How to Keep children safe and entertained on public transport

Last updated on May 5th, 2024 at 01:02 pm

To make long and short journeys more enjoyable for the whole family, whether it’s a commute to school or a family vacation, here are a few vital public transport safety precautions to take, all of which have been engineered to take social-distancing into account.

Keeping space

At all times we need to remain sentient of social distancing. On various different train routes across the country carriages are required to be spaced out, but on some trains you might not have the luxury. Aschildren are not allowed to wear masks you will need to ensure that they always remain at least two meters from other people, which can prove difficult on a busy train. 

Look at ways to occupy them to make these changes less scary and reassure younger children who might not be old enough to understand the pandemic and its implications that everything is safe. Ways that may help include:

Explain the situation – Don’t assume that your child doesn’t understand and appreciate what’s going on immediately. They might be more perceptive than you think. This is up to you to gauge if it’sthe right time to communicate with them and try having a frank and adult discussion about why things are the way they are and what they can do to help. It can give them a major confidence boost if nothingelse.

Using technology – Kids today are amazingly adept at using smartphones, tablets, and other devices. This is a perfect way to help them keep calm in a travel situation where they might be intimidated. You could preoccupy them by finding their favourite app or show and sit or stand with them.

Make a game of it – Now here you’re going to have to be a little more imaginative. But perhaps consider counting how many people you can see wearing masks or finding ways to incentivise them to maintain social distancing in a ‘the floor is lava’ kind of way.

General public transport tips

Reserve a seat – On longer journeys in particular, you may want to consider booking seats in advance to avoid standing for long periods of time, especially with young children.

Avoid rush hour – If you can help it, never travel in peak periods when it is busiest, for obvious reasons! 

Plan your packing – Finally, ensure you have everything you could possibly need with you in a secure backpack. Whatever items you think there’s even a chance you might need – if it can fit then it’s going in!

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