5 Essential Tips for Travelling With Kids
By Ninja Shark’s founder (and water enthusiast), Andrew Porter
Having children does not mean the end of travelling. It just means you’re going on a whole new type of vacation, and one that you should be well prepared for! If you’re too afraid to hop on a plane with kids or drag them along to your next snorkelling vacation, don’t be. A little preparation goes a long way when travelling with kids, and it can turn a nightmarish situation into one that’s completely fixable.
Here at Ninja Shark, we’ve had our fair few encounters of travelling with kids. We know where the problems are, and how they can easily be solved. Here are our 5 best tips to make your next family vacation easy breezy, and peaceful for everyone.
1. Research your destination
You may know about all the hot spots and great beaches to check out at your destination, but make sure you also do thorough research on all the ‘boring’ things as well. For example, does your baby need a visa? While some countries don’t require visas for travelling babies, others do. Will you need to pack ‘just-in-case’ malaria tablets? Will you or your child need a vaccination?
Make sure that you are fully aware of any threats and regulations before you hop on the plane. You don’t want to get caught out last minute without a Plan B. A good idea is to check out your country’s ‘Smart Traveller’ website or speak to an embassy or travel agent. They’ll be able to sort you out with any warnings and advice for your destination so that you can arrive well prepared!
2. Basic medicines are a gift
You’re a parent, so you know how easily children get sick. One of your biggest lifesavers on vacation could be a well-equipped medicine pack filled with basic items like cough syrup, allergy tablets, cold medication, and other bits and bobs that you may need should anyone fall ill. You also want to make sure to pack a basic first aid kit with band aids, dressing, and bandages.
Having basic medicines on hand will save you a trip to the pharmacy or the doctor. Trust us, it’s not fun trying to decipher labels in a foreign language! Your kids will also have what they need immediately, so you can carry on with your daily travel itinerary. What could have been a major disruption is now easily solved!
2. Basic medicines are a gift
You’re a parent, so you know how easily children get sick. One of your biggest lifesavers on vacation could be a well-equipped medicine pack filled with basic items like cough syrup, allergy tablets, cold medication, and other bits and bobs that you may need should anyone fall ill. You also want to make sure to pack a basic first aid kit with band aids, dressing, and bandages.
Having basic medicines on hand will save you a trip to the pharmacy or the doctor. Trust us, it’s not fun trying to decipher labels in a foreign language! Your kids will also have what they need immediately, so you can carry on with your daily travel itinerary. What could have been a major disruption is now easily solved!
3. Pack new toys & books
The most terrifying aspect of travelling with kids is being on the airplane or waiting in a long queue. The screaming, the crying, the refusal to sleep or stay still… But that doesn’t mean there’s no way around it! Keep your kids distracted on the plane and while waiting in lines by packing new toys and books to keep them occupied.
The best thing to do here is not reveal all the new toys at once, but slowly bring out a new teddy bear or colouring book when the time is right. The shiny new toy will distract your little ones for awhile, and then when it gets old, you can bring out another one for another hour of peace.
4. Pay extra for quality gear
Another big issue when travelling with kids (or even just living with kids) is how quickly they can manage to break something. While things are easily replaced when you’re home and safe, it’s not so simple when you’re travelling. Make sure that you pay that little extra to invest in quality gear that will last you the trip and more. You don’t want to take time out of your holiday to go shopping for another snorkel mask or a new bag.
Be money-smart and use your cash wisely the first time around. If you’re heading off on a beach vacation, for example, avoid buying cheap plastic snorkel masks that will break after the first few uses. Go for snorkelling gear that’s high quality, durable, safe, and will last you a lifetime. Not only will good quality items last you trip after trip, but they’ll also be more comfortable to use. More comfortable = less complaints from the children. Are you catching our drift here? ;)
4. Pay extra for quality gear
Another big issue when travelling with kids (or even just living with kids) is how quickly they can manage to break something. While things are easily replaced when you’re home and safe, it’s not so simple when you’re travelling. Make sure that you pay that little extra to invest in quality gear that will last you the trip and more. You don’t want to take time out of your holiday to go shopping for another snorkel mask or a new bag.
Be money-smart and use your cash wisely the first time around. If you’re heading off on a beach vacation, for example, avoid buying cheap plastic snorkel masks that will break after the first few uses. Go for snorkelling gear that’s high quality, durable, safe, and will last you a lifetime. Not only will good quality items last you trip after trip, but they’ll also be more comfortable to use. More comfortable = less complaints from the children. Are you catching our drift here? ;)
5. Find fun for everyone
We don’t blame kids for being annoying if they’re being dragged from one museum to another all day! Kids can’t stay still and quiet for long, so make sure you find fun for everyone on your vacation. Spend some time doing what you like, but also take the little ones out for a splash on the beach, a little playground stopover on your way to the next cathedral, or to a water park for a blast of a day.
They’ll get to unleash some of that restless energy so you can enjoy more of whatever it is that you want to see. It also means everyone will leave the vacation with great memories. And that’s only fair, in our opinion.
How many people dream of snorkelling but don't feel comfortable wearing a snorkel mask?
The answer is: too many! Traditional snorkel masks can be uncomfortable and scary for many people, so the beauty of snorkelling goes undiscovered and unexperienced. Whether it's breathing difficulties, choking on sea water, or foggy goggles, there's a lot that prevents people from enjoying the wonderful sport of snorkelling. And that thought makes us sad.
We think everyone should be able to enjoy the underwater world - safely, comfortably, and easily. That's why we created Ninja Shark and our revolutionary line of full face snorkel masks. They're designed to be super comfy, easy-to-use, and make snorkelling accessible for all. Because nobody should miss out on discovering what's under the sea.
The Influencer @lud.around is a NINJASHARK lover!
NINJASHARK is the sound of a revolution in snorkeling. Whereas other water equipments companies are constantly adding poor quality products, we listen to your feedback and constantly improve our products to fit for all of your needs.
While other water equipments companies offer just a way to look under the water, NINJASHARK wants to create an amazing experience for water enthusiasts. That's why we listen to your feedbacks and we develop products based on them.
The Influencer @lud.around doesn’t believes just in snorkelling, but in the entire experience of it. When NinjaShark asked her what is in her beach bag everytime she goes on a vacation, she said, “Ninja Shark: I'm not leaving my room without the mask. The full face snorkeling mask from Australia is comfortable and fit me perfectly! Love how easy it is to breath out your nose and mouth when you snorkeling and even has earplugs! ”
“The mask include GOPRO mounts, so you can easily film and photograph underwater scenery! I highly recommend especially to people who have a fear of snorkeling! This mask is really easy to use and is safe!” said @lud.around. “I can’t wait for my next trip with my new mask!”
The Ninja Shark full face snorkel masks makes your experiences the best they can be. They are exclusively sold on the Ninja Shark website.
The Ninja Shark full face snorkel masks comes equipped with advanced Anti-Fog technology, automatic drainage, no CO2 Buildup with improved uni-directional valves, and a revolutionary breathe flow system so you can breathe through both your nose and mouth.
Our founder Andrew and Alizee are lifelong entrepreneurs and happy husband and wife. Andrew, is the visionary and marketing genius behind Ninja Shark. He’s always loved to swim and explore vast open waters, whether that be in a river, lake, or sea. Since he started snorkelling with a full face mask and flippers, however, his fascination with the underwater world has become unstoppable. Andrew always says: “The sea will be conquered!”
Alizee, is first and foremost a child of the land and avid hiker, with her passion for mysterious underwater life coming in second. In her past life (as in, before Ninja Shark life), Alizee created and sold a real estate company and managed the backend of numerous other businesses. She’s the glue that keeps Ninja Shark from busting at the proverbial seams as it grows from its current state of small Aussie family business. She’s the business brain, taking care of all things logistical and numeric, she’s the “life saver of the company”.
Ninja Shark started out more as a passion than a business.
Since Andrew and Alizee loved to go underwater so much, they tried to take their friends with them. We’ve all been in that situation where we try to share an incredible experience with loved ones, and that’s where Andrew and Alizee were at. But every so often, they’d come across someone who just couldn’t manage to breathe through a tube with their nose blocked (i.e, snorkelling).
It’s a wide held belief amongst the general public that snorkelling can be a little difficult. It’s fair enough – breathing seems unnatural with a snorkel, and the mouthpiece might be considered uncomfortable or unhygienic. The mask’s field of vision can be quite narrow, and when it fogs up you don’t really get to enjoy the underwater marvels so much.
You might be reading this as a snorkeller and scoffing, but it’s all true! Many studies have been conducted on the beaches of Europe, China, and Brazil, and the results all share the same sentiment: snorkelling is often considered difficult by the general public.
So, that was what started Andrew and Alizee off on their journey, where they eventually found the concept of a full face mask. Although the idea was already on the market, it was in its early beginnings, and they had to be sure it was something worth recommending to their friends.
Andrew and Alizee tested at least 6-7 types of full face masks, each with their own unique differences. They were surprised to find so much variation between the different types of full face masks, despite it being a relative newcomer to the scene.
Over the next 12 months, Andrew and Alizee worked tirelessly writing down, testing, adapting, studying, and testing again, to come up with the most advanced full face mask on the market.
And that’s how Ninja Shark can offer you the numerous improvements made to the special v2.0 Full Face Mask Model.
“If you thought we’re just here to sell you products, think again. You’re part of the Ninja Shark family, and your feedback matters! We’re constantly working to improve our products and deliver the full face snorkel mask that exists only in our dreams!”
What customers are saying about us…
“Awesome set
Loved the complete set. I even used the waterproof phone pouch to take photos and videos underwater. It made my Fiji experience so much better than using the free snorkel set that hurt your face after 2hours and leaving a sun/mask mark. The ninja leaves no marks and gives great vision under water in comparison. It did take some getting used to but it definitely paid off! Only frustration is that the tightening straps are quite basic; they should be much simpler to loosen and tighten both in and out of water.” – Jock
What customers are saying about us…
“Awesome set
Loved the complete set. I even used the waterproof phone pouch to take photos and videos underwater. It made my Fiji experience so much better than using the free snorkel set that hurt your face after 2hours and leaving a sun/mask mark. The ninja leaves no marks and gives great vision under water in comparison. It did take some getting used to but it definitely paid off! Only frustration is that the tightening straps are quite basic; they should be much simpler to loosen and tighten both in and out of water.” – Jock
All Ninja Shark Products are tailor-made with medical silicone.
We care about making our products safe and healthy for you—and our planet.
That’s why the Ninja Shark Full Face Snorkelling Masks are made from a non-toxic and environmentally friendly anti-allergic medical grade silicone, that’s not only safer for your kids but safer for you too.