries, regions, cities, and hotels in the world. The site is updated daily with information about current safety conditions in each location.
Dealing with an emergency
- It’s important to know what to do if there is an emergency when you’re traveling abroad.
- Find the nearest hospital or clinic and ask a local for directions. You should also find out if it’s close enough to walk, or if you’ll need to get a taxi.
- Make sure someone in your family knows the name of the hospital or clinic, as well as how to call for help in case of an emergency. This can be a life-saving measure if no one understands each other’s language while trying to seek care at the hospital!
Bring copies of important documents both on paper and on a secure USB drive
Bring copies of passports, birth certificates, and other important documents both on paper and on a secure USB drive. If you are traveling internationally with children, you must have copies of your child’s passport, birth certificate, and other identifying documents. There is nothing worse than having your child lost at the airport because the airline did not have the correct paperwork to check them in. It is also recommended that these documents are kept in two separate locations: one at home and one on your person during travel.
Prepare to care for kids
You should always carry a first aid kit in your carry-on luggage. The kit should include Band-Aids, gauze pads, antibiotic ointment, antiseptic wipes (to clean cuts), pain relievers (such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen), tweezers, and scissors.
Make sure you have all the right medications for your child’s age and any allergies they may have. If they take daily medications, such as asthma inhalers or allergy pills, pack extra doses in case they are delayed by weather or other travel complications.
Stocked first aid kit in your carry-on luggage
When it comes to packing toiletries, you will want to be aware of the TSA’s latest rules. Every airline has a different set of restrictions, so be sure to check with your carrier before departure.
- A small bottle of hand sanitizer (you can buy these in travel-size containers).
- A small bottle of shampoo and conditioner.
- Body lotion or cream
Do some research about any dietary restrictions or Allergies
Once you’ve done your research about the area you’ll be visiting, it’s time to make sure that everyone in your family will be able to find something they like.
- Do some research about any dietary restrictions or allergies you or your family members have and find out where you’ll be able to shop for food that meets those needs.
- If certain foods aren’t available in the area, bring those along with you.
- If there is a specific type of food that everyone wants but isn’t available locally (such as macaroni and cheese), look into having it delivered from a restaurant nearby if possible. during peak travel times!
Ask about the water quality
This may seem obvious, but you should always be sure to ask about the water quality before taking any water from a tap or drinking from natural sources like lakes or streams on your trip. Water levels can vary by region and even within cities, so it’s important to know how safe your destination’s drinking water is. There are many places around the world where drinking tap water is not only unsafe but illegal.
Find out ahead of time
By getting a sense of how long it takes to get from one place to another, there are many things that you need to consider when preparing for a successful family trip, but there are some factors that are especially important if you’re traveling with children.
- Make sure that your travel insurance covers any activities or locations where your child may be participating. You’ll want to know exactly what activities are covered and how much liability protection is provided to avoid a situation where something could happen on an excursion and your child is in a position where they need medical care or other assistance.
- Make sure all vaccinations are up-to-date according to the doctor’s recommendations. This includes both routine vaccines.
- Vaccinations should also include malaria prophylaxis if necessary depending on where they’ll be traveling; consult with your local health department before departure!
- Ensure documentation proving citizenship status is up-to-date so passports aren’t held up at border crossings due to missing documents like birth certificates or marriage licenses; this can lead to potentially stressful situations for everyone involved so make sure everything checks out properly beforehand so there aren’t any surprises later down the line during travel plans.
