Road Warriors Under Five
Travel day is around the corner, what next? Plan ahead.
Traveling with younger kids can be stressful, flip side? The more they are on the road the better travelers they become! We all have been there, the panic in faces whe people see you boarding the plane with your 3 kids, the dreaded walk down the isle before you meet your seat neighbor, the fingers crossed hoping for long naps on board and the gasp when electronics run out of battery, nooooo. Been there done that, so for this week’s travel talk I am sharing some tips for traveling with kids 5 and under, because staying home is not an option!
– He knows I promise…. If only mom or dad is traveling, remember you’ll need a note from the other parent consenting to the trip.
– What do you mean expired? ... If you’re traveling internationally, make sure everyone’s passport will be valid for the next 6 months and check to see if you need visas and/or vaccines for the country you are traveling to.
– Time is on your side.… If only if, you Build in plenty of time before your flight. Flying now a days is unpredictable in many ways, airport wait times and lines can be long, you don’t want to be rushing barely making it on the flight, stress is contagious. (pst. That being said don’d board too early take your time, you don’t want to sit on the plane too long before take off).
-Need my super power ...Make sure you have portable chargers for the trip, you do not want to run out of battery, get the ones with extended battery life. (Pst. this is no time for electronic restriction, you can pick that rule up after the flight).
-Can you hear me now? … Pack their headphones. This is key, the noise resuction will help them focus and happily listen to their shows or games. Great for them and for you!
– Buckle your seatbelts….and give your child a snack before take off. The chewing helps their ears adjust to the pressure change. Make sure you bring enough for everyone or else they’ll be crying for more, which kind of defeats the purpose of your goal. (Pst. If you pack enough extras you’ll avoid paying sky high snack prices on board)
– There is an app for that...Downloading travel apps for your kids seems like a no brainer, but don’t forget to download some for yourself. Here are some of my favorites aroundme, you will want this if like me you have no sense of direction, touchnote, to send post cards on the go, super cute, yuggler, will give you options of activities for the kids. Last but not least, flush, you heard me, flush, because you know that sooner then later someone’s gotta go and yes there’s an app for that.
– Can we take a break? …Don’t over schedule. This is my big on my list! Activities should be paced, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, mix of active and more chilled, just to keep it interesting for everyone, aleays leave some time for doing nothing. Downtime should be part of your schedule! (Pst. Involve your kids in choosing activities they’ll love being part of the planning).
-Dear diary today ….Start a travel journal for the family. Ask each child to write a bit about their day in it, everyone will love looking back on it, you’ll be amazed on how many details they absorb, even when you think they are not paying attention!
Bonus. Book hotels and resorts that have kids programs. Foour Seasons and Ritz run great programs, kids have a blast and you have some down time for the spaaaaa!
Hope you can use these on future trips, I am sure there a many more out there, share them with me, I am always on the lookout for more tips. Hope it’s a great summer for you and your road warriors under 5 and beyond!
Travel well & Travel Often
Geisel
