Vacationing has evolved, especially for families, and many are choosing to travel with their children at a young age. As a first-time mom, I took my child on her first in-country trip at five months and on her first vacation to another country at 15 months. There is a joy to traveling with your children, but it does come with its challenges and additional expenses.

I have found that traveling with my child within Belize is rather smooth. We are a tiny nation where we can easily traverse from the northernmost to the southernmost town in less than a day. From short plane flights, to bussing it on land and taking a water taxi to the cayes, traveling in Belize with my toddler is often a breeze.

Here are a few tips for families traveling with children:

Infants ride free – If your toddler is still under two or can comfortably sit on your lap; your precious bundle will probably save you a few dollars on travel fees. Your baby is sure to ride free at this age on a bus or water taxi, the local airline will still charge a rider’s fee, normally around $6BZ.

Children are normally charged at half the rate – Children between the ages of four to ten are charged half the ticket price when traveling by bus or water taxi. As a paying customer, your child will have a seat of their own – after all at that age, children aren’t that light anymore.

Teens definitely pay full price – while they may still be a baby in your eyes, your teen is charged as an adult by all forms of transportation.

Be sure to plan your trip well in advance and leave room for last minute changes. Bring along snacks and some entertaining toys to avoid cranky kids along the way. Most importantly, don’t forget to sit back and enjoy every moment seeing new destinations and creating lifetime memories with your little one.