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The Secret To Traveling With Children: Proper Prior Planning By Diane Kephart
Ah, school is out and it is time for that long-awaited family summer vacation. Traveling with children can be a joy or can make you wonder why you ever thought of bringing them along in the first place. Although you can’t plan for every situation, here are some tested, tried, and true ideas for making the experience a great time for the adults and children involved.
With a little bit of planning, you can reduce the amount of luggage and toys you need to pack, reduce the whining, and have a wonderful trip.
Packing Clothes
You will find that rolling each clothes item will reduce wrinkles and take much less space to pack. The little rolls will fit well on the bottom of the suitcase and stack on top of each other well. Pack layers of clothing so you are prepared for whatever weather you may encounter.
A good rule of thumb for a week-long trip is to pack per person: four short-sleeve shirts, three long-sleeve shirts, a jacket that will shed water, a sweatshirt, a pair of play shoes, nice tennis shoes, flip flops, underwear, socks, four pair of pants or jeans, four pair of shorts, a swimsuit; and if visiting a church or Grandma who will want to take a nice photo, a dress outfit.
This will allow you to mix and match many different outfits and be prepared for hot summer days or cool evenings. You can use shorts and t-shirts for pajamas unless the children have a favorite pair they insist on taking with them.
Take an extra pair of pants and an extra shirt and underwear in the carry-on. This way, you are prepared for that unexpected spill that soaks the clothes they are wearing, or for a lost-luggage delay.
Toys and Games
It may seem like a great idea to take crayons, puzzles, matchbox cars, super balls, along to entertain the kids during travel. But there are some pitfalls you should avoid. Matchbox cars and little balls have been know to roll under the car seat, or up under several rows of the plane when there is turbulence or during takeoff and landings. Puzzle pieces never defy the law of gravity and will inevitably end up on the floor.
You don’t need to have a child crying for a lost toy or crayon when the seatbelt sign is lit or you are between rest stops in the car and cannot stop to find it.
Since kids need to take some of their favorite toys along with them, here is a great idea.
Use zip-lock baggies to package each type of toy individually and then put all the baggies into a puzzle box or shoe box that you then place into a backpack-type carry on. Take one type of toy out at a time and use the lid of the box as a play area. You will find that this will keep toys from rolling off or falling off the airplane tray or car seat. Disney-type play sets make for hours of imaginative play in the box lid. Another great toy is a magic-erase slate or Etch-a-Sketch. Children can write or draw and no little pieces are involved. They can also keep crayons or colored pencils in the box lid and draw on paper in the lid so no writing instruments hit the floor. Be sure to take a small spiral notebook per child. This has been a lifesaver for us and avoids arguments over who gets the notebook.
Older children may choose to take a GameBoy or Ipod, but since family vacations allow time for conversations with kids, I prefer the more imaginative toys that don’t isolate kids from talking with you while you travel. If you do take electronic toys, be sure you have plenty of extra batteries with you. These can go in your lunch box in a plastic zip-lock bag in your carry on so they are with you on the plane or in the car and not in the trunk.
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