I’ve so missed big travel and adventures! We’re a few days in to a Perth 🚐 ➡️ 🚐 Adelaide van trip (around 3,000km!) with my 3 year old, and having a great time! These tips are helping us have a lovely time so far… I’d love to hear your top kid-travel tips too!
​

🐢 Slow down – Do less

There is no way you can do as much as you used to before travel with kids, and trying to will likely leave everyone flustered and frustrated. When you do less, you keep things more simple and give space for your child to explore and navigate the new environment in their own time.

🤩 Start with sensory needs & joys

Focus on looking after your child’s and your own sensory needs before anything else. Notice the noise levels, physical comfort of clothing, visual inputs from new environments. New spaces can bring a huge amount of sensory input which can be exciting or overwhelming. Or both together!

And don’t just stop at managing sensory needs. Find experiences that bring sensory joy to your child and to you! Delightful views. Smell fabulous flowers. Eat the best version of your safe foods. Whatever makes your child and you feel your sensory systems sparkle!

🗣️🌆 Explain next steps

Use pictures, objects and words to explain what your child can expect next at every step. Even if you’re not entirely sure, explain this to your child too! “We’re just waiting for the bus. I’m not sure when it will come. We can count the red cars until the bus comes!”

💬 I’d love to hear what else works for your family! General travel tips and specific Perth to Adelaide route tips gratefully received!

I hope you found something helpful in these tips! If your child needs help communicating and thriving in daily life, check out my next 6-week live online parent course for curious parents of autistic (or possibly autistic) kids – Connect & Grow!⁠ ⁠