Travel with Kid: Making Travel Fun for Kids and Relaxing for Adults

Travel with kid - I've traveled with my children to Mexico (and other destinations) so many times over the past twelve years that I have it down to a science. But I didn't start out that way. Like all parents who take their kids with them on vacation, I've learned to travel smart. Following are some kid travel tips that will make traveling (whether by plane or car) fun for kids and enjoyable for adults.

Travel with Kid Tips

• One or two weeks before your trip, plan a surprise trip bag packed with goodies to keep your child entertained while you're on the road or in the air. This is a key to happy travel. The goodie bag can be a backpack
  
  

  
  
  or a child-size piece of luggage on wheels (for girls, this is a favorite):
  
  
  
  that will stow easily beneath the airplane seat. Don't pack it yet, but make a list of what you will buy as well as the items you will bring that occupy your child at home. To make things easy for you, I have compiled a list of the favorite kid travel activities we have brought with us throughout the years.
  
  

  Travel with kid tip: Rolling luggage allows your kid to be responsible for the things he brings on the trip.

  
  
  
  
  

• Ideas for what to pack in the bag depend on what interests your child, but here are some great ideas. For younger children, pack a travel art desk
  
  
  
  picture books, finger puppets (this can be a fun craft to do at home) and favorite teddy bears or dolls.
  
  

  Travel with kid tip: finger puppets provide entertainment and engage your child's imagination in ways that video games or DVDs cannot. These dinosaur finger puppets will appeal to both boys and girls.
  
  

  
  
  

  
  
  This kid travel activity art product is endorsed by the "Save the Parents' Sanity Foundation!"—this should tell you a lot!
  
  

  Kid Travel Activity
  
  

• Drawing paper is essential because there are many games kids can play on paper such as tick-tack-toe, hang man, connect the dots, etc. Make a list of these games on the inside cover of the notebook, so your child can go down the list.
  
  

• Younger kids may need a kid travel pillow to help them sleep upright on the airplane:
  
  

  
  
  

• If you're traveling by car, here's the road trip version. My kids have used this kid travel pillow in the car. It's been a lifesaver on long road trips.
  
  

  
  
  

• For older kids, pack pens, pencils, a kid travel journal
  
  
  
  in which to record memories of the trip and paste their photos, a throwaway camera, or a small digital camera, a map of where you're going, a novel, or a travel book of the area that is geared to kids. If your child loves history, as one of my children does, pack a brief history of the area.
  
  

• Here's a fun kid travel game that offers a twist on Gin Rummy. It's more appropriate for the car since it comes in a big box.
  
  
  
  

  If your travel with kid is limited to a road trip and you're taking along the X-Box, this is our favorite all-in-one travel case:
  
  

  
  
  

• If your travel involves vacationing in a country in which another language is spoken, bring along your computer and language CDs or DVDs, so your child can listen on the plane. A language is learned quickly when a child is practicing, staying in the country and interacting with those who speak the language. If you travel with kid to Mexico, this is our top recommendation for teaching young children spanish.
  
  

  
  
  

• For families with older kids, we recommend a more comprehensive spanish learning program. This will serve the needs of older kids and adults. It's expensive, but worth every penny, especially when you realize that in addition to opening up your child's perceptual world, he is learning to be bilingual which will be a valuable asset in a world in which the spanish-speaking population is the fastest growing group on the planet.
  
  

  
  
  

• If your travel with kid destination is a beach vacation, surprise your child with an underwater camera. This will put an interesting twist on your travel photos and his kid travel journal. The underwater camera I bought my boys is easy to use and takes excellent photos. It also meant we got to learn a new family activity: snorkeling.
  
  
  
  
• Other great beach gear that will really get water-loving kids excited includes an inflatable body board
  
  
  
  a Packtowl Ultra Lite (extremely light weight towel which allow your child to dry himself off in seconds. The towel has a loop which makes it easy to attach to a backpack or beach tote.)
  
  
  
  the Sea Line Sea Pouch (which is a waterproof pouch that fits around the neck and helps to keep your child's wallet, cell phone or 2-way radio dry while he swims or surfs)
  
  
  
  Of course all this should go into a suitcase rather than the travel bag.
  
  
• Plan to pack drinks (water or juice boxes) and healthy snacks for the trip. Remember that it's easy to get dehydrated during travel. Giving your child accessibility to snacks and drinks that will help keep him hydrated and maintain his blood sugar will help him to be on his best behavior. It will also make a younger child feel a surge of independence and less reliant on you or the good graces of the stewardess.
  
  
• Whether your travel with kid is on an airplane or in the car, be sure to take along a pair of noise-canceling headphones, so you and your spouse or partner can take turns getting a little peace and quiet on the trip. This one's just for you, Mom and Dad! Remember, this is your vacation too.
  
  

  
  
  

If you have any travel with kid tips you want to share or stories about items that have entertained your children on the road or in the air, please submit them using the Contact Us link to the left.

About the author:
Laura Ramirez is the author of the award-winning book, Keepers of the Children: Native American Wisdom and Parenting which combines native principles (like true child stewardship) with heart-centered psychology to teach parents how to raise children to develop their strengths and lead uniquely purposeful and fulfilling lives. The book is a journey of self-discovery for child and parent.



Travel with Kid

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