Holiday travel tips for twins from a twin dad

Travelling with twins, triplets or more can feel like a big step, especially when you’re already juggling everyday life. But parents of multiples often say the same thing: with planning, a bit of flexibility, and a few trusted go-to activities, holidays can feel far more doable than you might expect.

For twin dad Nayan, travel is part of family life. He works as cabin crew for one of the UK’s major airlines and wants his twin boys, Nishchay and Shayan, born in 2017, to explore the world.

Twins Trust has information to help parents think through travel with multiples, from getting organised ahead of time to handling the unexpected when children are out of their usual routine.

Planning takes the pressure off

Nayan and Seena book holidays well in advance. For them, it’s partly about finding good deals, but it’s also about giving themselves time to prepare. Once they’re away, they plan around what the boys want to do and adjust routines as needed, rather than trying to keep everything exactly the same as at home.

Seena takes the lead on planning and packing, thinking ahead about what the boys will need during long journeys. That includes activities to keep them occupied, which helps reduce the chances of the familiar chorus of ‘I’m bored!’ when they’re out of their usual routine.

They plan carefully for getting to the airport. Leaving enough time before check-in means nobody is rushing. Snack bags and tablets for the plane help keep the boys settled during the flight, and they each have their own backpack for the items they’ll need on board. It’s a simple way to help them feel included and responsible for their own things.

Making the journey easier

For Nayan, being prepared is about more than packing. It’s about having a few reliable back-up options, so small problems don’t become big ones mid-flight.

Nayan said: “The boys have tablets with age-children’s age-related apps. We make sure they’re charged for the flights. We always travel with a power bank and chargers in my hand luggage backpack.

“We have a goody bag with the boys’ favourite snacks while they’re on a flight. We take a suitcase with UK snacks too so we have those as extras if needed.

“They love the games that are provided on the televisions on the planes too. Generally they watch a few programmes and then sleep.”

Trips that mean something

Looking back on their travels, Nayan said: “We started taking the boys away when they were five-years-old. We had a trip to India booked but then Covid happened so we put our travel plans on hold. It was going to be a milestone trip in 2020 to mark the 100th birthday of our guru who died in 2016. Because of Covid, this didn’t happen. In 2022, we were able to do that trip without any restrictions. It was a family holiday and a religious visit too. We’ve done about three or four trips since.”

Since then, travelling has also become a way for the family to make memories together. When they choose a holiday, Nayan looks for resorts that offer children’s activities, so the boys have plenty to do.

He added: “We are strict vegetarians, we don’t have fish or eggs. When we choose a holiday, it’s predominantly 90% all inclusive and needs to be family-friendly. We ask the children what they want to eat, they can choose.

“The kids’ activities are great too. We don’t force them to do the activities but we ask them what they want to do. My wife and I work our time around the children. They go out of routine for the first day of the holiday because of jet-lag. We make sure we take hydration tablets to help with jetlag. Once they get past that, they wake up early and then find their routine again. We do breakfast and prayers and then plan the day. The activities include swimming, painting and treasure hunts. We try and maximise the morning hours and keep out of the midday harsh sun.”

For Nayan and Seena, it’s about focusing on what works for their family. That includes structure, but also choice for the boys.

He said: “It’s quality time together on holiday. We make time together in the evenings but we allow the boys to choose what we do, that’s important for us and them.

“Life can be challenging with multiples but you make it work to suit your needs. It’s a learning curve and if you make a mistake, you know you won’t do it again.

“I love that travel makes the boys aware of other cultures and traditions, they question so much and their inquisitiveness and the knowledge they get from travel is amazing.

“It’s opening their eyes to the real world.” Nayan said.