Closer Online caught up with Stacey Solomon, who shared her tips for easy travelling with young children and her main point is to be prepared.
Mum-of-two Stacey, 24, said: “Favourite toys and games are your diversion weapons, plus essentials like water or a change of clothes can save the day.
“Keeping kids entertained in car journeys makes family travel much less stressful. I take books and games to keep my children occupied (and quiet!) and lots of snacks to distract them.”
Stacey also said it’s important to remember that your day out is supposed to be fun, adding: “Make the journey part of your family adventure. If nothing else, a good sing along helps pass the time!”
But Stacey admitted it isn’t always easy and that it is a struggle to keep her children constantly entertained. She said: “Trying to keep my kids entertained is like trying to milk a cow.
“They’re pretty good and they get on well. I mean believe me it’s not perfect – there will always be a time where one of them is misbehaving.”
Before you go out with the kids, make a check list and ensure you have everything you could possible need with you to make sure the travelling is as smooth as can be.
Stacey has her own list of essential items for travelling with her children: “A BubbleBum inflatable booster seat (they’re easy to pack and squeeze in your handbag), water, healthy snacks, toy cars and a change of clothing!”
The former Queen of the Jungle recommends always travelling with a BubbleBum inflatable booster seat to avoid being caught out with rental cars.
We all saw and heard what an amazing voice Stacey has when she was on The X Factor, so what are she and her kids singing along to in the car at the moment? “If we’ve tuned into the radio we always sing along to Happy by Pharrell.
“It makes us all smile and everyone knows the words, even my two year old!”
Being a busy working mum like Stacey can sometimes leave you feeling a bit guilty when you’re not spending as much time with your kids as you could be.
But Stacey admits she tells herself she’s doing it for them, saying: “I’m so lucky that if I work hard they get to experience things I never did. Every time I start to feel guilty about it I just tell myself that.”
It would be easy to assume that Stacey is always happy, even when travelling gets a bit stressful, but she revealed there is one thing that she doesn’t love.
“If we’re travelling abroad, plane take-offs and landings are sometimes a little stressful! No one really likes that feeling and being in a confined space with lots of strangers doesn’t help.
“Car journeys are so much easier and there are so many lovely things to do in the UK that nay travel hassles are easily forgettable!”
And Stacey always keeps a spare BubbleBum booster seat in her car, “it means your children’s friends can come along for the day too.”
BubbleBum, the inflatable car booster seat for kids. www.bubblebum.co