Practice beforehand to stay calm: 8 key situations to watch when traveling abroad with kids

By & Photo /Dad Qian, excerpted from *First-Time Tokyo Family Trip: Have Fun!* by Orange Harvest Culture

What to do in an emergency? Practice in advance is crucial

Many people ask me, “What if my child gets sick while we’re abroad? What if something unexpected happens? How should I deal with emergencies?” That’s where practice in Taiwan comes in. Before you leave, pay attention to everyday challenges you might face when traveling with your kids—like what problems you’ve encountered during domestic trips. These all serve as great practice, testing and teaching you how to respond on the spot.

Every child is different, and only parents know what kind of issues might arise. When something does happen, just handle it. If you can confidently manage situations when they come up, then there’s no need to worry too much. A family trip to Tokyo with kids can be just as manageable as a domestic trip.

The most concerning emergencies are those related to children’s safety. Here’s a rundown of possible situations and how I handle them.

Situation 1: Child gets lost or separated

This is definitely a hair-raising, nerve-wracking scenario. I started taking my kids abroad when they were very young. Even when I let them out of their strollers to run around freely, we always kept a close eye on them—either parent switching off to watch. When walking, the kids must either be in a stroller, held, or holding hands. As they get older, we teach them that if they can’t find us, they must never run around or try to find an adult on their own. Instead, they should “stay put” because we’ll retrace our steps to look for them. Our youngest daughter, who is now over 3 years old, already knows that if she gets lost, she shouldn’t run around but wait in place. So yes, children’s safety awareness can definitely be taught from a young age.

@BOX: Dad Qian’s Tip – Have kids carry the hotel business card

When traveling, I leave a small card with simple info in my child’s bag or pocket—like our names, phone number, and address. Upon arriving at the hotel, I ask the front desk for a few business cards for the kids to carry. These can be lifesavers in emergencies. You can even put a hotel business card in your important luggage or wallet. I once had a group member lose something, but fortunately, the hotel room key was inside. A kind stranger picked it up and even took a taxi to return it.

▲ Carrying the hotel room key and business card increases the chance of recovering lost items.

Situation 2: Walking on the road

Always hold your child’s hand. Kids’ attention can easily be drawn to other things on the street. In dangerous situations, adults can quickly grab their hand to reduce the risk of injury. I also make sure my kids walk on the inner side of the road, away from vehicles. Walking in Tokyo is actually quite safe—most vehicles yield to pedestrians—but you still need to keep an eye on your child’s safety at all times.

Situation 3: Taking the train

The worst time is during rush hour. Tokyo trains are packed, so we use the “sandwich method,” placing the child between two adults to protect them from being overlooked or getting separated in the crowd.

It’s best to avoid taking trains during peak hours or at the busiest stations. Opt for the next less crowded train or a local train that stops more often instead of squeezing onto a packed one. Also, there can be a big gap between the train and platform when boarding or alighting—hold your child’s hand or push the stroller slowly and carefully.

Situation 4: Using escalators or elevators

I prefer to have my kids walk in front of me so I can see them and react immediately if anything happens. If they’re behind me, it’s harder to respond quickly in case of danger and prevent injury.

Situation 5: Crowded areas

Always hold your child’s hand, carry them, or have them sit in a stroller to avoid getting separated in large crowds. If the crowd is temporary—like after getting off a plane or train—I’ll pause briefly to let the crowd pass first, which makes moving safer.

Situation 6: When your child wants to participate actively

Everything is new abroad, and kids want to do everything themselves. Before they try, I quickly assess whether it’s safe, then let them go ahead. I highly encourage kids to take part in activities—it’s their trip, after all. Whether it’s buying tickets, paying, getting receipts, scanning tickets to enter, using vending machines, tapping Suica cards for trains, or pressing elevator buttons, as long as it’s safe, we let them do it.

▲ Letting kids actively participate in the trip makes them enjoy it more and creates better memories.

Situation 7: Prepare medicine in case of illness

Getting sick abroad isn’t as simple as showing your National Health Insurance card to see a doctor in Taiwan. Medical care and medicine are expensive and time-consuming overseas. So every time we travel with the kids, I pay out of pocket to get a doctor to prescribe some common medications—cough syrup, nasal decongestants, stomachache relief, diarrhea medicine, headache pills, fever reducers, etc. Of course, you don’t need to pack every single type for the entire trip. Preparing enough for about one-third of the trip duration is sufficient, so you can handle illnesses calmly when they arise.

Also, carry first-aid supplies for minor injuries so you can treat them right away. It’s best to have waterproof, breathable band-aids, cotton swabs, and disinfectants like povidone-iodine.

NOTE: For serious illnesses, always seek professional medical diagnosis. Don’t self-medicate with over-the-counter drugs.

Situation 8: Purchase travel insurance

When participating in group tours or free independent travel arranged by a travel agency, the insurance purchased by the agency in accordance with the law is typically liability insurance. Its coverage mainly includes compensation for accidental death or injury, accidental medical treatment, and related follow-up handling. However, losses not caused by accidents—such as "medical expenses for illness" or "flight delays and cancellations"—may not be covered under liability insurance. That’s why I always purchase additional travel insurance, including a "Travel Safety Insurance" that covers illness-related medical expenses and emergency air evacuation for serious accidents, as well as "Travel Inconvenience Insurance." This combination provides comprehensive protection, allowing me to handle any situation abroad with peace of mind. For instance, a 500,000 NTD coverage Travel Safety Insurance and Travel Inconvenience Insurance package for seven days costs less than a thousand NTD—extremely affordable.

I recommend carrying your insurance policy and the emergency contact number of your insurance provider with you at all times. It’s also a good idea to share your trip itinerary and the insurance company’s contact information with your family back in Taiwan. This way, in case of an emergency abroad, you can receive proper care and assistance.