Share your top tips for travelling abroad with young children with Brittany Ferries - chance to win a £300 voucher NOW CLOSED

[AmeliaMumsnet]

Travelling with young children isn’t always plain sailing from the start, but, if you get it right, showing your children a new part of the world can be a fantastic experience. So, to avoid those horror stories about packing all the wrong things; choosing a destination that’s not quite as child-friendly as it promised; and temper tantrums along the way, Brittany Ferries want to hear your top tips for travelling abroad with the little ones.

Brittany Ferries say “if having young children has put you off taking that holiday abroad, then think again, think family-friendly France. Sailing from Portsmouth, Poole or Plymouth we offer more choice of sailings than anyone else and our onboard service is designed with little ones in mind. What’s more, we can also arrange your holiday accommodation. Our choice of sail & stay holidays are perfect for young families with a chalet camping holiday offering fun for all with lots to see and do both on and off site. And, as all our holidays include return sailings with your car, so you can pack all you need for your time away.” You can find out more here.

What’s your go-to for keeping the kids entertained throughout the journey and avoiding the dreaded ‘are we there yet’? Do you have any tips for encouraging fussy eaters to enjoy some local cuisine? Is there a particular part of France you’ve come to love as a family holiday destination? Whether it’s useful packing advice or just a recommendation for a great family activity, don’t keep it to yourself. Share yours on this thread to help other parents enjoy their holidays with young kids to the fullest and you’ll be entered into a prize draw for a £300 Love2Shop voucher.

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Thanks, and good luck!

MNHQ

I pay a little more for comfort. It's not an enjoyable holiday if the kids are screaming and fighting - so an upgrade to make everybody happier and more relaxed is worth the money!

Take plenty of wet wipes. They're really helpful on a flight when my toddler gets into a bit of a mess. Also have a spare set of clothes for your youngster available and some nappies. I've found that planning your flights to fit in with sociable hours is a massive help as well. Keeping as close as you can to your little ones normal sleeping hours is something i always try to do.

If there is a big time difference, slowly shift their sleep and nap schedules the weeks before you fly so it's less of a shock when you get there. I also wrap a little gift/snack/activity and each 30 minutes they are good of the plane they get their prize. Works wonders xx

preparation is the key take lots of things to occupy them what I did was keep my two awake they slept all through the flight .

For us it's puzzle related books that are age appropriate - maze books, dot to dot, wordsearch, crossword, you get the idea! My kids love it and it's educational. As for local cuisine - to be honest the quickest way I get my kids to want to try food, is to be eating it myself. When I have a big plate of something and am happily tucking in, my kids want to try it right away.