You want to travel home and visit your family for the holidays, but you have children.
Are you a little concerned about the stress of traveling with children?
We get it. Traveling children can be terrific, but also exhausting for parents.
Children can make wonderful memories during holiday travel and luckily there are some things that you can do to make it a smooth experience for everyone.
Here are some tips to keep children calm and happy during their travels.
Holiday Traveling With An Infant
Traveling with an infant can be rough.
You have a lot of things to think about when packing:
- Do you have enough food?
- Do you have changes of clothes?
- What should you carry-on versus check if you are flying?
- Etc.
Preparing in advance will save you a lot of hassle and potential meltdowns, but prepare for those anyway. Traveling can be confusing for an infant.
Some Considerations You Should Think About Before You Go:
- Make sure you pack items to keep the infant on their schedule and in familiar surroundings.
- Make sure you have enough liquids for take-off and landing. The pressure changes affect their ears during take-off and landing and it is important to have them drink during these times.
- Time breast or bottle-feeding during take-off and landing. This will really help their ears. If they are older infants be sure to pack enough food and snacks to get them through the flight accounting for possible delays.
- Try to mimic the sleeping environment at home. Bring along favorite sheets, blankets, pacifiers, and/or crib toys so they are familiar with the surroundings. Make sure that you not only packed some of these items in luggage but if you are flying, carry some smaller items onto the plane.
Make a packing list for each member of the family. Doing this in advance will help you remember the important items to pack and lower the stress of packing the days leading up to your trip.
Tips for Traveling With A Toddler
Each age seems to have different battles to fight when traveling during the holidays.
In some ways, you will be happy that your toddler is not an infant anymore when traveling, but in other ways, this age can be even more difficult depending on the stage your child is in.
H3: Top 3 Tips For Toddler Travel:
Tip 1: Talk to them
And not just before the trip but also during the trip. Explain what is happening and what will be happening next. At times, children have no idea where they are and if they are coming home since they have no concept of time.
Before you leave, talk to older toddlers showing them pictures of where you are going, what you will do there, and then how you will be coming home.
Tip 2: Maintain a schedule
If possible, try to keep this same schedule as to when you are at home for naps, baths, and bedtime. Allow for a few days to get adjusted to the new environment.
Tip 3: Bring something familiar
Remember sleeping in a new place can be scary for toddlers and young children. Try to bring something familiar with you like a night light, their music, or special toy. This will help them feel more at ease.
Traveling With Young Children
At this age, they will be more able to understand what is happening and why they are traveling.
But just like with the other stages, there are things that you as the parent can do to make sure that this trip is a little easier.
- Bring things that will entertain them in the car or airplane, as it is sometimes impossible for children to sit quietly for long periods. Bring tablets and books, and if possible purchase travel games or take away some of their old toys before the trip so they will seem new and interesting when introduced on the plane.
- Make sure to slowly introduce games or books one at a time so they will last for the entire ride. Arts and crafts are terrific for children as are certain small action figures.
- If you are on a long flight or train ride take them on walks down the aisle and plenty of walking before you depart so they can expend energy before the trip begins.
Make sure you explain to children where you are going, how long you’ll be gone, and what will happen while you are away. Ask if they have any questions about their trip.
Involving your children in the trip plans and preparations is a good way to get them invested and excited.
For example:
- Draw a story with them on the plane to prepare them for what to expect from the new location. Include things you may do together, like building sandcastles or exploring caves.
- Check in with your kids to see how they are doing, and ask them if there is anything in particular that they would like to do during the trip.
- Let your child pack a small snack bag and a favorite toy before the trip so that they have some control over what will keep them busy during the flight.
Holiday Travel With Teens
Involving your teen in the travel process will not only make the trip enjoyable, but it will give your teen a sense of pride.
Ask your teen where they would like to go and why. If the destination seems plausible then ask them to research it further.
Tell them that finding the destination is one step, but arranging accommodations, booking transportation, and finding activities is all a part of how travel occurs.
If they are a part of the process they will enjoy the trip more.
If there are activities your age-appropriate teen would like to do on their own, and you are comfortable with allowing them some freedom, ask them to research something they might enjoy and help them book it.
Family vacations are a wonderful way for families to bond and enjoy time together. A little planning ahead goes a long way toward everyone’s good time.
