The Ultimate Guide to Traveling with Kids: Packing & Planning Tips
Make no mistake, this is not a blog post promising traveling with kids will be stress-free. That is a unicorn that cannot be found. Instead, read on for tips that will help make traveling with kids go more smoothly.
1. Pack their own bags.
I’ve purchased a rolling carry-on for each member of our family. In fact, I try my best to fit all of their items in a carry-on to avoid checked luggage or at the very least reduce the amount of checked luggage. Packing bags for each one of my kids allows for everyone to keep track of their own items. We even put different colored name tags on each piece.
Utilizing packing cubes like these are a game changer in my book.(As an Amazon Associate, I may earn commission – at no cost to you – off any viable links) These cubes make finding each day’s outfit a piece of cake! I’ve shared more packing tips in a blog post here.
2. Have them carry their own backpack.
Backpacks are another big help. I love a travel backpack but any school backpack will do as well. Backpacks tend to hold phones, personal devices, books, pens, etc. for each kiddo. A travel pillow and small blanket might be included in a backpack as well.
3. Create a snacks bin.
Snacks are always a fun addition to any travel plans. Your mode of transportation can impact your snack bin. For example, if we travel via car, then I place all possible snacks in a tote bag with handles that sits in the middle of the car and can be easily accessible. If we travel via plane, then snacks are packed in individual backpacks to avoid having to pass snacks across an airplane.
4. Allow some flexibility.
In our house we have a screen time allottment. However, on travel days, I tend to be more flexible on this rule. I do have my kids break up their screen time so they are not zeroed in on a screen for hours at a time.
Also it should be noted that while we are training our kids in how to behave and become adults, they do not always know how to process the emotions that go into travel. Delays and hiccups in the vacation plans can be taxing. Practicing patience will come in handy during vacations.
While a majority of my kids are practically grown, I still want to encourage parents of younger kids to start small with your travel. For example, start with a half day trip then transition to a whole day outing. Once expectations are created, move to an overnight trip. After you have had some success with an overnight trip, try 2-3 days together before you break out in a 1-2 week vacation. Traveling and vacations are fun but they can also be overwhelming and thwart a child’s daily structure. We need structure to a certain extent and may need help learning how to adjust to vacation mode.
5. Plan only 1-2 activities a day.
I have slowly learned this tidbit (with the exception of Disney World). Because I want us to experience ALL the things, I have fallen into the trap of cramming each day full of activities. I’ve discovered the family has less fun when we are running to mark multiple experiences off of our to-do list. When one to two main activities are planned per day, it opens the traveling experience up to spontaneous moments of fun.
No matter where you are traveling, I hope you will find these tips to be the ultimate guide to traveling with kids.
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