Family vacation and travel, especially with children is possible. You only need to adapt the trip so that they enjoy it as much as you.
Travel has no age, even the smallest can get to know the world and be infected by the spirit of their parents’ traveling.
“Travel now that you can, because when you have children … you’re done and will not be able to enjoy doing it the same way”. Does it sound familiar to you? If you are one of those who thinks that phrase was invented by those who always make excuses for not traveling, take note.
In this blog post, I will give you some good ideas to enjoy family vacations to refute the above statement.
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It is not the same to travel with a 3-month-old baby than with an 8-year-old child, in that we are all in agreement. However, whatever your case may be, you will see that all the tips will be useful when packing your bags and leaving the house for a family vacation to an enjoyable place.
1. Pick a Suitable Vacation Location
Spend some time selecting the appropriate location for your family vacation taking into consideration the age of your children. While a vacation overseas may be culturally edifying for a teenager, it could be boring for young children.
The same goes for a trip to a place where the amusement parks a better suited for young children. In this place, teenagers may find it difficult to find activities to enjoy themselves.
With this in mind, I do not want to rule out the possibility of enjoying a family vacation to Europe with little ones. We have done this ourselves and the memories were priceless. The point here is to take everything into consideration when planning your trip.
2. Plan and Prepare The Trip Together
If the children are old enough, it is a good idea to involve him or her in the family vacation trip planning from the first moment. Show them a map of the world pointing to where you are planning to take them.
Show them pictures of that place(s) you plan to visit to increase their interest.
Give them an idea about the culture, customs, food, and what to carry in their luggage. If applicable, take a moment to teach them some word in the language(s) of the countries that you plan to visit.
Also, it would be a good idea to show the route on a map so that they can follow it during the trip, etc.
3. Keep the Necessary Documentation in Order
Specifically for trips overseas or for cruises, depending on the age of your children, it is important to carry the appropriate identification, passport, and/or permits. Keep in mind that some countries ask tourists for a visa and it will usually be something that you will have to solve before leaving.
If the underage children do not travel with his/her parents, an authorization will be required by the father, mother or legal guardians that must be ratified by the authorities or courts.
In the point number 7 of this blog post I discuss the topic of documentation, but you can check travel organizers here for options to consider.
4. Do Not Let Your Luggage Get Out of Hand
During a family vacation, this is very easy to say. However, another thing is to consider picking up, moving and storing the bags for the adults, children’s bags, their backpacks, luggage and, why not, maybe also a stroller. That can be an inconvenience, delaying making arrangements for transportation upon arrival at the vacation location.
Try to take as few pieces of luggage as possible. When in doubt, it is better to carry things on your back than in your hands, you will need them to help look at maps, ask for directions, or use your phone.
We are fans of the Travelpro brand of luggage with the Travelpro Platinum Elite International Expandable Carry-on Spinner being the one we like. The are on the expensive side, but very durable and reliable. I have listed other viable travel luggage options for you to consider and listed the one we recommend below:
5. Consider Taking a First Aid Kit
If you have children you know that you need this, especially if you are going overseas. Small children are more susceptible to bumps and bruises, as well as sudden illnesses.
In addition to preparing a good travel kit, you should not forget the specific medication for children. Sometimes it is not so easy to find these medications at the destination. Therefore, it is better to be certain that you have them if needed.
The following are two great options for you to consider:
6. A Stroller or Backpack is Indispensable
How to take the little ones on a family vacation is a matter of taste, but you must make a decision before leaving. Consider that during the trip, you will move a lot and spend many hours standing.
So the question comes down to deciding on taking a baby carrier or stroller or both.
From my perspective, if your children are less than 3 years old, assume that you should rest in the long days. Therefore, it will be advisable to bring one or the other.
Taking both will make the trip more challenging. Luckily, nowadays there are strollers that can serve as a carrier, as well. Also, some of them serve as car seats, so the choice is yours.
Below are some alternatives for your consideration:
7. Have the Children Carry a Form of Identification
There is no worse filling than losing your children while on a family vacation. This can happen on busy streets, stateside or overseas, as well as at popular amusement or national parks.
The scenario can get even more complicated if your child is not able to communicate well.
To be at ease, if you are going to frequent bustling environments while on vacation, perhaps it will not hurt to use or fit your children with some form of identification.
I recommend that you keep all documents in a family travel organizer. I listed some options for the young ones and the adults below. For example, there are bracelets for this purpose where you can indicate your name, address, telephone number, etc.
If you want to go a step further, there are also GPS locators, such as small keychains, that you can put in your children pockets or backpack to track and find them using your mobile device.
8. Bring a Form of Entertainment or Distraction
Whether it’s for longer trips on a plane, train, car; or for moments of rest, it is a good idea to bring some form of entertainment with you. This can be in the form of games, notebooks or coloring books.
One note of caution, for the sake of others utilizing commercial transportation with your family for hours like on an airplane or train, I recommend that you leave the musical toys at home. Below are our recommendations for tablets for kids and headphones. Also, here is a link for the associated portable power options that you may need, depending on the duration of your trip.
Now in spite of the fact that we recommend the use of electronic devices, we need to be careful. In the blog post “Screen Time for Children: What is Best?”, I go into the specific recommendation to monitor and control the use of digital media.
9. Planes and Your Child Ears
Many of you know that when we are in a plane the pressure changes directly affect the ears. Adults already know how to fight it, but children do not.
The most advisable thing is that during the takeoff and landing the babies use a pacifier or a bottle, that will make them move their jaws and decompress their ears. If they are older bubble gum or candy can be a good solution. Some parents that we know have been successful in using the following child ear protection:
10. Carry Some Snacks
I am sure that this is something you already do on a regular basis, but when going on a trip, and more importantly if you go abroad, I recommend that you take some snacks with you. Doing this will take care of sudden cravings.
Keep in mind that if you traveling by plane, children food is allowed in carry-on luggage, even if they are liquids of more than 3 ounces. Please, check with your air carrier, as well as with the Transportation Safety Administration for the official rules.
Also, be ready to show it when you pass the security control to be checked.
11. Air Travel With Babies
When you buy your plane ticket you should indicate that you are traveling with a baby. Usually, up to 2 years of age is considered a baby and from 2 to 11 years old, a child. However, but each airline sets fees for babies if they are using a seat.
This fee can either be at a discount or pays only a percentage of an adult ticket. In general, companies allow the stroller to be carried to the door of the plane and once there it has to be checked.
In larger planes that travel long distances, babies can count on their own bassinet, a small cradle that fits the wall of the plane.
The number is limited per aircraft and the distribution is by order of request so the sooner you purchase your ticket and ask for it better.
12. Traveling While The Children Are Asleep
Are we there yet? There is a way to minimize the constant call for an update on the estimated time of arrival to our destination. The possible solution is to try to schedule the long leg of the trip, while the children are asleep, especially if it by car.
Doing this will reduce the burden on the children. However, not everyone is suited or comfortable driving at night, so you have to make some decision. The same applies when traveling by air.
Therefore, keep this in mind when looking for airline tickets.
13. Organize the Agenda According to the Age of Your Children
Traveling with children is traveling at another pace. You will have to organize your schedule taking into account their needs. Plan, but not too much.
Leave free time to dedicate your attention to your children. After all, you want this time together as a family one that is memorable for all. If you are traveling by car, take time to run, play and have fun. Do not be too ambitious to see and visit everything.
For example, it is likely that you will have to sacrifice a visit to a museum in exchange for time on some swings. If you are traveling by air, do not schedule a tight connection or an excessively long direct flight.
Some airports offer entertainment specifically geared for families with young children. Consider catching a break and take advantage of such facilities, if possible.
Capturing Memories
We can’t go on a family vacation and not talk about taking pictures. Yes, just about every body has a mobile phone that can take wonderful photos. However, there are times when a point and shoot camera may be needed. This is very important when traveling with children and if there is a possibility of getting wet. In such occasions having a waterproof camera will be the best bet to avoid putting your phone in danger. Here are our recommendations for waterproof point and shoot cameras that you should consider.
Home Safety When Away
When away the last thing that you want to think about is home safety. However, the reality of today is that we can’t ignore the fact that people with bad intentions wait until people go on a family vacation to attempt to break into their homes. There is only but so much that you will be able to do in the event of an attempt break it when you are away. However, a wireless and relatively inexpensive home security system could give you options and peace of mind. With this in mind, let me share our recommendation for a wireless security system.
Conclusion
Family travel is one of the most memorable, rewarding, and priceless activities that we can enjoy together. A well-planned vacation specifically tailored to the age of our children will get ahead of the curve in ensuring that everyone is happy.
For families with older children, the key is to make them part of the planning process, which includes selecting the destination.
How do you plan your vacation? What is your favorite destination? I would love to hear your comments. Do you have any other topics or ideas that should be considered in planning the vacation?
Short and simple, yet beneficial tips for both couples with or without kids. Love #2 involving our kids while planning a vacation. It’s so important to have them be a part of real-life moments than be on tablets and phones. Excellent blog and I look forward to following your travels on Instagram.
Dear LJ and Brett, thanks for the feedback. We figured that now that we are mature, it is time to share some tips and ideas with others taking advantage of our own personal experience. Traveling as a family is one of the more incredible experiences we have had. From short trip to more interesting ones overseas, we took their input into consideration. This made the trip more rewarding. I am still catching up with the idea of blogging, but hope to continue to share our experiences of 30 years of being married with others. Cheers!
Thanks for the tips! This weekend we are traveling for the first time with our two girls for a weekend away. It isnt far, but it’s daunting enough. Baby steps, right? So this post came at a great time for me! I completely agree with the snacks for sure!
Dear Holley, thanks very much for your perspective and feedback. I remember when my husband and I made our first trips with our children. Wow, we wanted everything to be perfect. However, one thing we found out quickly was that you have to remain flexible and go with the flow. We put our own personal wishes to the side and make decision based on what was best for the family in an effort to make our vacation memorable. From the simplest ones to those more complicated, we made a concerted effort to value the time we spent together as a family. Now that our children are youn adults, we still take time to go to the beach for vacation as a family….and remember when we did that same trip as little kids. I hope you have a wonderful experience…yes, the snacks do work 🙂
Great tips for sure! I especially like the thought of getting appropriately aged children involved in the planning.
Stacey, I appreciate you taking time to comment. We always got our children involved in the process. When they were little, they offered ideas and their own perspective on the vacation locations and activities to do. We found out that including them in the planning and scheduling of activities changes the whole outlook of the vacation. This becomes more challenging as they grow older, but it is something that I encourage doing so that the vacation can be more rewarding.
When the kids were little, we always traveled through the middle of the night. It was just so much easier with babies and toddlers who were sleeping for a large part of the drive.
Christa, thanks for taking the time to comment. We tried that same technique of traveling at night with our three children. It worked out good. Our most memorable trip was one we did from our home to Boston on a 4th of July weekend. After touring Boston we went on to Niagara Falls. Even now that they are grown they remember the trip. We also ventured out to Europe (Rome, Paris, and Madrid) with them. Definitely taking time to make memories with the family on trips is very important. The biggest challenge now a days is to find the appropriate balance in the use of electronics. Even though I list some electronics as part of the tips, it should not be the main focus of attention.
Thanks for the travel tips! We are currently on vacation and used some of these very tips. We learned the hard way last time, flying with a two-year-old with no entertainment. Thanks again.
Dear Majeeda, thanks for the note. I am glad that you found the information in the blog post useful. Sometimes parents then to shy away from the idea of planning a vacation with small kids. With good judgement, the right schedule of activities, as well as appropriate entertainment, a trip with kids can be fun and rewarding. When our kids were of that age, we took them to Europe…talk about challenges! However, being that this trip happened way before the personal electronics era, we had to be creative in keeping them entertained. In looking back, the trips we did overseas were priceless. Keep on traveling as a family!!
Thank you!