Traveling with Kids - Tips
Traveling is such an important part of my life. I knew when I had kids, I wanted to explore with them as early as possible. I’ll never forget one of my first flights to Ireland when my first daughter was 6 months old. A couple stopped me on the aisle, infant strapped to my chest, and said “why would you bring her on a trip? She’s not going to remember it.” While I can’t remember exactly how I responded, I clearly remember feeling in my gut that they were wrong. I knew she would take in new sites, smells, sounds and routines that would pique her curiosity. Perhaps she would sense the joy of her father and me also taking in totally new surroundings and relishing, flourishing. And I knew one of my hopes when deciding to have children was to expose them to things I love, so that they may forge their own interests, paths, and passions. Traveling with kids, from the youngest ages, was non-negotiable.
As it turns out, kids are extremely resilient, naturally curious, and make some of the best travel partners I know. Here are some of my observations and “tips” for traveling with kids:
They’re capable of so much – Finding a compatible travel companion always presents quirks. A couple decades ago, I tended to prefer solo travel because I was free to set my own agenda and meet new people. Now that my parents are getting older, I sometimes tailor trips that require more physical restrictions. Kids are simply another demographic. I believe travel is always a mindset. When you decide to go, anything is possible.
Transportation is exciting in and of itself – Sometimes my kids’ favorite part of an entire trip is simply the airplane ride, or the taxi, UBER, or train. I don’t think of transportation as simply the mode to get somewhere, but rather a huge part of the adventure. The more types of public transportation the better (especially because we don’t get to use a lot of diverse transportation in our daily lives).
Simplicity wins – Of course I always have a bag of activities on-hand for long-haul transportation. While I have explored all kinds of activities and coloring books, I find sometimes simple is best. I have an old pack of neon pink, green and orange office dot-stickers in my travel bag. It blows my mind how long my daughters entertain themselves with these. They stick them on airplane windows and seats (of course we remove before leaving), on themselves, on each other etc. These packs are less than a dollar and found in any average grocery store.
Do as the locals do – on our latest trip to Europe, we visited a lot of parks and playgrounds. Not only did the kids have a blast with this unstructured time and struck up friendships with local kids (my 4-year-old asked me to give her number to a Swiss boy she befriended and was heartbroken to leave after their 3-hour relationship), but it is also a fabulous place to soak up local culture, and many include cafes where you can grab delicious snacks, coffee or even wine. I often found myself content to stay at a playground for a half a day, and soaking in a different kind of cultural experience than a multitude of museums.
Manage temptations with a “wish list” – this one is tricky. My 4-year-old is the perfect audience for endless marketing and shopping options in every airport, train station and typical tourist street. We had more than a couple meltdowns when she just had to have that “backpack stuffed animal filled with chupa-chups” in the duty-free shop. Lack of sleep, inconsistent nutrition, and the heavy marketing of stuffed animals and candy are a hard combo. We told my kids before the trip they could pick out two reasonably priced items during our journey. Whenever they were allured by something, we would add it to their “wish list”. Generally, this helped minimize the tantrums and help them pick out a couple of special souvenirs they played with throughout the trip.
Snacks! – this is an area where I over-prepare. My biggest nightmare is being stuck on a non-functioning train in the middle of nowhere with tired, hungry kids and no food (the train part has happened more than once). We always have a bag full of PB&J, trail mix, apples, and a few treats on hand always. This is a priority.
Proceed with plans and don’t sweat the small stuff. One of the best lessons I learn from my kids’ time and again is that they can be angry one minute and laughing their heads off the next. A hard moment does not translate into a horrible day. Take it all in stride, be flexible, but proceed with your plans!
When you’re offered gold, be grateful! – one perk of family travel in many parts of the world is the family express lane. I can’t count the number of times I’ve been waiting with my kids in a security or ticketing line and have been offered an “expedited family track” that is also available to seniors and people with disabilities. This always feels like a tremendous luxury and is also a nice reminder of some of the family-oriented perks that are more prevalent in other parts of the world (I’m looking at you universal paid family leave!). I never expect them, but when the opportunity presents itself, I am immensely grateful.
