Traveling with kids doesn’t have to be a nightmare. A little planning can remove a lot of stress. If you’re going on a family vacation this summer, you need to know these ten tips.
1. Start planning early.
Don’t put off the planning process. You’ll dread it later. Give yourself at least a month to figure out the details. It’s okay to go with the flow when you’re traveling alone, but I recommend strategically mapping out every day when kids are involved.
2. Get your kids excited.
Anticipation is half of the fun! Sit down with your children at the computer. Check out some pictures and videos of the destination to get them excited. If you’re going to a theme park like Disney, pull up the website and ask them to pick the five rides they want to ride most and prioritize those.
3. Dress them in comfy clothes.
Long drives are no fun. It’s even worse when you’re stuck in uncomfortable clothes. Don’t worry about dressing up. What’s the point? You’ll be in a car for most of the day! This isn’t the time to try something new. Let your kids pick out one of their favorite outfits (even if it’s super hero pajamas!).
4. Mimic your child’s daily routine.
Your kids are used to eating and sleeping at a certain time. Follow that routine as much as possible. Temper tantrums happen when kids get hungry, tired, and confused. All three will be present if you disrupt their typical schedule! To save trouble, stick with their usual meal and nap times.
5. Time your departure with nap time.
Your kids are energized when they wake up. If you put them in a car right away, they will get restless. It might be better to leave in the afternoon. Let your kids run around until they wear themselves out. Leave when they fall asleep. If you’re lucky, they will sleep for most of the trip. Sneaky, huh? 😉
6. Buy brand new toys before you leave.
Buy some toys, games, dolls, puzzles, coloring books, and other goodies that your kids will love. Hide them in your closet until it’s time to go. Put all of those goodies in a bag. Keep that bag in the front seat so they can’t see it. Pull out one item at a time. Don’t give them another toy until they get bored with the last one.
7. Prepare some kid-friendly travel games.
If your kids are old enough, bring a deck of cards so they can play games in the backseat. If your kids are too young for that, make up some simple games. For example, you could challenge your kids to look for red cars. Whoever counts to twenty first wins. Do the same with types of vehicles (big trucks?) or license plate states.
8. Let your kids bring their five favorite things.
Don’t let your kids bring whatever they want. They would bring every toy they own! Let them help you pack, but limit them to five things. You might want to add some restrictions about size if they own a life-sized stuffed gorilla or anything like that. Hopefully they will complain less since you were nice enough to give them choices.
9. Stop for a break and active play every two hours.
Kids need to stretch their legs at least every two hours (maybe every hour if they’re really restless). Stop at rest areas that have a grassy area where your kids can run around, do cartwheels, jump up and down, or whatever they like to do. It will take more time to reach your destination, but it’s worth the trade-off. Happy kids = more pleasant trip!
10. Don’t stop at restaurants (pack healthy snacks!).
Here’s where you can make up for the time you lost in #9. If you stop at two sit-down restaurants, you’ll add at least two hours to your trip (maybe more since you’re dealing with messy kids). Your best bet? Stock a cooler with drinks and healthy snacks. If your child gets hungry, you’ll be prepared. If it’s nice outside, you could even have a picnic at a rest area.