1. If You Have a Long Car Journey Make Sure Your Kids Are Kept Busy
The worst trouble when traveling with kids usually happens on the car journey, especially in the summer when it's hot. Trapped in the back seat and bored out of their minds, that's when kids start to create problems. Every time I've traveled with kids, I've made sure each kid has a 'goodie bag' of new stuff that will keep him or her busy for at least the length of the trip, plus a few hours. Goodie bags don't have to be expensive, just make sure there's stuff in there that your child will like. I usually get a couple of cheap comic books, a notebook and pen, a drawing pad and crayons or colored pencils, a puzzle like a Rubik's Cube, some cheap bags of candy, a crossword book if the child is 10 years old or older, and several other inexpensive toys or games. Target, Toys R Us and K Mart have an excellent selection of inexpensive toys, books, etc. Buy a few, put them in a colorful bag and that's your child's 'goodie bag' for the trip. Just make sure you have a second goodie bag for the trip home, or that car journey could become a real nightmare.
2. Don't Ignore Your Kids on the Car Journey
My parents had very few problems with me on long vacation car journeys and that's because they didn't ignore me. We would play guessing games, car number plate games, memory games, Travel Scrabble - anything to keep me occupied and amused. As a kid, I remember car journeys used to go very quickly and I have my parents' imagination to thank for that.
3. Choose The Shortest Way There
Another great tip to make things easier traveling with kids in the summer is: if you're taking a long car journey, choose the shortest route to your destination and don't take too many detours. It might sound fun to stop off at "Al's Museum of Fun", but after ten hours on the road it's probably the last thing your kid wants to do. Get to your destination as fast as possible and then start the fun from there.
4. If You're Flying, Avoid Layovers
If you're traveling with kids and you're flying to your destination, choose destinations with no or very short layovers. Long layovers in an airport can bore a child rigid. Try to choose holiday destinations this summer, if possible, where you can get directly from where you live to where you're going. The less layovers you have the less problems you're likely to experience all around, including the chance of less flight delays. And your kids will thank you for it.
5. Don't Forget to Stop
A lot of parents take long car trips and then expect children to be well behaved and patient when there hasn't been a stop for five hours. Especially with small kids, you should be taking a break from driving every 2-3 hours. Even if it's just a 10 minute stop for a trip to the toilet and to buy a snack, it gives the kids something to look forward to and gives them a chance to stretch their legs when they get there.
6. Pre-board Planes
Most airlines now have pre-boarding for parents traveling with kids and who wish to take advantage of it. If it takes you and your kids a few minutes to get settled when flying, taking the pre-boarding offer will give you a few extra minutes to get your kids settled in their seats, bags stowed away and you serenely resting before the rest of the people on the plane get on board.
7. If Possible, Travel at Night
Although this is hard on a parent who has to drive, traveling at night can actually give you a bit more sanity when it comes to traveling with kids in the summer, as they will tend to sleep. If you can, organize your trip so that one or both parents get extra sleep the night before and can drive through part of the night. You can always stop at a motel at 1-2 a.m. and get a few hours sleep, and by then you'll have had five or six hours of kid-free driving while your kids happily snooze in the back of the car.
8. Break the Journey into Sections
Another great tip for traveling with kids is to split your journey up into several days, and stop off at fun places for the kids. If your kids know they're only going to be traveling for four hours before they'll get to stop and spend the rest of the day in an amusement park or on the beach, and then a three hour trip the day after before another fun thing happens, the journey in the car won't seem as interminable. It's also fun for Mum and Dad to have something to look forward to every day on a long holiday journey.
9. Get to Know Your Kids
For many parents, they don't have enough time to really get to know their kids. Long car journeys can be a great opportunity to learn more about your kids. Start conversations. Get them to tell you about their friends, what they like to do, computer games they're currently playing, TV shows they like. It's amazing how much you might find out about your kids on a long journey and you could end up feeling closer to them too.
10. Make Sure Your Kids Wear Comfortable Clothes
When traveling on a long journey with kids, it's best to not worry about looks or fashion but instead think of comfort. When I was a kid, we'd often travel in sweat pants and a loose t shirt, as they're just about the most comfortable clothing available. Tight jeans or shorts (that make your legs stick to hot seats in the summer) are really not that comfortable. Make sure your kids (and you!) are wearing comfortable clothing, so even if you're stuck in a car for eight hours, you or your kids won't feel like you're being tortured alive.
Traveling with kids in the summer really doesn't have to be a chore. If you just follow these ten easy travel tips, you and your kids will have a much better holiday experience.
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