Travelling With Kids During Covid-19

For more than 11 months now, the world has seen a monumental shift in the natural course of life and experience of basic things like travelling!

The joy of travelling with your kids is blissful and equally exciting for the kids and the parents.

As travelling is resuming to its normal self, most of us are looking to travel soon if not immediately.

It is advisable to avoid travelling unless necessary. Despite, if need be, it could be overwhelming if the itinerary includes travelling with a child during such an obscure situation. Social distancing, Masks on, sanitizing and following the Covid-19 safety protocols at all times, along with the child can be distressing for the parents.

We are sharing some of the primary, first-hand information on travelling in current times with kids, consolidated from actual experiences of parents.

The Fore-planning

(1) It is imminent to pre-plan the dates, bookings and mode of transport for travelling. (keeping your cool will be very important)

(2) It is advisable to talk with official customer care executives (airlines, cab, buses or trains) for detailed information on the regulations and protocols followed by them.

(3) AROGYA SETU app is compulsory for all travellers at all entry points.

(4) Opt for a mode, with lesser travel time or select the timings when the rush is minimum.

(5) To motivate your child, create a habit to wear masks for some time atleast.

(6) The toddlers and older kids need to be explained about the situation to help you manage the on-site circumstances in a better way.

Baggage management

During Covid-19 scenario, travelling with kids can make any parent anxious. The challenge is to prevent the kids and oneself from catching the infection.

Creating a minimum baggage plan for the travel can limit much of your bothering. Here are a few things that you can plan for a hassle-free travel plan.

(1) Try to create baggage plan in two compartments. One for immediate access and one that is not required while travelling.

(2) Keep the prevention kit handy and easily reachable by all travelling members.

(3) Only children's food, urgent medical supplies, travel documents/tickets/identity proofs, sanitizing products should be kept in hand baggage.

(4) Travelling with kids will need more attention towards social distancing, not touching public surfaces and sanitizing as frequently as required, so creating a luggage plan with least luggage handling is of utmost importance.

Sanitizing/ Preventive kit

There is a list of a few things that come handy while maintaining safety protocols.

(1) Sanitizer wipes to hold on any public surfaces such as washroom handles, doors, sink etc.

(2) Travel-friendly size sanitizer spray bottle to sanitize seats at airports, in-flight seats, buses, cabs or waiting-areas.

(3) A set of three to four disposable masks for each travelling member. (kids love throwing away their masks, you might need more than a few for them)

(4) Face shields, to be used in case of unavoidable places with public exposures. (in case of flights, bus, where people are sitting beside you)

(5) Use Soap Strips to avoid unnecessary baggage space utilization while maintaining hygiene by avoiding touching any pubic exposed soap dispensers.

Safety First

There are a few protocols that will help you to get through the travelling grind! Please remember it is about the safety of your children and yourself to reach your destination while avoid getting infected.

(1) Wearing masks and also a face shield if possible.

(2) If the kids are above 18 months and are used to wearing masks, do make them wear masks while boarding/deboarding or in a situation where social distancing is not possible. As Masks not recommended for children below 18 months, the best possible way would be social distancing.

(3) Board the carrier (plane, bus, train) at last so that you have the time and ease to settle down as per your convenience. (that's where pre-booked tickets will help).

(4) Sanitize your seating, waiting area, cab seats, bus seats or any place of physical contact while travelling.

(5) Not only seats, but you'd also need to sanitize all surrounding place like armrests, seat belts, food trays, the backside of seats in front of you or any other surrounding surface that your children might accidentally touch. Although all carrier companies sanitize the carrier frequently, we suggest that for your peace of mind, sanitizing once on your own will keep you from losing your mind every time your child touches somewhere.

(6) Ask the staff around you, driver, ticket checker to wear masks at all times and sanitize regularly.

(7) Use sanitizer wet wipes to open/close handles, bathroom doors, and dispose-off the wipes in a dustbin immediately.

(8) Ask for help from support staff for hand baggage.

(9) Do not hesitate to ask people to respect social distancing and wear masks atleast when it comes to exposure to your children.

Parent Confidence and Preparedness

It is pertinent to keep Mental and Physical preparedness for travelling during Coronavirus pandemic with children.

You may consult your doctor once for some supplementary medicines for boosting immunity in Children.

A flu shot can be taken by all travelling members to avoid regular flu infections and confusing it with actual Covid-19 Infection.

The travelling scene is not at all the same as it was before Covid-19 times. The almost deserted airports, a bare minimum staff and the missing mayhem of traffic on highways, tolls are indirectly advantageous in case of travelling with kids!! Lesser the people, the easier it is to maintain social distancing.