Summer is here and that means vacation time. For many of us, we plan for, and dream about, this one event for months in advance. Sun, sea, time to play with the kids, good food, new experiences are all waiting for us at the end of a journey. Whether you are traveling by plane, train or automobile, there are a number of things you can do to prepare yourself for that dreaded day of traveling and for eventualities on the road. Here are some tips from us:
Half the battle against your stress levels is won in your preparations for your trip. Come prepared!
- Make Lists – check them twice: there is no human way to remember everything off the top of your head. Give yourself time to make a list. Start it a couple of weeks in advance, and add to it as you remember new things you need to bring for you and your family.
- Packing: estimate more clothes for your kids than you expect. Double up on essential items such as underwear, socks, T-Shirts, bathing suits, sandals/flip flops if you are heading for the beach. Carry extras for your travel needs: extra moistened wipes, extra snacks, extra toys and books and for those little ones, extra bottles and pacifiers. Losing essential items is almost inevitable. Be prepared for the weather: sun tan lotion and hats are requirements for trips to tropical destinations, but don’t forget that you may get a downpour too.
- Book ahead: no matter your sleeping arrangements – hotels, vacation rentals, camping – book ahead. Arriving at busy destinations with tired kids in tow, you’ll want to know that you have beds for the night. Also, when you book your flights, or plan for other longer car trips, think about traveling on your kids’ schedule. Booking a late flight or leaving late afternoon for a long car journey will make your trip so much easier if you can do it while they're sleeping.
- Vaccinations: protecting you and your family from foreign diseases is a no-brainer. Do pay attention to the time for some of these vaccinations. Some you to be inoculated for 3 months in advance of your arrival.
- Medical supplies: while you may find supplies at your destination, it may be less convenient to chase around town finding the nearest drug store. Having supplies on hand for those eventual fevers, cuts, headaches, tummy aches or allergic reactions, will make life a lot easier and help you all get back on vacation track a lot sooner.
- Keep bacteria and bugs at bay: antibacterial wipes and hand sanitizers will be essential items for keeping bacteria at bay when you are on the road where restaurants may be less than sanitary and washing facilities may be few and far between. Depending on where you are going, taking a roll of toilet paper may also have to go on your list. Bugs, especially mosquitoes also seem to be everywhere, so mosquito repellent, After Bite, sting treatment and antihistamines should be on your list to bring.
- Passports and Visas: children’s passports only last five years and they have a habit of running out when you are not looking. Don’t forget your Visa requirements. Some of them take a few weeks to process, so plan ahead.
- Send stuff ahead: travelling with young kids often means moving a mountain of stuff. Do you need to take it all on the flight with you? Can you send some of it ahead to you destination?
- Snacks : keep hungry bellies full and tempers at bay with healthy snacks. Avoid sweets at all costs as that will send your kids into a sugar high that will counter-act your attempts to keep them quiet.
You are fully packed, you’ve checked and double-checked your list and you have passport, tickets and money in hand. How do make sure your travel will be stress-free?
- Keep the activities coming: remember, your kids have active minds and bodies and they simply cannot sit still the way adults can. Put together an activity bag for each of your kids to keep them entertained for the duration of the trip. Fill them with books, toys, stickers, educational games, portable DVD and game players, books on tape, and music CDs/mp3 players. Find ways to help your kids blow off steam. If you are road-tripping it, take some breaks to give them a chance to run around for a bit; if you are flying don’t sit still in the airport – it’s your kids’ chance to blow off some steam before a long trip.
- Try geocaching: We found geocaching a really good activity to keep our daughter engaged for our summer road trip. She was put in charge of the GPS unit and had to tell us where to stop for the next geocache (we picked ones that were easily accessible from the Highways we were travelling).
- Take your time/travel on their schedules: travelling is an adventure and challenging at the same time for your kids. They will have to learn to keep up through Customs and security, yet they’ll also want to explore their new surroundings and need unscheduled toilet breaks. Give yourselves extra time and you’ll all get there on time.
- The participation factor: get your kids involved in the planning of your activities. Their role will depend on their age and your patience, but it can involve making choices of attractions to visit or activities to do each day, finding a hotel or camp site within your budget, or for even older kids your actual destination. Giving kids a camera will encourage them to observe and focus on their surroundings. Ask your older children to keep a travel journal. Encourage them to keep entry tickets, pamphlets and postcards that they can glue into their travel journal. Get your kids to draw and list interesting things they’ve seen and food they’ve tasted.
- What if they get lost? Have a plan in case you lose each other. Designate a meeting point. Teach your kids your cell number or hotel number so they can reach you and who it’s safe to approach for help.
No matter where you go on vacation with your family, you always have fun and create memories you look back on fondly. We hope you have a lovely time this summer and travel safe.
