Helpful Hints for Traveling with Kids

When we went to Disney for the first time, our kids really got into the pin trading (they can trade pins with any cast member they see, and the cast member MUST give up their pin). We didn't know this and spent a small fortune on pins! I've learned that you can get them SUPER cheap on ebay! My girls still have them (from our trip 4 years ago) and will be taking them with us when we go back this October!

Leave yourself plenty of time (nothing worse than stressing about running late at the airport) and take books, magazines, etc for the flight.

HAVE FUN! :)

Mark your bags by putting fancy bright ribbons (that match) on all of them so you can get them easier at check in and out!
Oh and for real ease leave the kids home and go yourself (joking) =)
oh and buy those little fans that spray water for disney they cost a ton there

make sure you have gum in your purse or on the kids so the can chew it well take off and landing it really helps with the pressure in your ears. They DO NOT sell gum at the airport.

You are planning a great summer get-away with your two little ones. What do you need to plan to make sure the trip comes off without a hitch?

Destination. Is the destination one that is of interest to your kids? Water, amusement, and theme parks are usually a big hit.

Method of travel. Is the method of travel appropriate for your kids? If the destination is more than four hours from your home, your kids may find the drive time trying. For trips that involve more than an eight hour drive, you may be well served by flying if your kids are very young, active, or impatient.

Dining. Are you eating three balanced meals each day . . . in a setting that is kid-friendly? On days in which an extended period of time is spent in your automobile or in an airport, a low calorie, low sugar meal is recommended.

Snacks. Do you have healthy snacks in the car, airplane, and motel room? Snacks hold kids’ interest (for a while), provide nourishment, and can be used as a reward (i.e., “If you can go five minutes without asking, ‘Are we there yet?’, I’ll give you a snack.”) Healthy snacks include fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, granola bars, string cheese, juice boxes, breakfast cereals, etc.

Clothing. Is the clothing that has been packed for your kids both comfortable and situationally appropriate? Having you done contingency planning on the kids’ clothing? For example, if you are heading to a climate that is warm during the day but cool in the evening, have you packed shorts as well as a coat? If you are heading to a warm climate, have you packed a light sweater just in case there’s an unseasonably cold spell or you spend time in an excessively air conditioned building? Have you packed extra clothes just in case there’s a juice spill?

Toys and games. Do you have toys and games to keep your kids occupied while they are in transit or while they are in the motel room each evening? Toys can hold kids’ interest (for a while) and can be used as a reward (i.e., “If you two can go without arguing for the next ten miles, I’ll play the license plate game with you.”) (The license plate game involves people trying to find license plates from as many states and foreign countries as possible. Often, people keep track of who sees license plates the fastest.)

Luggage. Is the kids’ luggage on wheels? Can the kids pull their own luggage? If you have to juggle luggage for everybody, you will be exhausted before your vacation has barely begun.

Naps. Does your schedule allow for naps for the kids (and yourself)? Young kids have a lot of energy and can run wild at times, but they need to nap at some point during the day to avoid fussiness later on.

Babysitter. Parents often joke that they need a vacation to recover from their vacation. Vacation exhaustion can be mitigated by a mid-vacation date night. We at Care4hire.com can help you find a trustworthy babysitter in your destination location so that you can take an evening for a quiet, romantic date with your spouse.

1. drink lots of water on the flight. dehydration depletes energry.
2. pack less than you think you need so you can carry less :) you can always buy a souvenir t-shirt.
3. travel size bottles of toiletries that you can throw away as you use up. leaves more room in your luggage for shopping as well :)
4. sunscreen in florida and hats!!!!
5. dried fruit and nuts on the plane in case there is a delay of the flight etc. airport food is expensive.

have fun.
jilly

We do carry on bags only. Each person gets a small backpack or rolling tote plus a daypack. They have to be able to haul their own stuff up the stairs.

I often pack a small roll of packaging tape, you can roll some around a pencil, to seal up a box to send home at the end of a trip. I'll mail home souvenirs, bulky items, even dirty laundry. You have to pay extra at their airport for checked baggage and shipping costs for a box are often less. If you have very heavy items to mail, the post office has those great "one price for any weight" boxes. Good for when you go to the beach and your kids (ok I do this too) want to bring home all the pretty rocks they find there.

Even better than garbage bags, buy the compression bags that they sell in the luggage area. I got mine at Target. You put folded clothes in the bag, zip it shut, and roll it to squeeze out the air. I can pack twice as much in a suitcase. I use one bag for each family member. When we pack to go home I can sort the clothes by color and have a bag for the clean clothes or souvenir t-shirts. When we unpack at home, the bags of dirty things go straight to the laundry room. Besides being able to pack more compactly, more than once the bags have protected our clothes from shampoo bottles that have exploded. They are a little expensive (I think I paid $20-25 for six bags), but they last forever. I'm still using bags that I bought 5 years ago.

We got these with our last name on them and stuck them on all our luggage: http://www.mabelslabels.com/products/sticky+labels

Let each kid take a bag/backpack as their carry on with a change of clothes, toothbrush, travel toothpaste and toys.

Find out if the airport has a true family line (some do not). Look up TSA regs before you go to explain it to your kids.

Check your seating and the airline's policies. Find out if you need to pay extra to be assured you sit together.

Pack one bag less than you need and stuff the spare bag in another piece of luggage. When you return with souveniers, you'll have somewhere to pack them.

Do not overpack! My DH insisted on fewer bags to carry and we had to unpack into the spare bag (thankfully DD had a baggage allowance we did not use) at the check in counter.

Relax. They probably think the whole thing is a fun adventure.