We show you a trio of tried and tested sleep aids for your baby!

None of us are born knowing everything and when we become parents for the first time, it can feel as if parenting is a mine field. It doesn’t always get any easier with experience, either! Just as we aren’t born knowing everything, your brand new baby isn’t either. Sleep is often mistaken for one of the easiest things in the world to do but actually it can be a struggle for some babies.

We parents have all the tricks up our sleeves, right? We’ve got this, right? Um, well… maybe. Some things don’t come as naturally as you might think, so here are three newborn baby sleep hacks you have to try.

The Hairdryer…

…or the vacuum cleaner, extractor fan, washing machine, tumble dryer… or an app that plays white noise.

Using white noise is a magic trick only parents know about. It’s that low-level, constant noise that we often tune out, which miraculously helps newborn babies to fall asleep. Many studies have been done on the effectiveness of white noise and it’s definitely a sure-fire way of helping your overtired newborn to sleep. Some parents have even reported its effectiveness when dealing with their own insomnia.

The reason why white noise works so well is simple. The low frequency and constant noise help to simulate the sounds that your newborn has been used to inside the womb. It helps to block out other noises too, thus inducing a state of peace and calm. Once that calmness has settled, sleep is never far behind. This is one parenting hack you won’t be able to keep to yourself.

The Sheet…

… or a thin blanket or swaddle sack. Swaddling is another magic trick to use with your newborn baby if they are struggling to sleep. The reasons why swaddling works so well also relate back to being in utero. Firstly, the so-called ‘startle reflex’ is suppressed when baby is swaddled, meaning she is less likely to wake herself up by throwing out her arms. The feeling of being snug and ‘hugged’ helps to settle and calm babies too, making sleep even more likely when she’s swaddled.

The Stroller Walk…

… or car drive, swing, dance, rock… any kind of movement. So many parents report that their newborn falls asleep quickly every time they venture out with the pram or in the car and I wouldn’t mind betting that every parent has resorted to this at some point to get their baby off to the land of slumber. We humans are very basic, because this one also goes back to the feelings we experience in the womb. As mum moves around, baby is rocked and lulled to sleep, so once they’re out in the real world, the sensation of being moved rhythmically works in much the same way to soothe and calm. This is why you see so many parents rocking and swaying with a baby in their arms – they know the secret. And now, so you do. Just remember your SnoozeShade!

Further Reading:

Baby Sleep Myths – Busted!
Discover Our Ten Best Baby Sleeping Sacks
Top Travel Hacks for Busy Parents

If you’re a new parent, chances are you’ve been told on numerous occasions what you ‘should’ be doing with your little one. It seems that there will never be any shortage of well meaning advice to be dished out, and first time parents seem to be in the firing line for sure. Now, there is nothing wrong whatsoever with one parent passing on what they’ve learned to another. That’s the way we work as a human race. We evolve through experience and we learn through trial and error. So yes, we make mistakes. And then we learn from them and we move on. But when it comes to parenting, it seems there can be more back and white areas than ever! Here at SnoozeShade HQ we believe you should parent the way that YOU see fit, not the way Mrs Jones at number 33 sees fit. So here are the top three so called mistakes that new parents make… and what you should do if you encounter that helpful do-gooder who just has to put you straight!

You your baby with too many cuddles

First of all- and remember this- you CANNOT spoil a baby. Not with too many cuddles, not by picking her up when she cries and certainly not by rocking, singing, hushing or even body popping if it gets her back to sleep! Only you know your baby and so YOU have to trust your instincts. A baby is not manipulative enough to want to ‘con’ you into cuddling her. A baby cries for you because you are her protector. You are her only means of survival in this world, and for a long time she is completely helpless. This helplessness means that you are the one she needs to help her make it out into adulthood in one piece. So pick her up. Cuddle her. Indulge her for as long and as often as you se fit. You will not spoil her, not one little bit.

Your baby will never learn to sleep by herself if she shares your bed

First of all, no. No, no, no! Bed sharing or co-sleeping, when done safely, will not affect your baby’s independence one jot. In fact, studies have found that babies who co-sleep are more likely to grow up to be self confident and self sufficient, simply because they’ve experienced that closeness so early on. And that’s not to say that if you don’t co-slep your baby is missing out either! The key is to do what works for you and never mind anyone else. Please please read up on safe sleep guidelines to make sure you’re co-sleeping safely, and if it works for you carry on.

You want to maintain some elements of your own identity

You mean, you have things to do during the day time? Your every waking moment isn’t dedicated to your baby and her needs at ALL times? You actually want to go out at night time without your baby? Well… good for you! Your baby doesn’t need to be attached to you 24/7 (unless that’s how you prefer it, of course) so take no notice of what anyone else says. Being with your baby 100% of the time and not allowing anyone else to take some of the responsibility does NOT make you a better parent. Life is all about balance and somewhere along the line you need to remember the old saying ‘you cannot pour from an empty cup’. So take care of yourself too. If you need to be somewhere at nap time, pop a SnoozeShade over the pram and go. If you fancy a night out with your partner or your friends, enlist the help of a reliable baby sitter and enjoy yourself. You’ll be better equipped to deal with all that life with a baby throws at you if you’ve had chance to rest and re-charge!

If you follow us on social media, you may have also noticed our hashtag #NotJustForSummer, so we thought we’d explain a little more in today’s post:

A SnoozeShade is for life, not just for summer!

SnoozeShade was, like many other great inventions, born out of necessity. I was tired of having to drape blankets and muslins over the pram so that my baby was shaded from the sun and shielded from distractions while she slept. Having a SnoozeShade means that your little one is not only protected from up to 99% of the sun’s harmful rays, but you also have a cosy nook for sleep too. There’s less chance of sleep being disturbed, and this means that even tired little nap fighters are able to nap on the go. But it’s not just for summer! Here are five reasons why you should be using your SnoozeShade right now too…

Protection Against The Low Winter Sun

It might not feel like it, but the sun does still shine from October to May! The rays might not be as strong as in summer, but they’re still bright and the glare can be powerful. Just as when you’re driving and need to shield your eyes when the sun is low and bright, your little one needs a little protection too. your SnoozeShade is perfect for this. And if you have the Plus or Plus Deluxe, you can unzip and use it in look out mode when they’re not sleeping, to make sure that pesky winter sun stays at bay the whole time you’re out.

Protection Against Light Wind

Sometimes a hood just isn’t enough! The wind can be bitter in the winter months so the SnoozeShade is your secret weapon. When used in lookout mode, your little one has protection from the sides and and a little more insulation in general when the weather is bad. When zipped up, or when using an Original for sleep, you little one is safe, snug and warm.

Protection Against Light Rain

So it’s not a rain cover, and no doubt you’ve used the one that came with your pram no end of times this winter. But on those occasions where you’ve left the rain cover in the boot of the car, or it’s only lightly spitting and you’re just not sure, you can rest assured that your SnoozeShade is going to keep those raindrops at bay. It’s not fully waterproof, so not intended to be used as such, but it will provide your little one with ample protection in light rain- so they can continue to snooze undisturbed.

Protection Against Light Snow

As with rain, sometimes you can be caught out! Yep, your SnoozeShade will keep your little one warm and protected against light snow if you find yourself out in the thick of it.

Protection Against Well Meaning On-Lookers

You know those well meaning old ladies at the park? Or at the bus stop? In the supermarket? You know how they like to peer into your stroller and exclaim how beautiful your precious bundle is? It’s all really lovely, and yes your baby really is stunning, but don’t you like them much better if they’re able to sleep when they really need it? SnoozeShade to the rescue! Once zipped up, there can be no mistaking that your little one is having a quiet moment- they’re protected, quiet and safe from disturbances. Perfect!

Further Reading:

Using Your SnoozeShade After Summer
Safe Baby Sleep in Winter
Can My Baby Nap Safely Outdoors?

Today’s post is courtesy of another lovely SnoozeShade blogger, Julie. Julie writes at Pondering Parenthood and is a new mum of one. Julie’s new year’s resolution for 2017 is to get more sleep- like many of us, I predict! So how is the sleep situation in your house right now? Are you looking to make changes for the new year? Get in touch and let us know in the comments.

This may be wishful thinking! To be fair to Little M, we’re very lucky. She has always been a pretty good sleeper, more or less sleeping through from around three months. We really shouldn’t complain.

We had a nice little bath, story, milk, bed routine going which was actually starting to give us a bit of our evenings back. You see, Little M would sleep through, but wouldn’t fall asleep until around 10/11pm. However, shifting the bath to 5:30pm changed all that and we finally had her going down by about 8ish, sleeping until 9:30pm give or take half an hour, then going back down for the night after some milk, not waking until 6:30am. Amazing, right?!

Then weaning happened. Since we have started to wean Little M, dinner has been at 5:30, pushing her bath back to around 7pm. She then quickly falls asleep, but wakes as soon as we try to put her down, falling straight back to sleep when we pick her up again. So annoying! She then comes wide awake until sometimes as late as 1am. Painful.

She also seems to be guzzling milk like there’s no tomorrow! I express all of her feeds and I’m struggling to keep up, despite making no change to my pumping schedule. I thought babies were supposed to take less milk when they started weaning?!

At some point we also need to move Little M into her own room. I am so not ready for this! At the moment she’s in her bedside crib. Fortunately she’s only little so she still fits, but this won’t be the case for much longer! At least at the moment we’re able to lie in our bed while we’re taking hours getting her off to sleep; it won’t be so comfortable in the armchair in her nursery!

So we need to do something about this. I have no idea what. I think we just need to experiment with different routines until we find something that works for Little M.

Hopefully we’ll find something soon so that hubby and I can have a bit of our evenings back, as well as a good night’s sleep. Or am I being greedy?!

Get in touch with Julie on Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

Ah, toddlers! Aren’t they great?! Just when you think you have this baby sleep thing sorted, they go and turn into toddlers and the whole thing is turned upside down. And that’s no exaggeration! So how can we make toddlers and sleep a little easier in general? Well there are no magic cures, but these tips might help a little…

Sleeping gh…

From the week you bring baby home you have constant questions about their health and habits. One of the main questions will be whether or not your child is sleeping through the night yet.If you are entering toddlerhood and still haven’t achieved the dream of your full eight hours you may find it difficult to believe that you’ll get it. The fact is a lot of toddlers don’t sleep through and we need to stop and question the myths around toddler sleep. Add to that the fact that we ALL wake at night, even adults, and the difference is that some of us can get back to sleep by ourselves and some of us can’t. Its up to us to help our toddlers learn good sleep habits, but that all comes with time. Don’t sweat it.
Early mornings

Desperate for a lay in in the morning? Thinking that later to bed means later to rise? All you will end up with is a cranky overtired toddler. Brace yourself for a bedtime meltdown. The best thing you can do is keep on with that routine.

Let the toddler decide?

Theres no harm in also going toddler led. Follow their cues and their patterns to establish their routines. Naps around toddler age drop from 2 to 1 and they may have one nap overlapping the lunchtime routine. This is normal and what you may not know is during periods of regression they will go back to 2. Don’t panic and try to keep them awake. It is important that your child gets their sleep quota.

To cry it out or not?

You don’t have to cry it out. An older child is often louder and any attempt at sleep training this way can really do more harm than good. Try to find a gentle routine and wind them down an hour beforehand, don’t rely on the CBeebies bedtime hour as a cue because as calm as it seems the buzzing of technology is a massive distraction. Try starting the bedtime hour early and easing it backwards until you both get to a time than is comfortable for you.

Read the sleep cues

As your child gets older their cues will get easier to read. It’s worth investing the time now to establish a routine that is calm for you and them. No one likes to fall asleep on a fall out after all. And above all? Remember that this phase in your life won’t last forever. It just feels like it, thats all.

How to help your baby to sleep for longer during their daytime naps.

Nap time is probably THE best time for parents. That small space of time in a busy day where you can actually put your feet up, catch up on social media without feeling guilty, do some exercise, or even take a nap yourself. Bliss, right?

But what if your little one didn’t get the baby sleep memo? What if your baby only wants to sleep for twenty minutes and that’s it? That’s not good!

Nobody can get much done in twenty minutes and with a nap that short, you just know the rest of the day isn’t going to go well. Over-tired babies are no fun at all! So, what should you do about helping your baby to nap for longer? Here are our top tips for better baby sleep.

Why Is My Baby Waking Up Too Soon?

One of the first things to assess is why your baby is waking up so soon in the first place. A good sleep environment is essential for both naps and night time sleep, so take a quick look around the crib or cot where your baby sleeps to make sure there is nothing that can disturb your baby.

Tips For a Good Sleep Environment:

• Make sure the room is at a comfortable temperature
• The sleep space should be nice and dim
• There should be no distracting toys that light up or make sounds unexpectedly
• There should be no drafts
• Pets should not be able to disturb your sleeping child
• TVs and radios in other parts of the house should be kept at a low volume
• If there is external noise, such as building work or traffic, get a white noise machine to mask it

Other things that can derail nap times are teething, illness and sleep regressions. Any one of these can cause your baby to wake up from their nap too early!

Your Daytime Baby Nap Routine

If your baby is not having a good daytime nap routine, have a look at your daily pattern to get a better picture of your baby’s sleeping behaviour. Lack of routine or a disrupted routine can have a negative effect on your baby’s sleep. It pays to prioritise sleep as a whole, for both day and night sleeps, otherwise you might find it difficult to solve any nap issues that have arisen. You can learn more about your baby’s sleep needs.

If the first nap of the day needs to be longer, you might need to stretch out the amount of time your baby is awake before that, so play with your baby, sing songs and do some fun activities to get them nice and tired. If you find that your baby is waking early from their second nap of the day, it might be that the time has come for them to transition to just one nap a day. Remember that as your baby grows and develops, your routine needs to be tweaked accordingly. So, stay flexible and go with the flow.

How to Help Your Baby Nap Longer

If you’re sure you have a good overall sleep routine, you might need to step in and help your baby a little more. Babies who are napping for less than one sleep cycle (generally around 40 minutes) are not napping for long enough, so you need to lengthen out that nap. Here are three easy steps to follow:

• Stay in the nursery to observe your baby sleeping. Note down when he falls asleep and then sit tight until he starts to stir.
• As your baby starts to wake, use all your skills to comfort him back to sleep if you can. Rock, sing or pat – whatever it takes. Then leave the room, as your baby should now sleep for at least another sleep cycle, which would equate to a decent length nap.
• Once you have a better idea of when your baby is likely to wake from his nap, set a reminder to go to his room a few minutes before, so that you can go in and settle him back to sleep just as he starts to stir. After a few days, your baby should be able to settle himself back to sleep with no help from you.

Stay Calm

There’s no doubt that short naps can be hard to deal with, so don’t allow the situation to get on top of you. Enlist the help of friends and family if you can, even if it’s just so that you can drink a cup of tea while it’s still hot. Go for a walk, or a drive with your SnoozeShade over the stroller or car seat if that means an extra half hour of sleep.

Remember that short, disrupted naps are likely to be a developmental phase, which your baby will soon grow out of. Good luck!

Further Reading:

Month by Month Nap Guide
Five Ways to Get Your Baby to Sleep More
Avoid Night Time Problems with Day Time Naps

Here at SnoozeShade HQ we’re huge on sun safety. We’ve written before about the importance of making sure your little ones are safe in the sun, and we’re proud of the fact that our products are approved by the Melanoma Foundation. Sometimes though, things are out of our control.

When we let our little ones go, as we must, we cannot always ensure they will take the good habits we’ve instilled with them. So sometimes, your little ones may return to you having been exposed to more sunshine than you’re happy with. This does happen, and while it’s definitely not something you want to happen regularly, it is something you need to be aware of. So what to do if your little one has had too much sun, and is showing signs of heat exhaustion? Hopefully this post will help.

What is heat stroke?

According to the NHS website, heat stroke and heat exhaustion are most likely to occur during a heatwave or in a hot climate, so for example if you’re away on holiday.  When heat exhaustion happens, sufferers will feel very hot and start to lose water or salt from the body, leading to the following symptoms:

• Feeling tired and weak
• Feeling faint or dizzy
• Low  blood pressure
• Headache
• Muscle cramps
• Vomiting and nausea
• Excessive sweating
• Extreme thirst
• Rapid pulse
• Infrequent and dark urine

If the symptoms of heat exhaustion are not treated, they can lead to heat stroke, which is a much more serious condition and requires immediate attention.

Not just sunburn

So its not just sunburn you need to watch out for! Heat stroke can be really serious and when your little ones can’t tell you what’s wrong, so it’s important to be able to recognise the signs. And then you need to act. Here’s a quick guide to what to do if you think your little one has heat exhaustion.

• Take them to a cool place to lie down- preferably in the shade or if you can, somewhere with air conditioning and plenty of fresh air circulating
• Remove excess clothing
• Cool the skin with a wet flannel or a cold pack around the neck
• Fan their skin to help them cool down
• Provide plenty of fluids to rehydrate

Sometimes, the situation can become serious so it’s important to know when to seek medical attention. If your child is unconscious, put them in the recovery position until help arrives. Always stay with your child so that you can monitor the situation. If the above steps don’t help, call a doctor, and always seek medical attention if you are at all concerned.

Avoiding heat exhaustion

Obviously, the best thing to do is to avoid heat exhaustion altogether if you can. So, make sure your little one has plenty to drink when it’s hot, and cold foods for lunch are a good idea too. If you notice that your little one is becoming very hot, pop the bath on (cool water) or get them into a cool shower to help them cool off. It also helps to keep the house as cool as possible too, so close curtains if you can to stop the sunshine getting through, and open windows at night to let some air inside. For more information and advice, see this post from the NHS.

Remember that we are not medical professionals so, if you are at all concerned, ALWAYS seek advice from your doctor.

Make journeys with your children run more smoothly with these helpful baby travel tips!

Long, hot, boring car journeys can be a nightmare with kids in tow. Being trapped in one place and strapped into a car seat with little to do means that many children become bored and when they are bored, they are unhappy.

Hannah at Hi Baby has some great ideas for relieving the tedium of car journeys with children. We hope they help!

“Car journeys can be pretty tedious, no matter what age you are,” says Hannah. “Whether there are traffic jams to contend with or it’s a long trip, a car isn’t usually the best place for family fun. It’s not really fair to expect kids to behave perfectly in a confined space but there are things you can do to make the trip better for everyone. Here are my favourites.”

1. The first and most important factor is, of course, safety. Take a minute to double check that your child is still within the age, height or weight limit for their car seat and that the seat is installed correctly. If your little one is sitting safely and securely, they’ll be comfortable too and that’s definitely going to help with long car journeys!

2. Plan your route around your child’s existing routine. They are far more likely to relax and drift off on the journey if it’s taking place at a time they’d usually be asleep. So, if you need to, set off a little earlier than necessary so that it coincides with nap time. There’s no harm in getting somewhere ahead of schedule if it means your baby is going to be happier.

3. Personally, there are only so many nursery rhymes I can listen to, so I like to make a playlist of music we can all enjoy. Make it fun and mix it up – some of your songs, some of theirs. Stories on CDs are a good idea too, especially if your little one tends to drift off with a book at bedtime.

4. Bring along some entertainment. For older children that could be audio books, while a baby might need a supply of teethers and rattles. Car games such as I Spy are good fun, but make sure you have plenty of alternatives up your sleeve, as they can quickly become tiresome when you’re also trying to concentrate on the road!

5. Make sure you have familiar snacks and drinks in plentiful supply. Finger foods are obviously best here but be mindful that your little one is going to need supervision while she eats in the car.

6. Pack more snacks. Seriously, you can never have too many!

7. Don’t forget the gadgets. A rear view mirror can be really helpful for keeping an eye on your baby. You might also need sun shades for the windows. Toys that stick to car windows are also good for little ones and for older kids, portable DVD players or an iPad is always good for half an hour or so.

8. Take regular breaks! It will do you all the world of good if you’re on a long drive. Again, try to take these intervals at a time when your little ones would usually be awake and ready to play or have a meal. Stretch your legs, take a quick walk and recharge the batteries ready for the next leg of the journey. Long drives are a lot easier if you break them up, trust us on this one!

9. Dress for the occasion. If it’s a long journey, you want your child to be wearing something comfortable and easy to change if there are any accidents. There’s a lot to be said for travelling in your pyjamas – if only adults could get away with it!

10. Try to relax and focus on the fact that it will all be over soon…

Don’t forget to pack your SnoozeShade for infant carriers, to make sure your little one can be protected from the sun and from distractions that might prevent sleep.

What are your top tips for long car journeys with kids?

Further Reading:

A Month by Month Guide to Sleep Regression
Why Going for a Walk When Your Baby is Asleep is Such a Good Idea
Keep Your Baby Safe While Using a Car Seat

Summer and the weather is warm but how can you get out and keep things fun for your little one this summer? Last year we wrote this post on beach survival tips with babies, and so we thought we’d extend on that a little and let you in on a few insider tips for getting the most out of being beside the sea this summer. Want to know how to make the beach fun with babies? Read on…

Firstly you don’t have to stay indoors. It’s recommended that you don’t go out in the sun peak times, so be prepared to go out first thing in the day or later in the afternoon instead. Kids love to be outside and it makes sense to make the most of dry weather, seeing as the British summer is nothing if not unpredictable! It’s also worth knowing that daily fresh air will help your baby to sleep better too, so no excuses!

If you’re heading to the beach then pack properly. There’s nothing worse then not being fully prepared, so it makes sense to get everything ready the night before (if you can) or during nap time so that you can just go when everyone is ready.. You’ll want to take the buggy rather than a sling so baby always has a safe place to sleep or sit. This is a good idea for meal times too, as babies, food and sand is not always the best combination! You’ll also need sun cream, a mat and definitely a shade. Either a Snoozeshade for the buggy or a full sun shelter tent with UV protection. You can get pop up ones that are super easy to use and most fit under the buggy.

Other things to consider are:

• regular hydration for yourself and for the kids. Baby may not be old enough for water yet so any breastfeeding mamas will want to make sure they’re drinking regularly too. Offer feeds frequently to ensure baby stays hydrated.
• A flannel is great for soothing on a hot day and great to clean paddling feet too! Make sure you pop a couple in the freezer before you go out and put at the bottom of a cool bag for when they are needed.
• Pack a nice lunch and lots of snacks! You’ll need to invest in a decent cool bag or two but it’s better to do this that have to wait and pay for food if everyone is feeling hungry!
• It might be an idea to consider buying a cloth swim nappy if you’re a regular to the beach. These can be rinsed out and are soft against little ones skin.

  Above all though stay in the shade and hydrate! Slap on the sunscreen and reapply regularly even if you think it’s lasts all day we think you should reapply every couple of hours and after a dip! Have fun and stay safe!

What are your top tips for beach fun with babies?

Regular readers of this blog will know that we are huge advocates for travelling with kids. Our motto? Just get out there and see the world. Show the kids too. Travelling broadens the mind and the spirit and opens up so many opportunities for the family, so it only makes sense to pack the bags and go wherever you can, while you can. It doesn’t have to be far either. Weekends away, or day trips round and about the UK are just as fabulous for enriching lives and for wonderful memory making too. So, with that in mind, we’ve got five more super duper tips for travelling with kids this summer. Don’t forget to have a read of these tips too.

 

Pack  

Packing can be the most stressful part of travelling with kids, and it pays to start as early as possible. Who remembers having to wear clothes from the back of their wardrobe up to two weeks before they went on holiday as a kid? There’s a reason why your mum started packing early- it makes sense to be organised! Here are a few more tips to help you pack:

• Write a list. On that list, write down everything that you sensibly need for your holiday. Then put it away until the morning. When you read through it again the next day, take out items that you know you probably won’t need. Remember that less is more! This needs to be done at least a week before you travel, and always always always before you go anywhere near a suitcase!
• Let the kids share a case. There’s really no need for everyone to have their own bag. Hand luggage/ back pack is fine, but clothes can share the space while you travel.
• Only pack one outfit per day, per child, and just two spare outfits. Really, thats all you need.
• Take an empty plastic bag for laundry.
• Pack your child’s comforters. Believe me, you won’t want to leave these at home!

Make sure you pack well in advance of your travels, but not so far in advance so that you have nothing to wear for days! And tick off items from your list as you go.

Organise the fun

Ok, so fun isn’t usually organised, but if you want to keep the kids occupied during your travels then you need to plan something in advance. Don’t rely on iPads and comics, because most kids will tire pretty quickly if this is all you have to offer. If you have a long journey ahead of you, why not fill a binder with things to do? Printable, games, colouring pages etc are a great idea. An empty notebook is also a good idea for older kids as they can journal their holiday, and if they leave spaces you can stick in photos when you get home.

Card games are good- lego not so much. Make sure you leave small, fiddly bits at home and if you’re taking things that need batteries, don’t forget the batteries! And while you’re at it, make sure there are lots of snacks to hand too. Travelling makes kids hungry!

Make a checklist for your journey

Whether you’re flying, sailing or driving, you need to be prepared, so make a checklist and keep it with you at all times. Some things will need to be crossed off the day before you depart, and some as you go so keep it somewhere handy where you won’t lose it. It’s a good idea to have it on your phone, since this is something we tend to keep with us all the time. So what needs to go on your checklist?

• Departure times of flights, trains, boats etc. You also need to note the time you need to leave the house to get to your mode of transport too, allowing for traffic, stops and other emergencies. In other words, allow more than enough time to get to the airport!
• Check your departure times before you travel to make sure there have been no last minute changes
• Check your passports and visas etc are present and correct
• If you’re flying, check in as soon as possible. If you can do this the night before (depending on how close to the airport you are) its a great idea. You can also check in online sometimes too. Always worth doing if you’re travelling with kids.
• Check the weather where you’re going. It might be a very British thing to do, but you want to make sure your carefully crafted plans are going to go ahead once you get there- plus you might need to pack a few alternative outfits if you’re travelling in the UK and the weather changes, as it has been known to do!
• Research your airport/ train station etc. Is there anything to amuse the kids in the event of a delay?
• Have you got enough money to see you through your journey?

Of course, you’ll have your own items to add to your checklist- the point is that you make one and keep it handy to stay ahead of the game.

Count the pennies

When you travel with kids it can quickly become very costly. Now this is not a problem if you’ve allowed for this, but if you’re travelling on a budget you might want to do as much as you can to stay on track while you’re away. Here are some tips to help:

• Allocate a certain amount of spending money for each day, and stick to it. Depending on the age of the kids, you can give them their spends to take care of themselves. But in addition remember that you’ll need extra money each day for travel, food, drinks etc. So take into account what you’re likely to need, then add a little extra on each day. That way if you’re under budget you’re likely to feel pretty pleased with yourself!
• Take a credit card for emergencies. There’s nothing worse than being away from home and completely stuck.
• Research your destination as much as possible before you travel. There are a surprising amount of free activities to do that you might not be aware of. It helps to speak to locals too if you can, so that you can find out about festivals and other events that are free of charge while you’re there.
• Buy your tickets for travel and other excursions as far in advance as possible, taking advantage of special offers and deals if you can.
• Check your mobile phone contract for usage while you’re travelling. The last thing you want is to be hit with a huge bill when you return.
• Set some ground rules with the kids on souvenirs. It can be hard not to spend lots of money on toys and other bits and pieces, so maybe agree that you’ll have one day where you buy treats etc, towards the end of the holiday. Again, older kids can be given their own money to spend.

Take a first aid kit

So so important, especially when you travel with kids. Do not leave home without a first aid kit. What should go in it:

• Paracetamol
• Plasters/ bandages
• Antiseptic cream
• Antiseptic wipes
• Cotton wool
• Water
• Ice pack
• Mosquito repellant
• After sun cream
• Wipes
• Lip salve
• Prescribed medication
• Tweezers
• Sunscreen

And don’t forget your SnoozeShade either. You never know when you’re going to need some shade!

What are your top tips for travelling with kids?