Europe Holidays: Tips for Traveling with a Toddler
Traveling is an exciting time for the entire family, and if you are taking a toddler along on the trip, you'll need to plan ahead with activities, snacks, and all the right tools to stay organized. Traveling with kids is much more fun when everyone is well-prepared for the adventure; this means packing the right items, making sure there are enough activities to keep the kids busy, and keeping everyone's safety in mind. Whether you're planning a short weekend getaway or a few weeks on a family vacation, here are some simple tips for traveling with a toddler:
1. Car seats, baby carriers, strollers, and booster seats.
Making sure you have a safe car seat, a stroller and booster
seats available, will make it much easier to travel to different
venues with your toddler. Car seats can ensure a safe drive,
while your own collapsible stroller will make it simple to tour
and visit different areas without having to rent equipment.
Leave room in your car to pack the stroller easily, and take
along a booster seat if you have some extra space. You may also
want to bring a sling or baby carrier to reduce the amount of
gear to pack if your child is not too heavy for you to carry.
Most slings can support a child up to 35 lbs. Check with your
sling's / carrier's manufacturer for details.
2. Comfortable clothing. The right outfit for the day of
traveling is important, since you want your toddler to be
comfortable and enjoy the experience. Light-colored clothing
works best, especially if you're traveling to a warmer climate.
You'll want to pack at least two outfits for the days you'll be
traveling on the road or in an airplane, as your toddler may
spill food and drinks on their clothes and that will require an
outfit change.
3. Diaper bags and accessories. You'll need a place to store
those extra diaper bags, toys, videos, snacks, and clothing, so
that everything is within easy reach. If you are traveling by
car or van, pick up an organizer bag that you can just hang over
the car seat, or a tote-style box/organizer that you can slip
into the trunk of the car.
4. Puzzles and games. Puzzles and games will keep your toddler
and kids busy during those very long travel times, so make sure
you're taking along a tote bag of their favorite toys, coloring
books, and games. Games don't have to contain lots of pieces
when you're on the road - think about simple activities such as
coloring books with crayons, picture books, and activity books
that will keep them occupied. You also may want to create a
surprise bag of little games/treats for each hour/certain number
of miles passed. This keeps them entertained and wondering what
will come next.
5. DVDs and media activities. A portable DVD player, an iPod, or
just a simple CD player are other activities that can keep your
toddler and kids occupied on a long trip. Rent some of their
favorite movies for the DVD player, or just pick up some fun
books on tape for them to listen to. These activities can keep
kids busy for a few hours, and are especially valuable for those
extra-long trips.
6. Snacks and food. Taking along enough snacks is essential when
traveling with kids, especially since you don't want to waste
lots of money on food and snacks along the way. Packing your own
snacks and food will also ensure that your kids can eat healthy
when traveling, so think of simple and tasty snacks the whole
family can enjoy. Fruit wedges, granola bars, peanut butter
sandwiches, and even homemade trail mix are great foods for
traveling, and can make long hours of traveling much more fun.
7. Immunizations and medical records. If you're traveling out
of the country, you'll need to have your kids immunized against
various diseases and conditions, but you'll also want to have
everyone get a health checkup before leaving and upon your
return. Make an appointment with the doctor or physician at
least two to three weeks before your travel dates, so that
everyone can enjoy the trip in the best of health.
8. Passports, visas, and identity cards. Make sure you have all
of the paperwork and materials you will need for your travel
plans well ahead of time, and pack all of these in a separate
case for easy access. All of your personal records need to be in
an easily accessible place in case of emergency, so be sure to
make a place for these and keep them on close-at-hand during your
trip.
Whether you're traveling on a long road trip or taking an
airplane ride with your kids, making sure they are comfortable,
safe, and enjoying the experience should be a top priority. Stay
organized and plan ahead, using all of these simple strategies,
so that you can deliver a fun vacation the whole family will
enjoy! Author - April Aguren
By - Holidays Travel
