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How to Find Childcare While Traveling

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Finding childcare while traveling can be a chore, but it doesn’t have to be. There are numerous options available to you. Whether you’re budget is unlimited and you can afford to bring your nanny along, or if you’re just looking for a sitter for a few hours so you can have a romantic dinner, you’ll find an answer below.

Bring Your Own Childcare

If you have a trusted nanny or sitter, it may be worth the cost and peace of mind to bring them with you. This alleviates the stress of finding someone new — stress bound to be felt by both you and your children, and something you don’t want to cope with when you’re trying to get away from it all.

Vacation Where Childcare Is Included

All inclusives and many resorts have childcare programs or camps with activities for the kids. Scout these out ahead of time and make sure you know what hours care will be available. Sometimes these services are included with the costs of your trip and lodging, and other times there will be extra charges, so be sure to ask.

Ask Your Concierge for Local Options

If you’re staying at a hotel, ask about local options when you call to book your reservation. You’re not likely the first guest to ask this question and there’s a good chance they’ll have some ideas for you.

Book Childcare Online Through These Services

More and more online child are services pop up each year. Begin looking well in advance, as you’ll want an opportunity to review the site and the people they’re recommending you leave with your children.

Adventure Nannies

Adventure Nannies was founded by a former travel nanny. Brandy, whose husband happens to be a member of the world renowned Lumineers, started the company to cater to adventurous families who wanted reliable care as they trotted the globe. The agency will walk you through the hiring process and help you find a nanny that’s down for adventure around the world or even weekend getaways.

Care.com

Most parents have heard of Care.com – it’s the most recognized online child care locating service. You can search by location, so scout out your options when in the planning stage of vacation. You can find a camp in the area, a nanny, or just a babysitter so you and your spouse can spend a romantic dinner without the children. Even for last-minute services, Care.com may provide good options. Keep in mind, the website is only as good as the care providers that have signed up in any particular area, so planning ahead is your best bet.

SitterCity

On SitterCity, you can post your needs and hear back from local caregivers who meet your criteria and are interested in meeting your kids. Though the premium service eventually costs money, you can get it for 30 days free. The site specializes in U.S.-based caregivers, so if you’re traveling internationally, this isn’t an option. However, if you plan early enough, you could find a nanny at home worth taking with you on all of your future vacations.

UrbanSitter

Post a job on UrbanSitter and you can immediately see highly recommended child care providers in your area. If you’re traveling across the country, simply post the job in your destination city well in advance, and have a babysitter ready to care for your children when you arrive. There are current UrbanSitter providers in over 60 cities, so there’s a good chance your destination is covered. With more than 150,000 caregivers listed, you won’t be short on options, either.

Nanny Poppinz

Nanny Poppinz specializes in matching full time nannies with families, but they also offer vacation and travel services. They have agency locations across the country and don’t charge a fee until you’re matched with the right nanny.

Written by Anna Schaefer

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