A family trip is one of the most rewarding kinds of travel. Shared experiences build bonds and memories that will last long beyond the trip, but traveling with children has inherent challenges and can be downright difficult if you aren’t properly prepared. Here are some tips accumulated from years of experience traveling with kids that will help smooth the inevitable bumps in the road and make your trip fun for the whole family.

Travel Maestro: Five Favorites for Family Fun

Preparation:

• Choose your destination with the whole family in mind. The kids wouldn’t enjoy a week at a destination spa, but a beach resort with spa services offers activities for everyone to enjoy separately and together. Be sure your trip includes a mixture of everyone’s interests.
• Get children excited about what they will see and the adventure to come. Read age-appropriate books to younger children about the destination. Give teens a guidebook and ask them to pick out what they want to see.
• Introduce foreign foods at home and talk about the culture of the destination. Even other areas of the US have regional differences in food and way of life from your home.
• Discuss a budget and some expected limits on out-of-pocket expenses for the trip. It’s easy to get carried away so come to an agreement before the trip how many souvenirs, sodas, and treats will be purchased.

Travel Maestro: Five Family Favorites for Costa Rica

Airline Travel:

• Buy a seat for babies under two. It is not required for domestic travel, but strapping the baby in their car seat will keep them safer, more comfortable and leave parent’s hands-free. Just do it!
• Choose your itinerary with layover times in mind. A 45-minute connection in a busy airport is much more stressful with kids in tow than when traveling alone. Conversely, a super long layover is just asking for crankiness and boredom.
• Confirm seat assignments as early as possible, so that you can sit together.
• Prepare younger children and first-time flyers for TSA procedures as well as the normal sounds and vibrations during flight. Talk about what they can expect and discuss the etiquette of air travel, such as not kicking seatbacks or staying buckled.
• Pack a snack bag. Dole out crackers, dried fruit, and some sweets to keep tummies happy and prevent low blood sugar meltdowns during long trips. Overpack the diaper bag to ensure plenty of baby supplies in the case of an unexpected delay. There are some exceptions to the TSA 3-ounce rule for infant supplies.
• Carry a stash of new boredom busters. Surprise gifts of small toys, crayons, or word search puzzles will keep kids occupied when tedium threatens. Remember to save a new activity for the long trip home too.
• Check out the TSA website dedicated to traveling with kids for specific rules and security policies.

Travel Maestro: Multi-Generational Vacation Travel

At the destination:

• Don’t try to do it all. Scheduling every waking moment leads to tired and frustrated families. Choose several activities that are unique or representative of the destination, but leave one day completely open. You might just need a day to relax at the hotel or you can collaboratively decide what to do that day.
• Engage kids with interaction. They probably won’t be as thrilled with museum exhibits or a scenic drive as the adults, but a story-telling guide or a hands-on Junior Ranger activity booklet will hold their attention and interest.
• Duct Tape, rubber bands, and binder clips always come in handy. Use colored duct tape to child-proof electrical outlets, quickly fix a ripped hem or create a “road” for tikes to push toy cars on. Rubber bands hold hair or charger cords; secure a bag of chips and toddler-proof cabinet doors. Binder clips can hold an impromptu sun or nap shade for baby.
• Vacationing is hungry work. Dine early to avoid crowds and low energy meltdowns. Know if reservations will be necessary so you don’t have an unpleasant wait. During daytime sightseeing, bring along that snack pack for quick pick-me-ups between meals.
• Give older kids their own camera and journal. Recording their experiences helps them engage and remember people and places. You may even find that you have a budding travel journalist or photographer in the family.

While every family is different, these tried and true tips have all been employed with great success. We would love to add your tips to the list, so please share any that you have found to be winners in the comments below.

For help arranging the perfect trip for your clan, please contact a Covington family travel specialist.