Tots Travel Tips

Snacks, snacks, and more snacks – Full tummies are definitely the way forward for all members of your party: don’t forget to make sure you eat and drink as much as you can too. One side of my carryon is always dedicated to favourite snacks – imperative if your child, like mine, is a fussy eater. A container with compartments is handy for presenting different options, and keeping things organised. Don’t forget, you may have to deposit fresh veg/ fruit before making your way through customs.

creep in – Flying is extremely exciting, but can also be very boring. Perhaps you’ve got the airport ridiculously early, or maybe the aircraft has been delayed, or your luggage is last to come out at baggage claim, let alone, sitting down for eight hours at a time! At the airport, take it in turns to go on mini-missions: counting airplanes, spotting pilots… buying mummy a coffee! Some airports do have free play areas, but I avoid them as they can be so manic. I know we’re not ‘supposed’ to indulge in too much screen time, but it is such a great way to keep a child occupied – what better way to escape the mayhem of unfamiliar surroundings than donning some comfy headphones, and watching an animated film? Download plenty of new games and shows in case of dodgy wifi. Something I enjoy doing is hunting for little toy treasures at the local car boots/ charity shops, and wrapping them in shiny paper or mini gift boxes. These go down a storm for before take-off, when electronic devices are stowed away. Don’t forget fantastic no frills entertainment, like I-spy, making up stories, naming an animal ABC or having a good old chin wag.

Timing is everything – Choose carefully whether you travel on a day-time or a night-time flight, take into consideration how much actual sleep you might get, and what the onward journey will be like if you or your little ones don’t get much rest. Will you have to drive the other end? Will you be able to manage any jet lag? You know your child, so try to predict problem times – is nap time due at a crucial moment? For me, I don’t mind which I take a baby on, because mine would just doze on and off during the day, or sleep fairly well during the night flight, but the impact of a toddler only getting a few hours might be tricky once on the ground, whereas during the day, if they nap, it’s a bonus. Do think about how the time change at your destination might affect them, and

perhaps factor in a few days for their circadian rhythm to even itself out.

Everyone loves a freebie – Check out whether your chosen airline has a kids’ club – we have been presented with colouring books, extra snacks and toy airplanes. Babies are usually given a free nappy/wipe kit for long-haul flights (only one, but it’s better than nothing), and we acquired a great teether toy which we still use today! At the airport, the best freebies we have made use of are the water dispensers, to fill up empty bottles after security, and one famous coffee shop chain kindly filled up a couple of bottles of warm milk for free too.

layers on top, in case the air conditioning gets cranked up. Most airlines seem to charge for blankets now, so take a snuggly large scarf/wrap that can double up as a blanket. For babies, I actually prefer a vest, longsleeve top, super soft leggings, and socks, to an all in one sleepsuit, and then I can take off the latter if it gets too warm.

Final call – Although there’s often a mad scramble to board, there really is no need to rush to simply be sat, with restless babies, waiting. All of your essentials can be stowed in the leg-room in front of your tot, so it won’t matter if your larger hand luggage is a little further down. However, if you need to, and you’re travelling with a partner, send them on board ahead of you to get settled, while you kill some more time, and tire those babies out, away from the scrummage. I’ve found it really is so much calmer for a tot to board with everyone else sat waiting for them – VIP style!

Talk about the unknown – A great way to make the adventure more fun, and less daunting, is to talk about it a lot beforehand. I do this with any new experiences, and it’s perfect for preparing little ones for going through security, or take-off and landing. Don’t forget to include sounds and smells, to make the experience both reassuring and exciting in equal measures.

Pack light – So, apart from the snacks, and a few bits of entertainment, only pack essentials. A spare change of clothes for each child (popped in a zip-lock bag that doubles as a place to deposit any dirty ones), plenty of baby wipes (a half-used pack takes less room), nappies, and some infant paracetamol. My little boy brings his pillow from home to make a comfy nest on the plane.

Wear your baby – I’ve found my babies so easy to fly with – all they need is milk, a place to snooze, and a few toys to fiddle with if they’re older. The hum of the engines often makes them sleepy, but if you have nosey babies, like mine, you might also be found pacing up and down the plane for entertainment. My baby carrier is a life-saver: it leaves me hands-free, and helps my little one feel safe, cuddling me while the world rushes past behind them – fab for encouraging sleep too.

SMILE – Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, keep up-beat and smiley - even if inside you’re exhausted and screaming! It makes the stickiest of situations more bearable for everyone. Yes, there might be times when your little one cries – that’s normal –and remember, you’ll never have to see anyone else onboard again anyway. Make time to chat to people around you: lots have flown with babies, perhaps have grandchildren, or are tackling the flight with young ones themselves… befriend the cabin crew, don’t be afraid to ask for help, and try to enjoy the experience!

www.ironhorseranchhorse.co.uk Breakfast served 10.00 am - 12.00 noon Home of BBQ Ribs, Mac ‘n’ cheese, Combos and thick creamy milkshakes!

Update from Nurseryman Colin Ward Writing this and hoping for a drop of rain after all the moaning about the rain we had in the Winter and Spring. The nursery garden is not suffering too badly due to years of mulching and looking after the soil, however some of the newly planted trees in the field garden could really do with a drop. One plant group doing really well in the garden are the Hostas. Surprisingly tolerant of the drier conditions despite the reputation they have of requiring damper conditions. They are well established which helps. We probably carry the widest range of Hostas in the area as well as varieties not commonly available. From mini Hostas (Mouse series ) to the biggest Hosta (Empress Wu) fragrant hostas as well one of the best being Guacamole a medium variegated Hosta which initially starts off green.

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