Let's talk about traveling..with kids

Recently, I traveled only 3 and 1/2 hours with my babies to go pick up our family from the UK! (I have tons and tons of pics to share of the first few days soon!)

I went into it with a great attitude. Well, I tried.  I knew that my littlest one didn't have a great record of traveling in the past, but I was hoping that it would be better.

It wasn't.

Don't get me wrong though. For her, I think she did great. But it was stressful. There was a lot of screaming, crying and writhing no matter what I tried to do to distract her.

When Kendra approached me about a guest post regarding traveling with kids, I was all ears! I hope her advice will help some of you in the future :)

Summer is coming to an end, and it's almost time for back-to-school rituals. That doesn't mean there isn't time for one more family vacation, though! Take a few of the tips from below into account, and your family trip will be the easiest (and most enjoyable) yet.

1. Comfy Cars

Everyone needs rest on a trip, especially your young ones. Make the car extra comfy by bringing blankets and pillows for all your little travelers. Also, bring activities for the children to do while in the car, so that when they are not sleeping they aren’t getting restless. Something really fun and different to consider are car window markers, which will wash right off afterword.

2. Make Sure The Hotel Is Family Friendly

There's nothing worse than arriving at your destination with small children and discover it's a boutique hotel with lots of glaring adults. It's easy to check out a hotel or resort on the Internet. So, take a few minutes and make sure there's a pool, playground and nearby kid-friendly activities. Many resorts also have kid clubs, so you and your spouse can enjoy some grown-up time together. One thing I have really started to do when determining which hotel to choose is to read how former patrons of the hotel described their stay there. Sites like Gogobot offer write ups on the hotels from people like you and me. I know my city, Chicago, and I have found the best reviews and rates of hotels are on Gogobot.

3. Take Some Special Pictures

Bringing your cellphone or camera to take pictures is a wonderful idea, but consider taking it a step further this vacation. Purchase a disposable camera for each one of your children, and allow them to photograph the vacation in whatever way they deem fit!  Seeing the things your kids found interesting enough to photograph will be amusing and great fun for after the trip scrapbooking projects.

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4. Feeding Babies On The Road

It's always important to consider the youngest travelers in the group. Babies have special needs, and the trip will go smoothly if certain things are considered in advance. This isn't the time to start a baby on a new food or a new brand of formula. Beyond just potentially having a fussy baby with new foods, there is the chance that they might have a bad reaction to the new foods. Also, a great tip to remember is that baby food can be brought through security and onto the plane as long as it’s unopened.

5. Plan And Think Ahead

Traveling with children requires some serious planning.  Pick kid-friendly destinations that have activities that allow children to act and behave like kids. Parents may enjoy a long dinner, but children seldom do. Beyond choosing where to go, have a “travel pack” with you when en route to your destination. In this travel pack, have items that might come in handy during your journey. Things like snacks, napkins or wetnaps, a child’s favorite toy, and a change of clothes are all good ideas of what to include.

This vacation can still be loads of fun for your entire family, even if it is late in the season. Start planning today and you will thank yourself tomorrow! And remember, have fun!

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