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Tips & Rookie Mistakes Traveling with Kids

Filed Under: Family, Motherhood, Tech, Travel

trips-traveling-with-kids

Next month we’re taking a LONG flight with our soon to be-3-year-old & 5-year-old. Both my husband and I live across country from where we grew up so air travel with the kiddos has happened on many occasions. Its not the most fun experience in the world but we’ve certainly developed a few of our own tips and tricks for making the experience better.

 This week we had a great discussion on my Facebook page about this very topic and several of you shared some awesome tips and rookie mistakes too for traveling with kids. So I wanted to share.

1. Try NEW! For all of the tips below, Sarah suggested trying something new that your kids have never seen before. We all know how the newness of things can capture their attention. Try to take advantage of that truth and make your trip a bit easier on you.

2. Snacks: Bring lots of snacks but make sure they’re not just full of sugar! As Sharon mentioned: “… keep the sugar low, hyper strapped in kids are no fun.” Crystal suggested bringing something the kids chew or suck “doesn’t have to be sugar” for the ear popping/air pressure.

Drinks can be more difficult because in many airports you can’t bring your own liquids, except breast milk or formula of course (and these need to be declared at security.) So if you plan to bring juice or water, Kat reminded us to get those at the airport. Great tip!

3. Technology: I don’t know about you, but my family is a tech-loving family. My kids love to play iPod, iPad and computer games, watch movies, etc. So I’ll be charging up and loading up the iPad (or iPod or other handheld game/movie device) with their favorites and a few new things too.

Headphones are a must, but there are a couple tips to keep in mind. Cassie suggested a headphone splitter “so two can watch together.” I LOVE this idea and its something I always wish we had and typically forget. Not going to forget it this time! Also for headphones, you might consider testing them out with your kids in advance. Crystal’s son “hated” the ear bud style, so consider over the ear or on the ear headphones for your little ones instead.

 Bringing extra travel battery chargers are a smart move too.

4. Books/Toys: Lara recommended a travel etch a sketch. I personally love to bring new sticker books. Coloring books are also good but ROOKIE MISTAKE ALERT: Katy suggested NOT bringing markers with caps. She says she “spent half the flight chasing down caps! The triangle shaped crayons wouldn’t roll.” Sarah said “We tried color wonder in the car last summer, not worth it! Just like Katy, we were always picking up caps and markers.” Sharon recommends lift flap books “They are a little bulky but more entertaining than regular books.” And she likes Aquadoodles. “No caps to lose and they store easily.”

5. Games: Turning the travel experience itself into a game can be especially good for older children.

Jenn said: “We went on a road-trip recently with my 9- and 12-year-olds. I developed a behavior reward system that seemed to work wonders. I took a circle of red, yellow and green paper for each kid, and put their initials on each one, and attached them to clothespins. If the kids were being good, I kept green pins on the visor. If they got out of hand yellow went up, and if they got worse red went up. They were rewarded with a ticket every half hour that green stayed up. The tickets were redeemable for snacks, games, movies, etc. It worked like a charm! Not only did the kids behave like angels for a 16-hour car-ride, but there were also no arguments over who got to do what when! If one of them bought a half hour on the tablet, the other didn’t whine because they knew they could buy a half hour after that, It was the best family road trip we’ve ever been on!” 

Colleen, a missionary mom of 5 has a lot of travel experience. She suggested giving the kids a map of your destination and a highlighter to outline the rivers, roads, landmarks, etc.  Another of her map ideas is to cut up a map of your destination and laminate the pieces to make a puzzle. She also suggested printing out images of places you’ll be visiting  then photo shop tiny images of your family into them to make a personalized version of “Where’s Waldo?” Her last travel game idea is to make up questions like you are a reporter and interview the kids like they are celebrities or travel experts. Really clever ideas!

 
6. Safety: If you plan to use a car seat on the plane (which I’ve found helps keep the little one comfortable & safe of course) the Go-Go Babyz Kidz Travelmate

is actually awesome for rolling the carseat around the airport even with the child in it like a stroller. I traveled alone once when my son was 2 yrs  and my daughter was 3 months and this device was really awesome. Lara said: “GoGO Babyz is the BEST! I’ve used it for years and it works so well!” Also an ERGObaby Baby Carrier
 or other carrier is an absolute MUST when traveling with an infant or child under 2.

In addition, I just read this great travel safety post at Carpe Travel that has some wonderful safety tips from an expert: 10 Tips for Teaching Kids Travel Safety

7. Carry On Extras: Speaking of ROOKIE MISTAKES, don’t forget extra clothes in carry on for the kids AND you. I’ve been peed on and thrown up on before, and had to travel that way. Yuck.
 
Cassie says: “organic lollipops and play dough are my backup when everything else fails to keep them quiet.”

Sarah recommends bringing a box of bandaids and she says “scarves are awesome-they don’t take up a lot of room-you can play peek-a-boo and other games.”

Kat says to bring “a metric ton” of ziplock bags, straws, paper towels and plastic forks.

 
8. Other Travelers: Stacie had someone recommend extra candy and “We’re traveling, thanks for being patient” notes for the people sitting around you. “If you start off letting them know you’re aware you may not be their favorite people…it helps.” Sharon said: “My biggest thing is to appear calm and friendly (even if stressed) so people know you’re trying!”
 

9. Packing Tips: Colleen has done a lot of traveling with little ones (and now bigger ones). Her best tip is for packing. “Instead of packing bags with all of one person’s clothes, pack three days worth of clothes for everyone in each bag. Pack each person a back pack with their toiletries an daily essentials as well as extra socks, undies, and sweatshirt. Take one bag out at a time along the way and everyone brings their back pack rather than having to unload everything at every stop. Mark the used bags with colored duct tape. Then if you get an opportunity to do laundry, you know exactly which bags to grab.” She also recommends momsminivan.com for great travel tips.

For airline travel, its obviously expensive to have multiple bags so I tend to try and pack everyone into one large bag to save on checked baggage costs. My best tip is to ROLL all of the clothes to maximize space. You’d be surprised how much extra room you’ll gain.

So what do you think? Do you have other tips or rookie mistakes to add? We’d love to get your ideas!

Happy traveling!
 
Disclosure: This post includes Amazon affiliate links.

Related posts:

  1. Air Travel With Kids: Tips & Rookie Mistakes
  2. Stress Saver Tips for Traveling with Kids
  3. Making Road Trips More Fun! {Tech Travel Tips Plus Free Scavenger Hunt Printable}
  4. Family Travel: What to Do. What Not to Do.

About Cristi Comes

Warrior Mom. Wife. Writer. Passionate advocate for motherhood and mental health, self care and positive self image. Lover of tech, travel, books and entertainment.

Comments

  1. Uriah says

    at 8:34 PM

    My family loves tech too! They are crazy about the DISH Anywhere app that we have on their iPad since it lets them stream live and recorded TV from our home DVR anywhere we go. Usually when I get some time off from my job at DISH, we go on a road trip. This app really helps keep them out of each other’s hair, and more importantly, what is left of mine!

  2. Nicole Feliciano says

    at 4:20 PM

    Great tips! We shared these on Friday Finds at Momtrends:

    http://www.momtrends.com/2013/02/friday-finds-tips-for-traveling-with-kids/

Trackbacks

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