Easy Tips For Family Trips
I have heard it said, traveling with kids is not a vacation - it's a "family trip" - BUT even with the stress of traveling with littles, it's still special to get away as a family and make memories together! We have been traveling with our son since he was 4 months old - both in the car and on airplanes. It's not always a stress free experience, but I've collected some really helpful tips through our travels for how to make the most of your time away, and now I'm sharing them with you!
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Keep Them Busy
For the actual travel component of the trip, offer them as many activities as possible. Here are some of my family's favorite products and activities to pass the time so we don't hear, "are we there yet?" 50 gajillion times. I've linked all of our favorites that we have used time and time again both in the car and on planes.
Books
My son is obsessed with Richard Scarry and the busy world of Busy Town. J could look through these books for hours in the car. Books with lots of pictures or hidden images are great for keeping little minds focused (and quiet!) For older kids, let them choose audio books they can listen to with head phones or choose a family friendly book everyone can listen to!
Stickers and Window clings
These are a great way to keep kids busy in the car or on an airplane. Reusable sticker boards allow kids to play without taking up much space. Window clings and even Band-Aids can be fun for kids to play with on windows. When my son was very little he loved decorating with these on the airplane window. The Target Dollar Spot usually has boxes of adhesive bandages and window clings for $1!
Drawing Supplies
Creating art while traveling has the possibility of being a messy situation, but magnadoodles, LCD drawing pads, and water doodle pads are all mess free ways to keep your little artist entertained.
Organize their Fun
Having lots of activities within reach can be really helpful on long car rides so you're not constantly contorting your body to help them out. A travel tray and back seat organizer let them have some control over their fun and give you a break from hearing, "mommy can I have..." every 5 minutes.
Snacks
This might be the most important one - keep them fed! I make sure we keep an obnoxious amount of snacks with us so that no one gets hangry. Here are some of our favs that don't leave anyone with a sugar crash.
Extras
We don't go anywhere without a wet bag in the car or our travel bag. A wet bag keeps soiled or wet items separate from the rest of your belongings for mess free storage. I use ours for anything from muddy shoes to wet bathing suits to undies.
A sound machine with a built in night light feature means less gear to pack and can help everyone get a better night's rest if you're all sleeping in the same space.
Even if you're hoping for less screen time on your family vacation, watching a movie can be nice on a rainy day or during down time. Instead of relying on the hotel's cable, a roku stick lets you access all of your apps like Netflix and Disney+ for better viewing options.
Let Them Rest
It can be easy to get caught up in trying to cram as much fun into a trip as possible, but remember that kids need downtime just as much as you. Give them opportunities to play on their own and even get a little bored so they're not overstimulated or over exhausted. This is a break from normal every day life for them too, so give them, and yourself, a break!
Don't miss out on other great tips for a fail proof way to have an amazing vacation! I'll show you how to make sure you get the most out of your trip and find those hidden gems that make a destination extra special!
Do you have other kid friendly travel tips? I'd love to hear them! I'm always looking for new ways to make travel successful as my own child grows up!
xoxo, L
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