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Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

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Original poster

Is there a good age to take kids abroad or is it always horrible?

131 replies

FallOfSloths · 05/02/2025 21:44

My kids are still fairly young (oldest still in infants) and we've not tried an abroad holiday, as it just seems they're too little to really care/get much benefit out of it to justify the price. I was thinking that this would be something we'd enjoy when they're older.

However, my friend has just come back from a winter sun thing with her kids (13 and 14) and says it was awful, they just fought the whole time and also just spent the whole thing rolling their eyes at her and her DH and not wanting to be near them. Before anyone says they're just spoiled etc, I have known them all their lives and they are generally decent children. My friend said she thinks the proximity just causes the arguing and that maybe it was just too intense (whereas normally they wouldn't be together all the time with school, work, activities etc).

Anyway, just curious to know if there's a golden age where abroad holidays really work? I'm particularly thinking about beach based AI type stuff as that's what I liked doing pre children, with a little bit of sightseeing.

Or do you have to wait until they leave home to properly enjoy things?!

OP posts:

LornaDuh · 05/02/2025 21:48

We took DD to either France or Majorca every year from the age of 4 and she loved it.

Tip: don't insist on an early bed time. They can nap in the afternoon to get out of the heat and it's lovely to relax outside in the evening whilst it's still warm.

mitogoshigg · 05/02/2025 21:54

I took my dc backpacking as toddlers, was brilliant!

Honestly it comes down to your parenting style, your dc's personalities and your idea of what a holiday is. Mostly we took road trips, visited cultural sites, museums cathedrals etc. overnights in hotels along the way, I had a very relaxed attitude to bedtime which helps. We also did French campsites and once an Italian site coupled with a road trip. Never did a resort type ai hotel as dd1 is autistic and beaches aren't her thing, and I'm not keen on self catering as I didn't want to cook on holiday.

TartanMammy · 05/02/2025 21:56

I've taken my kids abroad at all ages and always had an amazing time. We love holidays!

mynameiscalypso · 05/02/2025 21:58

We've always done abroad holidays with DS - now 5. We went to an AI in Greece when he was 3 and it was so easy and worked perfectly. In the last year or so, we've also started doing city breaks with him too which he also loves.

Hiccupsandteacups · 05/02/2025 21:58

1 and 4 was great at French Eurocamp!

mexico with just dc1 when they were 2 was lovely as well

coldcallerbaiter · 05/02/2025 21:59

Honestly I found under 4 difficult with my first and not a holiday for myself. I came back a nervous wreck, also found toddlers very worrisome doing dangerous things like running away on the beach.

mrsed1987 · 05/02/2025 22:01

My ds was 3 when we took him away and it was fine. We went again when he was 4 and are going later in the year with him and his brother who will be 16 months - not expect this one to be that great if I'm honest! Lol

stayathomer · 05/02/2025 22:03

We’ve had huge ups and downs with the kids over the years- first went abroad only a few years ago when youngest was six, eldest thirteen. I think holidays will a as Leah’s have huge ups and downs, there’s a lot of pressure because of cost, everyone is tired and out of routine, food is more difficult etc etc. BUT we’ve had amazingly fun experiences on even the most ‘difficult’ holidays, they’re just interspersed with irrational parts (from adults as well as children!!)

Florally · 05/02/2025 22:06

I’ve taken mine short haul, long haul, camping, anywhere from just a few months old. I can’t imagine waiting until they were teenagers…

TheFairyCaravan · 05/02/2025 22:08

Ours were 2&4 when we first started taking them and we carried on until they were 18 and chose not to come anymore. We never had a bad holiday with them. They loved swimming, exploring and eating out.

When they’re little it’s a different kind of holiday, but it’s still worth it imo.

DappledThings · 05/02/2025 22:10

We've always done it since 8 months and loved it. Never understood the "same shit, different location" trope. It's always been worth it. Not quite as relaxing as holidays before DC but we've still gone to see the places and museums and things we have done.

It's a bit more restricted in where we can eat out at the moment but that will continue to improve.

Snowmanscarf · 05/02/2025 22:11

If the kids were argueing at 13 and 14, then that’s not due to the location of the holiday, but other factors.

I wouldn’t choose a wow holiday (eg African safari etc) until they old enough to remember it.

travelmadmum23 · 05/02/2025 22:12

Took my kids from babies abroad, now aged 11 & 12. We have done europe beach hols, long haul hols, city breaks, camping, driving hols, hotels, hostels... literally everything and it works - they just take everything in their stride and afterwards evaluate what they enjoyed, would change etc...

Our hols are laid back, no set eating times, no set bedtimes etc

onwards2025 · 05/02/2025 22:12

Likely the more you travel with them the more you normalise it, and the more you're used to it the more relaxed you will be when travelling and your DC pick up on that.

My experience is there is no reason to wait or delay it. We have been taking ours since young toddlers and started long haul since age 4, all totally fine, they've always coped with the flights etc. most years they have been abroad 2-3 times and now mid primary aged. I am very relaxed about it though and don't do bedtimes etc when away, just see how each goes and roll with it

WattleTyler · 05/02/2025 22:13

We took our first abroad (long haul) when he was 6 months old. We’ve never not gone abroad with ours from babes in arms and every single stage. We never found any of it difficult in the slightest and we have done at least one long haul trip every year.

They still want to go on hols with us and they’re both over 20.

whycantibeselfishforonce · 05/02/2025 22:18

We spent a summer in the US when DD was nearly 3 and DS 7. They loved it and were amazing - the flights were also fine.
We went to Spain and stayed in a villa each summer for a few years after that and again no problems. They both absolutely loved the pool and we were happy to do what they wanted to do as it meant we could enjoy the holiday too.
I think it's key to not big it up too much and don't try to pack too much in. We kept things quite 'normal' in terms of wake up times, naps etc and meal times. We have always had weekends together though when DCs were small so used to going for days out, down to the beach, play parks and out for meals out etc so it wasn't too much of a massive change when we went on holiday. I think the holiday days are very different to their 'norm' then that is when you might have more problems. Kids need routine of course and they don't actually 'get' that you've saved all year and spent X amount and are now on the other side of the world etc. Their world is small and they just want to have fun and shouldn't be pressured into enjoying a holiday.

Original poster

FallOfSloths · 05/02/2025 22:19

Great to hear such positive stories!

Add several people have mentioned multiple holidays per year, long haul etc, I'm just wondering if the people who enjoy it a lot have big budgets and can afford a bit of luxury/not counting the pennies which makes it more enjoyable?

Is it the pressure from being in a situation where it's a big chunk of your budget/only a once every two or three year thing, and maybe what you can afford is not amazing accommodation or food etc that makes it tricky? Or just family dynamics?

OP posts:

ILiveInSalemsLot · 05/02/2025 22:26

I've been taking my dcs since they were 1.
They're teens now and we've always had a brilliant time.
We budget and usually do flights and Airbnb. We've done UK cottages and farm stays, European city breaks, road trips, exotic holidays and they've all been a fun adventure.

Onelifeonly · 05/02/2025 22:29

We took ours from toddlerhood onwards until late teens/ early 20s and it was always fine. We've had some great holidays. Of course there were some ups and downs but not so as to make it not worthwhile or rewarding, even when each was mid teens. We just made sure we centred the holidays around our children's needs and interests, and gradually moved to the kind of holidays we prefer ourselves. (Less stay in the resort all the time to more travel around and move locations).

ErrolTheDragon · 05/02/2025 22:29

We're not realiy fans of hot beach holidays so we were happy to holiday in the U.K. till dd was 10. Then we took her to Sorrento to see Pompeii etc - old enough to appreciate it. We did that sort of sightseeing holiday at Easter or October half term and then Neilson watersports in summer throughout her teens.

onwards2025 · 05/02/2025 22:33

OP I think you have a point about expectations and pressure for trips to be great etc.

I do spend a lot overall on holidays but we do a mix of different trips and always making the budget work hard, but I try not to put pressure on it being perfect or going 100% to plan because otherwise there may well be disappointment, can be a tricky balance. I've flown half way round the world and DC have wanted to stay in and do colouring or play on the hotel room balcony, just have to go with it sometimes if they are happy

Key may be to pick something that really suits your family without too much gamble etc

stayathomer · 05/02/2025 22:34

Ps when eldest was a baby we took him on a seaside holiday near us, it was in a mobile home with bad heaters- loads of lovely memories!

PermanentTemporary · 05/02/2025 22:37

16 for a trip abroad before I really enjoyed it.

Tbh for us it was balancing the needs of dh and ds that was hardest. But certainly under 3 it was so miserable that I stopped attempting it. I enjoyed UK camping and hostel trips in the younger years.

purpleme12 · 05/02/2025 22:38

I took my child (only have one) on holiday when she was 4, almost 5.
All inclusive beach type.
Absolutely loved it. Both of us.
Yeah she can't remember a lot of it now, just snippets, but it was great
I'll be taking her away this summer. She's 11 now. She has much harder behaviour to manage now so if anything she'll be harder work but I'm pretty sure we'll have a great time!

MrsSunshine2b · 05/02/2025 22:40

We took DD to Portugal when she was 3, she had a wonderful time and so did we. The only bit that was a bit scary was how hot the sun was and making sure she was always fully sun-creamed and hydrated.

We also took SD to Marrakech when she was 10 and France when she was 8, and neither time was she any bother at all, she had a great time on both occasions, except when she took advantage of the all-inclusive buffet in Marrakech when we weren't paying much attention and made herself sick eating too many chocolate pancakes. Lesson learned.

We're off to Lapland in December and they are both coming, I'm sure we'll have a brilliant time as long as we're prepared for the cold.

The important thing is to plan ahead and pre-empt the problems. Once upon a time I would roll up in a foreign country, check in wherever looked fun and set off on an adventure. That's not so practical now.

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