Children love New Zealand for different reasons

Clumsy Kiwis, bouncing penguins, giant whales, playful dolphins, fairy and Hobbit populated forests, counting sheep, magical snow mountains, the illuminated Milky Way at night and glowworms in caves, building sandcastles in wetsuits on deserted beaches, tubs filled with hot volcanic water, to see a Haka dance, to pilgrim from playground to playground, tick off adventure courses and trampoline parks, sheep shows and zoos of all kinds, toboggan runs, water zorbing, summer rather than winter and Christmas on the beach!

Plan ahead for adjustment difficulties because of jetlag, take out good health insurance coverage and always carry a first aid kit and emergency contacts (the most important number for police, fire, ambulance and rescue helicopter is 111 - the call is free).

Health: if you need a consultation with a general practitioner or family doctor look up a GP in the phone book, but not all GPs treat patients who are not registered with them. For spontaneous visits there are special clinics, for example the Whitecross chain, also pharmacies give advice and provide first medical consultation. Hospitals may require an advance payment for treatment of foreign patients. Standard vaccinations are recommended. If a child requires special medication bring them with recipes and in original packaging, drugs should be listed on the arrival card. All important drugs are purchased by a central authority, so the selection may not be as large as at home.

Risks: keep kids protected with a sunscreen, due to the reduced ozone protection the super strong sun is more dangerous than elsewhere and the risk of melanoma increases especially with repeated sunburns during childhood, there may be consequences 30 years later. So get your kids sunscreen, hats and sunglasses and buy them a rashie (UV protective clothing) or wetsuit for the beach, all of these things are conveniently available in large department stores.

Dangerous animals: insect bites from sandflies and mosquitoes can be unpleasant - the most important thing is not to scratch (easier said than done)! Use local tea tree oil against the itching. At least there are no significant toxic animals.

Water dangers: beware of strong currents and depths in the sea, best swim at beaches with lifeguards between flags or within vicinity of other people (and don't forget a boogieboard). Lakes and rivers look clean but nevertheless may carry Giardia or other pathogens, especially in hot thermal springs. The many cows often additionally pollute the water, so make sure kids don't put their heads under and check for warning signs put up by the councils.

Weather: the weather can change quickly, especially the south is colder than people expect and near the ocean it's usually very windy. Always keep an additional layer ready, for longer beach visits buy a windshelter. Not all accommodations have good heaters and campervan nights can be cold!

Driving in a car: perhaps children are also more prone to motion sickness, be it on the plane or due to the many curves in New Zealand's roads. Higher seats for a better view may help, also recommended are salty snacks or ginger nuts, lots of drinking, fresh air and deep breaths.

Regulations: New Zealand has an 'anti-smacking law', the beating or slapping of children is not allowed. Children should never be left unattended, neither in a house nor in a car, as there is a legal duty of supervision until the age of 14, also babysitters must be at least 14 years old. Seat belts must be worn on rear seats, all children under seven years must use an approved child seat, appropriate for age and size, for older children a booster seat is ok.

Entertainment: if children get bored while driving take a range of DVDs, games, books, audio books, music, art supplies, etc. with you, count sheep, cows, palms or milk trucks, read personalized license plates, pronounce Maori words and so on. Perhaps include children in the travel planning, consider their wishes for stops, make them use a camera or write a travel diary, leave it up to them to navigate, keep close to playgrounds, libraries and beaches, if the kids are happy so will you be!