‘Travel is never a matter of money, but of courage’, especially when you are
travelling with your blessed twins. To explore the different parts of the world has always been my dream. So when my hubby and I became parents of two bundles of joy, we did not let it deter us from travelling the world. Travelling with twins requires proper planning. We as parents need to become strategic and plan every minute detail. Twin travel, or travel with more than one child, has its fair share of challenges, but the memories built and the bonding time quickly overshadow the struggles. Sharing with youdear readers few travelling tips and hacks to be kept in mind while travelling with twins.
- Avoid messing your children’s routine
Travelling with young children often disrupts their daily routine. As a result, kids tend to become cranky and irritated. So to provide the tiny tots a comfortable trip, plan your travel in a way that it doesn’t affect their daily schedule. Book the flight/ or road trip in alignment with your children’s nap or sleep time. Infact plan your entire day-to- day itinerary keeping in mind their schedule, sleeping hours, eating hours, etc. This will ensure a smooth journey. - Book a hotel/ rent a home that is child friendly and well equipped
Check out on a hotel or rent an apartment that has all the essentials required with babies in hand. Few essentials to be checked in are the availability of kettle,paediatric on call, 24 hours room service, etc. This is very important as with babies you cannot predict any requirement. As parents we should be prepared to handle any kind of unforeseen situation. Also, make sure to book a room with a big bed or an additional bedding/crib that can make space for all four of you. - Things to carry
Make a list well- planned in advance to avoid missing out packing essentials of your twins. Packing is always a ‘fun’ challenge for parents of twins. Double the diapers, double the wipes, two sets of pacifiers, baby food, toys, books, formulae etc. – all two in number. - Entertainment
Whether you are in the car/ airport/ on a plane or at your destination, a tantrum can happen anytime. With twins it’s natural that such unpredictable tantrums can be difficult to handle. So, have a new toy tucked away and ready to use for distraction. - Snacks
Always carry extra snacks for your toddlers as per their choice. We usually prefer finger food and dry snacks (like crackers, carrot sticks, etc). Make small reusable pouches/packs of different snacks for each kid (depending upon the number days you are traveling) . In each pack add two to three variety as per their liking. On the go, it’s convenient for kids to hold their packs and eat on their own without creating much mess. - Pick the right seats when flying with twins
If you are unsure of the best seating options while travelling with twins, call the airline and ask for advice. Book the seats with bassinets if traveling with twins infants. Most airlines ensure your and family’s comfortable travelling experience especially while travelling with babies. - Wear your babies
Don’t forget to carry two baby carriers. Having free hands to hand over tickets, navigate through the aisle, makes the logistics of boarding and deplaning much easier. Each parent can carry the baby and move around freely. - Right Travel Gear
Invest in quality travel gears to make your vacation a memorable one with your twins. We usually preferred a twin stroller for road trips but for flight travels, two single strollers seemed far more feasible thant one big twin stroller as they are light.
compact and easy to pass through any x-ray machine. Based on location, feasibility and your convenience, choose your travel gear. Make sure it is foldable and easy to manage. - Limit your hand luggage
Keep the luggage limited but packed with all the essentials needed for your twins. We prefer backpacks versus anything else as they are the easiest to carry. Also, my hubby and I prefer carrying two backpacks- one each, which is fully equipped in all ways. This helps us handling one toddler each independently and smoothly. - Take mini- vacations
Plan a mini- vacation to begin with. This will not just help you relax and rejuvenate but will also make you more confident as parents traveling with twins. Slowly and steadily you can increase the duration and frequency of your holidays. Every parent will inevitably face challenges when travelling with young kids, especially with two of the same age. Planning, packing efficiently and setting expectations ahead of time will help tremendously when vacationing with twins.
- So,don’t worry or compromise on your travel dreams. Remember, you can always ask for help from people around. And travelling is the ultimate inspiration, so travel to live and enjoy life with your two little bundles of joy.
