Love, Life, & Beyond

Before having kids I used to travel for pleasure quite often. Trips were organised around my interests and hobbies, but not defined by them. After having kids, I had to change the way that I travel and the things that I look for when I’m in a new place. Now family trips are all about “quality time”, which is pretty cool actually.

While it may seem like a major adjustment, this new way of traveling has its own charm. The focus shifts from explorations to shared experiences when travelling with kids. We get to enjoy each other’s company without worrying about mundane routines like grocery shopping, cooking, and waking up times. There’s no hurry to be somewhere or do something.

What’s your travel style?

My husband and I used to have different travel styles. He loved cramming in as many activities as possible, while I preferred a slower, more relaxed approach to truly savor the experience. Over time, I converted him to my way of traveling—enjoying fewer activities but doing them at a leisurely pace.

Then came our son, and he brought his own twist to our travel style: relaxing beach vacations!

Baby’s First Vacation

We started travelling with our baby when he was about six months old. Our first trip was to Goa because I needed to relax without any sight-seeing. Having been to Goa before, there was no pressure to sightsee; we simply enjoyed the beaches, great food, and a slower pace of life.

It felt to get a change of scene. We loved how our baby reacted to new experiences like playing in the sand or feeling the gentle waves. Travel is such a great way to ignite young minds.

Air Travel with Kids: Tips for Different Ages

Air travel with kids is different at different stages of their lives. Travel with a baby is relatively alright, especially a breastfed one. One peep out of their mouths and you shove a nipple to quieten them. Our baby slept through the flight both ways.

Even a longer journey (India to the US) was manageable with plenty of snacks (puffed rice, makhana, fruits) and some small toys. We got the bassinet seat so there was enough legroom for him to sit on the floor and play.

Travelling with a toddler on a plane is a little more challenging because they don’t want to sit still. And they will let you know when they’re unhappy about it. Most are used to screens so that’s one way to occupy them for a while. But on longer trips you need to get creative with activities.

Then comes the part when you reach your destination. Sightseeing has to be kept to a minimum and you need to account for plenty of breaks in between. You also need to be flexible enough to cancel or completely change your plans.

Tips on How to Travel with Children

I often hear the refrain: I want to travel but I have a child. The benefits of traveling as a child are many. They learn much more by experiencing and seeing rather than just hearing about it or watching it on TV. It is inconvenient as a parent to travel to new places with a child prone to get cranky at the worst of times, but the key is patience and being open to adjust or change plans.

You don’t expect having children to affect your travels but in reality, it does. Traveling is a lot more expensive and difficult than you think once you have children.

Some essential kids travel accessories that we’ve found very helpful are,