How to travel with four kids – tips from Sam Wood
"The most important thing you can have is patience"
With a new addition to the family, The Bachelor‘s Sam and Snezana Wood find leaving the house is a juggling act, so travelling as a family of six takes it to the next level!
Aside from the obvious when and where, there’s lots to consider when taking a family vacation: things will be much noisier, messier and you can expect a more sleep-deprived experience. However, there will also be moments of connection that are simply not possible if you stay at home.
With four children aged from three months old to 16 years – baby Harper, 4yo Willow, 3yo Charlie and 16yo Eve – the Woods have a wide age range to satisfy on a family getwaway!
Fitness trainer Sam recommends that before you travel, you set up a family meeting to get the kids involved in planning and help them anticipate what the upcoming holiday will be like.
Sam and Snezana have four children so, as well as being tricky, holidays are welcome!
Sam Wood’s best tips on how to manage travelling with four young kids
1.Flexi flights
When booking flights, use the flexible dates feature to get the best deal. You can also toggle to month view, so you get an overview of all flights available and their costs.
2. Pack light
When it comes to packing, be realistic about what you actually need (I’m looking at my wife). Packing for six people, those extra baggage costs can stack up, so we try to keep our luggage to a minimum.
3. Pay better
We try and be savvy with budgeting where we can. By using a service like Afterpay, you can break up the payments into four to help ease the upfront costs. Afterpay supports a range of travel merchants like Webjet, Jetstar and Agoda Hotels among others so you won’t miss out.
4. Pack snacks
Kids get hungry, so when travelling domestic pack easy, healthy snacks that you can throw in your bag. It will also help you save on those inflated airport prices.
5. Plan outdoor activities
We love to plan outdoor activities, it’s great for keeping the family active, keeps the kids busy and helps us save on entertainment while out and about.
Above all, the most important thing you can have when travelling with kids is patience, because mishaps are bound to happen, but the way we deal with them can show our children that even with mini hurdles, we can work as a team and have fun on holidays.
