One thing I love about travelling with my kids is ??? ???????. Yes, I mean that. I believe one of the best ways to teach ???????? to children is by standing in lots of lines – or queues – during a travel day. And over the years I’ve developed ways to wait in lines with children while travelling.
Sure, you can also practice waiting in lines with your children at your local shopping centre. However, something about the seemingly endless amount of waiting, queuing and standing around involved on a travel day is unlike any wait times we have at home. On a recent trip to Spain it felt like our whole Ryanair journey was a series of waiting in lines:
Waiting to check in – the journey has only just begun!
Waiting in the Worst Line of all with your children
There are so many intervals when you have to stand in lines with your children while travelling. I find the most meltdowns occur at the baggage claim. Here are some Triplepassport Tips to help you wait for baggage with the kids:
- Involve the kids while waiting for the luggage. For example, while looking for your own, find similar bags and count how many bags are a certain colour. We also love looking for strange shapes and sizes of luggage.
- Use the opportunity to go to the bathroom. While you get everyone ready, change clothes, and fill water bottles the luggage is likely waiting.
- Divide and concur with your partner. One adult waits for the bags while the other explores the area with the children.
- Some foreign airports even have play-areas at the baggage arrivals, olé Spain!
- Send your partner to stand in the rental car queue while you wait at baggage to save some time.
- Bring special snacks and toys for the arrival that weren’t used during the flight.
- Get status with an airline so that your bags come out first with a “priority tag”
- Bring extra battery packs for your screens and hand them over
- Remember you’re nearly there.
Triplepassport Takeaways for Standing in Lines with Children
Remember that your children are watching how you manage the wait. While none of us are saints, as I try to remind myself daily as a parent. My sons feed off my energy – especially when travelling. When I am impatient or agitated, they soon will be, too. By staying positive for those last moments at the airport you can set the tone for the whole holiday.
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