Mammaproof gives us some great advice on how to plan journeys and holidays with the whole family. They know what they're talking about because since they were founded in 2011 they've been working hard to guide parents on how to create quality family time, suggesting all kinds of activities and, at the same time, transforming cities into friendlier, more inclusive spaces for families. Follow their wise advice!
If there's one thing that the new generations are clear about, it's that they don't want to have to stop doing the things they like just because they have children. In fact, they want to share those things with their little ones. That can be quite difficult sometimes, because not everything is geared up for kids, but if there's something I've learned with Mammaproof it's that everything is possible when you put your mind to it, and it's well worth the effort! “Children connect us to the people who live in the destinations we visit. Go to a park, let them play with other children, and you'll soon be talking to the parents without even speaking their language,” says Mavi Villatoro, mother and co-founder of Mammaproof.
Carry on reading if...
… you want to travel with your kids but are not sure how to go about it without needing a holiday from your holiday.
10+1 tips from Mammaproof for travelling with kids.
- Lists are your allies: make a list of all the important things you absolutely cannot forget.
- Find out about the travel documents you are going to need and send a copy of everything to your email address.
- Travel light with a backpack and a folding buggy that takes up as little space as possible. It you're travelling by air, check the restrictions.
- Repeat this mantra: “No more than one activity a day".
- Be flexible and adapt your plans to the weather and the family state of mind.
- If you want to spend more than two nights away from home, choose an apartment instead of a hotel so that you can prepare simple meals.
- Choose the area where you are going to stay very carefully: a family setting and easy travel connections are the best.
- Do some research on benchmark blogs like Mammaproof to find tips from other families that have visited the same destination you are travelling to.
- Take a bag with healthy snacks and a reusable water bottle. That way you'll make your trip a little more sustainable or "zero waste".
- Don't forget to take a kit of portable games for when you have to wait.
- Relax and view the trip as an opportunity to spend some quality time with your family.
Mammaproof's favourite plans
- A quiet weekend camping or at a country lodge where you can spend time outdoors.
- Visit a city on a neighbourhood scale: Prenzlauer Berg (Berlin), the Canal Saint-Martin (Paris), Poblenou (Barcelona) or Merode (Brussels).
- Get lost on an island. In Europe we're lucky to have some marvellous islands very close by: the Balearics, Corsica, Sardinia, the Canaries… What more could you ask for?
One last piece of advice?
If it's your first time, it's best to plan an "easy" trip as a type of trial to learn from and then gradually add challenges as you gain more travel experience. Don't set the bar too high on your first trip, unless you take everything in your stride and your kids are very adaptable.
