Mdou41Orelon the road with a little one: a magazine about travelling with children

An independent magazine about travelling with young children. It is not the website of a kindergarten, educational institution or government body and is not connected with the former website on this domain. Check the rules for carrying children with your carrier.

Routes

Routes with a young child

A route with a toddler is built around sleep and food, not around a list of sights. Here are three hypothetical examples with no addresses or names, just types of places and an order that leaves the child with energy and the parents with patience.

One walk in the morning and one in the evening is already a busy day when you're only three.

— From the editors

How this section works: a route is included if the distances between stops are short, there is somewhere to rest every hour or hour and a half, and any stop can be skipped without spoiling the whole day.

A day in a new town with a pushchair

An unhurried walk around the centre of a small town without long climbs.

Stops: 5 on foot with a pushchair, from morning to early evening

  1. Breakfast near your accommodation

    Start the day without travelling: have breakfast close to where you are staying. A well-fed child copes better with the first impressions, and you have time to check you've packed everything.

  2. A park or square

    The first stop is greenery and a playground. While your little one runs around, the adults study the map and decide where to go next.

  3. A pedestrian street

    A short walk along the main street with no steep slopes. If there are steps on the way, look up a route with a ramp or lift in advance.

  4. Lunch and a nap

    Head back to your accommodation or find a quiet café with room for the pushchair by the table. Many toddlers sleep soundly in a moving pushchair, and then the parents can stroll around the neighbouring streets at leisure.

  5. The waterfront at sunset

    In the evening: water, birds and open space. This is the calm point of the day: you can watch the boats, throw pebbles from a safe spot and take your time.

A weekend in nature with a preschooler

Two days out of town: short trails, a rest in the shade and an early return home.

Stops: 5 by car or local transport, two days

  1. Setting off in the morning

    Leave after breakfast rather than at dawn: your child wakes up in their own rhythm and you won't have to wake them again on the way. Plan a stop halfway in advance.

  2. A short trail

    Choose a trail a preschooler can walk on their own two feet, and take a carrier in case they get tired. Routes with a stream, a little bridge or a viewpoint are the most fun.

  3. A rest stop and a game

    A stop in the shade with a snack and a simple task: find three different leaves, collect pine cones, count the ants on the path. That turns a walk into a little adventure.

  4. An evening at the house

    Dinner outdoors and an early bedtime. After a full day in nature, children usually fall asleep quickly, as long as you don't keep them out until they're overtired.

  5. An unhurried return

    On the second day, keep the morning for a short walk and head home in daylight, so you have time to unpack and put your child to bed in their own cot.

A week by the sea with a child under three

A calm week where the main events of the day are sand, water and sleep.

Stops: 5 one place for the whole week, no moving on

  1. Arrival day

    Plan nothing: unpack, find the nearest shop and pharmacy, walk down to the water. Your little one needs time to get used to new sounds and smells.

  2. Morning by the sea

    The best time for the beach is early morning, while the sun is gentle. A sun hat, light clothes with sleeves and shade are a must even on a cloudy day.

  3. Midday rest

    During the hottest hours: a nap and quiet games indoors. This is time for the parents too: a book, a coffee, an unhurried chat.

  4. Evening stroll

    Once the heat eases, back to the water or along the promenade. Evenings are great for playing in the sand, hunting for shells and making friends with other children.

  5. A day away from the sea

    Midweek, take a break: a park, a farm or a walk around the area. A change of scene helps if the weather turns or your child has had too much sun.

How to fit the route to your child

  • Drop anything from the plan that involves a long wait in a queue
  • Put the most exciting things in the morning, when your little one has the most energy
  • Leave an empty slot in every day for the unexpected
  • If your child has fallen asleep, don't wake them for the next stop on the route
  • Several half-hour stops work better than one long outing
  • Come back to the same accommodation rather than moving every night
  • Destinations

    Nature close to home, a quiet town, the seaside out of season, a country cottage, and how to choose a place for a trip with a toddler.

  • Places

    Parks, farms, waterfronts and museums with children's programmes: what your little one will enjoy and how to visit.

  • On the spot

    Routine, breaks, food, a plan in case your child gets lost and rest for parents in a new place.

Sources

  • Paediatricians' advice for travelling families (in general terms)

Information is correct as of the date of preparation. Carriers' rules and requirements for travelling with children may change, so check with your carrier and official sources before each trip.