Travelling with Children
To keep it simple, this has been presented in a do & don'ts format. Should you require further information, please do not hesitate to contact or visit Nomad Travel Stores & clinics (see Stores on the left hand menu) www.nomadtravel.co.uk/store/customer/cataloguerequest.php
If it's your First Backpacking Trip with Children
- Do take them camping in this country for practice- Try a short backpacking trip in Europe or somewhere you have been before first
- Go with a more adventurous holiday company that caters for family holidays. A number of our partners cater for families as well as other types of adventure trips – Dragoman, Explore, The Adventure Company and Trek America.
- Don't choose a location you are nervous about for your first backpacking trip with them.
|
CLOTHING |
QUANTITY |
| Long Sleeved Cotton Shirts | 2 |
| Lightweight Trousers | 2 |
| Skirt/Dress (for girls) | 1 |
| Sarong (can be used as a towel or head dress ) | 1 |
| Tracksuit (comfy travelling gear for long journeys and can be worn as pyjamas too) | 1 |
| Cotton Socks | 3 |
| Cotton Underwear | 3 |
| Fleece (can be used as a jacket/jumper/pillowcase filler | 1 |
| T-shirt | 3 |
| Cotton Shorts | 2 |
| Swimwear (take water wings, goggles, snorkels if necessary) | |
| Plastic /Rubber Sandals that fasten | 1 |
| Desert boots/trainers | 1 |
| Pack as little and as light possible | Don't take clothing that the children have never worn before the trip in case they won't wear it. Why pack and carry clothes that will not be worn? |
| Do wear comfortable and practical clothing, not frilly and bulky clothing that takes up space and needs ironing. | Don't wear shorts or short sleeved t-shirts after dusk in high risk malaria areas. (See the Travel Health Zone for more information on bite avoidance and the world malaria map) |
| Do wear cotton made clothing, which is more suitable for travelling, avoid silky and nylon clothing such as underwear, as its uncomfortable in the heat and can cause a rash. | Don't buy short socks that are too short as there may be a 'biting gap' between the socks and trousers |
| Don't take wool/acrylic jumpers, as they are much harder to wash and dry, and tend to be heavier and bulkier |
Equipment
| Do provide a 25 or 35 litre rucksack for each child, children over 10 may need a slightly bigger one. | Don't buy the rucksack without the child's involvement. They need to like wearing it, make sure it is a good fit and comfortable when it's packed. |
| Do provide a bum bag for bits and pieces like a torch, wet ones tissues, notebook & pen, small toy, and playing cards | Don't buy bottles without 'puffers'. It is much more economical if the child has to squeeze the liquid out,it prevents spills of precious supplies |
| Do pack their own wash kit with a small amount of shower gel, shampoo, toothpaste, compact tool. Can refill in major cities if necessary. | Don't take battery operated toys, felt pens if your kids are bad at putting lids back on, anything breakable or would be devastating to lose |
| Do pack a toy bag with travel board games, playing cards, felt tip pens/crayons, pens, hardback notebook, walkman, tapes, book or two, favourite game, balloons for local kids, stickers, and favourite toy | Don't just use the eating kit for the first time on the trip. Use for picnics or at home to minimise ('I don't like that' syndrome prone to younger children) |
| Do make their own eating kit up containing a small unbreakable bowl, cup and knife/fork/spoon set |
Other Essentials
| Do provide a sturdy AA battery torch, preferably water resistant, per child | Don't Go Cheap. Children are prone to taking torches apart and a cheap one will fall to bits. Tape up with Gaffa tape for extra protection |
| Do take a water bottle per child (1/2 litre is fine for younger children to carry). Top up regularly | Don't leave treated water in a bottle for more than 24 hours |
| Do pack a 4 point or 2 point treated mosquito net per child (we have never failed to find a way of hanging a net with 4 or 2 points) | Don't go for a single point hanging treated mosquito net as there is so little space inside and much more likelihood of a limb protruding. Also tuck in well around the bottom. |
| Do take Wet Ones (travel packs of 20 go a long way). Great for hand washing before eating, toilet paper or a general freshen up. | Don't use them all up on the first day ! |
| Do take tissues (small packs) | Don't use them all up on the first day ! |
Food & Health
This is the biggest worry when travelling with children and advice must be
sought from medical professionals specialising in travel health.
Please contact the Nomad Travel Health Line on 0906 8633414
(calls cost 60p/min) or your nearest Travel Health Clinics for more details.
| Do take a good medical kit with plenty of plasters, melolin dressings, antiseptics, rehydration powders (find out what flavour they like the best), paracetamol and other as recommended by a medical professional | Don't let your children carry their own as it is too important to 'play' with. Don't skimp on any of the contents |
| Do watch your children in new environments and make a few simple ground rules | Don't let them play with stray animals. Don't let them drink/eat without parental consent |
| Do keep the kids hydrated, particularly in the heat or trekking | Don't let them become dehydrated- this can lead to diarrhoea, vomiting, irritability, loss of appetite and in some serious cases, a trip to the hospital |
| Do take vitamins with you to keep high standards of health and make sure they eat a lot of peeled fruits and vegetables | Don't wash food, crockery & utensils in potentially dirty water, use your own treated water |
| Do let them drink fizzy drinks. As they are hard to imitate they are generally considered 'safe' Learn about water purification and 'safe food before you leave. Go to the Travel Health Zone and look at healthy easting and drinking under travel information | Don't add ice to drinks, this is more often than not made from contaminated water& resist ice cream for the same reason |
| Do protect your children from bites. Many diseases are spread this way and the bites themselves will be prone to infection. | Don't think you are safe because other children are running around uncovered in 'biting' times |
| Do get your children used to foreign foods such as Indian, Chinese, Thai etc | Don't resort to Western style foods in developing countries –often the source of upset tummies. Exceptions are recognised chains such as McDonalds |
| Do take a supply of 'treats' with you such as sachets of jam, peanut butter, vegemite/marmite, chocolate drinks, muesli bars etc. Stock cubes are very useful to add to rice, noodles, pasta. | Don't give in when they see ice-cream being sold – this is potentially made from contaminated water |
| Do beware of currents in unknown waters and keep a watchful eye on the kids. Do use a high factor sunscreen and frequently, especially after swimming | Don't let them swim in the sun between 11am – 3pm particularly near the Equator. |
| Do always insist they wear a full brimmed hat or cap with flap in the sun to help avoid heat exhaustion |