The Maldives with children

A family vacation is not only a great memory and fun pastime, but also a frequent concern of parents. For travel to the islands with children you have to prepare to the different problems in advance and start planning your trip better with a flight to the islands. Of course, the Maldives can be called safe country, but climate’s features and remoteness of the islands make high burden for child’s organism, especially if it comes about preschooler or infant. Let’s try to understand what is necessary to take into account when visiting the Maldives with children.

The table of contests

• Choosing sunscreen
• What kind of clothes should a child wear in the Maldives?
• Nutrition for children in the Maldives
• Teaching a child to the water in the Maldives
• What can a child do in the Maldives?
• The doctor on the island

Choosing sunscreen

Because of the proximity of the ocean, the gruelling heat is never in the Maldives. Acclimatization goes unnoticed and quickly, but it doesn’t mean that the sun’s rays are more gentle. Protection from ultraviolet rays is necessary for adults and children. It is recommended to choose sunscreen with a thick texture of the cream, which isn’t washed off so quickly. But that’s not all the rules of choise.

• You must take into account your child’s age. Up half a year babies are contraindicated by such means, so any sunscreen can be used for children from three years old. If there is an inscription “from birth” you can buy means for six-months-old babies. After five years of age, it’s okay to give the child adult spf-means.
• Remember the need for care. A good product will not only protect child’s skin, but also nourish and moisturise it so that it does not dry out from constant contact with sea water and doesn’t react to allergies. It is desirable that the product contain natural additives, such as vitamins or plant extracts.
• Be careful about the spf protection index. The thing is, 50% protection sunscreen is allowed only for children from age of three years old. But it is not the only factor which determines the strength of the means. So, 30% protection sunscreen will be great variant for children with dark eyes and skin, while for blond babies better to buy the product more powerful. During the rest, It isn’t recommended to take sunscreen with protection less than 25 spf.
• Calculate the dosage of the product correctly. Whatever cream you bought, you will have to use it actively. The more often the child bathes, the shorter the time the sunscreen will last. But even if the baby sits near him parents calmly, the means ends its effect in about three hours.
• Study the composition. For the baby it is undesirable to get means where chemical perfumes or the spirit giving to a cream sharp and unpleasant smell are added. But an additional UVB filter for protection against permanent short rays of ultraviolet light will be very useful. A good product shouldn’t contain oxybenzone, nanoparticles (oxides and dioxides), retinyl palmitate, octyl methoxycinnamate and butyl methylobenzolmethane. All of these substances affect. All of these substances affect the production of hormones and free radicals, and can also cause mutations in the genes.

Maybe it makes sense to choose a hotel with thick vegetation. Palms will hide your baby from the direct sunlight. Some islands have shade even on the beach.

What kind of clothes should a child wear in the Maldives?

Of course, young mothers tend to take their entire wardrobe to rest, and fathers prefer a minimum set of shorts and t-shirts. But what’s the baby wearing? This is a difficult question, because children are very active, are subject to allergies to poor quality fabric and do not tolerate any inconvenience. But even the lightest clothes must meet the safety parameters, ie protect your baby from bright sunlight and strong scratches.

• If you take T-shirts (better cotton), then count on 2 things a day, because the child can easily get dirty or wet things in the ocean.
• Shorts and skirts (for girls) are much easier. Choose your baby’s favorite clothes, but not too expensive (so that it wouldn’t be offensively to get dirty) and short (so that the baby wouldn’t get confused and fall down).
• Don’t forget the socks, which protect your feet from the sun and also prevent injuries when your feet come into contact with different plants, stones and shells. A headdress is also an important element of protection, but also against the sun. It is better to take a pair of caps or panamos at once.
• The seabed in the Maldives is covered with small particles of coral. Not all places can be walked on the sand with an open foot. Stepping on corals is not pleasant. Therefore, it makes sense to buy yourself and your baby slippers for corals.
• Since the journey takes place in the Maldives, a bathing suit is essential. A child should take two swimsuits at once to dry one, while the other is actively used.
• If your child is burned, his clothes must be long-sleveed. This can be a thin cotton jacket or a long T-shirt. If you have such things, but they are too thick, still take them in case of cold nights and evenings.

It makes sense to give preference to sandals that fit snugly and do not wash away in the ocean, as well as comfortable sneakers, in which the baby can go for a walk on the island or go on a trip to the neighboring atoll. This is especially important if you are spending your holiday in sports and active recreation.

Nutrition for children in the Maldives

For organisation healthy meals for your baby, at first you should to decide what kind of travel you choose. There are two possible scenarios:

• You choose a hotel with included meals. In majority of the hotels in the Maldives there is a children’s menu or at least a children’s buffet. If you have a child who is intolerant of some food, you must tell about it in advance. Same goes for a long flight to the islands: an airplane’s meals are intended for variety of people and children too, and it is necessary to inform the airline about the allergy about a week before the flight.
• You cook your own food at the hotel or eat in separate restaurants and cafes. Generally there isn’t any difficults, because you just have to feed your baby what she or he loves at home. If the child is allergic, do not experiment with exotic fruits and spicy foods. However, there have been cases when kids have lost allergies on vacation due to the healing power of fresh salty air.

In advance take into account that conception about children nutrition differentiates from Кussian families’ opinion in the Maldives. In particular, only French fries, burgers and nuggets can be offered to children in public places. Fortunately, porridge can be cooked in any cafe and restaurant, and baby juices (without exotic additives) in the assortment are present, but they are often called fresches. There are also packaged diluted juices where it is written for which age the drink is suitable.

What kind of food is it necessary to take aboard the plane or on the islands? In this question, focus on the range of shops in the Maldives. In particular, if you are staying in a large place, whether it is the capital itself or Maafushi, there is something to choose from, including some products for the child. But baby food, for example, may not be available on small islands. So if you don’t have any arrangements with the hotel, it’s better to bring a few cans of porridge, salads and mashed potatoes with you.

The same applies to dried milk and dried fruit. Keep in mind that it is difficult to find milk without sweeteners and flavors in the Maldives. And there are no fermented milk products on the islands. If you cook by yourself and plan your family vacation for at least a month, it makes sense to buy a multicooker or pressure cooker.

Teaching a child to the water in the Maldives

Bathing any baby in a large and open sea area is the subject of many fears and concerns of parents. In fact, all children are born with swimming instinct and without any fear of water. But even if your child splashes in the bathroom with pleasure there is no guarantees that he will not has any negative emotions towards to swimming in the sea or the ocean.

The most optimal age for swimming is from two months for the year. So if you come to the Maldives with a baby, don’t waste time and teach him to swim. Here are some basic recommendations:

• Purchase the necessary equipment to make your baby feel safe and keep on the surface of the water effortlessly. This can be a baby circle or inflatable sleeves.
• Always accompany your child when he or she is trying to learn to swim. Be confident and relaxed so that your child does not panic. Talk to the child, sing and prop him/her first behind the back or neck.
• If you have toys for the beach, such as inflatable balloons, you can arrange some competition on the coast, and then accidentally throw this thing in the water (but not deep), and then go get a toy with the baby. Also you can wash sand toys in the ocean with the baby so that he gets used to the proximity of large water.
• At any sign of crying or hysteria, it makes sense to leave the ocean, let the baby calm down. There is no need to compel children to bathe by force.

When choosing a swimming device for rest in the Maldives, take into account the skills of your baby and his character in general. If it will be quietly splashing along the coast, you can buy funny circles (even walkers) in the form of toys and animals. But they’re not intended for real swimming with parents. The youngest children need a neck circle with a special chin notch. You can buy an inflatable vest at the age of two. Inflatable mattress for swimming should be with handles, and if the child swims uncertainly, then complement the rest on it with sleeves.

Some parents take an inexpensive inflatable pool to rest. This thing makes sense if the child is afraid of open water space, but he flounders with succes. To teach the baby to stay on the water, pour into the seawater pool and place on the beach near you. And in this inflatable design, sandals, panamas and your favorite toys will not be lost. For older children, you can bring a children’s mask and snorkel (snorkeling in the Maldives), then the child can get to know the underwater world of the Maldives. But of course you can’t leave your kids alone, let them swim under your supervision.

What can a child do in the Maldives?

First of all, you have to get over a flight to the islands. It it better to choose the nightflight, but in 9 hours your child will get all the sleep and want attention and interesting pastime. The easiest solution of this problem is to download films or cartoonmoveis to a laptop, netbook or tablet (preferably a large and high-quality one, so that the baby does not spoil the eyes). The content can be informative or entertaining, as long as it is age-appropriate. Pre-prepared cartoons or children’s films will also be useful for the rest of the day, when the whole hour or even two is left unused.

If you need to distract your child for a while, you can download tablet gamesIt is important not to overdo it, because the computer adventures are very dragging out, and the rest in the Maldives still should not turn into a permanent stay in a hotel with a gadget. By the way, while flying to the islands you can ask for coloring, dolls and cars for your child on the plane. There is actually a lot of fun on board.

Should you take your kid’s toys? Of course! For example, if you want to use the services of a nanny at a hotel, let the baby be surrounded by some familiar things. By the way, toys from home make it easier to learn to swim and help to calm your child down on excursions.

If your baby is three years old and quite sociable, you can send him or her to a children’s club in your hotel (the club is not available in every hotel, check this information in advance). This is a very advantageous offer, because all day long a whole group of specialists deal with children. In the Maldives, organized recreation for children is not a banal animation of Asian resorts. Here they can take a group of kids fishing, start snorkeling lessons or take them on a dolphin excursion. Children are also kayaked, given cooking classes and planted with them corals. In short, the child will be able to choose the activity to his liking and talk to peers, and parents can relax in solitude. When planning your holiday in the Maldives with your child, you need to consider their needs and desires.

The doctor on the island

First of all, it is advisable to organise a full health insurance package before vacationing in the Maldives. In addition, it is necessary to collect a first-aid kit taking into account all chronic illnesses of the child and parents. What medications to bring to the Maldives can be found in our other article. However, there are hospitals on the big islands (like Maafushi or Male’). Some doctors are present at any resort and atoll.

An appointment with a doctor in the Maldives will cost $25, but it will also cost you the necessary medication. Again, it is best to take your usual pharmaceuticals with you. These are medicines for colds, eye, ear and skin infections, stomach and intestinal disorders.

Holidaying with children in the Maldives is a great scenario for a bright and impressive trip. Do not be afraid of possible difficulties, because with the right preparation for the trip, most problems can easily be avoided. Your child will love the cleanest beaches, blue water and tall palm trees, which means that the most important thing will happen and your child will remember the trip as a joyful event.