Traveling with Kids: Tips for Sanity

By: Shellie Wylie, OwnerWishes Family Travel‘Tis the season to begin planning for your spring and summer family vacations.  All of us have experienced those long car or plane rides, either as the kid or as the parent – preparing for the journey can make the difference between an unmitigated disaster or everyone remaining sane!A few weeks ago I asked for real mom’s tips on our facebook page and this listing is the best of those tips and my own tips sprinkled in.  Here are some great ideas of items to bring with you and tips to make your trip the best it can be!

Just in case car sick kit:  Large zip lock bags so you can close it up and keep the smell to a minimum; baby wipes; paper towels, kids mouthwash; lip balm; anti-nausea meds and Benadryl

Everyone Needs Head Phones except the driver!

Cookie Sheet and Magnets:  the cookie sheet can double as a lap desk!  Duct tape bags of magnets, crayons, markers, etc. to the back of the cookie sheet.  Thanks to Debbie S!

Fun Bag for Each Child:  A special bag, homemade or store bought, that is filled with books, games, crayons, special snacks, and more.  Keep the bag special by ONLY bringing it out on the long journeys.  Thanks to Casey G and Kristal T!

Audio Books:  You can purchase or rent these at many public libraries!  Another great tip from Casey G!

Strainer & Pipe Cleaners:  Wonderful creative medium!  Thanks to Farra S!

Hand Held Devises:  Kindles, Game Systems, DVD players, Smart Phones, Tablets all work very well to distract and occupy time of kids of all ages!  I would also recommend adding a NEW game, or NEW eBook, NEW movie that can be looked forward to during the trip.  Thanks to Brandy S!

Alphabet Game:  Look for words that start with each letter of the Alphabet for car travel.  This can be simplified for younger children that the letter does not have to be the first letter in the word. Thanks to Heather J!

Age Appropriate Books:  If your kids like to read, having a selection of new books or their favorite books on hand can keep them busy for hours at a time.  For older children, add some books about your destination.

Age Appropriate Conversations:  Discuss the history and / or trivia about your destination.  If it’s a cruise, talk about the engineering behind a large ship.  For teens, try a mock debate about a national issue.

Taking Breaks:  If you are traveling by car, stopping frequently to let the kids out of the car is both healthier for them and gives them a chance to work off some energy.  Thanks to Tracie B!

Prize Bag for Good Behavior:  Have wrapped gifts ready for the child who is behaving exceptional well or displays a willingness to help parents or siblings.  Knowing there will be rewards for good behavior can work wonders!  Not all parents like the “bribe” method, but for those of you who do, this is a great time to implement it!  Thanks to Alison C!

Blankets, Pillows, Comfort Items:  Don’t leave home without your child’s favorites!  Even on plane trips, some if not all these items can be carried on for your child.

Be compassionate:  They are children and travel can be very tiring!  Ears can hurt on planes; rear-ends can get numb and tummy’s can rumble and roll.  Thanks to Tracie B!