Travel Tips for Kids

Traveling with small children can be difficult, and I know this too well. I have been on several long car rides with a baby and toddler, plus as young kids. Also we have flown to Ireland with an 18 month old toddler (whilst I was 20 weeks pregnant), and to the UK with kids aged 4 and 6. So here are some tips to handle long (or short) distances:

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BY CAR

Plan frequent rest stops – especially at a park or playground.
Pre-packaged snacks
Use a Bento-Style lunchbox to store food / snacks
iPad / tablet / portable DVD player
Busy Bags are perfect (and are available in New Zealand!)
Kids music cd’s (to play in the car)
Coloured pens / pencils
Colouring in books
Stickers / Sticker books
Books to “read”
Give your child an old wallet with cards in it – we all know kids love to play with wallets!
Take a baking tray and magnets
Playdoh balloons – put playdoh in a deflated balloon, and tie the end … No mess!
Kids Magazines (like those ones that have a toy/activity in them)
Let them take their own back pack and put things in it they might like: toys, treats, activities, etc
Play car games: I-Spy, counting cars, pointing out colours, spot-the-truck, etc
If your child is a bit older, use a map and mark on it where you are going, make a game of spotting the towns you’re going through
As a last resort, and if you have the option to do so, take turns sitting in the back with your child

CARSICK CHILDREN

Try using sea bands
Travel at night (so the child sleeps)
Make sure the car is properly ventilated
Avoid giving your child too many things to look at inside of the car (sorry about that) – looking out the window is a great idea for kids who get carsick
Distraction – talk to your child, sing with them, play verbal games
Take frequent breaks – get out of the car and get fresh air

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BY PLANE OR TRAIN

Travel by night
If you have a toddler, and enough money, buy a seat for them. It is nice to have the space (trust me on that).
If you have a baby, invest in a baby wrap or carrier
Busy Bags! Can’t recommend these enough.
Headphones for children – the airplane headphones aren’t the greatest.
Take a dummy – will help with the pressure on the way up/down.
Chewing gum for older kids – perhaps even AirWaves to help if they’ve got a blocked nose.
Take pamol (esp for flights, in case the ear pressure becomes too painful)
Pre-packaged snacks (take plenty, our kid hated the plane food)
Coloured pens / crayons
Colouring in books
Stickers / Sticker book
Books to “read”
iPad / tablet / portable DVD player
Buy a Trunki for your child to take with them (these are awesome)! Great for storing all of the above as well 😀
Take a compact stroller – you can take this all the way up to the gate. It will get stored last in the luggage, and then given to you when you get off the plane.
My biggest piece of advice for the plane, is to take things that you can’t easily lose. Remember that you are in a small confined space!