Traveling with kids can be a challenge. It can also be really great when approached right. Hopefully these three tips will help take out some of the stress and increase the fun in your adventure.
Bring Snacks
Sometimes it seems like kids never stop eating. That is why having snacks on hand is important, especially when traveling with kids. Being away from home can make this tricky. We try to keep travel friendly foods on hand. This includes things like:
- Granola Bars
- Apple Sauce Pouches
- Baby Carrots
- Berries
- Grapes
- Dried Fruit
- Nuts
- Trail Mix
These are foods that not only travel well, but are also pretty healthy. We can spend a lot more time exploring new places if the kids are happy and snacks are a great way to keep them happy.
Take Your Time
As parents we can often over plan or rush our kids. This can be stressful for them and in turn cause stress for us parents too. Try not to plan too many stops in one day. Kids need more time to explore new things than adults do, but they will get more from an experience if they are allowed time to enjoy it. Rushing them around from one place to the next will take away from their pleasure in traveling.
Everyone will benefit from taking in the sights at a slower pace. It makes for less stress in an already challenging situation, traveling with kids. Give them time to stop and smell the roses (literally) when visiting the botanical gardens. Let them pet the goats one last time at the petting zoo. Just five more minutes at the playground isn’t going to hurt. These are the things kids enjoy and if you let them have some fun they are going to make the whole travel experience more enjoyable for everyone.
Getting There
Sitting in a car or on an airplane or any other form of getting to your destination can be hard with kids. They don’t want to sit still for five minutes let alone hours and hours. Bringing things that can keep them busy while sitting still is helpful.
I know that many parent have a device of some kind which allows kids to watch movies or play games, but I am kind of old fashioned and don’t do this. So my tips don’t include any electronic devices.
There are many ways that children can be occupied while traveling without a screen. For us some of these things include:
- Books with multiple stories in them
- MadLibs
- Magnetic games and toys
- Dry erase board and markers
- Paper and Pencils
- Word searches and Sudoku puzzles
For younger kids that are not yet able to read some other options might include:
- Small toys that make noises (not too loud of course)
- Small board books
- Puppets
- Coloring books
When kids have been able to enjoy the journey they are more likely to have a great experience at the destination. So by making the travel time go smoothly it can really set a good tone for the rest of the adventure.
Want to save money while traveling with kids? Check out our article: 6 Tips to Save Money While Traveling America With Kids.
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Gotta have those snacks Christopher! Digging each of these tips. I need snacks for trips too LOL. Keeps me well fed, energized and happy.
Ryan
Our youngest sons nickname is Snackzilla and we have made the mistake of forgetting snacks. Sometimes the simple things get overlooked and they are the most important. Glad you liked the tips.