When I was little, my family and I did a lot of traveling. What was cool about the area of Ohio I lived in was there was a lot of interesting places to visit and explore. One of my moms favorite activities was to explore local caves. We would take day trips to surrounding areas where there were cool caves to check out. I have wanted to include the kids in my fondness for travel and explorations but we had a few things holding us back. One of the largest problems we had was Caitlin got car sick at the thought of travel. The other problem was Henry and his autism did not make a good combination for seeing new things, places and people. Now they are older, they are able to travel and we have been enjoying our family vacations. I must admit, traveling with kids is not always smooth sailing and you need to have a few things in your bag of tricks to make it successful.
5 Tips To Make Traveling With Kids Easier
- Timing Is Everything: When you leave for your trip is a huge factor in how successful your travel time will be. If you have a short trip, you can leave pretty much any time you like. If we have a short trip, we eat breakfast at home and then leave. We usually arrive at or just after lunchtime, which is perfect. If you have a long drive, you may want to leave at night so the kids can sleep on the way.
- Keep The Bellies Happy: Making sure the kids have a full belly is a crucial factor in a successful trip. We always have snacks individually packaged so they can grab and go. We have bottles of water or juice boxes so they stay hydrated.
- Electronics Are Your BFF: My kids love their electronics, so we make sure we have plenty of them with us when we travel. We have our tablets, smartphones, MP3 players, handheld games and headphones. We also make sure we have portable charging devices so we are always powered up when we are on the road.
- Take Photos: Encourage the kids to take photos with their cameras, tablets or smartphone while you are on the road. They can make a game of it by capturing certain items, people or place along the way. This is a fun way to pass the time as well as document your trip. Remember, it is all about making memories!
- Luggage: One thing I found out the hard way was you need luggage for each kid. I tried to pack the kids things in my suitcase and we found two very interesting problems. The first problem was there was by far not enough room for all of our clothes and accessories. The other thing we found was the kids had a sense of independence and a bit of pride and maturity by having their own suitcase. This made them want to keep up with their luggage, which is fine with me! When you are choosing luggage for the kids, be sure you find a company that makes cases designed for kids and their subsequent abuse! My choice, hands down, is Trendy Kid.
I heard about Trendy Kid from a girlfriend who travels with her kids all the time. She told me she would never leave the house without her Trendy Kid Travel Buddies. The Travel Buddies are a rolling case and backpack designed with kids in mind. They are super cute, amazingly durable and have plenty of room for all their necessities. You can choose from the completely adorable Archie Alien, Percy Penguin, Popo Parrot or Lola Ladybug. The travel buddies are geared for the younger kids in the group but are totally great for any age group. I absolutely love the bight colors and the friendly faces which make the kids feel as if they are traveling with a friend. Be on the lookout for Bella Butterfly whose purple and yellow design is coming soon! You can actually pre-order Bella now on the website. If you have a baby in the house, you are going to want to check out the Totseat, the portable high chair, which sells for $35.
For Henry, I wanted to find a case with a bit more maturity, so I chose the Travel Kool Danger! Rolling Suitcase for Tweens, which retails for $70 on the Trendy Kid website. Henry loves the cool silver color and the yellow “danger” signs which are placed all over the bag. For the girls in the group, they would love the Chat :-)) case, which has a ton of colorful and fun emoticons and social media icons all over it. The bags are Tween inspired and have a ultra durable 17″ hard shell case. They are lightweight and roll very easily, even when they are packed full of all the important things kids need for travel! The lining has dividing pockets, a zipper compartment and a garment strap. The carry handle as well as the retractable pull-handle conveniently adjust for adults and kids. It is just perfect for our needs and I cannot image any kid who would not want one for themselves! Be sure to follow Trendy Kid on Twitter. One USA reader will win their choice of a Danger or Chat luggage ARV $70.
What is your top tip for traveling with kids?
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