Traveling with Kids
Contents
Kid vacations, traveling with kids, car and plane travel, travel essentials, packing tips, activities on the road? No sane parent would want to venture outside the safety of their homes with their kids.
For the travel-savvy parents, this is where planning comes in. Plan ahead with a few car activities, and make the journey as much fun as the destination. Look for hotels with in-house day cares, or airlines who have activity pads or even kiddie meals to go with kids’ plane tickets. If traveling by car, plan ahead with a few car activities. Travel essentials, nowadays have ceased to be just the parent’s responsibility. Whether you go to different countries or just tour the next town to your place, establishments are now putting up rules and guidelines on how to help keep the family happy on the road. This page will help you search for those value-added kid vacations and travel.
WHAT TO BRING
When packing, bring the right stuff and not all your stuff. Less is more. The less stuff that you don’t need, the more freedom you’ll have with your kids.
CLOTHING
Stick to the basics. Bring clothes that you and your kid can wear on the plane, train or car ride. clothes that are loose fitting and comfortable. Don’t forget to bring sweaters because you’ll never know what kind of weather you’ll be having out of town. And also, one dressy outfit for a quiet dinner in town
Have enough underwear and socks.
Shoes are important in travel. Shoes for walking, a pair of dressy shoes for you and your kid especially when you plan to dine out and rubber shoes for any other activity you intend to have.
Water gear. Any travel always involve water. There’s the pool at the hotel or the beach at the Carribean. Make sure everyone has good swimming outfits, sandals and the like.
DOCUMENTS & MEDICINES
Personal identification documents. They are very important when traveling abroad. You’ll find yourself constantly showing your ID to city officials, hotel clerks and managers, even to taxi drivers.
Passports & Visas and Copies. Copies will help speed up process of replacement in case your passport is stolen or lost. If you need to get passports in a hurry, check out the Passports and Visas Web sites. You can get your passports even the kids in just a few days or overnight but at an extra cost.
Copies of Birth Certificates and Immunization Records. Birth certificates are just as important as the passports especially when your passports are stolen or lost. Some countries require specific shots before you can enter so copies of your immunizations and that of your kids are vital in foreign travel.
Medicine Antibiotics, aspirin, anti-itch, anti-fungal, laxatives, band aids, thermometer, paracetamol, medicine for cough and colds, diarrhea and other prescription medicines. You should ask your doctor or pharmacist for the generic names of all medicines, since the brand name may not be available where you’re traveling.
OTHER MUST-HAVES
Cameras. Bringing your expensive digital cameras to travel is sometimes not advisable. Choose inexpensive digital ones and don’t forget to bring waterproof cameras for the kids, too.
Emergency Kits. Adaptors for different outlets, a mini sewing kit, a Swiss army knife set, and flashlights.
Books, magazines, playing cards, toys for the kids, ipod to pass the time
PLANE TRAVEL WITH KIDS
I love to travel. I do this on a monthly basis. There was even a time I was out of town week after week. There’s something about traveling and seeing new places that put me in the right perspective again after a downtime. But now that I have a small child, I thought everything would be different. But I have learned how to ORGANIZE my trips so that I am ready for anything.
STARTING ON THE RIGHT FOOT
Preparation is key. There are many adjustments to make. You want your child to enjoy this experience therefore it should be exciting and new without being overwhelming. Lay the foundations for a good travel experience. Take short trips first.
Encourage trips to the mall or to a nearby resort before embarking on a plane ride with your kid. Talk about the trip. Tell him the places he’ll see and the many activities he’ll do when he gets there. No matter how eager he is for his first long travel, start him out with simple and short trips.
Pack MORE than you need for the plane. Do you have the right clothes? Are you prepared for any changes in the weather? Do you have adequate shoes or footwear? Leave what you don’t need and bring what you do need. On your first trip, you have many details to check. You have to think through the way you care for your child at home and decide how you will do the very same tasks out of town.
What age should you start taking your kid to travels? That all depends on you. Some moms wait until the baby is able to appreciate his surroundings and some have traveled with infants as young as a week old. Good sense must be our basis. If you think your kid is a happy, healthy baby, he can go almost anywhere, anytime. If you have doubts about taking your kids to trips, it would be wise to check with your pediatrician first.
A good destination is also essential for first trips with kids. What can be an amazing destination for us could turn out to be a big disappointment for our kids. Good destinations for kids are beaches, lakes, theme parks, nice resort hotels etc. Of course, you must use good judgement.
Plans should be flexible. Make room for last minute changes.
SAFETY & CONVENIENCE
Bulkhead seats offer the most legroom. This will give you and your child plenty of room to move and play.
Bring his favorite food and drinks. Keep him well-hydrated and well fed.
Bring along a bag filled with his favorite toys. If your child is old enough to read, a good book will keep him occupied throughout the flight. Add something new as well.
Advanced Family Travel Planning
Traveling, especially with kids, requires advance planning. Details when left out could oftentimes, mean disaster for you and your kids. Think how much more enjoyable your trip would be if you have not forgotten anything. Here are some tips and suggestions to make traveling a pleasurable experience.
• Use a good travel agent or one who is knowledgeable in plane routes and air fares. Make sure your travel agent knows all your travel preference. Let her know that you’re traveling with kids or the whole family so she can book you on a non-smoking area of the plane.
• Arrange for a special meal on the plane. Most airlines offer children’s meal.
• If you and your kids are traveling abroad, make photocopies of your passports. The nearest embassy can use the photocopies to issue new ones.
• It’s better to make an itinerary of your trip. List down addresses and phone numbers of the places you intend to visit, including the hotels you’ll be staying in each night and the airline and flight details.
• If you have household help or you have instructed someone to look after your home while you and your kids are gone, give a copy of your itinerary. Just in case something happens, he or she will be able to contact you.
• Pack your suitcases and that of your children’s two days in advance.
• Always confirm your flight and hotel arrangements.
The Day of Your Trip
• Make sure you and your family dress in comfortable clothes. Layered clothing is best. You can remove outer garments if it gets warm and put on sweaters in case the cabin gets cold or your destination becomes chilly.
• Again, if you have household help, recount your instructions one more time.
• Check if all your travel documents, plane tickets, money and itinerary are already with you.
• Lock all windows. Take out the trash. Check that the stove is off. Unplug all appliances. Lock all doors.
• Be at the airport two-three hours before your flight so you can check in early.
At your Destination
• Check to see if all your arrangements are met. Check the bathroom, beds and pillows. If you’ve made arrangements to baby-proof the room or if you’ve requested for a crib, now is the time to check it. Most hotels offer this kind of service for families. If it’s not satisfactory, a room change must be in order.
• Once you and your children have settled, read the hotel directory and literature. Check the operation hours of the hotel outlets, gym, game room and swimming pool for the kids and room service. A swimming pool and room service are musts when traveling with kids.
• If you have additional requests such as hair dryer, adaptors or extra drinking glasses, make them all now.
