Traveling with children can be tough, especially when on an airplane for several hours. Here are a few tried and true travel tips:
• Schedule your flight for the kids’ naptime, and try to keep the kids awake until you get on the plane. The flight is so much more relaxing for everyone when the kids sleep through it.
• If you're traveling with small children, pack a complete outfit in a zip-lock bag. This will make it so much easier if your little one needs a change of clothing while you are traveling.
• Traveling with your child's only special blankie or stuffed animal can be trouble if it gets lost. You might want to cut a small piece off of the blankie and use it for travel. Take your child shopping to buy a new stuffed animal and call it your child's travel buddy.
• Stow-away strollers - Strollers and infant carriers can be taken to the gate and checked as you board the plane, which eliminates carrying your toddler and diaper bag, etc, through the terminals. When you disembark, your items will be waiting for you as you leave the plane.
• As your trip approaches, have your child make a calendar to mark off each day, as a countdown to the vacation. This makes the anticipation even more fun.
• When traveling with kids bring "throw aways", such as disposable bibs, wipes, plastic eating utensils. Then you can just use and throw them away.
• When traveling with children, especially if one parent only may accompany the children out of the country - make sure that you have a signed and notarized letter from both parents stating that permission is given to the accompanying parent (or temporary guardian) to take the child out of the country. Make sure also that the accompanying parent or guardian also has the necessary medical release forms for said children.
• Discuss the security clearance process with your children so they will not be frightened or surprised. Don't travel with toys that could be mistaken for weapons. And don't forget, children, even newborns, need a passport to leave the country.
• Airline food is not geared to young children so make sure to bring along things they like to eat.
• Coloring books and crayons are an easy way to pass the time on a plane, plus they are light to carry. Have your child prepare their own carry on bag and include fun things for them to do inside the bag.
• Make a bag for each child and tell them they can't open it til they are on the plane. This gives them something to look forward to. If the flight is a long one, pack a few things, wrapped if you can, and have them open the bags throughout the flight. You don't necessarily have to buy new items, as there are probably toys they have that haven't been used in a while.
