I have learned a lot about traveling with kids when TJ, my husband and I traveled to Idaho, Michigan and Northern Indiana this summer. Here are a few tricks and tips that have helped make traveling a peaceful bearable experience:
Treats
Kinda silly coming from a parent with a kid who doesn’t like to eat, but he loves to snack. Having snacks at the ready for TJ in the car and on the plane has been a lifesaver. We try to diversify the snacks so that he isn’t eating just one thing.
Entertainment
On our trip to Michigan we loved having the DVD player in our Buick. It was a lifesaver towards the end of the trip when TJ really wanted to be out of his car seat. ELMO saved the day (and our ears). We also had books at the ready. TJ loves his board books and many, many times on the trip those books helped preoccupy TJ.
Travel Times
For parents who have very young children deciding when to travel is a very key component to a happy travel experience. When we booked our flights to Idaho we left early in the morning during TJ’s normal nap time. It worked out perfectly as he slept most of the trip. When we drove to Michigan we left early in the morning and TJ slept for the first 3 hours making the trip seem a lot shorter than it actually was.
Pack Smart
Flying with children can be very expensive. Nowadays the airlines charge you for every bag you check. When traveling with small children this can be very tricky. We try and cut corners as much as we can. For instance, when traveling to Idaho we don’t take any personal hygenie items or diapers and purchase travel sizes when we get there. This saves a lot of space. We also have been using our Portable Powermat charging system which allows us to charge most of our electronic devices so that we don’t have to bring several chargers with us. It also folds up into a small case making it extremely easy to transport. Our Powermat charges our Ipods, cell phones, and will even charge my laptop, imagine all those chargers that are now sitting at home not taking up space in our suitcases.
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Deal Alert
Powermat is offering A Mom’s Impression readers a discount of 20% off a total purchase at their website. Enter coupon code BTS2010 at checkout. This code cannot be combined with other coupons and discounts and expires September 15, 2010.
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1 (one) lucky reader will win a Portable Powermat System that includes: 1 portable mat, Universal, international power supply with built-in cord management, Travel case with magnetic closure and Powercube Universal Receiver with 8 tips (ARV $99.99).
How to Enter:
Tell me one of your travel tips for traveling with small children.
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Young children will need snacks, drinks, and bathroom trips. It is also nice to bring along a favorite book or small toy.
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My tip – Make sure their Nintendo DS’s are charged!! They are lifesavers on long trips when you just need them to settle down and be quiet.
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Always bring lots of travel games and activities.
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Bring along some new toys from the dollar store. They are inexpensive enough that if they get lost or broken it’s no big deal and the newness will keep their interest.
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Take a Frisbee .it is great for some quick exercise when making a stop,.also can be used for a handy tray for eating on
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When taking a flight, pack as little as possible. There is nothing worse then trying to get through security with all that stuff, and ANGRY people behind you!!!
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Thanks for the giveaway…when the kids were young (3-5) we tried to time our flights for the evening so that they would sleep most of the time on the plane…it worked for us !
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Be sure to pack snacks and inexpensive toys/games/surprises. It makes for a more memorable and less hassle free trip.
i usually bring my ipod so they can watch movies or listen to tunes
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My favorite trip for travel with little children is to bring a car seat if you are going by plane. It is familiar to the child and he/she will generally sleep like a baby on the trip if you’ve brought it along.
Bring along their favorite plush, blanket or pillow.
Play fun traveling games with your kids
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