Tips for Traveling With Kids, Part 4: Entertainment and Plenty of Extra Time

July 26, 2019July 22, 20191 Comment

This is Part Four of a series on traveling with children. Click here for Part One, here for Part Two, and here for Part Three.

When we first started traveling, I packed so much stuff for the kids to do en route. Coloring books and crayons, story books, tactile toys, cars, and more filled my “activities bag.” I would get to the end of our journey with sore shoulders from the extra weight and sweat on my brow from feverishly trying to collect toys and crayons that had rolled around the floor of the airplane before deplaning.

Eventually, I wised up and recognized that for everything there is a season, including a season for unlimited screen time!

Tablets and headphones. Our kids do not get a lot of screen time at home. So when we travel, I let them gorge themselves on movies.

During a great sale a few years ago, my husband bought two Amazon Fire tablets* for around $35 a piece (they are currently regularly priced at $49.99). We also have an old iPhone, and I bought extra storage on SD cards (again, on sale). Since we are already Amazon Prime members, I can download movies and TV shows to each tablet. The kids can swap tablets for more variety if we are on a long trip.

I have also loaded a few games and a reading app, which the kids love exploring (since they rarely have unfettered access to tablets!) These tablets are not connected to the internet when the kids are using them—everything they have access to is curated by me and downloaded for use offline.

Give yourself plenty of time and leave room for stops. If we are driving, and the GPS says it should take us four hours, I allow six. If we do a potty stop and ten minutes later someone needs to stop again, no problem! We’ve got all the time in the world! When it’s time for lunch, we use Yelp to try to find a fast food place that has a play area. Does it make lunch take longer? You betcha. But the kids play and are often ready for a car nap when we hit the road again.

If we are flying, I try to get to the airport more than two hours early so we do not have to feel rushed through security and so that the children can meander through the airport. Nothing kills the fun like screaming at a little child to “run!” because you’re afraid you’re going to miss your flight! Some airports, like SEA-TAC, have play areas in side, which our kids love. It’s a great chance for kids to blow off some steam before boarding a plane. But you need a solid margin of time to do it.

Easy Does It. We have to remember that, as stressful as traveling can be for parents, it can be even more stressful for children. So it’s up to us to make it fun and stress-free as much as possible. Practice some mindfulness ahead of time to help you be prepared to go easy on the kids if they’re not moving as quickly as you’d like. There is so much to see in an airport! Riding in a car can be so boring for a child! We need to practice giving our kids extra grace when we’re traveling and build in as much opportunity for us all to rest and refresh as possible.

My daughter took her first solo steps at ORD. Before she turned three, she insisted on managing her own rolling suitcase and backpack.

In these four posts, I’ve shared some of the things that have helped us make traveling fun for our kids. What would you add? Please share your feedback below!

*Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” [Disclaimer Credit: Michael Hyatt]

Tips for Traveling With Kids, Part 3: Snacks! Snacks! Snacks!

July 24, 2019July 19, 20193 Comments

This is Part Three of a series on traveling with children. Click here for Part One and here for Part Two.

One of my kids’ favorite things about traveling is that each child gets her or his own “snack box” to enjoy during the trip. Whether we are flying or driving, at the start of our journey I hand out the snacks.

The snacks are generally well-balanced and high in protein. In many of the workshops I’ve taken over the years on parenting non-neurotypical children or children who are easily dysregulated have emphasized that our kids need plenty of protein and hydration. And this makes perfect sense, if you consider the research on which foods promote brain health.

For example, a recent flight snack box I packed had hard boiled eggs, cheese sticks, apple slices, blueberries, orange slices, and almonds. (Someone commented on my Instagram post of that snack box that eggs are stinky on planes. That has not been my experience, but use your best judgement on that 🙂 If you are flying, it’s important to remember the TSA rules about liquids in your carry-on. Avoid applesauce, for example, and go for apple slices (which are healthier anyway!) If you are driving, you can get away with fruit pouches. Other great snack box items include pepperoni, grapes, granola bars, and pretzels.

Each child also has her or his own water bottle. (When we are flying, we all carry empty water bottles through the TSA security check point, and once we’re through security, our next stop is the bathroom and drinking fountains.) Tip: rather than using nice, store-bought water bottles, reuse plastic drink containers you will not miss if they get left on the plane! I saved a bunch of Gatorade bottles after a recent school event and washed them out to use as water bottles. If one gets left behind, no biggie! (We have left water bottles on a plane once or twice!)

Healthy snacks are important, but the real treat for the kids is the other part of their snacks: candy bags! If you’re sensing a theme here, you’re right! Food is a big part of making traveling fun! Because we don’t give the kids much candy on a regular basis, I pull out all the stops when we travel. Does this mean my kids are all jacked up on sugar when we’re up in the air? In theory, yes, but in my experience, it has never been a problem. Their candy bags include things like M&Ms, fruit snacks, jelly beans, lollipops, and sugar free gum. They love getting their candy bags! (Of course!)

Giving each child their own snacks at the start of the trip is a great way to empower them. They get to be in charge of their own food, and they get to decide when and how they will eat their snacks. For example, one of my kids starts eating as soon as we buckle our seatbelts, and he keeps going until all of the food is gone. Another child can go the entire trip and only consume a lollipop. That’s OK! They’re in charge of their snacks, and they love the autonomy and independence they enjoy.

In my next post, I’ll share more on traveling with kids. Meanwhile, what are some of your favorite travel snacks?

Tips for Traveling With Kids, Part 2: Pack Simply

July 22, 2019July 19, 20194 Comments

This is the second in a series of posts on traveling with kids. Please click here for Part One!

If we are flying, I usually pack each child a separate duffle bag with their clothes. Each child usually gets three to five everyday outfits, one “church outfit,” a swimsuit, five pairs of underwear and socks, two pajamas, sneakers, flip flops/sandals, dress shoes, hair brush, hair accessories, and toothbrush. Then I put all of the duffle bags into one or two large suitcases, which I can check for free thanks to the credit card we use. If we are driving, I skip putting the duffles in a suitcase.

Remember in my last post, when I encouraged you to involve your kids in packing? I only sort-of meant that. When it comes to the essentials, I pack for the children who are twelve and under, while our teenager packs for herself (though I’m always happy to help). But here’s the thing: I pack for them when they are asleep or otherwise not around. I know what we’re doing, I know what needs to be with us, etc. Without any “help,” I make sure we have the essentials.

That said, kids love packing for themselves. You know how I’m always ringing the “empower your child and give her a sense of agency” bell? Well, freeing her up to pack her own bag is a great way to empower her. To that end, I invite/encourage each child to pack their carry-on bags, and I let them bring whatever they want (assuming it’s not going to get us kicked off the plane!)

For example, in preparation for our most recent cross country flight last week, my son packed his microscope and specimen slides, a Harry Potter book, and a large peanut butter jar full of coins. I did remind him that the large jar with coins would make his bag feel mighty heavy as we hiked through the airport, but he was undeterred. I let it go. My daughter brought several dolls, a pillow, and more clothes. My four-year-old packed his Bible. I did not overrule anything—I just reiterated that they would need to be responsible for their backpacks for the duration of the trip, because I have my own bag to carry.

Ever since they were around three years old, even a bit younger, my kids have carried their own carry-on bags. It’s so empowering for them, and while they might get tired of carrying them once the novelty wears off, it is so good for them to have this responsibility! And not for nothing, but there are few things on earth cuter than a three-year-old carrying his own backpack on board a plane. Strangers get the biggest kick out of my kids carrying their own load.

Are there times when we get toward the end of a trip and someone is whimpering or full-on wailing? Of course. These are kids. This is when I and the older kids pitch in and help the younger ones along. In the end, though, it’s a great chance for little ones to feel “big.” And that is always a good thing.

In the next post, I’ll share another tip for traveling with little ones! How about you? Do you have any travels coming up? I’d love to know where you’re off to! Please share in the comments below!