Traveling Tips When You Have Children

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by: jon1411joyce
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Date: Fri, 4 Feb 2011 Time: 5:34 AM
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A famous humorist once said that you can only travel one of two ways. The first one is first class and the second one is with kids ! Anyone who has small children will agree that traveling with kids, especially on long road trips, can be trying for adults and tough on little ones. To reduce the stress of doing this, there are simple tings you can do to make the trip more enjoyable for everyone. Just do your basic planning and with a little luck, you can be ahead of the game. Here are some basic tips that you can follow to make traveling with the kids a more pleasant experience.

Is your ride good enough?
Road trips mean traveling in confined quarters, no matter what kind of car you drive. Some cars will do a better job at this than others. If your car isn't one of them, consider renting a car that is. If you rent something bigger like a minivan, the comfort level you gain might be worth it, in addition to avoiding putting too much mileage on your own vehicle. Don't forget to bring your own safety seats for the kids. An RV is the ultimate mode of transportation for most any travel, but the cost can be prohibitive unless you are also using the RV for lodging and dining, which can save on hotel stays and restaurants.

You have to keep 'em amused!.
Driving for hours can really be boring so having some in-car entertainment could really help to break the monotony. Music and movies are must-haves, along with books, crayons and drawing pads. Portable electronics are now affordable these days so consider bringing those dvd players, gaming systems and music players. Frequent road trippers may want to invest in DVD systems that can be mounted to the interior roof or in the headrests of certain car makes and models. Classic travel games like car bingo and the license plate game and Magna Doodles are also good entertainment. Consider versions with magnetic or stay-in-place pieces. It might also be a good idea to bring soft travel trays or any stable surface that the kids can play or have snacks. For the snacks, pack healthy ones and plenty of them, prepared in single-serving containers, along with water and juice boxes in a cooler. Baby wipes are must plus a change of clothes just in case of any spills. Garbage and litter piles up quick on these trips, so bring those small plastic bags to keep it under control. These bags can also serve as a barf bag in case someone gets car sick.

Be flexible.
Be aware that the little ones might not endure as long as the adults. Stop often to stretch little limbs, get fresh air and, of course, use the facilities. For the bathroom breaks, would be good to bring some toilet-seat toppers for health reasons. Might also be handy to bring a portable potty for those emergencies and a rest room is not available. Also time your travel to avoid rush hours in metropolitan areas and construction delays. If you can follow the usual home routines, it will help the little ones adjust to life on the road. That means nap times should be on the usual times and this should influence when you take a break at hotels to get some sleep. To help your children snooze in the car, remember to bring a sun shade for the window and a favorite blanket, or pillow. For the hotel stop overs, that night light they are used to from home, would also be good.

If you follow these basic tips and everyone is stress-free and happy, you will find that you can forget all about first-class and remember why traveling with kids makes any trip worthwhile.

About the Author

Jon is a retiree who is trying her hand in technology by doing web marketing, and is having fun setting up a varied assortment of sites, so if you are looking for the best pool cleaners out there such as the kreepy krauly and other major brands, come visit her sites!