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The original concept for this post was to share my very best tips for vacationing with kids. After all, I’ve got kids… and I’ve travelled with them…. so that makes me supremely qualified to dole out advice, right? Right?
The thing is, I wasn’t always down with family travel. I actually avoided it for years, rationalizing that any vacation where you’re forced to bring your kids along is NOT A VACATION at all. If my suitcase was headed down south, the last thing I wanted to pack next to my swimsuit was swim diapers.
However, that’s in the past. Because somewhere along the way, I realized that vacationing with kids is not scary at all! In fact, with a little preparation and a lot of patience, it’s actually one of the most rewarding things in life. And after I sucked it up and took that first family vacay, we’re somewhat stealth travellers. Case in point: since 2012, my kids have been on an airplane 18 times. Crazy!
So maybe I haven’t quite reached “expert” status, but I’m certainly confident enough to share my favourite tips for vacationing with kids. It’s just what worked for us – and for those families embarking on their first trip together, I’m hoping my suggestions will work for you too.
1. Be Prepared. Like a Boss.
You’ve probably heard this one before, but being prepared is simply the best way to have a successful family vacation. In fact, your only mandate is to anticipate every meltdown, every moment of boredom, every minor accident, and certainly every fight between siblings. If you can do that, everything else is easy-peasy! Sounds overwhelming? It’s not. Just prepare yourself by making a list – directly matching up scenarios and solutions. For example:
Hunger – pre-portioned snacks like crackers, dried fruit or dry cereal
Boredom – dollar store books, colouring books, puzzles or games
Rewards for Siblings Not Killing Each Other – lollipops or gummy treats
Funny Tummy – probiotics and ginger candies
Homesick – blankie and favourite toy(s)
Grumpy – printed itinerary with pictures*
* This is actually my favourite distraction technique. Showing the boys pictures of the places we’ll be going, explaining what we’ll be doing, etc. goes a long way to get them excited about a trip. We’ve spent many plane rides simply coming up with lists of how and where we’d like to spend our time – for example, “On Tuesday, we’ll have breakfast and then spend the morning at the beach. What should we bring to the beach?”
2. Consider Flying at an Inconvenient Time.
Okay, so nobody wants to fly early in the morning or late at night. With travel time, airport check-in and customs/ security lines, your wake-up call could conceivably be at 4:30am. But do you know what kids often do when you have them up bright and early in the wee hours of morning? They sleep on the plane. Preferably, for most of the flight. This allows you to bypass at least 23 distraction techniques altogether! Now I know this goes against conventional wisdom to keep sleep patterns the same, but let me tell you – with my boys snoozing away on both departing and return flights, I’m not too worried about their sleep patterns. In fact, it’s a chance to finally get some “me time” while watching the in-flight movie. Of course, if your child is the type to be wide awake after he/she rises in the morning, this technique won’t work for you. (Sorry.)
3. Book a Pre-Vacay Checkup during Cold/Flu Season.
The thing about kids – especially toddlers – is that they don’t always tell you when they’re not feeling well. Especially in cold/flu season, consider having them checked by your family doctor a day or two before you depart, especially if they’ve recently been ill or are currently under the weather. From previous experience, my then 2-year old had a cough and cold before our Royal Caribbean cruise. I took him to the doctor for his cough – only to find out he had a raging ear infection in both ears. Had we flown with his ears in such bad shape… yeah, disaster. Starting the antibiotics even a day before you leave is enough to take the edge off an infection and allow for safe air travel. So if your kids are ill, or if you’re leaving on an extended vacay during cold/flu season, don’t play doctor – take them to one.
4. It’s Not About What They’ll Remember.
Here’s an excerpt from my post “The Most Magical Place on Earth…”
“Before I left for Disney World, I often questioned if the boys were too young to fully appreciate the experience. ‘Reid’s too young to remember any of it’, I complained. However, once we arrived at Magic Kingdom, I realized that all of my pre-conceived notions were dead wrong. Because it’s not about what they’ll remember; it’s about what they are experiencing in the moment. Seeing the joy on Reid’s face as he travelled along The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh made my eyes glisten with happiness. Hearing Ryder scream “I want to do that again!” after racing through the Tomorrowland Speedway confirmed that Disney World is for all ages, from 2 to 102.”
No matter how old your children are – or how old you are – it’s always the perfect time for a family vacation. If you’re looking at your toddlers thinking, “I’ll wait until they get older so they can remember the trip”, here’s some sage advice: sometimes, tomorrow never comes. Live in the moment and love each minute you have with your children. If you’ve been wanting to get away, do it today. Maybe the kids won’t remember it – but hey, I don’t remember much about a trip I took to Cancun when I was 24. I’m pretty sure I still had an awesome time.
5. Find the Shortcut. Take the Shortcut. Breathe.
Let’s face it: travelling with kids involves work, planning, patience, mistakes, more planning, more mistakes, repeat. So when there’s help, TAKE IT. Like allowing family to babysit while you pack. Or ordering your foreign currency online so you can save a trip to the bank. (Yes, this is a thing, and yes, it’s awesome! CIBC Foreign Cash Online allows you to order the currency you need online – and the money is delivered straight to your door.) Print your boarding passes at home, download tourist, weather and travel apps, make a list so you don’t forget the small stuff and never, ever over pack. Like I said, find the shortcuts and take them.
Do you have a favourite tip for travelling with kids? Share your tip (or let me know which of mine you liked the most) to be entered to win a $100 gift card courtesy of CIBC! Open to residents of Canada only; giveaway closes August 7, 2015.
For me… it’s all about the packing! http://eastcoastmommyblog.blogspot.ca/2014/04/packing-tips-for-families.html
for car rides: stop often and let the kids get out.
Present your child with presents: Wrap up small toys that you can present to your child as a reward for being good every half hour or so. These don’t have to be expensive and can even be your child’s old forgotten about toys.
having snacks on hand can help settle down (much much bigger) kids as well.
Pack a carry-on with activities and things they can do in a small space while traveling – small colouring books, books to read, etc..
I like no.2: Consider Flying at an Inconvenient Time.
This makes sense to me. Kids are sleeping, parents don’t have to worry about trying to entertain and coming up with different ideas to make the time pass by. Win win in my books.
Love the Be Prepared. Like a Boss tip! It’s always good to be prepared for anything
I liked your,”Fly at inconvenient times” tip. And the “This allows you to bypass at least 23 distraction techniques altogether! ” made me laugh.
We travel a LOT with our kids, and on top of our family vacations I also take at least 2 flights a year with them alone. My favourite/best tip is to over-prepare, for the unexpected. For example, I always pack extra diapers (2-3 extra per child) and wipes (a full package) in my carry on, in case of spills, accidents, delays etc. I even pack 2 pull up diapers for my older child who is not wearing diapers any more, in case of turbulence – we had an incident when she was not allowed to get up to go use the bathroom during turbulence and luckily she was able to hold it but going forward I came better prepared in case I needed to slip one on her in a similar situation. I also pack lots of snacks in bento style boxes – many times when I have flown the plane has run out of the food we want by the time they make it to the back (where I always sit) to take our order, and I never want to be without enough food options for the little ones. Plus they love to see what we’ve brought, and it is almost a form of entertainment that keeps them busy, digging into the snacks. I pack our swimsuits (and swim diaper for the youngest) in our carry on too when we travel somewhere warm, in case our luggage goes missing then at least we can swim upon arrival. I bring books, stickers, crayons, little toys, and my ipad for entertainment as well. One time I was about to board a 6 hour flight by myself with my little one and they announced just before boarding that the TV system would not be working on the plane – watching TV is what my daughter was most looking forward to, but thank goodness I had loaded some shows onto my ipad for her! I also bring a small first aid kit with Tylenol and bandaids, and a spare change of clothes, including underwear and pajamas for the kids because their stuff is so small it doesn’t take much room, and a spare shirt and underwear for myself/husband in case of an unexpected stopover or delay (or in case the baby spits up on us!). We pack one small carryon each, and have plenty of room for all these extras, and it completely takes away the stress. :-) Oh, and one more thing we always bring in the carryon – each child’s little bear that they sleep with at night, in case we are delayed, or need a cuddle on the flight, and so that it will never go missing if a checked bag goes missing.
Bring lots of easy to pack craft projects for those rainy days.
Love your tip “Boredom – dollar store books, colouring books, puzzles or games”, will be using it next time we travel
Preparation and Organization I think is the key. Pack treats, books, activities, small toys etc that the kids don’t know about so you can pull something out when needed. I like you tip about travelling at a time of the day when the child is likely to sleep :)
Traveling at inconvenient times made sense to me, I always have done that even without kids. Fewer lines and hold ups, catching some zzzzzzzzzs. Totally makes sense.
I like your tip #4 that it’s not about what they’ll remember. Take lots of pictures and put them around the house to jog their memories of the happy times.
Whether on a plane or in a car, my tip is to stagger the toys & activities given to the kids. Don’t give them everything at once– make each toy last as long as possible before giving a new one.
We started travelling with my son when he was just 3 months old. Our strategies changed just like he did. Nothing will ever be perfect, but being organized kept me calm. From food, extra clothes, wipes, meds, activities, comfort items…. Our motto was that we’re in it together and went with the flow. Now he’s 27 and loves travelling.
I love your “It’s not what they’ll remember” tip. I think we focus too much on creating memories. We should focus on having experiences and the memories will take care of themselves.
I always pack a change of clothes for one day in my carry-on in case my luggage is delayed or lost.
My travel tip for kids is to get a tackle box and fill it with snacks and crafting toys. Give each child their own box when you’re on the road or on the plane.
bring toys and snacks
Pack a lot of snacks, video games, books, colouring books, and favourite stuffed toy or blanket. This will help keep them busy and feel comfortable at the same time.
Bring a deck of cards or small travel game or colouring books to pass time waiting for the plane and/or to use in the hotel room as a fun activity. The first flight my kids took they were 7 and 8 years old and we had a long wait in the airport waiting room so our card games were invaluable. Between eating, doing Nintendo, and playing card games, the time passed quickly.
I always pack snacks, drinks and activities to keep the kids busy!
remember to bring snacks and water!
I always pack snacks. Kids seem to eat a lot when travelling. I always carry a supply of gravol and zip lock bags in case of motion sickness.
I love your It’s Not About What They’ll Remember trip! You be surprised what I remember from when I was 3 and who cares as you say it’s all about the fun!
Don’t forget to pack the camera, got to have those memories keep sakes.
I like the It’s Not About What They’ll Remember tip. Your right they may not remember every detail. I still only have little flashes of memories from my trip to disney when I was a kid. But I think it is all those moments and family time together that shapes a kid. The individual memories are not as important .
My fave tip is booking a Pre-Vacay Checkup during Cold/Flu Season! I think that is a great idea!
Bring snacks and stuff to keep them entertained!
love the “Consider Flying at an Inconvenient Time.”
Plan ahead, take the shortcuts, know your child’s schedule and fly at convenient times ( we like the red eye). Pack lots of surprises and goodies to keep them occupied and most of all go with the flow and anticipate it won’t be smooth sailing. Just enjoy the time together and the surprises along the way ; )
Be prepared with plenty of entertainment and stories.
I like to buy activity books and dollar store items that keep until they start asking are we there yet.
I load up the ipads with movies and cartoons the kids haven’t seen – keeps them quiet for hours.
Always have hidden pen/paper and candy in my purse.
My fav tip is..Book a Pre-Vacay Checkup during Cold/Flu Season.
I love #5. Find the Shortcut. Take the Shortcut. Breathe. Sometimes you just gotta – life’s to short – enjoy every bit of it!
Have them each pack their own backpack with items they would like to bring. It gets them excited for the trip and there is no over packing – if it doesn’t fit in the backpack it doesn’t come along.
Thank you so much for #4 – it’s not about what they’ll remember. We’re planning our first Disney World trip with our girls for next month, they’ll be 2.5 & 5yrs old. I do worry that the 2.5yr old wont remember, but you are so right that it’ll be all about the joy in the moment! They’re the perfect age to enjoy the magic!!
It’s Not About What They’ll Remember. I really like this tip! We took out kids to Disney World, Disney Land and on a Disney Cruise …they enjoyed each one! They were very young … under age 6 but they had an amazing time and for us parents … that’s what makes the trip worth it! Yes, enjoy every moment right now …because who know what tomorrow will be like .. if you can do it now .. then do it now!
I think there should always be a rest day on vacation where you’re not expected to do or be anywhere. Just chill.
I like your tip about not being too young, my kids remember so much from our early vacations..it’s worth it.
Make sure everything you could need is easily accessible like a sweater or boredom busters.
I love your tip 4. It’s Not About What They’ll Remember! I loved reading this and you mentioned they are never too young for a family vacation. I am always seeing and reading about interesting and fun places to go as a family yet I say “I can’t wait till my daughters are old enough” when really it would be such a fun and bonding experience no matter their age
I’ve never travelled with the kids before so I will have to pick one of yours. I like your tip #2. Consider Flying at an Inconvenient Time. I think this is what would make it easiest for my kids.
I also have found that toys and snacks help pass the time. Bring the toys out one at a time to stretch the time.
bringing coloring books and games for the kids so they wont get bored
I really like your tip: ”Fly at inconvenient times” …makes perfect sense!
Always bring snacks and activities for sure!!
I make sure to pack lots of things for the kids to do
Start them young and they learn to have fun on travels.
For smoother traveling with less restroom stops we make sure not tpo over do liquids. I pack chilled fruit slices and drinkable yogurts for hydration,no over salty snacks and make sure to stop regularily to stretch legs and do the bathroom duties. Games made for car travel are close by and we must not forget to have a kid friendly cd for sing alongs lol . fun fun!
I never thought about having a doctor checkup before going on a trip. Great advice because it can definitely save your baby from getting worse during the trip!
Bring snacks!
Find a shortcut, take a shortcut.
I liked your tip to Consider Flying at an Inconvenient Time. A great idea to encourage your kids to sleep through the flight.
My travel tip is to include music, especially songs your child likes to sing along to.
I love #5. Find Take the Shortcut. Breathe. enjoy every bit of it!
My tip is to pack a lot of distractions, especially if it’s a road trip, lots of toys and snacks (pick ones that are not messy!) bring a few CDs with music loved by everyone!
Bring lots and lots of snacks and a variety of snack.
I like your tip of flying at inconvenient times.
I haven’t travelled anywhere significant with my LO yet so I’m certainly not in the position or supremely qualified to dole out advice unlike you. If your boys have been on a plane 18 times since 2012 I’ll listen to all the travelling advice you have to offer! I loved all of your travelling tips but my favourite was #4 It’s Not About What They’ll Remember! I felt the same way really until just now. As I’m sitting here passing this precious time away waiting for my little guy to be old enough to remember I’m missing out! Missing out on the here and now! The smiles that come with adventure and new sights and sounds! You’ve inspired me to get out and do more Lena! And although I know years from now he won’t remember I’ll be sure to have taken a few pics (ok new Mama here… a lot of pics) so we can once again relive it! Thank you, truly!
I like #2. Consider Flying at an Inconvenient Time especially for kids who can sit still for a long time.
I like renting a stroller instead of lugging our own around (and taking the chance that the airline could break it).
Taking lil snacks and lil games to play is great!
my favourite tip is “its not about what theyll remember”. because it hit home. i always counsel my sister to wait to take her kids to disney till they will remember. but I of all people should know that sometimes tomorrow never comes. thanks for the reminder.
Bring your kids favourite toys, a portable dvd player with the kids favourite movie and some activities!
For me its to be organized, and be prepared. Have a plan. For us, it doesn’t work to be spontaneous, we need to have a plan and we need to make sure we have everything that we will need to prevent melt downs etc.
I like the Consider Flying at an Inconvenient Time tip.
I like your tip to Consider Flying at an Inconvenient Time.
Always pack lots of snacks and games to keep the kids busy!
I always pack extra snacks and activities to keep them occupied
Pack light but make a packing list so you don’t forget anything!
having extra snacks on hand can help settle down the kids
When I pack the kids clothes, I do it by outfit. For the colder days I layout the sweater, pants,underclothes, any hair accesories & socks, then I roll them up together. I do the same for every outfit. This way they take out the roll and everything is there for them to get dressed!
Travelling with kids takes patience! Be sure they have food and entertainment and don’t know they are travelling until necessary.
Road trips are hard on kids, so plan to drive only a few hours a day if possible.
let the kids help plan my son loves cutting up travel brochers of places were going and making a lets go do this boar its awesome way to get kids envolved in the planning.
My wife says: “Bring along toy catalogs and give your child a sheet or roll of primary coloured stickers with the instructions to use red for their most favorite things, yellow for 2nd favorite and green for nice to have but least favorite. (For bigger families, put a unique mark on the stickers for each child). Looking through toy catalogs and marking desired items with stickers will be a good time consuming and fun task for a child, while you drive. As a bonus, in the end you have the perfect colour coded gift guide to share with grandparents, etc.”
I am the offical packer for the family everyone has their own small bag, not to many extras. I insist on a small fan to plug in at the hotel it helps kill noises. I pack all our bathroom needs in a separate bag always in ziplocks. I bring change and always book hotels with laundry facilities and pools. Kids always crash at bedtime with a night swim and with laundry facilities we can pack lighter. I buy the 3 in laundry sheets Detergent, Fabric Softener, and a Dryer Sheets. We scrapbook their trips with postcards because they are always inexpensive to go along with our own pictures. They always kept a journal our trips. Always got rooms with a mini fridge and microwave for popcorn, water and fresh fruit and microwavable oatmeal etc. when they were hungry in the morning and waiting for everyone to get ready.
I like you section. 1. Be Prepared. Like a Boss. its so important to make sure you have the little things to make it all better
I like the tip about its not what they’ll remember, rather it is about that exact moment! Very easy to forget that :)
I like your message #4. It’s Not About What They’ll Remember.
i like the flying at convenient time tip
I always bought new dollar store items that would keep them busy while we traveled.
The same things that apply to the kids also apply for me – books, snacks – things I need too.
definitely gotta bring the kids some activities to keep them busy. i use ziploc bangs to carry small pieces, crayons, etc
I always bring the tablet for movie watching while we drive !
I like to bring the kids tablets to keep them occupied.
As a list lover, your first tip is my favourite: 1. Be Prepared. Like a Boss.
I like to pack a bag of goodies like Colouring books, Stickers, binoculars etc and let then pick a new thing to play with every 20 min or so. Depending on the length of the trip.
I think its a good idea to bring some snacks, drinks and things to entertain kids (like books etc)
I love tip #1 being prepared like a boss. I will have to use the next time I am getting ready to travel :)
I love 4. It’s Not About What They’ll Remember. It’s so true.
i like your tip of being prepared – definitely having lots of snacks is super important!
Make sure to be prepared. Also have snacks and water.
I try to not travel with family, but if I had to, I’d do the red-eye flights so that they’d sleep.
I like the tip no 5 Find the shortcut.Take the shortcut. Breathe.
I like and totally agree with you tip …Be Prepared. Like a Boss.
I agree with your tip about flying at an inconvenient time. Flying at night allows them to sleep and gives you a more restful traveling experience.
My Favourite is number 4: It’s not about what they’ll remember
I liked your tip Find the Shortcut. Take the Shortcut. Breathe the best
Bring lot of movies for them to watch in the car
I agree with your be prepared tip!
When travelling in the car make many small stops to get out and stretch and take a break
I pack a bag with snacks and handheld games, books and small toys for my children when we travel.
We bring books and tablets for the kids.
Make sure they’re fed. Mine get headaches if they don’t eat regularly.
Loved the tip about travelling at less busy times!
Loved the printed itinerary with pictures! I have travelled from Northern Manitoba to Nova Scotia many times with two young ones, and the portable DVD player has been a godsend!
I liked all of your tips, but the one I think sticks out for me is “it’s not about what they remember”…so true…It’s what they feel right now!
I pack a bag of toys and games to keep them busy if its a long trip, also drink and snacks and stop often so we all can stretch our legs and use the washroom
i haven’t been on a long trip with my little one yet but you have to have something familiar from home to comfort them like a blankie or toy and bring things for them to do.
Make sure you have their favourite activities to occupy them.
I always brought along plenty of books and games for the boys.
Talk about the trip before and go through what will happen especially if you are travelling by air so your children have one less fear. Let them take a favourite toy with them too to help comfort them while they are away. Also pack a little bag of snacks and activities for them.
Pack a carry-on with activities
My favourite tip form your list is ” It’s Not About What They’ll Remember”. That in itself is a hard one to keep in mind, but it’s so true!
You have to double check if your kids packed their bags and yes be over prepared.
i like ‘be prepared like a boss’
My favourite tip and travelling rule is hope for the best, prepare for the worst! My boys are five and soon-to-be-four and they are great travellers!
My favorite tip is to make a list of things to bring, and cross them off as you make sure you have them packed away.
We bring hand held games,tablets and lots of snacks
pack snacks and drinks in case of any unexpected delays. nothing is worse than being stressed AND hungry!
I love your tip about being prepared like a boss. That is definitely me.
Try and allow for extra time…Rushing makes everyone anxious and moods can flare from that.
Always bring snacks
I like the idea of taking them to the doctor for a checkup before traveling.
We have a 20 month old so haven’t done a lot of travelling yet. We are excited to and I think your tip of “Because it’s not about what they’ll remember; it’s about what they are experiencing in the moment.” is ideal!
We don’t have any kids yet so I don’t have any tips for you. But I love the one about booking a pre-vacation check up with the family doctor. Such a smart idea!
Whoa! I love this tip for “Grumpy” printed itinerary with pictures – my kids always do better when they know what the reward is going to be! So great.
It’s not what they’ll remember, so true.
I always travel overnight. Everyone usually sleeps most of the way, and flights are usually cheaper.
The idea of “Flying at an Inconvenient Time” got me thinking… I almost don’t have an experience of vacationing with kids, so, not sure if it’ll work with mine, but it surely worth trying :)
My favorite tip is to start packing and preparing early. Check-ups with the doctor are also a good idea!
Take a lot of snacks,games and books
i like your Consider Flying at an Inconvenient Time, its a good idea !
i like your Consider Flying at an Inconvenient Time tip. its a good idea !
i like to bring games , ipads, crayons and coloring books, oh and lots of baby wipes
Bring something that will keep them entertained when bored. Don’t forget the snacks.
bring entertainment, snacks, change of clothes, always have a plan B. thanks
I like your “Be Prepared. Like a Boss” tip. Can’t go wrong being as prepared as possible.
Make a list and stick to it to avoid overpacking.
Your tip #3 is a great idea and will try to remember that one the next time we are away long enough. That could save you a lot of headache. having them sick sucks but having to use facilities out of country sucks even more if possible to avoid.
I like your tip” It’s Not About What They’ll Remember” That is so true, my children don’t remember everything we did when they where younger but in the moment was priceless. Yes, do not put off what you can do now because you never know.
You’ve got great tips and advice here. I love your pictures and especially the one where you suitcase is bigger than your son. Lol