Who hasn’t dreamed of getting away for a few days in the middle of the bleak winter? But it can become so daunting to plan a winter sun holiday with young children that many parents give up. Fearing that the complexities of the scheme are too much for them. So, calling on the experience of our Elite Nannies, we’ve compiled a list of tips to make your winter sun into winter fun.
Plan your flights first
As almost every experienced nanny will tell you, the biggest problem with travel is the disruption of sleep patterns. Fitting your journey around sleep cues will do a great deal to help everybody have a great holiday. Night flights are often the best way to work around a toddler’s sleep pattern. They can be cheaper than ‘prime time’ flights. If you’re taking your nanny on holiday, work together to alter the sleep routine in the month before a trip. For example use a headphone to play a night-time story. Cover your child with a light muslin or linen comforter and use hand resting (placing your hand on the child and gently soothing their back or shoulder) to cue sleep. All these cues can be used on a plane or train or in a car to promote sleep in your child while travelling.
Don’t believe the brochures
Very often parents fall for marketing stories told by holiday companies, and the problem isn’t that the holiday firms lie. But that it’s important to be honest about your own family! For example. If your kids aren’t ‘joiners’. Don’t assume that the Children’s Club at your holiday resort will fill them with joy. You might see it as a fun-packed way for the grown-ups to get some free time. But they may see it as just like school but warmer! This means you have to be very clear about your expectations of your nanny if she’s travelling with you. If you’ve promised her a holiday if she’ll help with the travel to and from your destination. You can’t expect her to pick up her duties just because the children don’t like the staff at the crèche!
Load your phone
Child-friendly apps and games are the best way to distract your child. A supply of new cartoons will often get you through the crunch times when nothing else is happening. Such as waiting at the departure gate or queuing for customs.
Plan in slots
If it’s a working holiday for your nanny. Help her prepare the days in 45 minute slots so that the children have a distraction just around the time that they may be getting bored. Different games, a snack, a little surprise like making an origami animal, swapping seats. All these help keep children active but relaxed, whether they’re on the plane or on the beach.
Having fun out of the sun
While you need to select a sun cream with a high SPF factor, blocking both UVA ad UVB rays. The best way to keep your young children well and happy is to avoid too much sun time. Apply suncream at least thirty minutes before going outdoors and allow enough time to do this thoroughly. There’s nothing worse than trying to get sun cream onto an excited toddler who can already see the beach! Remember to reapply regularly. Especially if the little one has been in the pool or ocean and keep children in the shade between 11am and 3pm. This is a good time to break out the tablet. As even the most sun-loving child knows they can’t use a computer in full sunlight. So they naturally head for the shade.