Travelling on a train can be a stressful experience at the best of times, but when you add children into the mix? It can be disastrous… The first thing to know is that children have much shorter attention spans than adults, which means you need a whole host of ideas and solutions in your back pocket before embarking on the journey.
Not only is it important you’re prepared to keep them entertained – especially if the journey is a long one – but you must also be prepared for things to go wrong along the way. Sure, hope for the best, but it’s always a good idea to prepare for the worst…
Here are some top tips for travelling on the train with children.
Reserve your seats
Reserving seats on the train ahead of time can never, ever be a bad idea. By not leaving it up to chance, you can start your journey comfortable in the knowledge that you have a seat confirmed – and so do your children – for the duration of the journey. If you don’t reserve the seat, you run the risk of being separated from your children across different carriages or worse, spend the entire time stood awkwardly by the luggage rack.
Pack snacks and treats
It doesn’t matter if your journey is 60 minutes long or 180, children get hungry! The last thing you want is to be trapped in a confined space with restless children who keep insisting that they need something to eat. To avoid having to pay the extortionate costs associated with the train’s catering facility, pack your own snacks and treats – just in case.
Plan your whole trip way in advance
When travelling with children, it’s not enough just to know that your train departs at 12:01 and gets to your destination at 15:31… What time do you need to be at the station? How are you getting to the station? How close is your end destination from the train station you arrive at? These are questions that you must ask yourself ahead of time to ensure that there’s a solution to every possible problem. Book train tickets online and then fill in the gaps on either side of your journey.
Have various forms of entertainment available
This tip is as much for you as it is for the children! Regardless of how long you plan to be on the train for, it’s crucial you have various forms of entertainment available to keep your children busy and out of mischief. Magazines, books, and pre-downloaded games on your smartphone are just a few ideas that should keep your little ones occupied – and give you some peace and quiet and time to get on with your own stuff!
Dress appropriately for the journey
A fundamental tip is to ensure that everyone in your party is dressed appropriately – in the case of a long train journey, comfortable clothes are a must! Don’t put your little boy in that t-shirt he complains is itchy, and your youngest girl might appreciate a pair of leggings over a dress. To ensure this is as impactful as possible, why not let them choose their own outfits? Within reason, of course…
