10 Tips for Traveling Easy with Kids

I have been traveling with kids for 15 years now, and the first tip for traveling easy with kids, is to not expect it to be easy all the time. It’s going to be worth it, but it may be a little stressful.

That being said, after more than a decade of traveling with kids, we’ve learned some ways to do it fairly stress-free most of the time.  That doesn’t mean we don’t have our moments.  Remember not to expect a perfect trip, perfectly behaved children, or photo-worthy moments every moment.  But good planning with plenty of flexibility can help keep you from feeling utterly overwhelmed. Here are a few of the things I have learned along the way.

Traveling with Kids tip #1. Food Planning

FOOD needs to be a main priority. 45% of behavior problems in kids is because they’re hungry. If you’re like me, this means you have become incredibly adept at using google maps to locate every drive-through fast food restaurant within a five mile radius. If you’re a little more sophisticated, you should always be stocked with healthy snacks (in your car, purse, luggage, diaper bag, bra, etc.) and you will have a well planned food schedule that involves feeding them every 2-3 hours, BEFORE they get hangry.

Traveling with kids tip #2. Prioritize Sleep

SLEEP needs to be your other main priority, aside from food.  Another 45% of your kids’ bad behavior is because they’re tired. Yes, it’s vacation and the schedule’s going to need to be more flexible.  And yes, they’re excited and it’s hard to sleep in a new place.  But YES, they’re going to turn into tiny little monsters before the end of the trip if you let them get too overtired.

Plan your schedule around the sleep needs of your youngest child, even if that’s a baby who’s napping at 9 and 1 and going to bed at 7.  Sometimes that means you can be driving during naptime so they can sleep.  Sometimes it means at least one parent needs to be in the hotel room with the littlest napper.  But in the end, everyone will enjoy the trip more if everyone is at least somewhat well-rested.

Tip #3. Practice Self-Care, and Self-Improvement

The other 10% of your kids’ bad behavior, is because they’re a jerk. I hate to be the one to tell you, but even your sweet little precious angel was born selfish. They all are. The opposite has to be taught, and the most powerful teacher is your example.

You’re the adult. And 45% of your bad behavior is because you’re hungry and 45% is because you’re tired, so take care of yourself accordingly, the very best that you can. When you’re feeding your kids every 2-3 hours, eat something nutritious yourself. Take the opportunity to go to bed early with your kids while you’re away. 

The other 10% of your bad behavior, is because you’re a jerk. So, try your best to be patient and loving with your babies, your partner, and yourself, because you don’t want a moment of anger to cast a cloud over those joyous vacation memories.  Figure out your triggers, (hint: being hungry and tired are the two biggest ones) and practice some techniques to stay patient. Maybe that’s counting some breaths; maybe it’s taking a walk outside or a bathroom break (aka, hiding in the bathroom) to regroup. Practice, practice, practice.

If you or your partner do lose your temper, be quick to say “I’m sorry,” “I forgive you,” and “let’s move on with our day.” Traveling can be stressful – be kind to yourself and your loved ones.

Tip #4. Minimize Your Stuff 

Less is more, people. One of the reasons I love traveling is that I don’t have to deal with all the junk I’ve unfortunately accumulated over the years in my home.  We pack as lightly as we can, and it just makes life much simpler.  The focus is on the experience, not on the stuff.  Remember, the more stuff you bring, the more time you will spend taking care of it.

Traveling with kids tip #5. Simplify Your Schedule

Again, less is more. You don’t actually need to see 47 different tourist attractions to have a fun time.  It doesn’t need to be about checking things off your list, but should be about enjoying a new corner of the world with the people you love.   

Your kids will be perfectly happy exploring a new space, given the time to do so free of hurry and distractions.  And you will be happier if you have two or three activities to do each day that you truly value than if you try to do all the things that you think you’re supposed to be doing with no breathing room in between.

Sure, you should research a few extra options for the weather, or in case some don’t work out or don’t take much time, but don’t try to do it all.  It’s vacation…  So slow down the pace, breath in the moment, and enjoy the journey!

Tip #6: Avoid the Pitfalls of Planning

While there’s lots of things that can help you travel easier with kids, there are also some things to avoid. And these often have to do with travel planning. Here’s four ways to avoid the pitfalls of planning:

Don’t Skimp on Planning  

While spontaneously meandering down a new road to see what you can see sounds romantic and lovely, it rarely turns out that way, at least when you have your family in tow.  More likely, you may meander to a lack of gas stations and places to make a pit stop for your whining toddler, wander into a restaurant that is too expensive or not family friendly, or find yourself with nothing to do or too many choices leading to decision-paralysis.  Plan your days, albeit loosely, and identify several options that could work for food and sightseeing on your route and throughout your time at your destination.

Don’t Over-Plan

Some of us are more likely to fall into the opposite trap of planning down to the minute, with days packed full of excursions and no room for spontaneity (or unexpected challenges that may come up.)  Especially if you are traveling with a big family, choose only a couple of activities per day, with some back ups that take weather and time into consideration (because sometimes attractions take a longer or shorter time than expected to enjoy).  Check out the food options, but have one or two in mind that will work for your family if others fail.  Plan carefully, but don’t overdo it.

Don’t Force Yourself to Stick to the Plan

We once flew to Canada after missing our original flight and in the midst of hand, food and mouth disease (it didn’t even cross my blissfully ignorant, pre-COVID mind that we might spread it to other passengers), because I was too stubborn to change plans.  It would have been much quicker and less painful to drive. All this to say that flexibility is key!  Sometimes plans should give way to better plans, and it does no good to hang on to something that is just not working.

Don’t Expect Everything to Go According to Plan 

Anticipation and excitement leading up to a vacation are part of the fun, and it’s great to savor the experience this way.  But expecting that everything will go perfectly is another matter.  Expect the unexpected, and don’t expect perfection.  There will most certainly be some wonderful moments on your family vacation, but there will likely to be some challenging ones too, and that’s totally OK.  Look at those moments as opportunities for growth and learning, and for teachable moments to show our kids how to problem-solve and maintain a positive outlook even when they might be feeling tried, grumpy, hungry or stressed.  Then get back to enjoying yourselves!

Tip #7: Use Credit Card points and miles to save money

Traveling solo is expensive, but family with your family is super expensive. It can be tough to find a way to afford transportation and accommodations for a large group. As a parent of four kids, I am very familiar with this struggle. Earning bonuses on travel credit cards has been a wonderful tool for us to take many awesome vacations we would not have been able to afford otherwise. If you’re not sure how it’s done, check out our our Beginner’s Guide to Using Rewards Points to Travel. If you have kids, you’re already spending plenty on necessities – make those expenses work for you by using them to earn free travel!

Tip #8: Prepare your kids

Talk to your kids about the plan well before you go, and even get their input if this is a possibility. Which attractions look most fun to them? Would they rather visit the beach, or the mountains? If you can incorporate their ideas, they will be more excited and ready to cooperate. You can also make sure they know what to expect in terms of the amount of time it will take to get there, what type of sleeping arrangements are planned, what the weather may be like, etc. For anxious children especially, being able to mentally prepare can be very helpful.

On a practical level, if your kids have never hiked, don’t expect them to hike 6 miles easily just because you are visiting a national park. You’ll want to take them hiking locally and build up to any sort of activity that is physically taxing or out of their regular realm of experience. Similarly, don’t make their first road trip one that is 12 hours long. Build up to it with smaller, more manageable trips first.

Tip #9: Enjoy the gift of childhood wonder closer to home

One of the most gratifying things about parenthood is that it helps us to realize that there is ample room for curiosity and wonder right in our own back yard. Children are full of wonder and everything is new to them. Seeing the world through their eyes opens up a whole new realm of possibilities, close to home. For many of us, having kids may mean that we don’t have the freedom to travel as often and as far as before. But if you are willing to see the world through their eyes, you may begin to notice and appreciate the world around you closer to home. The areas within easier driving distance of your hometown are probably brimming with stories, interesting people, and beauty. Parenthood can help give us the eyes to see it.

Tip #10: Savor your trips to improve your health

Savor is defined as “to taste (good food or drink) and enjoy it completely.” In the world of mental health, savoring is used to describe intentionally enjoying something pleasant before, during and after it occurs, which gives your mental health a boost. This is one of the reasons I write this blog!

Being in a new environment causes us to notice things that we may not notice during our regular routine. Suddenly you are attune to the plants and birds in the area, the way the sun hits the trees, the architecture around you. This brings us into the present moment and helps to dispel our daily worries or boredom for a time. It also gets us out of doors, and moving. These are all good things for our health.

Afterwards, we go through our pictures. We share all about our adventures with friends and family, on social channels, or on blogs like this one. We may recount them in travel journals, scrap books or photo albums. In this way, we relive the experience and enjoy it all over again. This is savoring, and it’s good for you. So keep up the trips, and don’t forget to savor them!