Checklist for Traveling with Children Abroad

Before Boarding the flight:

1. 1. Make sure you cjheck the validity of passport and tickets WHEN you purchase the tickets. Most times we check our passports and forget about children.
2. 2. Make sure that if you have to renew the passport do so before booking the tickets. If the names print out different on the new passport, you might have to purchase another ticket depending on the airline

While Boarding and on the flight:

1. Make sure you do not have more than one backpack that is light to carry around.
2. Carry food – you can usually get away with telling at the counter that the kid is allergic and hence you have to carry your own food.
3. Take enough entertainment. Video games / ipad are good. $1.00 activity games from Micheals – one for each hour of the flight!
4. If you have a break journey – wake the kids up at the airport. Let them run around so that they can get tired for the next half of the journey.
5. Most airports have family rooms that can be locked. Use one to take a break.
6. If the kid is crying non-stop on the flight… just let them be – you cannot help it. No need to stress out. Eventually they will tire out 🙂
7. Sometimes if you just disappear i.e give the kid to your partner or to the air hostess for sometime , they will quiet dowm.
8. Carry goldfish crackers that are available in different colors. Let you kid play with them while you can take a break. They like to eat them too.
9. Carry one item that you kids absolutely will eat anywhere.

Safety While traveling

1. Teach kids to hold your hands everytime they are walking. That way they will not get lost.
2. Carry ALL passports on you wherever you go so then it can never get lost.
3. Make copies of ALL passports and carry it in your backpack. If you lose a passport in a foriegn country – you will most likely be stuck there for a few days.
4. know the 911/ emergency number to call everywhere you visit
5. Try and dress the children so that they can stand out in a crowd. That way even when they get lost, you can spot them
6. First aid kit and emergency medicine in the backpack all the time.
7. do not plan a long day – a break in between will help you relax and you will be alert for you next plan
8. Mark your bags/kids shoes/socks with your phone number along with the country code.
9. Try and identify landmarks where the kid can go to at all new places in case he is lost. For e.g in a museum make the ticket counter a place to meet.
10. Explain to the kid that in case he is lost to find a policeman or a mommy with kids. They are the 2 type of people who will most likely help
11. Try and tell the kid to not wander from where he is lost. That way the area can be searched in a short time.

Keeping these in mind will make your travel safe and uneventful most of the times.