March 24, 2015
In
family, Kids, Travel

we love taking our kids on vacation with us. we want to show them as much of the world as we can. it’s not always easy and sometimes its exhausting. but the memories are what make it all worth it. showing them the beauty of other cities, the different cultures and foods. hearing them talk about their favorite city or vacation, that’s what its all about. we travel frequently with the kids and we’ve gotten pretty good at. here are a few tips and tricks we’ve learned along the way.
1. PACK LIGHT- this is key when flying. the airport can be tricky with kids. hauling your bags + strollers + carseats + kids into the airport, check in and the security line is difficult. by the time you get to the plane you’re already exhausted. our kids have gotten really good at navigating through the airport. typically we have the kids each carry a backpack. we love Fjallraven. they are super light and have several different sizes so you can pick which size fits your child. if we are taking a short trip we will pack their clothes in that bag and take 1 carry-on for everything else. most airlines allow you to check your strollers and car seats for free. for a longer trip we take 2 checked bags and use those backpacks to hold snacks + toys for the flight.
2. SNACKS- for those short flights i take a carry on in addition to the one full of our clothes. usually this MZ Wallace Bag, it’s super light weight and has plenty of storage. we pack dried fruit, nuts, granola bars and pretzels which are little to no mess and easy to eat on their own. i also bring a few different candies or fruit snacks in case they get really fussy, there’s nothing worse than an inconsolable child and ours are usually happy to have a treat. for longer flights i let them keep their snacks in their backpack and get them out as they choose.
3. BE PREPARED- make sure everyone uses the bathroom and has a fresh diaper before you take off. we typically take everyone to the restroom when we get to the airport and then again 5 minutes before boarding. we also eat at the airport, most airports have good restaurants and this ensures they don’t eat every snack they have before take off and are hungry the rest of the flight. we also grab a few water bottles to take on the plane. the drinks they give on flight can be difficult trying to keep little one from spilling them on their tray tables.
4. TECHNOLOGY- we limit screen time at home so when we travel our kids are thrilled to play on the iPad or their Nintendo 3DS. we don’t let them play until we are well into the flight and they are starting to get antsy. this will hold them over until we land.
5. TOYS + BOOKS- we always buy one new toy and stick it in their bag so they are surprised when they get on the plane. something small like play doh or a drawing set. paper and a pencil for tic tac toe or hangman. we also really like Where’s Waldo and Seek and Find books.
6. TICKETS- designate one person to be in charge of tickets + licenses + birth certificates. i put them all in a large Ziploc and stick it in my carry on. that way we aren’t digging through our wallets and bags trying to find them all. make sure you’ve printed your tickets ahead of time.
if you have a baby on flight with you make sure you nurse/bottle feed them while you are taking off and landing this will help their ears adjust and if you’re lucky they’ll fall asleep.
the last piece of advice i can offer is do NOT pre-board. i know its tempting to be first in line but that just means sitting in a small confined space longer. we board last. let the kids get their energy out before getting on the plane.
happy flying. its never fun but we always get compliments telling us how well behaved our children are on the flight. i attribute this to being well prepared.