It’s becoming increasingly common for grandparents to take the grandkids on holiday. It gives the parents a break, allowing you to spend some quality time together! It often means the children get an extra holiday too. But if you’re planning on taking your grandchildren on holiday, besides keeping them entertained, what else do you need to be aware of?
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Where should we go?
If they’re old enough, ask your grandchildren where they want to go. It’ll give you some ideas of what they want to do even if you say no.
Destinations such as the Canary Islands, Algarve, Spain, and Balearic Islands are all ideal as the flight times aren’t too long. The weather is good and there will be lots of activities to keep them entertained.
What documents do I need to take my grandchildren abroad?
If you’re travelling with a child aged under 18 years, staff may ask some questions to establish your relationship. You should carry evidence of this relationship such as birth certificate and a letter from the parents stating you have permission to take the child abroad. These should include contact details for the parents and should be notarised if possible. If the parents are divorced, ensure you have a letter from both.
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Whilst you may not be stopped, having this information (and being prepared) will prevent delays. Always double check with the airline/cruise line/tour operator if they require anything specific. If the worst should happen, you should also have a signed letter regarding medical care and giving you permission to make important health decisions. They will also need their own passport.
Allow lots of time
Remember, with kids you should allow extra time to do anything. Leave plenty of time to get to the airport. This will remove a lot of stress!
Pack light
You won’t want to be dragging huge amounts of luggage around and neither will they. Ensure everyone packs as light as possible.
Child and booster seats
When you’ve decided how much luggage you’ll be taking, select the correct sized hire car.
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It is advisable to take the child’s own car seat or booster seat if you can. Most airlines will let you do this free of charge, but do check first. Make sure you know how to fit them as it’s your responsibility to ensure that they are fitted correctly. If you wish to rent them, you can reserve these when booking in advance. The cost of child seats and booster seats are payable locally and can be viewed on the quote results and booking step 2 on our website.
Plan a mix of activities
Don’t just focus on entertaining the kids, make sure you plan things you’ll enjoy too. If you focus purely on the grandchildren you’ll end up exhausted and it could ruin the holiday.
6 safety tips for travelling with grandchildren
- Pack plenty of sun screen & after sun
- Remember water wings if they’re young
- If the accommodation has a balcony or stairs, are they safe?
- Do they need any jabs?
- Have they got travel insurance?
- If travelling in Europe, have they got an EHIC?
Do you have any tips?
Do you have any tips for taking grandchildren abroad? If so, we want to hear from you below.
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Hi I hope to take my 21 year old granddaughter on a holiday next year to celebrate her 21st. Somewhere with interesting activities that will work for both her and I , her yoga teacher granny.
I am taking my 4 year old granddaughter to Spain from uk next week. As it will just be the two of us, I have made out a card of her parents and grandads mobile number, in the event that if anything happens to me a responsible adult will know how to contact them. We are role playing “a branch falls on grandmas head and knocks her out” so she knows where card is and how to use it
I am seventysix and considering going to England to see the Grandchildren ( I live in Spain )
Can I hire a car from you to be collected at Exeter Airport?
Look forward to your reply.
David Griffiths……
Dear Mr Griffiths,
Thank you for your comment and your enquiry.
Currently, we only work with Thrifty as the other suppliers we work with unfortunately have a lower upper age limit. However, their vehicle would have to be collected from their office which is on Marsh Barton Trading Estate in Exeter.
If you would like to discuss this further, please don’t hesitate to contact our Reservations Team on +44 1362 852288 or email info@zestcarrental.com.
Kind regards,
Jessica
Zest Car Rental