When you have kids, traveling by car or by plane it can become a difficult part of your holiday. Here are a few traveling with children tips needed to make your travels easy.
The most often heard “Are we there yet mum?” can drive you mad when asked for the five hundredth time in as many seconds.
The reason they keep asking is because they don’t really have a fully developed sense of time.
They might be genuinely afraid you are going to keep them in that car bored and tugging at their little sister forever.
It might help to explain to them how long the whole trip will take by dividing the trip into sections.
Add in that you are 20 minutes away from stopping at that place with the ducks and donkeys.
Little milestones will make the journey and the concept of how far they need to go still easier to digest.
The time in which you choose to drive can be carefully chosen to optimize sleeping time in the car.
You can try leaving before sunrise and you will manage several hours of quiet driving time before they wake up and want entertainment.
Some folks travel at night because everybody is sleeping. Not only do you get a peice of mind but you also save on the food budget.
Plan the trip not to coincide with any major traffic surrounding holiday season at least to minimize time spent in the car.
Take your food breaks during work traffic. People go to lunch around noon and get off of work between 4-5 pm.
Plan to take your lunch and dinner breaks around this time since spending time in large amounts of traffic will obviously take longer to get to your destination.
There are some things you can do to make the ride a bit smoother and more fun for everyone.
It’s important to plan ahead when deciding to take a long car journey with your kids. Make sure the car is comfortably packed; keep the backseat clear so they have more space.
Here are 5 surefire ways to keep your long car ride fun for kids:
- Pack a goodie bag for each child filled with simple cheap toys that you think can keep them amused. Depending on their ages there some creative and inexpensive items that will keep them quiet and happy. Browse through the cheaper isle of the toy store.
- Another good buy, speaking of inexpensive items, is a deck of cards (if you do not already own any). This is a great investment not only for the car ride but for the destination as well.
- There are all kinds of listening materials available. You could buy some, borrow some from your local library or look around on the internet. Radio-productions and taped books can be a wonderful way to pass the time together in the car and enjoy a book together as a family.
- The classic car journey activity is singing. And for a good reason too. Try to choose a CD that everyone will enjoy.
- Coloring books, puzzles, crosswords and sticker books can be included in another goodie bag along with crayons to create hours of fun and more importantly quiet.
Get an ipad which are a fun way to pass the time. If you have a DVD player in your car you can stock up on a new DVD to keep them entertained and quiet. Remember the journey is part of the holiday so make it fun. Stop along the way and appreciate the sights. Use the opportunity to explore new places. Regular breaks will make the long trip easier on everyone. Pack a picnic and let your kids release their pent up energy.
The most important thing is to keep your activities varied. Alternate 30 minutes of card playing with some singing and then some coloring in. With some planning and creativeness you can make you car ride enjoyable for the whole family – and that’s what vacations are about after all.
Traveling with children tips before you reach the airport
Please allow yourself and your family extra time to get through security especially when traveling with younger children. Allow even additional time if you are traveling overseas.
Call your airline or travel agent for their recommended check-in times for your departure airport.
Talk to your children before you come to the airport and let them know that it’s against the law to make threats such as, “I have a bomb in my bag.” Threats made jokingly (even by a child) can delay the entire family and could result in fines. This is important for your child safety.
If you are traveling with an infant, try to book a bulkhead seat so that you can access the infant carrier that attaches to the bulkhead.
Traveling with children tips at the airport
Speak to your children again about the screening process so that they will not be frightened or surprised. Remind them not to joke about threats such as bombs or explosives.
Tell your children that their bags (backpack, dolls, etc.) will be put in the X-ray machine and will come out at the other end and be returned to them.
Let your children know that a Security Officer may ask to see their shoes, but that they will get these back as well.
You may want to consider asking for a private screening if you are traveling with more than one child.
If you are traveling with an infant, a collapsible baby stroller is ideal.
Traveling with children tips on the plane
Have some gum or a pacifier for an infant. Chewing the gum or sucking on the pacifier will help with ears popping during takeoff and landing. If your child is old enough, explain what air pressure is.
Ensure that you have toys and games for the kids to play with. The airline will have a small selection, but it is better to bring your own.
Airplane food isn’t the best, so make sure that you have some of your children’s favorite snacks handy.
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