Traveling with kids can be a challenging but also rewarding adventure. When thinking about going on the trip I typically think of the exciting part of exploring new places and creating new lasting memories with my little ones. But then when it actually comes time, the logistics of a trip becomes daunting.
By no means am I a pro at traveling. We are lucky enough to try to go somewhere once a year. It may be a 3 hour trip, 6 hour trip or 12 hours… YIKES! But along the way, through experience, talking with friends, and of course Pinterest, I have found a few tips and tricks to make our family trips smoother and more enjoyable.
Have you ever thought about the word traveling? I mean really, it is such a broad topic. It could be a quick weekend trip, traveling across the county, driving five hours or flying around the world. Some people never travel, some travel once a year, others go somewhere every weekend, no matter which category you fall into I hope you find something that will help you on your next family adventure.
Tip #1: Plan ahead, but be flexible
I feel like most people are pretty good about planning their trips in advance. I mean it really does help when you know what route you want to take to get there, you know what activities you want to do, but when it comes down to it, you have to be flexible. That is where the true memories come in.
I have learned over the years, when travelling with my boys that they do so much better when they have a chance to get some wiggles out before we leave and to stop a few times on the way. For instance, I usually go make them jump on the trampoline before we leave, even if it is for five minutes. Then when we stop somewhere for food or a potty break, we have them get up and run. You would be amazed at how much this helps with the overall trip.
It is so easy to hop in the car and think ok lets go and hit the road hard, make it as far as we can as fast as we can. However, kids can’t handle it as well as we can, or they need to be trained how to just hang out for that long. When you kiddo starts getting cranky and you have tried everything from new activities, to snacks, it may just be time to stop and stretch their legs.
We have found that it is fun to stop at new parks and even a good mall (just do a quick lap). It is amazing how even five minutes of walking around that it can help them sit in the car for even longer and it actually could save you time in the long run.
But let’s be honest, the traveling is only part of your family vacation. You also need to make it through the actual trip, you may have a plan for what you are going to do, but again you have to be flexible. Check the weather before you make anything official. And when you are driving around the area you are staying, if you see signs for something, it is ok to add it to your list of adventures.
When planning, give your family some extra time. I have found that when your bored, you tend to come up with some of the most random fun things to do.
For instance, when we went to the beach we had a day with not a lot to do but they boys needed a break from the water. We ended up finding some cheap kites and then we got to see who could fly them the best… It was funny when the adults were struggling to get the kite but then we look over and the kids are flying their kite like they do it every day. We had so much fun together, and laughed so hard, it is something we didn’t plan but we will remember forever.
Tip #2: Pack Smart and Light
Ok, this one is a struggle for me. I pack a lot, I always have, I mean what if you need it. But it is logical so… I usually pack, then I go back through everything and see how much I can take out. I feel like I am constantly telling myself, “Do you really need that?”
Let’s be honest though, there are usually a ton of things that we bring with us, that we don’t truly need. I mean, do we really need to bring a hair dryer? Most places have them) Do we need to bring pj’s for the kids for every night? Not if there is a washer and dryer!
Let me just say, having a washer and dryer at a place where you are staying can be incredible helpful. This can cut the clothes you pack almost in half. You don’t need an outfit for every day. Pick things you can mix and match and even if you can’t, who cares! The chances of you seeing someone you know are slim, the chance of seeing them more than once is even slimmer.
Thinking about the amount of room to pack when you leave can really help you think about the things that you truly need and the things you want but can go without.
Also, don’t forget you are having to lug everything around, and all those little things add up. Skip bringing toys if you know you are going to let them get souvenirs. Just get it once you are there. Don’t be scared to get the little bottles for soap, why carry it all around if you aren’t even going to use all of it.
Tip #3: Entertainment on the go
Books, toys, activities, electronics, audiobooks, podcasts. Download movies/books/ games before you leave
This is where I spend most of my energy, prepping for trips entertainment, I mean at least a solid month before.
About a month before, I do about three things. I go through all of my kids toys (and books) and I find things they like that are small, and I hide them. I also start looking at the dollar section at places like target for cool little gadgets. Then I also start looking online for things I want to buy.
I like to have a variety of things for the trip. I like to have a few small toys, books (new and old), interactive activities, and electronics.
For the small toys/activities I try to find things like magnets where they can build things. These are the magnets we use.
Before the trip you can make a design and trace the outline, then the kids have to figure out which shapes to use to create the same shape. You can also come up with different things to have them build like a rocket, or a sky scrapper and let them use their imagination.
Another small toy would be any type of fidget. Fidget spinner, squishy, Pop-it game, rainbow magic ball, or one of the best ones from out trip this summer was the suction cup guy (I still can’t believe how many giggles I heard from a one dollar toy).
I also love the books that they can color with the invisible ink. Or the books that you can use dry erase markers with. They are some of the easiest to use and the most time consuming.
Then a day or two before the trip I get everything organized. I have a seat organizer that I put between their seats. But not everything goes in here! I only put a few things here. A couple books and some simple toys. The rest ride up front with me in my surprise bag.
Typically for the first 30 minutes to an hour of the drive I don’t give them anything or prompt them to play with what they have available. I mean really, they can typically ride that long to the next town over without being bored. Use this to your advantage!
Once they start getting antsy, I start pulling some of the surprises out of the bag. Depending on what it is, it might give you five minutes or even thirty minutes. They even get excited about their old toys they haven’t seen in a while.
My last resort is getting out the electronics. We have iPad’s and a Nintendo Switch (for our oldest). We finally broke down and got iPad holders for the back of the seats this year and wow did that help! We also have two iPads so the night before I take some time and download different movies and shows.
Once we get to our destination, I hide all the stuff in our room. This way they can have surprises again on the way home.
Tip #4: Snacks, snacks, and more snacks
This is pretty simple I mean if you have kids then you know that hungry kids = stressful.
Pack a variety of things all the way from healthy treats to special treats.
I usually have a giant bag of treats with me but I have also seen where parents will take a plastic container that is divided and load it up with different choices.
This year I bought some things that I knew the boys have been wanting to try. Such as Feastables and Prime. They were so ecstatic when I pulled out those treats for them. But I also pack things like apple sauce, cheese sticks, chips, cookies, crackers, Twizzlers, gummies, granola bars and anything else I know my kids (and husband) would like.
But! I tried something this year that was a true life saver so many things including the snacks. I bought these little trays and every time they wanted a snack I would give it to them in the tray. It helped from things being dropped, they could hold them on their laps easier and all the trash stayed in one place. It also helps when we got food to eat in the car, or if they were using a toy that was small. I will never travel without those trays again.
Tip #5 Enjoy your trip!
So these are just a few tips on ways to make your trip more enjoyable. The main reason you are going on the trip is to make memories. I hope you have tons and tons of them. And remember if you forget to pack something, you can go buy it, it won’t be the end of the world. I mean I did a great job packing for the beach until we got there and I realized I didn’t even pack swim trunks for my youngest. But we made it work!