Imagine being on the plane with lots and lots of kids! ahhh the symphony of..ermm let's just say noise. It's something only parents can understand. Going on an adventure with your kids takes a lot of planning and preparation to ensure all goes to plan. How wonderful it would be if kids could only sit still for an hour, maybe two, or how about until you land. Yes, we are all dreaming as it is almost never the case. Children tend to get bored easily and who can blame them. Being cooped up in a plane for endless hours is no fun and kids will need constant interactions and travel games to keep them entertained.
Traveling with kids means a series of comfort room emergencies in dire need of travel hacks to help make traveling with kids stress-free. 🙂
To tone down your trip's stress factors, awesome travel hacks and tips for traveling with kids are just what you need. Be it a road trip or a getaway to get some sunkissed skin. So, for parents who dare to wander the world with their little ones, here are 11 awesome travel hacks to help save you the worries and hassles of family travels.
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Pack Antibacterial Wipes
Antibacterial wipes are essential when traveling with kids. Spilled milk, pasta sauces all over their faces, and touching everything in sight are just what kids do as, as kids' minds are boundless pits of curiosity and imagination. A pack of antibacterial wipes in your diaper backpack will come in handy in keeping your kid's hands and face clean, the table free of food. It's not only for the kids but yours too!
Boarding Last
Contrary to families with little kids boarding first, another travel hack that will make or possibly shorten the "bum on seat time" is to wait for everyone to get on the plane and board last. First to board vs last to board can sometimes mean a difference of 30 minutes or more. That's a lot of seconds for a 3-year-old.
Why not take that extra time to tire your little one before the flight. While others are falling in line to board, let your kids stroll around the gate and play. In saying this, if you do have lots of carry on luggage and need the overhead space, it's advisable to board slightly earlier to ensure there is space for your carry on.
There's often a long walk from the check-in counter to the gate. Hence, bringing a travel stroller is a great idea. When you gate check your stroller, you will be able to use your stroller all the way to the gate before you hand the stroller over to the airline staff to place your stroller in the hold. However, do note that depending on which airport you land in, instead of retrieving your stroller at the jetbridge, there's a possibility that you may need to pick up your stroller at baggage claim.
Hence, if you bring along a compact stroller that fits in the overhead bin, you will be able to wheel your child straight to their seat and at the same time have you travel stroller with you at all times.
Snack Options
If your kids are anything like ours, they can be picky eaters. They tend to eat only what they feel like eating or whatever tastes familiar. Food on the plane can be a major no-no for a kid's sensitive little stomach. Thus, packing your little one's favorite snacks can be a major life-saver on the plane.
If you are on a long haul flight, one way to keep your little one preoccupied is to have a variety of snack options that they can munch on while enjoying the view thousands of feet above the ground. So, pack a variety of kiddie snacks with sweet, salty, and healthy options. Having a few choices for your kids on the plane will help pass time while on the plane.
Tip: Snacks are good, but snack necklaces are even better! This travel idea is a great way to entertain kids while feeding them. Find a variety of snacks with holes and thread them through a string. Your little one will be able to snack on them when hungry. It's a nice little activity for your child to do and often can keep them occupied for some time.
Bring Quiet 'Toys'
Gadgets are the go-to entertainment fix for kids these days and are hard to steer away from us as we are surrounded by them. If your kids are slightly older, why not put them to good use and go with the flow. Load the ipad with educational movies, series, and games for kids, and you're good to go. You will rarely hear your children complain about feeling bored as long as they are visually satisfied. Just remember to do everything in moderation.
On top of that, pair it with good headphones and your journey will be an enjoyable one. Additionally, pack toys that your kids won't mind losing during your trip. Simple pieces that will delight them for quite a while will buy you some time to relax on the plane or on the train on.
Check Family Security Checkpoints
Traveling with kids can be challenging and what more if you have to push a stroller through a busy airport? Or bring breast milk along with you? A sure recipe for a meltdown for both you and your restless impatient little ones.
You can request for TSA Cares assistance to get you through security with ease. Just fill in a form online 72 hours before you travel and a TSA agent will be able to assist you at security.
Hotel rooms
A cranky baby or toddler is the last thing you want while on holiday. Rest is vital and giving your child ample rest will in turn give you convenience when traveling. So, when you get to your hotel room, service apartment or Airbnb, create a separate sleeping space for your child. Keep your room dark and cover those areas where the light gets in.
Clips are easy to pack, light and handy but if you forget the clips, a clothes hanger from your hotel closet might just do the trick. Use the hanger to clip two curtains together to reduce light from entering the room. This way both you and your baby will can have a good rest.
Pack extra supplies
Pack extra essentials for emergencies. When flights get delayed or when your bags get lost somewhere in the airport, having emergency baby supplies on hand is a godsend. While parents can handle a little bump on the road, looking for diapers or onesies in the airport can be a challenge. As parents, it is always best to be prepared for whatever comes your way when traveling.
So, have an extra set of clothes and a few extra diapers with you at all times. It does not take up too much space and can save you endless headaches. Just to reiterate, a onesie, a couple of diapers, and an extra pack of baby wipes will do the trick.
Headphones and Splitter
Kid-friendly headphones along with a splitter will cater to everybody's entertainment fix and keep everyone happy on the plane (including your neighbors). Earbuds offered inflight don't always stay in place in your 6 year-old's tiny ears.
A splitter, on the other hand, will let everyone have their share of audio. Keeping your kids entertained can buy you some time to nap and rest.
Blocked Ears
Prevent blocked and uncomfortable ears. With changes in air pressure, ears can get blocked during a flight. Knowing how to minimize blocked ears is a skill every parent should know, especially if you fly a lot with your little ones and there are several ways to relieve them naturally.
One way is to ask your little ones to swallow. To make it easier and effective for kids, encourage them to yawn or sip water. For younger babies, having a pacifier to suck on does the trick.
Prevention is better than cure, of course. So before you take a flight, prepare your child to prevent him/her from experiencing ear pain when the cabin pressure starts to change. A favorite one for the kids is chewing candy and this also does the trick to keep them from getting blocked ears.
Painters Tape
Yes, you read right! Painters tape is a babyproofing hack to ensure your toddler's safety🙂. When on vacation or staying overnight somewhere with toddlers, it's important to make sure the place is relatively toddler-proof.
Painter's tape is ideal for keeping toys together and taking them apart (easily). Also, it can be used to tape open electrical sockets and baby-proof furniture corners that your baby can possibly bump into while walking or playing. On top of that, painters' tapes are colored making it easy to spot and are easily stripped off without leaving any trace on the hotel's furniture.
Anywhere Nap Time
Naptime shouldn't be discarded when traveling. Rather, let your little ones grab a good snooze whenever possible. Soft duffel bags can be great as an alternative on-the-go pillow. Otherwise, a travel stroller can provide space for your child to nap whenever they are tired.
Try These Travel Hacks on Your Next Family Travel
At TernX, we are an advocate for promoting family adventures. We understand that traveling as a family can be a lot of work, but that doesn't mean it's not worth the try.
Traveling will give your kids a different perspective and will open their minds to endless possibilities. It is one of the best ways to teach your kids to see things from different viewpoints while you learn more travel hacks useful for your next family adventure!
This wraps up our article on 11 Awesome Travel Hacks All Parents Need to Know and we hope you have found it helpful. Till next time..
Stay well, be well and stay social.
