Traveling with Children
Traveling can be a hassle if you do not do it often, from booking flights and hotels to arriving at the airport hours before departure, praying for no cancelations, arriving at your destination on time, and long road trips. Adding children into the mix makes this process that much challenging.
I have traveled all over the world with and without my children. I must say that I ensured I prepared for traveling with Khaleb and MJ. Below are a few tips for traveling with children.
Snacks
Snacks, snacks, and snacks. Kids love snacks; heck, so do adults. Whether on a road trip or flying, packing your snacks saves money. Here are a few of my snack ideas: small packages of nuts, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, organic beef sticks, cookies, or dry cereal. Small Ziploc bags are my go-to for storage.
Blankets
Whether it is a long ride in the car or a flight across the country, we all want to feel comfortable. Blankets are like our security, and for some reason, they calm kids down and make them feel more comfortable. I am a huge fan of blankets as we have them on the couches and even take them to the movies. A travel tip is to bring along your child’s favorite blanket or purchase an inexpensive one.
Entertainment
Phones, tablets, game devices, oh my. Ensuring your children’s electronic devices are fully charged, and you have extra chargers is a must. If you think a pair of headphones at the airport store or gas station is expensive, try purchasing a charger. Bringing along an electronic device keeps your little ones engaged and quiet. Don’t forget headphones. Something I do when I travel with the boys is the day before we leave, I download a few movies from Netlfix or Disney+ in the event there is no wifi, or we are in an area with no service. This works wonders.
Old School
Even though electronic devices are great for keeping your little ones busy, so are other things. Bring along some books to read. Khaleb loves chapter books, so I ensure he brings a few to balance his screen time. MJ reads well, but he loves when I read to him in different voices. Bringing along books not only gives your children a break from the screen, but it creates a learning and bonding time. A blank sketchbook with a small Ziploc bag filled with crayons is another great idea. Drawing and coloring lead to unlimited creativeness.
These are a few of my go-to tips for traveling with children, and it has worked wonders for me. Yes, there will be times when the chatter does not stop and the questions of “Are we there yet” become annoying but enjoy the moments you have with your children.
