Single parent travel is a wonderful thing – but sometimes we all long for the comforts of home. Luckily, you can get the best of both worlds by bringing a few simple travel essentials with you to create a cozy and familiar atmosphere, no matter where in the world you are. Here are some must-have travel items that will make your destination feel like a home away from home.
Comfy Downtime Clothing
What we wear can have a surprisingly significant impact on our mood, our sense of safety, and our comfort. Bear this in mind when dressing for travel and packing clothing for family downtime. As much as we would like our single parent holidays to be full of continuous excitement, it’s crucial for both parents and children to have moments of rest during their trip. So, be sure to pack comfy loungewear for your journey and those downtime moments. The feeling of slipping into a familiar, comfortable pair of pyjamas or your favourite hoodie and fluffy socks after a long day of sightseeing will immediately make you and your kids feel more at home.
Familiar Ambience Through Scent
Our sense of smell is closely linked with our memory. Pack your favourite scented candle or add a compact diffuser with scents you and your children associate with home on holiday. This way you can create a familiar, ‘homely’ aroma no matter where you are staying. Some scents such as lavender, chamomile, and bergamot are known for their calming properties and can help adults and kids to feel calm and relaxed at bedtime in an unfamiliar place. Mandarin and vanilla also relax and soothe whilst citrus, peppermint, and sandalwood help with travel anxiety and restless minds at bedtime.
Aside from using shop bought fragrances, you could think about smells that comfort you and remind you of home. This might be freshly brewed coffee, baked goods, or the smell of fresh linen. For your children, it might be the smell of their favourite teddy, pillow, or their favourite food. Whatever smells you particularly associate with home, think about how you can incorporate them in your single parent holiday.
Comforting Home Food
Many families miss home-cooked food when they go away on holiday, especially fussy children who love routine. While trying new cuisines and expanding your culinary experience is great, nothing says ‘home’ quite like some favourites from the family kitchen. So why not bring a little bit of home cooking with you? Depending on the amount of luggage you are able to take, portable meal kits are an easy way to get familiar flavours on your trip. Jars of homemade pasta sauce and easy-to-make soup packets are great for camping trips or self-catering holidays. If you are staying in a hotel abroad, some familiar sweet and savoury snacks for afternoon breaks or bedtime also work. In fact, snacks are family travel essentials that don’t take up much space and give an instant, comforting feeling of home.
Essential Travel Tech for Down Time
In the age of streaming, maintaining your regular TV or movie-watching routine can make a world of difference. Allowing your family to wind down in front of their favourite show or film at the end of the day can make any place seem a little more like home. Whether it’s a portable streaming device or a tablet loaded with favourite movies and games for the kids, travel-friendly tech can significantly enhance the comfort level of your accommodation.
Comforting Routines
If you have young children, you probably have a specific bedtime routine. Perhaps a favourite board game you regularly play at the weekend or stories you read before bed. Even seemingly trivial everyday habits such as a hot bubble bath before bed can bring a dose of familiarity to your holiday. Sticking to your usual routines when travelling can help provide structure, and make everyone feel more at home.
Family Travel Essentials for a Peaceful Journey
Long car journeys, delayed flights, and long layovers can be a bore – not only for children but also for parents. Create mini care packages for everyone filled with things they love, such as healthy snacks, a favourite book or toy, and travel games. For longer journeys add cozy fleece blankets and soft travel pillows. These little packages of favourite travel essentials offer a sense of positivity and comfort during long journeys.
Home Sweet Home
No matter how exciting your holiday might be, there is nothing quite like the warm fuzzy feeling of home. We hope our ideas to recreate that mood on holiday with family travel essentials will help you enjoy your upcoming holidays more. After all, there is no better way to recharge your batteries than in a stress-free environment where everyone is able to relax and sleep well.
