Traveling With Kids: Travel Must-Haves
Family trips are not just about fun 100 percent of the time, especially when you are traveling with kids. You have to prepare for possible emergencies, dull moments, messes, and a bunch of other stuff. This is why it is important to know what to bring during travels with kids. Here are the travel must-haves that you need to make room for.
Daytime gear – put together a kind of day pack where you can put your money, lip balm, water bottle, snacks, sun block, hand sanitizer, antibacterial wipes, sweater and a bunch of other things you might need during the day. This a convenient way to have all the things you need with you while leaving your hands free. Prepare one for each member of the family and spread your stuff around so no one has to carry everything by him/herself.
Toiletries
Pack each family member’s shampoo, toothbrush, toothpaste and other toiletries in water-proof pouches. Choose pouches that are big enough to contain these items yet small enough to pack easily. Tip: At present there are regulations for carry-on luggage: bottles must be 3 oz. or less in a transparent pouch.
Emergency Kit
A lot of things can happen during a trip so it is best to be prepared. Put together an emergency kit that contains a mini-sewing kit, a decent all-purpose foldable tool (e.g. Swiss army knife), a conversion plug for electrical devices you’re bringing with you (110/220) and small flashlights. As for medications, take everything in clearly marked original containers to avoid trouble at customs. Include antibiotics, aspirin, anti-itch, anti-fungal, band aids, thermometer, and a pair of tweezers and put these in a small pouch.
Instant cleaners
You will be spending a lot of time on road, and at some point your family will have to eat. Pack hand sanitizers so each member of the family, especially kids, can clean their hands before touching food. Food and drinks can easily spill in the car so it is important to bring antibacterial wipes for quick cleanups.
Pass times
Kids get bored so easily so it is wise to bring stuff that they can use to pass time. These include toys such as playing cards, books, Legos; gadgets like iPods and Mp3 players; or anything that your kids like that you can stow conveniently in your carry-on. You can also buy new, small and inexpensive toys that you can surprise your kids with. Being stuck in a seat can get really frustrating for kids, but with a new toy as a distraction, it would be a lot more bearable. You don’t have to buy something expensive. After all, they will only be used to entertain your kids.
Packing for infants and toddlers
When packing for infants and toddlers, think that you are going to a childless friend’s house for a long weekend – and then plan your diaper bag accordingly. Sure you can buy most, if not all the things you’ll need at local pharmacies or groceries, but you wouldn’t want to take a huge chunk of your vacation time doing just that.