• Think about travel routes, research your destination, accommodation and where you may have waiting times
• Pack with purpose and travel as lightly as you can as a family whilst also making sure you have all the essentials is key to peace of mind whilst you’re away
• Create a checklist of essentials to be packed, and take a good supply of nappies and baby wipes if your child is still young
• Explain to your child what they can expect from their trip - if you set some early expectations and rough guidelines for you and your children, you’re much more likely to have a good time while away.

• Sunscreen should be reapplied every 2 hours or more regularly if your child is sweating or regularly swimming in water
• Sunscreen isn’t recommended for babies under six months of age - it’s better to use other sun protection methods such as protective clothing, hats and shade.

See Sun safety  for recommendations.

• Children don’t regulate their heat as well as adults, and their activity rate is usually higher when away on holiday
• To ensure your child has the energy to have fun, be mindful to:
  • take regular breaks from activities
  • ensure they are well-fed
  • stay hydrated with clean water.
     

• Select accommodation that is child-friendly
• Select accommodation where pools, pool fences and balconies are safe and meet Australian standards
• Consider calling ahead to confirm some of the amenities in and around your room and hotel
• Where possible, childproof your room for children when staying at the accommodation – see Home safety for more information
• If hiring cots, prams or car seats, ensure equipment meets Australian standards
• If utilising accommodation facilities, such as the playground, always supervise your child closely as these may not have the same safety standards as Australia.

• Follow child protection recommendations and ensure close supervision at all times
• In busy and foreign environments, be extra attentive to your child
• If using child minding services, be mindful that standards may vary - plan ahead and research details about the provider, such as qualifications and screening of staff, protection strategies against child abuse, accreditations and the ratio of staff and children. See Travelling with Children (Smart Traveller) for more advice.

See Protecting your child for more information.

• Holidays don’t always go according to plan
• Prevent unexpected travel costs by purchasing travel insurance
• Travel insurance can cover you for cancellations, delays, stolen items and more
• Try book travel insurance through a trusted provider as soon as you know your destinations and travel dates
• In most countries, you are unlikely to be covered by national healthcare systems unless it is to a country with reciprocal healthcare; however, this may not cover all costs and doesn’t include other unplanned travel-related events or accidents so travel insurance is still strongly recommended
• If travelling to a country with reciprocal healthcare, bring your medicare card.

See Health Insurance on the Smart Traveller website for more information.

• When travelling by road, select vehicles that have seat belts
• Always wear your seatbelts
• If travelling with a child under seven years old, use the correct car seat for their size and age
• Ensure children aged under seven years don’t sit in the front seat of a vehicle
• Avoid overcrowded vehicles that require passengers to hold on; this can be difficult and unsafe for children
• Understand the road rules, such as keeping to the left or right; this will help when looking before crossing a road
• Cross at designated crossing areas for pedestrians; don’t jaywalk.

See Safety around cars for more information.

• Closely supervise your child in or near any body of water, including beaches, lakes, rock pools or shallow water
• Make sure they do not step on or touch anything suspicious in shallow water or rock pools
• Wear non-slip water shoes.

See Water safety for more information.

To make flying with children as seamless as possible, you can:

• book in advance: this will allow your family extra time to pack and book seats on the flight together, ideally at the front to allow for easier boarding
• arrive early: everything seems to take longer with children, so arriving early gives you a bit of breathing space in the airport before take-off
• pack effectively: pack what your child may need for the flight in carry-on luggage, including any medication
• entertainment: bring entertainment to keep your child busy during the flight, such as books, iPads, games or toys
• speak with flight attendants: usually, they are already aware you are travelling with children, but it’s always good to engage with them in case they have any further suggestions to make your flight easier
• speak with your neighbours on the flight if you want to: people understand the situation you are in and can empathise with you if they know you’re trying your best
• be flexible: not everything goes according to plan, so be prepared to rearrange things if needed.

If you’ve ever flown yourself, you’ll understand that your ears often build pressure when taking off or landing. It naturally happens whenever the air pressure changes, such as when you are riding in a tall elevator, scuba diving, climbing a mountain or flying on a plane.

Your ears may “pop” as your body’s natural response to equalising air pressure between the middle ear and the back of your throat. This equalising can be more pronounced in children as they have smaller pathways in the middle ear, which may be a new or foreign feeling for them. If your child is sick with a cold or flu, equalising their ears can be even more difficult.

Tips to reduce issues with your child’s ears equalising or “popping” whilst flying:

• have water available at all times throughout the flight and encourage your child to drink small sips just before take-off and landing
• bring some snacks to chew on during take-off and landing to encourage swallowing
• yawn frequently if ears haven’t equalised
• for older children, get them to hold their nose, close their mouth and slowly blow out through their nose for 2-3 seconds - this isn’t recommended before trying the above tips but may help move air pressure if other strategies aren’t working
• if you know your child experiences pain in their ears whilst flying, talk to your doctor before your trip about the potential to take some pain relief medication before take-off.

Many of these suggestions aim to alleviate air pressure in the ears by manipulating the area behind the jaw.