8+ best tips for a perfect family holiday

Escaping reality and heading off to somewhere beautiful is just what every family needs, but sometimes the thought of all the packing and planning can feel quite overwhelming. It doesn’t have to be. We’ve gathered our best tips and tricks for having a perfect family holiday.

1.GET YOUR LIST ON
We know lists and holidays don’t go hand in hand, but trust us, this works! There’s nothing worse than getting to a tropical location and realising you’ve forgotten swimming bathers, and goggles for the kids. A week before you’re set to jet off, take a moment before the chaos to write a list of everything you need, and we mean everything. If you’re super organised and can trust the kids, you can create a list for every traveling family member so you can hand it over to them to sort their bags.

2.SNACK IT UP
Do you know what makes kids instantly happy? Well besides tropical pools and ice cream on tap? Snacks. We have a rule to never, ever travel, especially when going by air, without snacks. You never know when a flight could be delayed, or you find yourself in a situation that desperately calls for snacks. We’ve saved many a tantrum with a quick bite to eat.

TIP: If you’re traveling by air, some things (like bags of chips) can sometimes explode, so be mindful. The tubes of chips are better, or better still, repack into a little lunchbox for the kids.

3.A LITTLE LIGHT ENTERTAINMENT
When we’re traveling, sometimes we’ll have no rules, and sometimes we’ll have a no-device getaway (it means the kids really get to explore and get their heads out of technology), but the rules only start when we get there. Having a device can sometimes make car rides and plane rides easier, otherwise a bag of pencils and textas, and colouring-in books always do well. For long haul flights, playdough works well, as does stickers.

4.RELAX MAMA, IT’S YOUR HOLIDAY TOO
Sometimes when you get home from a holiday, you can feel like you need another holiday pronto because all that planning, and parenting can be exhausting. What if you had a break too? Kiddo App can be used all around Australia, so you can schedule a date night, or time for kid-free massages while the kids have a blast with a verified carer. Simply change the address location in the location to where you’ll be staying while on holiday, and we’ll find carers in your area for you.

5.HAVE A PLAN, BUT NOT TOO PLANNY
When on holiday it’s always nice to have a good balance of downtime, and things to do as well. We like to do a little research of the area, and find out what the best things to do are, and schedule that during our stay. Or for energy-filled kids, we plan something each day that will make the kids happy and burn as much energy as possible, so that there’s time for a little relaxation in the afternoons.

6.PACK WELL, BUT PACK LIGHT
Do you know what isn’t fun? Lugging too many bags around the airport, or even trying to play tetris and fit them all into the car. Not fun at all. Packing light is easier than you think. Roll instead of folding when packing the bags, and planning well (see tip 1) means less over-packing and taking things you never use. If you’re traveling somewhere like Bali, they have great laundry services where someone can come and collect all your dirty clothing, and return it the next day, washed and folded.

7.CHAT TO A LOCAL
By chatting to a local you can find out about secret spots, secret beaches, the best places to eat and play, and even great playgrounds for the kids. Locals know their areas best, so it’s always great to hit up a local and find out all the juicy details.

8.TAKE A SNAP
Did a holiday really ever happen if you didn’t capture it? While you probably don’t want to spend your whole holiday taking photos, it’s nice to remember to at least get one great family photo for memory’s sake. Set a little reminder on your phone to capture a family photo. Use the selfie timer function on your phone, or ask another holiday-maker to capture it for you.

9.DO AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE
You want to return from your break in the most relaxed style, so lay the rules out on the table before you go. We always like to make it really clear that we will not be in the kitchen cooking dinner on any night during the getaway, so that means finding affordable solutions for dinner, or handing over the cooking reins to someone else during the stay. Doesn’t a break from cooking sound like bliss?