Discover ten educational theories, their varied approaches to curriculum and what each education philosophy has to offer. Montessori vs Waldorf vs Charlotte Mason vs Unschooling and more.
11 Tips for travelling while pregnant
Can you fly during pregnancy? How easy is it to travel during pregnancy? If you’re planning a babymoon, make sure you read these essential tips for travelling while pregnant for a safe, comfortable journey and stress-free trip.
The Pros and Cons of Worldschooling
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If you’re considering worldschooling as an educational approach, your core family philosophy and way of life, you may have lots of questions about whether it really is going to be right for your family. Will your children thrive and learn all that they need to in order to live a productive and fulfilling life? What are the logistics of homeschooling on the road? Will your children have access to enriching social experiences outside of the family unit? What exactly are the pros and cons of worldschooling?
It’s a big decision to take on the responsibility of your child(ren)’s education and making the big wide world your classroom might feel daunting and overwhelming, as well as liberating and exciting (probably in equal measures!). Although you can of course try worldschooling for a short time (maybe 6 months or a year) to see how it works for you, it is best to first arm yourself with as much information as possible.
I have asked five experienced worldschooling families to give you all their pros and cons of worldschooling. Further down, we’ll be hearing from the parents, but first up, let’s hear from the kids! I hope you enjoy their comments as much as I did!
Pros of Worldschooling
On hearing the insightful views of this lovely group of worldly kids, there are some themes that become very apparent. It appears that they have a shared appreciation, across their ages, of:
Meeting new people
Making new friends, learning from locals and seeing the world through a different set of eyes is enjoyed and embraced. Difference and diversity is no barrier for these kids!
Witnessing cultures first hand
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- Joss and Theo at Mount Rushmore
The ability to learn from real world experiences rather than textbooks and technology is valued. Seeing, doing and immersing oneself in a country’s language, history, infrastructure and natural environment are viewed as key to learning.
The food!
A bunch of kids after my own heart! Discovering new flavours and cuisines is just one of the many joys of travelling, and it’s not lost on even the youngest of these travellers!
Spending time with parents
Time spent as a family is appreciated and awaited with anticipation. Parents are viewed simultaneously as educational guides and as a source of fun.
Flexibility of learning
Having a say in how, where, when and what they learn is empowering and motivating for these kids. Individual preferences can be considered and styles of learning can be adapted to suit current needs.
Travelling lets you do more fun stuff, which helps you to learn, instead of just sitting in a boring classroom watching videos. It means you are actually doing it in real life and it is really really fun so you will remember better and learn more. In grade 3 at school, we learnt some things about Indonesia by printing out pictures of their food, and watching some YouTube videos. But technically, that is all fake compared to actually going there and tasting the food for yourself and talking to real Indonesian people. Soon we are going on a big trip which means worldschooling for the next 2 years. I’m really looking forward to having fun with my family, trying different foods, meeting people from different countries and going to places that I have seen on TV and seeing them in real life. I don’t really like maths that much, so if there is a way that my mum and dad can make maths fun in the real world, I would be ok with that. At homeschool, maths has been ok, but still not that fun because we have just been doing the books that we did at school. I like doing Maths Online because I like working on the computer.
Jasper, age 9
School can be a bit annoying because when you are trying to learn something and people try to talk to you, it is hard to concentrate. I like homeschool because you don’t have to drive to school and you get to stay at home and can be in your pyjamas if you want. My Mum or Dad is a good teacher. At our house there are some sandflies, which bite me and can distract me, but Mum made us do a project on the sandflies and learn more about them so we can understand them. We did the same thing about a Rainbow Lorikeet too. At homeschool we learnt about the human body because Mum is a nurse and I liked learning about how I work on the inside. I like knowing what things are called and we made a human sized body and drew all his organs and bones inside. We called him Mr. Bones. I am looking forward to going to Bali soon mainly because of the awesome waterpark but also because I want to learn about Bali and learn some Indonesian. ‘Selemat Datang’ – that means ‘welcome’. You can learn Indonesian on the Babble App. We have been using it already. Mum says we have to learn how to count to 10 in every country we visit. I can already do it in Japanese and Spanish.
Dash, age 7
I like being together as a family, and getting to learn what I want, when I want to. I like seeing different things and places.
Dante, age 8
I love it [being worldschooled]! I love Mum being my teacher and I think she is a really good teacher. Mum is teaching me how to read. It is pretty hard, but I keep trying because I want to be able to read stories. I can’t wait to go to Bali again! The people are nice and they have spring rolls. We spent a few nights in a beautiful big villa last time. We are travelling for a long time this trip ‘cause we are a travelling family. We are staying in Bali for 28 days. They have elephants in Bali, we can see them and learn about them. Maybe there will be baby elephants. I like learning all about different animals and seeing them in real life.
Daisy, age 5
I love seeing the stars and animals, like butterflies. I love playgrounds! And I loved riding [on a bicycle] around Uluru with my mum.
Allegra, age 4
I love to try different foods in each country. I like making new friends, going to schools and camps, and playing football all over the world. I like that it’s all a big adventure.
LJ, age 8
LJ recently spent 6 weeks attending an outdoor international school that accepts travelling kids in South Goa, India, and the plan is to enroll her in a similar alternative school for a month in Southeast Asia. She has also trained with local football clubs in Europe, Tanzania and India.
LJ’s walk to school in Goa, India
We think it [worldschooling] is very fun, especially in Holland with Almerik [a friend made while travelling]. I like travelling because I like looking at new things and you get to see other places. I like learning about money because I like learning about what types of money they have. I like some architecture. I like learning about other vehicles [like the suspended railway at Wuppertal]. It’s easier to learn about things by being there. We’d rather travel to learn about Roman history because it’s funner [more fun].
David, age 9
I like to see palaces and things we don’t have here. I like to try different foods, especially pancakes in Holland. I like trams and trains and monorails and big [sightseeing ferris] wheels.
Rilla, age 6
I like going on big aeroplanes. You get to see playgrounds and interesting stuff that you can’t find here. We like learning about languages. I like to know what something looks like instead of having to imagine it. I like the hotels. We like making friends in new countries.
Lennard, age 9
There is nothing like being able to see the world from different eyes. I absolutely love to meet ‘strangers’, to hear languages I don’t understand, to discover amazing food, and to be open to many opportunities in life. I love to travel and have had some amazing experiences, but just this past year my family and I made the decision to travel during the ‘usual’ travel time of the year because I would like to go to college and have started dual enrollment classes in Florida. Last semester, I did two online courses in order to continue travelling, but this semester I am taking a campus class so we will be travelling in May and through the summer.
Kiran, age 16
Cons of Worldschooling
It’s very telling that everyone spoke at greater length about the pros of worldschooling compared to the cons. Missing friends and family certainly seems to be the prominent downside of worldschooling when considered from a young person’s perspective, but other struggles included minimalist living, foregoing enjoyed activities and managing typical travel nuisances, such as jetlag, sun exposure and turbulence.
Missing loved ones
Be it friends or family, loved ones are certainly missed by these young travellers. Although the world has been made smaller by technology and it is undoubtedly easier than ever to stay in touch across land and oceans, there is still a sense that, for these kids, it’s not the same as connection in person. However, this must be weighed against their self-stated pros of witnessing cultures first hand and meeting new people from all over the world; a difficult balancing act for any parent!
Minimalist living
Confining your possessions to a suitcase, rucksack or a small mobile living space might prove challenging for children and adults alike. It is entirely understandable that a young person would miss the familiarity of their much loved toys, books and home environment, but these kids demonstrate that, while this might be the case, enjoyment is found in novel experiences and resources.
Forgoing activities
Whether it be dance, sport, music or artistic pursuits, saying ‘goodbye’, even if only temporarily, to the classes, groups and lessons that are loved is going to be understandably difficult. Two of these kids, however, demonstrate that talents and passions are not left behind when travelling and that, with a bit of research, activities can often be continued wherever in the world you happen to be.
Travel nuisances
I think we can all agree that jet lag and sunburn are a nuisance! Although these cons of worldschooling are briefly mentioned, they are not dwelled on and they don’t seem to be a key factor in determining a child’s enjoyment of and benefit from a worldschooling lifestyle. Temporary hassles such as disrupted sleep, long travel times, insect bites, turbulence and sun exposure seem to be of little lasting importance.
I miss dancing class. Mum says we will find a ballet class when we get to England so I can dance.
Daisy, age 5
Two things that are annoying are, one, not having enough room to store all the food I like [as we are travelling in a small caravan at present] and two, not being able to see my friends. It’s not the same over the phone as playing with them. It’s nice to meet new friends along the way, but then we have to leave them soon after!
Dante, age 8
I miss home! I miss my Nanna and Nonna.
Allegra, age 4
As a teenager I feel it is nice to have a home base in order to see my friends and just hang out.
Kiran, age 16
I don’t like missing my friends and…that’s all I don’t like. When I have kids, we’re going to be travellers too and go on a long trip to all my favourite places in the world. I think it’s good for kids to do this. Sometimes it’s hard but you learn a lot.
LJ, age 8
I miss playing with my friends at school but I can meet new friends when we are travelling and I have cousins to play with too.
Dash, age 7
I don’t like jet lag. When we go on a plane I don’t like the plane tilting.
Lennard, age 9
I don’t like heat stroke.
David, age 9
So there you have it: the lowdown on all the pros and cons of worldschooling, as told by the kids. Did anything surprise you? Do your kids agree/disagree? Leave your thoughts in the comments.
Still wondering what worldschooling actually looks like in practice? You may also enjoy reading about the rhythms and routines of a worldschooling family and our home education plan for homeschooling a 3 year old within a worldschooling context.
Next up, we’ll hear all about the pros and cons of worldschooling from the parents’ perspectives.
Contributor Bios
Many thanks to all these wonderful young people for taking part and sharing their thoughts with us. Here’s a little bit more about them and their families:
Small Footprints Big Adventures
Fellow eco-conscious family, Dante and Allegra, Mum, Emma, and Dad, Anthony, are striving to find the right balance between travel and time spent at home with loved ones in Victoria, Australia. When at home, they are involved in promoting change within their local community to help others work towards a greener lifestyle. Follow them on facebook and instagram.
Gadsventure
The Gadsby family (Jasper, Dash, Daisy, Mabel and Mum and Dad, Kris and Brian) have just left their home in Queensland, Australia on their second family gap year. First stop Bali! Follow them on facebook and instagram.
Homes Away From Home
Canadian family of 3, known online as K, L and LJ, are currently on their year-long adventure around the world. 3 continents and 14 countries down, and they still have 5 months to go! Follow them on instagram.
The Burlings are a Kiwi family of five: twins, Lennard and David, younger sister, Rilla, and Mum and Dad, Kylie and Fraser. As older parents, Kylie and Fraser made a conscious choice to home educate their children, and take every opportunity to spend quality time with them, forming beautiful memories both in New Zealand and across the globe. They enjoy sharing with their children the things they love most in the world.
Kiran is in the process of setting up his own blog (once he has, I’ll include the link here so that you can follow him). He is currently taking an online US History course as well as following his passion of writing by taking a campus-based ‘Freshman Composition’ course (for any non-Americans reading, I also had to look up what that is!). He commented that he has found the transition from homeschooling to traditional education to be ‘no big deal’ since he’s outgoing, enjoys classroom discussions, and makes friends quickly. I love that his family have been able to adapt their approach to education to suit Kiran’s needs at different points in his childhood!
The Rhythms and Routines of a Worldschooling Family
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What does life look like for a worldschooling family? What are the daily and weekly rhythms and routines of a world schooling family? Can children possibly thrive away from the over-scheduled norms of Western culture? (Spoiler alert: yes!)
I recommend reading this post alongside my home education plan for the year ahead (age 3-4). They support one another and it will give more insight into what worldschooling looks like for our family.
Let me say straight away that we are not a routine-driven family at all. Some children need routine (particularly those on the autistic spectrum) and some parents need routine to help them reduce stress and anxiety, and to help them plan and feel prepared for what might come. Both of these are very valid reasons, and if it works for your family, that’s great, carry on. It doesn’t work well for us though. Here’s why:
I don’t think an overly structured sleep/eat routine is very child-led and we want Theo to learn to respond to his own body cues as this is ultimately a skill that will contribute to good health later in life. So, he eats when he’s hungry (and always has access to healthy snacks and water), sleeps when he’s tired, and wakes when he’s rested (no specific nap time or bedtime). Similarly with activities, we have a couple of things in the diary, but I ensure that there’s plenty of time to do whatever Theo fancies on that particular day. It’s through free time and free play that I can really observe and respond to Theo’s current learning patterns and interests.
I don’t believe worldschooling and a lifestyle that involves travel fits well with strict routines (although I’m sure some families achieve this because they make it a priority for their family). Every day looks different for us when we travel, we jump time zones, take long journeys and we inevitably do a whole host of things that are only available at certain times and wouldn’t necessarily fit around an existing routine (from flights to tourist attractions to restaurant opening times to one-off events).
Theo has never demonstrated a need for routine and he’s currently very adaptable so this works well for us. Of course, if our younger son, due next month, needs more structure, we will have a rethink and find a balance that works for everyone.
Too much structure makes Alex and I feel pressured, stressed and bored. Flexibility is important to us both, and the freedom for plans to change and the ability to take the day as it comes feels most relaxing to us. Interestingly, this has become more pronounced, particularly in me, since Theo was born.
Most parents know it can take an eternity to get kids out of the house (Alex and I laugh and reminisce about a time when we would decide we wanted to leave the house …and so we just left; now we have to pack snacks and changes of clothes and make sure weather-appropriate clothing is, if not worn, at least taken, and ensure teeth are brushed and shoes are on etc etc etc, and sometimes you have to do these things multiple times!), so I try not to plan anything with a fixed arrival time for the morning as it feels too stressful for me, which then impacts Theo.
Of course, while we’re at a home base, some things do have to be done at a fixed time so we’ve ended up with a weekly rhythm that has lots of flexibility built in.
Our weekly rhythm
Alex currently works Monday-Friday, so Theo typically spends the working week with me, and looks forward to time with Alex at the weekend. We usually spend most of the weekend together as a family, but Alex and Theo may also have some quality time for a few hours, allowing me to play netball, get on with some work or run errands by myself.
With the exception of breaks for both short- and long-term travel, Theo has attended swimming lessons since he was 5 weeks old. He loves it and it’s a real highlight of his week. His lesson is currently the only weekly activity with a fixed start and end time, after which we swim together.
We attend ‘Playcentre’ twice weekly. Although it starts in the morning, it runs for 3 hours, during which families can arrive and leave at whatever time suits. Playcentre is an early education service in New Zealand for 0-5s that’s ideal for home schoolers (and world schoolers passing through for however long, like us). Nothing like it exists in the U.K. but when I read about it prior to our arrival in New Zealand, I knew it would be a good fit for us.
Playcentre operates with the central philosophy is that parents (or other primary caregivers) are a child’s best educator. The approach to education is entirely child-led. It is a parent’s responsibility to observe their child’s play, take note of how and what their child is learning, and respond by providing opportunities to further develop this learning. Each session, I document what I’ve observed Theo to be learning and enjoying, I take and print out photographs to illustrate this, and I consider what opportunities I can provide to assist him in developing his interests further should he choose to. The service is entirely led by parents and other caregivers so we all have an opportunity to make decisions about how our centre is managed, how funds are spent, and what resources we would like to have available.
Some example pages from Theo’s Playcentre journal
Outside of these weekly activities, time is spent doing whatever Theo has been showing an interest in. We do a lot of mountain biking, swimming, gymnastics (our council runs daily drop-in gymnastics sessions for under 5s, which you can pay for in bulk and use whenever you want so we do this when the day allows for it and when Theo wants to), walking and hiking (forests make him particularly happy) and visiting one of Christchurch’s many playgrounds.
Aside from gross motor activities, Theo also enjoys baking and helping me cook family meals (and eating the ingredients as we go!), going to the supermarket, helping me clean, garden and do laundry, listening to music, and free play at home (role-playing doctors and shops, and creating scenarios with his vehicles are the preferred areas of play at present).
He occasionally goes for a bit of painting and craft but this so far hasn’t been a big interest so we don’t do a huge amount of it. The resources are available to him should he wish to access them, however. Ditto with musical instruments; they are there when he wants them, but he so far prefers to enjoy music through dance and singing.
With regards to reading, he seems to go through phases. Books are always available and he’ll have periods where all he wants to do is read endless stories until your mouth is dry, followed by periods of not showing much interest in books over his toys. We try to encourage daily reading by regularly offering books, but we don’t force it. Typically we work reading into our every day activities as well (menus, road signs, mail, recipes etc), so his literacy learning doesn’t solely come from reading books.
Daily constants
There are, of course, a few daily constants. When in the day they happen might vary, but you can be assured that they definitely happen at some point.
We get outside every single day, without fail. Fresh air and exercise are really important to all of us, and lack of them noticeably affect our moods. Theo and I are very similar in this respect.
We are also similar in that we need to eat breakfast immediately upon waking. Alex can happily wait an hour or two, have a leisurely coffee on an empty stomach, and then eat more of a brunch…by which time I’m a cranky, lightheaded, shaking mess. So, the first priority at whatever time we wake in the morning is breakfast for me and Theo. After we’ve finished, we then get dressed and ready for the day.
Theo and I always eat all of our meals together; he never eats by himself. Of course Alex misses the meals we have when he’s at work (or rushing out the door in the morning), but we all eat together at the weekend, for weekday dinners when Alex’s schedule allows, and of course for every meal when we’re travelling.
When we’re at home, we always eat at the dining table (or garden table if the weather’s nice). When he was little he had a highchair that attached to the table, he then moved on to a booster seat strapped to one of our chairs (both of these were great to travel with!), and once he was tall enough he started just using an ordinary chair. We think it’s important for him to enjoy meals as part of a family social gathering.
Teeth get brushed twice a day every day in the morning and evening. Although Theo is given the freedom to make choices for himself (for example, with regards to what he wears, when he eats, what he eats from the items I make available, when he sleeps, what he wants to do etc) attending adequately to personal hygiene is non-negotiable.
Theo still benefits from a short nap. Although he doesn’t choose to take one every day, they happen most days. He has always napped anywhere: in a sling, on me, in the car, on the sofa etc. Sometimes they’re 10 minutes, sometimes they’re an hour or two.
How does this differ when we’re away from our home base?
The daily constants remain the same regardless of where in the world we are. Of course, our current weekly rhythm and the activities available to us only apply to where we are now. When we travel, we inevitably have less rhythm to our week because Alex isn’t going into an office so there is no distinction between weekdays and weekend.
Daily activities are dictated by our location and our limited personal resources (we travel with a few books, a few small toys for flights/car journeys/restaurants, and some colouring pencils and paper), but practical life tasks are always available wherever we are, there will always be some form of gross motor activity on offer, and we seek out learning experiences specific to the area that we know will be of interest to the whole family.
Helping to sort laundry and clean in Airbnbs
We tend to take each day as it comes, working around the constants of breakfast on waking, attending to personal hygiene, giving Theo an opportunity to nap in a sling or in the car if he wants, and getting outside for whatever adventures are to be had that day wherever we are.
Homeschooling a preschooler
An annual plan for early years home education. Ideas and intentions for parents looking to organise their thoughts on homeschooling a preschooler.
A Green Christmas: Eco-Friendly Christmas ideas
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Christmas is upon us already (how did that happen???). It seems like only yesterday I was writing the original version of this post, but a whole year has whizzed by. Now fully updated with new ideas for 2019, let me share a few of my family’s favourite eco-friendly Christmas tips to help you and your loved ones make it a green Christmas this year.
Christmas is a time for family and friends, terrible music (that I secretly love), kindness to others (hopefully we do this year round but this time of year certainly brings out the Christmas cheer between strangers), and, sadly, a whole lot of over-indulgence! Let’s try to minimise the already huge impact of the holiday season on the planet by committing to less waste, less ‘stuff’ and more considered purchases.
Reusable advent calendars
Traditional chocolate calendars might be the easy option to just chuck in the trolley at the supermarket but they’re made of plastic, the chocolates often come individually wrapped in non-recyclable foil, and well, for reasons I won’t go into here, I don’t believe that supplying young children with chocolate every morning is the most productive way to countdown to Christmas or enjoy the festive period. I know, I know, bah Humbug!
Before you go calling social services to report me for being a ‘mean mummy’, let me introduce you to the reusable advent calendar. Ours is a wooden train, with little doors for each day. Behind each one I place a little piece of paper with a Christmassy activity written on it for us to do that day. We spend the month of December doing all sorts of Christmas themed crafts, baking, outings and games, and it’s lovely. Of course, if you wanted to put chocolate behind each door, you could.
I have also seen large wall-hanging style calendars with pockets, and little socks knitted and strung together by parents much craftier than me containing 24 books or small gifts. These ideas sound lovely too, but a nice activity for the day works well for us.
Eco-friendly wrapping and gift tags
Many people are surprised to learn that most wrapping papers cannot be recycled. Those that are dyed, laminated, metallic and/or decorated in glitter, foil and plastics are headed straight for landfill (that’s most of them!). In 2017, it was reported that the U.K. alone would throw away 108 million rolls of wrapping paper and 40 million rolls of sticky tape! This year, you could try one of these alternatives to help keep all that waste out of landfill.
1
Reuse gift bags and paper that have been given to you. You can also hang on to any packaging paper you get sent through the year and if you still buy print newspapers, you can reuse these.
2
Furoshiki (aka fabric wrapping). This takes a little investment because obviously you need to have a supply of fabric, but it doesn’t have to be super expensive and you can spread the cost out over the year. Charity shop scarves and clothes work a treat, but if you want something more Christmassy, fabric and craft shops often stock organic cotton in a range of lovely, vibrant prints.
3
Use compostable or recyclable alternatives (ordinary brown paper is perfect for this) and add a festive touch. Last year, I chose to tie my brown paper packages with green and red raffia and, since we’ve moved house and have ample brown paper used during the move, I will be doing the same this year. You could also try adding pine cones, rosemary or fir as natural decorations. If you or the kids are feeling crafty, you might like to make a decoration that can then be used on the recipient’s tree (I’m no good at knitting or crochet, but I can make a mean salt dough!).
4
Make the wrapping part of the gift. Scarves, cotton to turn into beeswax wraps, tea towels, clothes or socks, muslins, sandwich bags…the possibilities are endless, and what fun having a present in a present!
5
When it comes to gift tags, you can incorporate this into your natural or homemade decoration. Write directly on to the salt dough or on to fallen leaves collected from the garden, or by stitching a name into your knitted decoration. You could also cut tags out of brown paper, or, if you get sent Christmas cards, before you throw them away at the end of the Christmas period, cut sections out of them to save for next year’s gift tags. Instead of sticky tape, try using recyclable paper tape, string or raffia.
Cards
As a child, I remember my parents being sent enough cards to decorate the bannisters and hang as bunting all around the living room. Now, Alex and I get sent maybe three or four cards each year. It seems that with the rise of the internet and world-wide communication being easier (and cheaper) than ever, my generation will likely be the last to see this tradition, and thank goodness! They’re costly, the emissions used to transport them all over the globe has an obvious environmental impact, I dread to think how many trees are destined to end up as cards each year, and most cards can’t even be recycled. Instead…
- Why not donate the money you would ordinarily spend on cards and stamps to your favourite charity?
- Or spend the money on a Christmas box for your local homeless shelter?
- Or on food to donate to a local food bank?
Of course, the tradition of catching up with friends and relatives, and letting people know that you’re thinking of them during the festive season, is a nice one and I don’t think it should be neglected. Perhaps there are individuals on your Christmas card list that don’t use the internet so snail mail and a good old fashioned phone call is the only way to stay in touch. Perhaps you know that receiving a card will be of significant importance to some people. Whatever the reason, if you don’t feel able to forgo cards altogether, here are a couple of alternative suggestions for the select few you may still wish to send something to:
1
Send an e-card to those who use email. Yes, they’re pretty cheesy, but if the aim is to connect with people and let them know you’re thinking of them, job done! This is also a great option for people travelling who aren’t at a fixed address, and for kids (what child doesn’t love an animated card set to music?!).
2
Make your own cards that can be composted or at least recycled. This is what we do for the handful of people we know would appreciate a card in the post, particularly since we have spent the last two years away from our relatives and friends in the U.K..
Theo picks out a festive design from a quick online search, (while little, this has usually been hand/foot-print related, but as he gets older and his artistic skills expand beyond scribbles, he’ll have more creative freedom to do as he chooses for cards) and we use compostable paint and paper to recreate it. Remember that if you decorate with ordinary paint and crayons, glitter, stickers etc, it cannot be recycled or composted.
3
Send a traditional letter, nothing but pen and paper that can easily be recycled once it has been read.
Zero-waste Christmas crackers
A beloved tradition for many, but, like party bags for birthdays, they are wasteful, full of plastic tat that gets swept straight into the bin, and the card used to make them can’t be recycled thanks to plastic laminate and plastic decorations such as glitter and bows. So, what are the alternatives? My homemade Christmas crackers went down a treat last year. They’re very simple to make, they’re (almost, with the exception of the centre of the snap) waste-free, and although they may not look as fancy as shop bought ones, they have everything you need for a good Christmas cracker: a bang, a joke, a hat and a present that won’t get chucked!
I made hats out of tissue paper, wrote out some suitably awful jokes on little pieces of paper, and bought everyone a small, personal gift that I knew they would use and appreciate. I put all that inside an empty toilet roll and threaded a cracker snap through. I then wrapped the whole lot in tissue paper, used a tiny piece of paper tape to secure the middle and tied the ends with raffia. Ta Dah! Homemade zero waste crackers! You can also buy reusable crackers and low waste ones but I haven’t tried any of these so I can’t vouch for them.
Sustainable gifts
Yes, it is lovely to both give and receive gifts, but it’s pointless if the gift isn’t well thought out for the person that’s receiving it. Don’t be the giver of a gift that sits unused at the back of the cupboard. Instead of braving the overcrowded shopping malls in the run up to Christmas, why not instead try to think of zero waste gifts this year. You could:
1
Give an experience: days out, event tickets, restaurant vouchers, lessons in something the individual has been wanting to try.
2
Give a membership or subscription: perhaps a museum or gallery membership, membership to a sports centre or other hobby club, a subscription to an online or print magazine (if you go for print, try to select one that both ticks the right boxes for the individual so that it actually gets read, and has environmentally friendly production methods – look for those printed on recycled paper, with low carbon manufacturing, and that absolutely do not send their magazines out covered in plastic!).
3
Give something homemade: craft, bake, upcycle furniture. If you’re not that way inclined, perhaps you have other skills you could share as a gift? Painting and decorating? Hairdressing? Make-up and nails? Photography?
4
Give an online gift: an online course, a kindle book, an e-book.
5
If you want to buy something material, consider whether it can be bought second hand, and if not, purchase ethically. You might like to consider the following questions:
- How has the item been manufactured?
- Has the manufacturing process upheld the highest standards of both environmental and social ethics?
- What materials have been used to make it?
- Are the materials sustainable and will they pollute the environment?
- Have animals or humans suffered at all so that you can purchase this item?
- Can you buy this item locally from an independent retailer?
The Christmas meal
Food shopping
Buy local, buy seasonal, buy sustainably farmed and only buy what you need. Since moving to New Zealand, our Christmas meal has changed drastically! Sprouts aren’t in season, so we don’t have them. Chestnuts are imported and hard to find, so we don’t have them. Turkeys aren’t locally farmed, so we don’t have it. I use as much fresh produce from my garden as I can, and anything I don’t have, I buy from local farmers. Cherries are typically eaten at Christmas here so, in the run up to the big day, we have a family day out to a local ‘pick your own’ farm to buy all our Christmas cherries and berries. Not a typical Northern Hemisphere Christmas activity but one that we have enjoyed adopting!
Tableware
First things first, please don’t use disposable tableware. If you don’t have enough for all your guests, ask someone to bring a few extra plates and cutlery, or find some bargains in a charity shop that can then be reused each Christmas and whenever else during the year that you have a large party. Every year for as long as I can remember, my parents have hosted a large party in the Spring that coincides with a local sporting event (not that anyone cares much about that; it’s just a good excuse to get a lot of friends together!). My grandmother, when she was alive, would do the catering, and over a number of years built up quite a collection of charity shop plates. My family have all been very grateful for these plates over the years; they’ve been passed around and brought out at birthday celebrations, Christmases, Summer barbeques and a number of other events.
If you insist on disposable plates and cutlery, please opt for compostable ones as opposed to plastic. 100 million plastic utensils are used by Americans every day. Plastic cutlery is one of the largest ocean polluters and if you remain unconvinced, I guarantee you will feel differently once you’ve watched this horrendous video of a poor sea turtle having a plastic fork removed from its nose. I warn you, the video is distressing, but the turtle survives and it certainly hammers home the point.
Centerpieces and candles
Go natural! Pine cones, branches, berries (cranberries are lovely and bright!), fir and other evergreens, and logs all make for lovely table decorations. Or even a simple house plant! Normal paraffin candles are a petroleum by-product so instead seek out beeswax or soy wax alternatives.
Food waste
The amount of food wasted each year at Christmas is quite staggering. In the U.K. alone, 54 million platefuls of food are thrown away at Christmas. Cook only what you need and store any leftovers so that it will keep. Ask guests to bring a container so they can take some leftovers with them, and if you’re being hosted for Christmas, take a container with you (have you seen this post on zero waste food storage? The Klean Kanteen canisters are perfect for this!) You can also reduce your food waste by keeping vegetable scraps and meat bones to make stock.
Eco-friendly Christmas tree
Once the tree is up, the whole house fills with the cosy smell of Christmas. This is a tough tradition to give up but, even though we were sourcing our tree from a sustainable tree farm, something about chopping down a tree just to have it sitting in my living room for a couple of weeks didn’t sit quite right with me.
Nor do I want a plastic tree. Yes, they can be reused for many years, but I don’t want to contribute to the plastic economy and, call me snobby, but from an aesthetics perspective, I just don’t like them. So, what to do about a tree?
Alex has decided to take on the responsibility of making us a wooden tree from scrap timber that we can decorate, dismantle for storage and reuse for many years to come. Unknown to Theo, he will be getting a real tool set for his 4th birthday at the beginning of December, so he and Alex can bring this project to life together if he would like. I’ll be sure to post pictures of the finished product when it’s complete!
Homemade tree decorations
Obviously if you already own tinsel, plastic baubles and a wonderful, much-loved array of tacky decorations, please don’t just throw them away, but please don’t buy new ones either. You can keep reusing what you have (I’m pretty sure that my parents are still using many of the same decorations they had 25 years ago, and they have lots of life left in them yet!), or you can donate them to a charity shop/care home/shelter so that they can continue to be enjoyed by someone else.
When it is time to consider some new decorations, you could either make your own or buy handmade items that have been lovingly created using sustainable materials. We’ve done a mixture of the two. Here are some ideas for your own homemade decorations. Theo had a great time in the run up to last Christmas getting creative, practicing his fine motor skills and building his hand muscles.
1
Paper chains. Simple, effective and easily composted or recycled. They can be jazzed up with compostable crayons or paints.
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Salt dough and natural paint. Kneading and rolling dough is a great activity for strengthening little hands. You can make lovely keepsakes using handprints or footprints to give as gifts, and with the leftovers you can sculpt, cut out and decorate whatever Christmassy creations you fancy. Provided you only decorate with natural paint, these can be composted at the end of their life.
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Natural fibre felt. Felt can be bought in both natural and synthetic fibres so ensure you’re buying a natural fibre one. Stitch pieces together to create your masterpiece.
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Nature’s treasures. Pine cones, cinnamon sticks, dried orange slices, and twigs crafted into snowflakes and stars all make for beautiful, rustic-looking decorations.
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Bits and pieces from around the house that may otherwise be destined for landfill. This year we’ve used a stash of old buttons to make Christmas trees. You could use bottle tops, soda can rings, pieces of ribbon, jar lids; whatever you have lying around unused has the potential to be upcycled into a festive decoration.
I hope you find these sustainable Christmas ideas helpful. Will your family be trying any of these this year? Do you have any other ideas to share? Let me know in the comments!
If you’re looking for some new year’s resolution ideas, check out this post on eco-friendly swaps for home and travel. Wishing you and yours a very merry green Christmas!
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7 Tips for hiking with children
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Hiking with children is one of those things that people often assume is too hard, not worth the effort, or simply isn’t possible. Alex and I did a lot of hiking before Theo was born, but this hasn’t changed just because we now have a little person, soon to be two little people, in tow.
Thankfully Theo is also an outdoors person and he enjoys being in fresh air and surrounded by nature as much as we do. Sure, some kids just don’t enjoy this kind of activity so a rethink may be required. If your kid(s) fall into this category but you’d love them to share in your passion and enjoyment, I suggest trying these 7 tips for hiking with children before giving up all together. Ensuring that it’s an enjoyable experience for everyone can require a bit of forethought, patience and creativity, so here are our top tips.
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Know everyone’s limits
If you intend to go hiking with children, the route you plan for will depend on your children’s ages and development. It pays to have an accurate idea of what everyone can manage without getting tired and grumpy.
Theo was introduced to hiking at 4 days old. Of course at this age, he was in a sling for the entirety of our outing and as long as he could still feed on demand, he was happy.
As we got past the newborn stage, we’d get him out of the sling for stints so he could crawl around, explore and eventually toddle about. By 16 months he had scaled England’s highest peak as well as many of the Lake District’s other fells. By the age of about 18 months, he was a very confident walker and was happy to go on hikes of approximately 10 miles (16 km). Of course this still included stints in the sling either to rest his legs or to have a nap.
Over the following year, he managed longer and longer stretches of walking by himself and was happily doing over 6 mile (10 km) hikes up mountains by the age of 2 and a bit without the need for breaks in the sling. The steeper and more technical the terrain, the more fun he had!
We’ve found that the age of 2.5 to 3 has been most challenging so far in terms of planning long hikes, and have needed to drastically cut back our expectations. I suspect it’s partly that he’s out of practise (it’s been winter here so we’ve been hiking less over these past 6 months), partly that his current learning is based on role play rather than exploration of the physical world, and partly that he’s at a stage where he wants to exert his independence and make his opinions heard. That’s fine, we encourage this, and we see it as our responsibility to tailor activities so that they cater for his current learning, preferences and needs rather than drag him on things he has no interest in just because it’s what we want to do. So, our recent hikes have been shorter and slower. I go into a bit more detail below in point 6 about how we’ve adapted our outings to suit his current learning.
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Bring loads of snacks (and water!)
Most parents don’t leave the house without ample snacks so I’m sure you’d probably think to do this anyway. The difference though is that when on a hike, if you run out of food, you risk having a hungry child on your hands for potentially miles of walking and then perhaps also a drive back home or to the nearest shop. A ‘hangry’ child is a very good way to instantly ruin your peaceful hike through a beautiful setting, so try to avoid this at all costs!
Bringing water on a hike is hopefully obvious. Stay hydrated by stopping for short water breaks regularly, particularly in hot weather. A bottle of water is also handy to wet cloth wipes on the go, for post-snack sticky hands and faces, nappy changes/unfortunate accidents/stops behind a tree, and to mop up muddy and scraped knees and hands.
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Bring a sling
This is obviously most relevant for babies, toddlers and preschoolers, but may also apply to some older children, particularly those with disabilities or medical conditions.
Likelihood is you won’t forget a sling for your baby because they’ll need to be carried the whole time, but once they are walking confidently it’s an easy item to overlook. Little legs get tired though and having a sling or carrier of some kind will save your back and arms! If your child still has a daytime nap, a sling is the perfect place for this and having this option will mean you can also plan for longer hikes as you’ll cover a lot of ground while they sleep.
The type of sling or carrier you choose will depend on the age of your child, the length and difficulty of your hike, and what you and your child both find most comfortable to use. A stretchy or woven wrap may be ok for younger babies and for shorter hikes, but a buckle carrier may feel more secure on longer or more technical hikes and for heavier children. I recommend the Ergo 360 Cool Air Mesh, and the Connecta Solar, both of which are lightweight and breathable, and can be worn to front or back carry. If you prefer a heavy duty backpack style carrier, or you’re embarking on a very lengthy hike and envisage carrying your child for longer periods, I recommend the Osprey Poco AG Premium. It’s very breathable, has useful storage space, and has a maximum weight of 22 kg (48.5 lbs), meaning it may also be suitable for older children with disabilities.
4
Plan for double the time you think the hike should take
When you look at the trail map and it gives an estimated time for a particular route, ignore this and double it!
Older children and teenagers will of course be better able to keep up with this predicted pace (perhaps even storm ahead of you!) but younger children have shorter legs, they may be liable to run off back the way you’ve just come, and regular stops to explore their surroundings are to be expected.
The exact deviation from the predicted time will of course depend on your kids’ ages, their personalities, everyone’s fitness and hiking experience, and how often you stop for rests/food/photographs/learning etc, but the point remains: everything with children takes a bit longer (even leaving the house!) and hiking with children is no exception.
If your kids need to be back by a specific time for food or sleep, I recommend planning accordingly and leaving more time than you think you could possibly need!
5
Be flexible - sometimes you have to back out
I’m sure you’re used to this as parents but flexibility is key. Sometimes plans have to change last minute and it can be annoying, but personally, I’d rather back out or take a shorter route than endure the frustration of hiking with children who just don’t want to be there. It’s ok if your child’s just not feeling it today, adult’s have days like that too; hopefully you’ll have another opportunity to try again another day.
6
An opportunity for learning and play
Hiking is not just about getting from A to B. It presents a wonderful opportunity for children to learn a wide range of skills and knowledge while being outside and enjoying the natural world (as well as getting some exercise, fresh air and vitamin D). So, like in everything else we do, we play and we learn while we do it.
Between their first and second birthdays, your toddler is likely to enjoy working on their gross motor skills so you may find that games revolve around walking, running and climbing. At this age, Theo loved finding objects (sticks, pine cones etc) for us to throw further up the path and then he’d run off to find it (yes, just like playing ‘fetch’!). We also liked this game because he kept him heading in the right direction rather than going back on himself all the time! Hide and seek also has this positive effect providing that whomever is hiding does so further up the path!
For the littlest of hikers, a simple blade of grass can be a fascinating. For infants, opportunities to use their senses are in abundance. Explore the texture of grass, bark, different leaves, mud and water (if you come to any); take the time to smell flowers and point out the sounds of birds and branches waving in the wind; name objects and their colours as you come across them.
Climb fallen trees, practise jumping off rocks, kick and jump in fallen Autumn leaves; burn all that toddler energy!
Theo was also curious about flowers and insects at this age, so it was the ideal time to practise being gentle with fragile living organisms, and learn to observe and appreciate them without causing harm. He enjoyed taking photographs of the things that interested him along the way. Although not all of these images were in focus or even included his intended subject, they’re a wonderful documentation of a particular hike through the eyes of a one-year-old. I printed them and together we stuck them in a scrapbook and talked about where they were taken. I write captions about where we were, what we were doing and what he was finding interesting, but as he gets older, I’ll instead encourage him to write about his memories.
After their second birthday, you will likely find that your toddler’s speech really erupts and, although they may have been talking for a while, they may suddenly be able to engage with more complex conversations. As certain topics cropped up on our walks (often as a result of a ‘why?’ question!), we started introducing concepts such as the life cycle of plants and animals, the water cycle, and we talked in more detail about the insects we saw while hiking.
Theo still loves exploring the outside world and working on his gross motor skills, but as we approach his third birthday, he is really engaged in role playing. While he still collects sticks, looks at flowers and marvels at bugs, our more recent hikes have also included time pretending to be a lion hunting in the grass, collecting stones to use as money in exchange for ‘goods’ (also collected along the route) in whatever shop he has created, and rescuing vehicles or people that have got stuck in the mud/water/steep or rocky terrain. He loves ‘fixing things’ at the moment so a stick becomes a screw driver and he finds trees with holes to fix.
As his play and learning interests continue to change and develop, so will our hikes.
7
Pack light but don’t forget the essentials
You don’t want to have to lug around everything except the kitchen sink, particularly if you’re likely to also be carrying a child at some point during your hike, but forgetting sun cream, hats, bug spray or spare supplies for children in nappies or those who are not yet reliably toilet-trained, is a recipe for a potentially unpleasant hiking experience. Children (and adults!) with sunburn, bites or soiled clothes are going to be pretty miserable!
I made the mistake of forgetting a spare set of clothes for Theo once when he was about 2 months old. Halfway up a mountain in the British Lake District, I changed his nappy and had to improvise some trousers using my fleece, one leg in each arm! I was cold, but at least he was warm. Suffice to say, I didn’t forget spare clothes for him again!
Hiking with children really is a pleasure; it’s a joy to see the world through their eyes. It will almost certainly be slower than an all-adult excursion, but don’t let that put you off! With these tips, I hope your family can enjoying hiking together as much as we do.
Eco-Friendly Sun Protection
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With the school summer holidays fast approaching in the Northern Hemisphere and sunny days with high UV exposure continuing year-round in the Southern Hemisphere, I thought it a good opportunity to write a short post on staying safe in the sun and choosing eco-friendly sun cream, hats and swimwear for the whole family.
Eco-Friendly Sun Cream… Sunscreen…Suntan Lotion…Sunblock…
Since Theo was 3 months and experienced his first strong sun (he was born in the winter in the U.K. so he had to wait a few months!), we have been big fans of Green People’s Organic Children Sun Lotion SPF30.
Made from natural ingredients and containing ‘no nasties’, this eco-friendly sun cream has been gentle on his allergy-induced eczema-prone skin, and is safe for corals and marine life. He has never suffered with redness or burn so it seems to offer good protection (it’s advertised as offering high protection against UVA and UVB rays, with 97% UVB protection). Despite being thick, it isn’t greasy and it’s easier to apply and rub in than many of the other baby sun cream brands.
I recently came across this article, written in 2014, and contacted Green People for a response; I haven’t heard back! I believe they have changed any misleading advertising since this was printed. We’ve certainly not had any problems with it!
We really like the Organic Children Aloe Vera Lotion and After Sun as well.
Eco-Friendly Sun Hats
I have two requirements when choosing a sun hat for Theo: it must shade his face adequately and it must secure under his chin (because keeping a hat on a baby/toddler without a chin strap is a battle I can do without!). I have found two ethical brands that meet these specifications and have become firm favourites.
Frugi is a British children’s clothing company founded on the highest environmental and social standards. They use GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) certified organic cotton, as well as recycled plastic bottles and natural rubber for their rainwear. No chemicals, no hazardous pollutants, a fair wage and safe working environment for all their factory workers, and they work with factories to ensure water and energy consumption are kept to a minimum. They also donate 1% of their annual turnover to charity, including one children’s charity, one community charity and one environmental charity.
We have a lots of Frugi clothing and I love their Little Dexter hat with velcro tie, available in sizes newborn-4 years. We used last year’s Little Dexter hat every day during the summer so I immediately bought the next size up when they released this year’s collection (remembering that our seasons are opposite so I size up ready for later in the year)! The velcro’s really soft so didn’t bother or scratch Theo at all but I also found it to be very secure, even in Canterbury’s high winds!
We also use Frugi’s Little Swim Legionnaires hat at the beach. It has a large, soft brim and a great neck cover, and has a UPF 50+ rating, making it a great eco-friendly sun hat. While it doesn’t have a chin tie, it is elasticated for a good fit so it stays put!
If you’re looking for something with an even wider brim, Sunday Afternoons, an American family-run company, make a range of great eco-friendly sun hats with a focus on the highest sun protection. We really like the Clear Creek Boonie, which has an adjustable under-chin strap, UPF 50+ rating and a soft structured brim. What I really like about this company is that they donate to environmental and social causes that protect the landscape and support a love of the outdoors among the next generation.
Eco-friendly Sun and Swimwear
Theo’s last two swimming costumes have been Frugi. Even when subjected to regular sun, salt water and chlorine, I’ve been really impressed with how long they last. They offer good coverage and, like the hats, have a UPF 50+ rating. They zip at the back, come in lovely fun designs, and don’t have poppers on the inside legs. This obviously means harder nappy access but can be better once babies are mobile; I found that once Theo started crawling poppers always came undone anyway and were more hassle than they were worth. When he’s toilet trained, we may have to rethink as he wouldn’t be able to use the toilet without our help undressing.
When Theo was a newborn (he started swimming a minimum of weekly from 5 weeks) until about 6 months, he got cold in the water very quickly so I chose swimwear that offered a bit more warmth. Close Pop-In do a range with fleece lining: the baby cosy suit, and the toddler snug suit. Both have poppers at the crotch for easy nappy changes or toileting, the cosy suit opens fully at the front with Velcro and has a built in swimming nappy, and the snug suit has a zip at the back. Word of warning, these are sized quite small so size up if you’re unsure!
We have used both Pop-Ins and Tots Bots swimming nappies. In my opinion, Pop-Ins are better for babies, Tots Bots are better for toddlers. Pop-Ins are a tighter fit around the thighs so are harder to get on a wriggly toddler but offer a bit more of a barrier against those pre-weaning explosions!
For adult swimwear, there are lots of eco brands on the market but personally I find a lot of them quite drab looking. I like Jets, an Australian company whose products are all certified by Ethical Clothing Australia, ensuring that workers’ rights are protected throughout the supply chain. Sustainable manufacturing and the use of recycled materials in their fabric is central to the brand.
Enjoy the sunshine but remember to stay safe and look after our oceans! For some other suggestions on how to have an eco-friendly family holiday, check out this post on 20 ways to travel sustainably.
The Complete Guide to Flying with Kids
Updated on
The thought of flying with kids is enough to keep many parents awake at night! Instead of feeling excited about your upcoming journey, are you worrying about how you’re going to keep your children happy, entertained, well slept, well fed, and clean for the duration of the flight, plus achieve all of this without annoying every other passenger on the plane?!
Don’t panic, it really will be ok. I can honestly say that every one of the 25 mostly long-haul flights Theo has been on to date has been a breeze, but we have learnt a few things along the way.
I recently had the pleasure of writing a guest post for my favourite ethical retailer, Babipur, detailing my 12 top tips to ensure your journey is as stress-free as possible.
View the post here for suggestions on:
- Trip planning, booking the right flight and choosing the best seats.
- Making the most of your checked luggage allowance and free baby items. If you are planning to take a car seat and buggy/stroller with you in the hold, I suggest protecting them. We use this padded car seat bag along with these Gate Check Pro bags (one for the car seat, which goes over the padded bag, and one for a buggy/stroller) and have found that they have all survived remarkably well for the price tag; well worth the investment!
- Must-haves for your hand luggage.
- Time management.
- Getting through the chaos of airport and security. Hint: a sling helps massively!
- Dealing with nappy changes in the airport and on flight. In this post, I go into more detail about using cloth nappies while travelling so you may also want to check that out.
- Snacks and drinks, plus of course our favourite reusable bottles, bags and containers to carry them in. We wouldn’t be without our Klean Kanteens (a Kid Kanteen for Theo, an insulated one for water, which gets filled after we’ve gone through security, and a wide neck insulated one for coffee, which can be filled before departing and then refilled during your flight), Klean Kanteen canisters ( ideal if you need to take a meal on board; not too bulky, leak-proof and I recommend the insulated ones for any hot food), and our Planet Wise sandwich bags and wraps (check out the whole Planet Wise range as they have heaps of options in different sizes and prints to suit your style).
- Helping little ones to equalise their ears.
- Providing entertainment that lasts the whole flight. Click here for a few of our favourite (and very much tried and tested!) eco-friendly toys for travelling.
Flying with kids doesn’t have to be stressful! Have a safe flight and a wonderful trip making memories to cherish!
The link again to the whole post is here.
This post contains affiliate links and will either take you the brand’s website or to the relevant amazon listing. I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you if you buy something using these links (but not if you leave the page and then go back to it later). This enables me to keep writing this blog and producing useful information, so please consider making any purchases through these links.
10 Tips for using cloth nappies (diapers) while travelling
Updated on
o you love your cloth nappies/diapers but feel yourself reaching for disposables whenever you’re away from home? Maybe you feel a pang of guilt about the extra landfill waste but don’t quite know how to manage reusable products when you’re away from your trusty washing machine…and how on earth do you get them dry???
I was adamant that we would not be ditching the fluff every time we went away, but everyone I spoke to seemed to think it was impossible to use cloth nappies away from home and advised that we may as well pack some disposables. Even Alex had his doubts.
But, guess what?! It’s just as easy as at home! Here are a few tips so that you too can carry on using your cloth nappies wherever you are in the world!
Work out how many nappies you’re going to need so you don’t waste valuable packing space. I like to wash mine every 2-3 days, I allow 1 day of drying time, and I take 1 day’s worth of spares (which has come in handy but I’m an ‘overpacker’ so you may not think this is necessary!), so I pack 4-5 days worth. Obviously your total number will vary depending on the age of your child (newborns need more than toddlers!). Don’t forget any extra inserts or boosters you use.
Similarly, work out how many cloth wipes you need using the same formula as above! We also use cloth wipes for sticky hands and faces at meal times and as make-up remover pads, so I also pack extra for these purposes.
Remember to pack liners. We use TotsBots fleece liners. They can be washed with the nappies and wipes, help keep your nappies stain-free, and ensure that your baby’s bum stays dry, thus preventing any itchy rashes. I pack one for each day-use nappy and two for each night-use nappy (we use TotsBots Bamboozles at night because of their excellent absorbency. However, because the whole nappy gets wet (unlike inserts), I like to use an extra liner to ensure the line around Theo’s waist also stays dry.
At home, you may use a bucket or pail to store dirty nappies (I use a TotsBots bucket and mesh liners), but on the road, you’re going to need wet bags! I love Planet Wise wet bags as they contain smells and hold in the moisture. I use the medium size for out and about, and the large size for storing at wherever we’re calling ‘home’. I find that taking two of each size is enough for longer trips. They’re all machine washable so I stick any used bags in with each load of nappies and wipes.
Choose nappies that are space efficient but will also meet all of your needs while you’re away. Your night nappies might be a bit bulkier, for example, but I consider this necessary bulk as I’d rather avoid changing pyjamas and bed sheets in the middle of the night!). It is also helpful to have some that dry quickly. Ultimately though, your nappy choices will probably depend on what you already own and what works best for your little one; they’re all different shapes and sizes so what works for one won’t necessarily work for another. We use a selection of the following: TotsBots EasyFit Stars, TotsBots Bamboozles with PeeNut Wraps, Milovia pocket nappies, Close Pop Ins, and Baba+Boo pocket nappies.
Don’t forget about detergent. If you have a preferred detergent that you want to bring with you, measure out how much you’ll need based on how many washes you’ll want to do. Of course, you can buy detergent while you’re away but be aware that if, for example, you prefer non-bio, this isn’t easy to buy everywhere, and likewise for powders vs. liquids. Ecological brands are also not readily available in supermarkets all over the world. We managed to take an open box of detergent as hand luggage all over North America. We were a little surprised given stringent airport security in the States, but no one seemed too bothered about our box of mysterious white powder!
Right, you’ve packed everything you need, but where are you going wash them?
We often choose to stay in an Airbnb (where you can enter ‘washer’ and ‘dryer’ as search filters) but have also stayed at hotels, motels, guesthouses and campsites/RV parks that have laundry facilities on site. These are typically coin operated machines that you can stick on and come back to later. I’ve been offered free wash cycles as a ‘thank you for using cloth’ at a number of campsites and motels!
Those that don’t have facilities for guests, may still allow you to use their housekeeping machines. Only at one hotel have they not allowed me to use their washing machines (but their housekeeping staff snuck a load on for me anyway when their manager wasn’t around!).
If there are no laundry facilities on site, there may be a local laundrette (we have used many!), or they can be hand-washed.
Of course, if you’re only away for a long weekend, there may not be any need to do any washing at all; just bring your nappies back dirty and do it at home.
What about drying them? The sun is your best friend when it comes to simultaneously drying nappies and removing any stains. If possible, get them outside. If this isn’t an option (or it’s not sunny), I’ve hung nappies on every hangable object in our room/apartment. It doesn’t make for the best decor, but needs must!
Don’t forget to pack a swim nappy or two! We love TotsBots swim nappies and find that having two is ideal for any length of trip. They can be added to your usual nappy wash or hand washed with swim wear, and they dry incredibly quickly. Perfect for the beach, pool, and any other water-based fun, you don’t need to use disposable swimming nappies while you’re away at all! We’ve left Theo is his ordinary cloth nappies when we have an impromptu swim in a waterfall, stream or fountain and have failed to pack swimming gear, but they do get a bit heavy, so I recommend carrying a swim nappy with you just in case!
Finally, if you don’t fancy washing and stuffing nappies on your break, remind yourself that the manufacturing of disposable nappies puts a huge strain on our planet and that a disposable nappy will sit in landfill for approximately 500 years. If this isn’t motivation enough, can your nappy-wearer help you? Theo loves helping me put wipes in piles and placing fleece liners in his nappies. It can easily be turned into a fun game with loads of opportunities for learning; naming colours and objects on the prints, counting, sorting, and stacking.
I hope these pointers have been helpful. I promise that using cloth nappies while travelling is no different to at home!
Where can I buy cloth nappies, wipes, wet bags and ecological detergent?
The in-text links will take you to the item listing on Amazon. I receive a small commission if you buy something using these links (but not if you leave the page and then go back to it later). This enables me to keep writing this blog and producing useful information. However, I prefer to use independent ethical retailers. I always recommend www.babipur.co.uk as a great place to buy eco friendly toys, clothes, reusable nappies/diapers and sanitary products, slings, household items and toiletries. They are a trusted ethical retailer and you can rest assured that they’ve done their research into the best eco brands and products on the market; everything they stock is made from sustainable materials and the manufacturing processes are both socially and environmentally ethical. Their customer service is second to none and their online presence is friendly, personal and transparent. I have always received purchases in double quick time and everything arrives in recycled or reused packaging. Spend over £40 for free UK postage, and international postage is very reasonable. Top marks all round!