Tips For Traveling With Kids To Make Your Next Vacation Easier
Making the decision to travel with your kids can seem like a daunting one and there's no denying that there are going to be some moments where you debate leaving your daughter on the cruise ship, but there are ways that you can make it easier.
Things like planning a trip with another family so you have other adults around (and qualify for group discounts) can save you a lot of stress and make your vacation more enjoyable for the whole family!
Be Realistic About How Much You Can Accomplish In A Day
You're on vacation, you're exploring a new place and you want to see everything or do everything, but you also have tiny humans with you who are unpredictable. Be realistic about how much you're going to be able to do on a daily basis.
Leave Yourself Extra Time
You know that you need to leave yourself some wiggle room when traveling with children, but in this case, it really is better to be safe than sorry. So leave yourself a lot of wiggle room. Be the family who shows up 4 hours before a domestic flight.
Do Your Research On Discounts For Kids
Tons of places offer discounts for kids, students, or families, you just have to look for them. Do your research beforehand so you know what restaurants offer discounts for kids and what activities give a bundle deal when you have four or more people. Don't book the first deal you see.
Consider Planning A Trip With Another Family
It can be a little more complicated when trying to organize the trip, but having a second family means there are buffer adults around at all times and there are more children to entertain each other.
Don't Overpack
When traveling as a family, parents have a tendency to overpack with the mentality of being prepared for anything and everything. But realistically, you don't need to pack 9 pairs of pants for your son for a 4-day trip. Think about those extra luggage fees and pack the actual essentials.
Spend A Little Bit Of Money To Invest In Quality Products
If you plan on being frequent family travelers, it's worth it to spend a little bit of money on good gear for the whole family like high-quality backpacks or suitcases so you don't have to buy new ones every year or two.
Give The Kids Your Contact Info
Print a little card with your contact information on it and put it in their backpack or tattoo your number on their forehead, your choice. Just make sure your kids have the information they need to contact you if they get separated.
Bring Your Medicine Cabinet With You
Okay, not literally. Look at your cabinet on the wall and bring the contents of it, like Tylenol, Gravol, or Pepto Bismol. You never know when someone is going to be in need of some ibuprofen (it might even be you) so come prepared with the basics.
Pack An Obscene Amount Of Snacks
Every parent knows to keep snacks on hand on a daily basis, and being on a vacation is no different. Keep everybody happy and keep everyone's blood sugar regulated by always having some snacks on hand.
Give Your Kids Disposable Cameras
Whether your kids are old enough to have phones or they're still little, buy some disposable cameras for them to use on the trip. They're not going to get broken, it's okay if someone loses theirs (at least in terms of cost) and you'll get to have the fun of waiting for the film to be developed after the trip.
Divvy Up The Duties Beforehand
Some parents like to decide beforehand who's going to handle what messes before they go on vacation. If dad knows he's in charge of bringing the passports and mom knows she has to check that everyone packed underwear, things will run more smoothly.
Bring New Toys, Books, Magazines etc.
As a way to keep your kids entertained right off the bat, bring new toys or books on the trip with you. Being able to unwrap a new toy and play with it on a flight is exciting and it'll buy you some more quiet time.
Pre-Book Whenever Possible
When traveling with children, there's not tons of room to "wing it," Being flexible is one thing, but if there's an option to pre-book for restaurants, excursions, any sort of activity — take the opportunity. Lockdown everything you can, beyond just the flights and hotel.
Print Off A Schedule For Your Kids
If you have particularly inquisitive children who love to constantly ask "what are we doing next?" save yourself the time (and the headache) by giving them a schedule. Put it in their backpack so they always have something to reference.
Pack The Stuffies
Even if your kid swears they don't want to bring it and they don't need it to sleep on vacation, pack the stuffed animal. It's not heavy, it's easy to shove into a suitcase, and you'll be thankful you have it when they inevitably can't sleep on night three of your trip.
Don't Hotel Hop
You might be tempted to jump around to a couple of different hotels while on your trip because you have a night's worth of rewards points at one hotel and two night's worth at another, but it puts a strain on your kids. Give everyone a chance to settle and stick to one or two locations.
Utilize Every Bag You're Bringing To The Full Extent
When traveling with small children, it feels like you have a million bags with you. But if you're flying you can't bring 3 carryons, so use what you have. Stuff that diaper bag full of all the usual contents, then add in the snacks and travel pillows. Use the space you've got.
Prepare For Chaos
Something is going to go wrong on your trip. No matter how much you plan and prepare, something is going to happen that you aren't prepared for. Your son is going to walk into the ocean with his phone in his pocket or your daughter is going to forget her passport in the hotel safe. You can't avoid it.
Double Check Your Chargers
In the age of technology, you want to double or even triple-check that you've got all the chargers for your various devices that you're bringing along. Don't rely on one phone charger for everyone either, bring backups.
Have Your Kids Help With The Luggage
Make your lives easier by having your kids help with the luggage so you're not trying to juggle 5 suitcases while your wife juggles the toddlers. Even the youngest kids pulling their tiny suitcases lightens the load a bit for you.
Pack Comfortable Headphones For Everyone
Especially if you're flying. Don't waste your money buying the junk headphones that the flight attendants sell for a dollar or two. Bring headphones from home for every member of the family so everyone can enjoy the in-flight entertainment.
Look Into Housesharing Or Air BnBs Instead Of Hotels
It's becoming more and more common for people to rent out their houses while they're away or list residences on Air BnB, so there are plenty of alternatives to staying in a hotel. Something like an Air BnB offers the opportunity to have your own space for your family, a kitchen that could cut down on meal costs, and a less-stimulating experience for children.
The Stroller Debate
One pre-vacation debate parents are familiar with is should you bring the stroller or rely on a sling or backpack carrier. There's a couple of things to consider though, including the climate of where you're going as well as terrain. If you're going somewhere cold, a sling could be better to keep you and baby warm, but if you're going someone hot then a sling just means you're sweaty.
Schedule Long Layovers
Things go wrong on flights all the time. You take off late, you're slow getting off the plane, you sit on the tarmac for a long time and suddenly you're left running to your next gate. Leave yourself lots of time between flights whenever you can.
Sort Your Flights By Time, Then Price
Cheap flights are always nice but when you're traveling with children you need to set yourself up for success. So pick flights with times that work for your kids. Don't schedule a flight that you know goes three hours later then their bedtime unless you want to deal with the repercussions.
Don't Schedule Every Minute Of Every Day
Keeping kids busy while on vacation is important, but having a little bit of downtime is equally as important. If you over-schedule the family it won't feel like a vacation and it'll end up causing more stress when they're burnt out.
Public Transit Can Be An Activity In Itself
When in a new city or a new country, try taking public transportation once or twice instead of only taking taxis or ubers. Your city might not have a subway system but your vacation spot does so use that as an exciting activity in itself!
Let Older Kids Help With Planning
Once your kids are a little older, let them help in the planning and researching phase of the trip. Giving them the chance to have some input around what you do on the trip will help them to be more excited, and will motivate them during activities they're not thrilled about.
Ask About The Kids Club Before You Count On It
Before you send your kids off to the kids club at the hotel for some much-needed downtime for mom and dad, make sure you ask about things like how many adults are supervising the children, what activities they're doing, etc. Not every service is going to be suitable for all ages and it might not be what you're expecting for your kids.
Break Up Long Flights With Multiple Stops
It's a little more tedious in terms of getting on and off multiple planes, but if you're traveling a long distance, it's better to break up the trip into shorter flights for your kids if they're not good on flights.
