The Toddler Travel Mum: An In Depth Interview
Looking for a little travel inspiration? Look no further! Dann from Mum Voyage is my go to resource for all things toddler travel related. I was so excited when she agreed to share her toddler travel tips and recommendations.
Toddler Travel Mum Dann by the Numbers
Dann has been to 37 countries and five continents, 10 of those countries were with her now 19 month old! In addition to running an amazing social media account and being a mum, Dann works part time in Data and Compliance for a housing association and just became an independent travel agent.
Have You Always Loved Traveling?
Growing up I always went on family holidays which I loved. But my first true ‘travel’ experience was when I was 20 and my boyfriend (now husband) and I went on a 7 month trip around the world. It’s fair to say I caught the bug and have wanted to keep travelling ever since!
How Do You Find Time For Travel?
I make travel a priority. All of my husband and I’s annual leave from work is used for going on holiday.
What is one piece of advice you would give families who are nervous about traveling with young Kids Or babies?
Book that trip! Everything seems scary until you do it. Once you take that first trip you’ll realise how much fun it is and that it is probably easier than you thought! With each trip you take, your confidence will grow more and more.
What is one piece of baby travel gear you can’t live without?
A sling! We’ve travelled to a lot of places that aren’t pram friendly (we actually went to 6 countries abroad before we even took a pram with us) so having a sling means you can easily get around and it doesn’t matter what the terrain is. It’s also perfect for naps on the go and discreet breastfeeding.
What is something you think is overrated?
Something I think is overrated is toys! Our first trip away we took so many toys with us because we thought our baby needed them and would be bored. We were so wrong! Babies/toddlers are entertained by all of the new places they are in and new faces they’re seeing. Also if you are outside a lot they will be happy playing with rocks, sticks, leaves, sand, etc.
What is Harder Traveling with an infant or toddler?
I’d say it’s harder to travel with a toddler. Babies sleep a lot, don’t move a lot and don’t eat a lot. Toddlers are the opposite! I personally found travelling with a baby very easy as they’re just a little extension of you. A toddler is a running, screaming, attention demanding machine!
How do you deal with common baby problems while traveling, for example sleepless nights or teething?
Well for us, our baby never slept well. Since he was born he woke up every hour and that was the same when travelling so nothing really changed for us in that department! Other issues like teething or illness though..what I would say is that these are hard things to deal with no matter where you are. If you’re at home, its awful having a teething baby. But we actually found that when we travelled it was easier to deal with as we were out a lot and so our baby was distracted.
What’s one travel mistake you’ve made?
When we first went on our big travel trip, we had a bank card where you had to transfer money into it in order to withdraw cash. We realised we were running low on cash so transferred funds into it and went to an ATM. It turned out it can take 3 working days for money to get onto the card so we actually couldn’t get any money out. It was also the only card we had with us. So the lesson is, don’t get a stupid card like this, and always take more than one with you!
Favorite travel destination and why?
My husband and I’s favourite country is South Africa. We spent a month travelling from Johannesburg across to Cape Town and in that time we saw so many different landscapes it was just incredible. We also did some safaris and seeing animals in the wild was the best experience ever. I can’t wait to take my son there one day.
Learning more about Dann was so much fun! She truly makes traveling with a toddler look effortless, I’m so grateful she shared her expert toddler travel tips and recommendations.
Looking for more travel inspiration? Check out my other travel mom interviews.
