The 'One Museum' Rule: Travelling with (little) Kids

Side Note: I thought of something else we'd export back to the States from Germany... free babysitting (for potty trained kids) at large stores - our grocery store, furniture store, Ikea... and it's a play land paradise so Eli loves it. Yes, seriously. Free.


When in London... have tea in the afternoon. And baked goodies. Spend hours in interesting historical places. Walk the crazy, people-littered streets late into the night. Of course, we did none of these things. But we totally would... next time... when our children are in college.


Our situation demands that we travel now, while we're here, and we need to take the kids along so we make it work. London was GREAT. We had a wonderful time and the kids really were troopers. We took naps in the PMs, briefly hit the highlights / kid-friendly exhibits at historical places and museums, and walked the crazy streets sometimes as late as 7:30pm! The only glitch was a flat stroller tire which came in the last few days but it limped through the rest of the trip. Oh, and our Nuvi (GPS) almost made us late for our train in Brussels when it sent us to a "gas station" waaaay off the autobahn. It turned out to be a barren field.


Thoughts... for those of you considering international travel with very young children (you should be laughing hysterically now), we have some rules and will argue the pros and cons, below. We were the only parents with young children among the many, many Americans we saw and spoke with in London, and expect to be so everywhere we go for the next three years.


Rules:


1. Plan heavily. Not just where you will go. I mean what time you will go on which day, exactly which exhibits or attractions you will see (based, of course, on kid interest), and precisely where the nearest bathrooms and cafes with hot water are for bottle feedings, snacks, and pottyings. You must spend hours each evening planning for the next day, going to the nearest convenience store for snacks, and packing the backpack/diaper bag.


2. You may go to one museum per week. The good news is many have kids 'Discovery' packets or similar gimmick. The only exception to this rule allowing more than one museum is if it is a children's museum (London had a Natural History Museum with dinosaurs). You have two hours, maximum. You may not go to an art museum of any kind.


3. Make everything interesting and play everywhere. For Eli, this was easy. Riding underground trains, double-decker buses, and walking along the street where he could see (gasp) cars! The best part of vacation, as far as he's concerned. Play and tickle, make up silly songs and rhymes, do 'I spy' games... all while waiting in line or following the guide to the next lecture stop.


4. You may eat anywhere so long as it serves food within 15 minutes. The same as at home, you will not go to a fancy restaurant (any place that has cloth or linen on the table) to sample decent, non-tourist food and relax. Don't even consider it.


Pros of Travelling with Kids under Age 5:

Kids are free... on any type of travel except planes, and get into attractions free too.

They have no demands on where to go... other than the usual toy store, home, etc.

You are not tied to the school schedule and can travel anytime.


Fun family pictures and great family memories.


Cons of Travelling with Kids under Age 5:

Too many to list here. Summary: Can go to no more than two places per day, several attractions are simply not an option, must look for elevators that accommodate strollers everywhere you go, and your day ends very early (no plays, shows, shopping).

Our motto is "Just Do It" or we'll regret it later.