what age did you find travelling with children easy?

[surreyisik]

Just that really. We had an international flight with toddler yesterday and DH and I look and feel like we have been dragged through a hedge. I have a few trips of a lifetime in mind for when he is much older (e.g Japan, India, Vietnam) but it seems so far away and impossible. What age did you find travel got really easy and fun with kids?

Mid childhood. Teens aren’t fun either. I prefer holidays without them.

Oooh following. I have twins and I can't think of anything worse than taking them anywhere at the minute. Hoping as they get older they'll be easier/more enjoyable to take away 😂

Dd is 11 and we just did our first European city break which was fab. But think the teenage years will be hard.

How old toddler?
We have been regular travellers since both DS's were babies.
Long haul definitely easiest before 12 months!
Hardest travelling age so far we have found is from 14 months to 3.5 years.
DS1 became a lot easier from 3.5 onwards (he's 4.5 now). DS2 has hit the awkward stage still on laps but wants to stand, doesn't want to be held etc.
We do now check flight times though anything long then we aim for overnight

Alot easier at 6.

A dream from 7 onwards.

Not at teenage years yet so can't comment!

11 and 9 were the ages our two were when we had the easiest travels with them.
Just a perfect age for them both and they got along pretty well!
Fast forward a year and they're bickering more and a bit less patient. It goes in phases, some years it's great some years it's less great. But it's always worth it.

17 months we did travel a fair bit last year when he wasn't mobile but the moment he started walking it became impossible

Very much enjoying travel with 10 and 8 year old atm.

I’d say it got a lot easier once they both were out of nappies/buggies/naps, slept better and could be entertained in queues/restaurants with toys, colouring etc.

Probably age 5 and 3 was a big turning point in terms of physical ease (also old enough for kids clubs!) but still needed to go to very kid friendly places.

And then age say 8 and 6 was another big step up in terms of taking them to more interesting places.

Our first big long haul (do over 9 hrs) was to Vietnam when the kids were all over 6.
Caribbean was fine after the youngest was 4.5
basically they need to be fully dry and able to watch a film!

For long haul flights? 0-6 months is easy. 2+ is doable. 4+ easy again. Mobile baby until they have the concentration for a few episodes of something on the ipad so exactly the age you’re at now is a nightmare.

Controversial suggestion but on day flights we used to book a pair of seats together, usually in premium economy, for one adult and baby (lap infant is a joke beyond 6 months) and 1 for the other adult as far away as possible whilst still in the same cabin. Then we’d switch every 2 hours so you’d be ‘on’ with the baby and then you’d get chance for a movie and glass of wine in peace, then it’d be your turn again but you’d be a lot calmer about it all.

From 4 onwards

Pretty ok by school age. Better at following instructions. Used to sitting for periods time. Able to amuse themselves.

Long haul is better actually because they get their own tv, choice of films and games and are regularly fed.

Once they were old enough to keep themselves occupied for long periods of time, so maybe 7ish onwards. Mine are late teens now and the perfect age to travel with, especially long haul. They can pack their own stuff, have their own passports and boarding passes on their phones, don't need entertaining, can be left on their own in the airport if you need to go to the toilet or a cafe, lug suitcases from A to B. And they genuinely enjoy and appreciate holidays more I think.

Teenage years are the best . They carry their own bags , sort their own entertainment: books, downloads of films &music, sit still on flights absorbed in their things ... if flights are delayed they just accept it and just ask for food and possible time of departure.

Because they are so self conscious at this age they don't make any noise as they don't want to draw attention to themselves.

I've also found mine will chat more openly at length about what's going on in their social/ friendship/ school lives .

Cross post with @neonjumper but yes, exactly all that!

I travelled from babies, I found preschool easier because their needs were simply met and we had a double buggy for evenings. It then got easier from about 8/9 as they could read properly, stay up in the evenings etc. long haul is easy enough you just need to be prepared with distractions.

Mine are big now and kern travellers.

Best holiday ever, backpacking around Alaska with a double buggy!

When my youngest was 5/6 I found travelling was much less stressful and more enjoyable.

I'd say 4 onwards then got progressively easier as the year went on

4 yr old was a dream on a holiday to Morocco then 5 yr old following year to Portugal

Reason why a dream, no nappies, sleeps well and can stay up on a late ish night ( 9 is late for us !) having dinner we can have a couple of wines and then sleep in most mornings - bliss

Understands and can communicate

I've a 13 month old now but we are waiting until she's 3 at least to fly but my 4 year old was an angel so we shall see with this one!!

Only difficult part was the return flight landed early hours and it absolutely floored her - she was so tired and crying - then the drive home - but that was the only part x

I've been travelling with dd since she was 3months old, usually solo as dp lived abroad. I think it's child dependent as dc has always been a good traveller. Slept and ate well and could be easily occupied. She's 12 now.

I'm afraid you've missed it op! Non moving (breastfed small) baby was the easiest by far. So, 3 months -9 months ish.

Age 6-8 beginning to get better, could help a bit with the luggage and sit still on flights.

Age 8-11 nice age, able to be given their own cases to manage and to actually chat properly with about things.

Age 11+ can wander off/do their own thing a bit more so it's not so claustrophobic

But

Teenagers, I can't tell you yet 😬

You’re at the hardest part I think, mobile but not old enough to understand why they have to sit still!

We were expats for 8 years which makes it easier as travelling was such a frequent occurrence from toddlers up. The more they flew the less it was a big event so much better at staying calm!

Easy to travel from school age up in terms of coping with change in time, meals, bedtimes etc. Before that was fine just needed a bit more pre-planning and allowing time for them to adjust.

13 and 15 now and holidays are my favourite time with them

Depends what you mean by easier...!

Mine are now teens and it's super easy.
...But it's easy because they go off on their own or with each other to the beach, or are on their screens a lot of the time.
They don't want a long holiday as they miss their friends so it's one week hols now.

But when we do all go out for a meal or something they are funny and great kids, and I really enjoy it.
But it's not often 😪

I miss the younger times when taking them to the beach or a splash park would be AMAZING or THE BEST THING EVER.

7 to 12 years. Anything before of after- hard work for different reasons.

Ah yeah your definitely in the thick of hardest point!
We have a kids tablet for youngest DS for travel along with small toys. Absolute game changer (he's nearly 19 months) although he's young as the occasional one off when travelling putting coco melon on has been a life saver.
They definitely get better even next year will seem easier (also not being on your lap!)

For now lots of snacks, different things but getting one out at a time and colouring pads will help (plus emergency downloads of coco melon on your phone)