Travel Tips For A Calmer, Saner Trip With Your Family

For many of us, summer means some time away. Perhaps a full vacation, maybe even a staycation. Whether your heading out for a long weekend, a road trip or a flight with your children, travel is EXHAUSTING! You might be exhausted just thinking about getting ready for some family travel.

Between the shopping for all that is needed, the packing, the time to fit it in between work and life itself, travel is a big undertaking. The care ride is long, and so is the flight. Maybe you are breastfeeding, have an antsy toddler or a preschooler that needs to go potty every few minutes. It takes a lot to get through travel with children. I’m here to help with some travel tips.

1. Plan Ahead but Stay Flexible

Preparedness helps. Research family-friendly destinations, accommodations, and activities. Make reservations early to secure the best options and avoid last-minute stress. We can forget to make this trip doable for the ages of our child. After-all, we want grown up activities too, but the ages of our child can easily thwart that. Being realistic helps.

While planning is crucial, it’s equally important to stay flexible. Children can be unpredictable, so having a loose schedule that allows for spontaneous breaks, a much needed nap, healthy snacks or other changes can keep everyone happy and make the day that much better. Read your child’s mood, behavior, and meet their needs, and then they are better able to meet yours.

2. Pack Smart

Overpacking can be a hassle and a burden. Stick to the essentials, including weather-appropriate clothing, first-aid supplies, snacks, and your child’s favorite comfort items. Easy to manage clothes that kids can put on themselves ( backwards is totally okay,) makes for an easier time getting dressed.

Organized Packing: Use packing cubes or labeled bags to keep items organized. This makes it easier to find what you need without rummaging through your entire suitcase.

Entertainment Helps: Distraction techniques can make a huge difference when trying to calm a crying or fussy child or just pass the time around. Pack a small bag with toys, fidgets, books, simple art materials and games. A pad of paper, markers, stickers, play dough, a deck of cards, all really help. For longer trips, consider downloading movies or short shows on a tablet but keep track of how long your child is plugged in and use it sparingly and consciously. Avoid overuse, needing to detox once you return home.

3. Prioritize Comfort

A comfortable stroller, baby carrier, or car seat can make a big difference. For older kids, a travel pillow and blanket can help them sleep better during long journeys. Favorite stuffed animals, favorite lovies and blankie’s bring comfort.

Dress your children in layers. This way they can easily adjust to changing temperatures whether you’re on a plane, in a car, or at a destination and take a layer off as needed.

4. Keep Healthy Habits Going

Keep your children hydrated and fed with healthy snacks. Avoid sugary treats that can lead to upped energy and then crashes and crankiness.

Carry a basic first aid kit with band-aids, antiseptic wipes, any necessary medications, and a thermometer. Easy peasy to keep in a stasher bag.

Try to maintain your child’s regular sleep and eating schedules as much as possible to avoid meltdowns. Stick to your schedule, especially the sleep and eating schedule. Consistency, even on vacation, is needed. Try not to sacrifice your child’s sleep or hunger for a fun evening out. It comes back to bite.

5. Engage and Involve

Prepare Them: This is one tip to not scroll past. Depending on the age of your child, talk about the trip in advance. Talk about the car ride or the flight or train. Tell them in simple clear ways without overtelling or undertelling, if it’s a short, medium long ride, a long trip, or reaaaaaally long trip and how they can keep busy in the car or on the plane. Ask them for suggestions for toys they want to bring along and music they want to hear. They can pack their own bag with toys and ways to keep busy.

1. Take out a map and show where you are going. Show pictures and talk about the fun activities you’ll do. This helps build excitement, eases anxiety and let’s them know what to expect. While it might still be challenging and bumpy at times, there is a comfort in knowing what to expect.

2. Involve your children in the planning process. This is so important. Let them choose some activities or places they’d like to visit. Especially with older kids. This gives them a sense of control, something to anticipate and makes the trip more enjoyable for them.

3. When traveling, kids love playing “Would You Rather,” and ask silly, gross options. Create a playlist of music your child loves. Sing songs, play Eye Spy, look for license plates from around the country, tell a group story where each person adds to the story. Engage, engage, engage and a nap will eventually happen.

6. Patience and Positivity

Traveling with children requires a lot of patience. Things might not always go as planned. Take deep breaths and focus on the positives. “My child is being a child and will settle down once we hit the beach.”

Maintain a positive attitude. Your children will pick up on your energy. If you’re calm and enthusiastic, they’re more likely to be as well.

8. Capture the Memories

Photos and Journals: Encourage your children to keep a travel journal or take photos. This not only keeps them engaged but also creates wonderful keepsakes to look back on. Preschoolers can draw a picture of their favorite part of the day.

Traveling with children may require more preparation and patience, but the joy of experiencing new places together is worth every bit of effort. By planning ahead, staying flexible, and keeping your child’s comfort and safety in mind, you can ensure a memorable and enjoyable summer adventure for the whole family. Happy travels!

Have fun together! Find ways to bring in joy and make things easier. After all, it is vacation. Make time for self care each day. Make room for connecting with yourself, with your spouse, partner, family and friends.

Pass this onto friends and family that you think will benefit from these tips.

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