Our guest blogger for today is Nancy from the Family Travel Network, where she is giving you tips for traveling with young children. Next week she will be discussing kid friendly resorts and destinations.
Tips for Traveling With Young Children.
* Sign your little one up for frequent flyer programs. It’s amazing how fast those miles will add up.
* Schedule flights that coincide with your child’s nap schedule. If it’s going to be a very long flight, red-eye overnight flights also work out well.
* If your child is old enough, talk with him/her ahead of time about your trip. Read stories about flying in planes and talk about what to expect. Preparation always helps.
* Print out your boarding passes ahead of time for flights that allow online check-in.
* Bring along food and healthy snacks, and buy water before getting on the plane. If you need infant formula, bring along plenty of that, too. You never know how long you’ll be on the plane and it’s a good idea to keep your kids on their regular eating schedule if possible.
* Bring along an FAA approved car seat on the plane.
* Do not check your stroller – airports are big places. Keep your child in his/her stroller and check it at the gate.
* Dress your little one in comfortable clothes (darker ones hide stains) and bring along an extra change of clothes and some zip-lock plastic bags in case of accidents.
* For infants and toddlers, bring along as well as plenty of diapers, wipes, and a small container of baby bath soap & wash cloth, just in case of accidents.
* Pack a small first-aid kit with everything you might need, including children’s Tylenol, a digital thermometer, band-aids, children’s antihistamine, a nasal aspirator, and other items.
* Consider bringing along Ear Planes to keep ears clear and pressure free if your kids are old enough to use them.
* Don’t forget one of family travel’s best kept secrets – the travel knapsack – to keep your child entertained throughout the trip. Load it with cool items including story books, activity books, finger puppets, felt books with stick-ons, magnetic games, small dolls/action figures, and other items.
* If your child has a favorite item that you can’t replace – such as a beloved blanket or toy - don’t take a chance that it could get lost and ruin your trip. Bring it with you in your carry-on luggage.
There are lots more tips for traveling with young children, but hopefully these will help. You can find more of Nancy’s tips at (www.familytravelnetwork.com)
Do you have tips for traveling with kids? Comment here or tweet us @deltablog.
Nancy, Family Travel Network
February 16th, 2010 at 2:23 pm
One tip as a former crew member- always bring something (age appropriate) for landing to keep ears depressurized. For infants, save a bottle or a pacifier for take off and landing. The sucking will alleviate ear pressure on those sensitive ears. For toddlers or older children gum or hard candy/lollipops work well as does drinking good ole water. Anything that promotes swallowing will help their ears.
February 17th, 2010 at 10:38 pm
Leave a bit of extra time to get through the airport; don’t plan to be able to rush through if you’re running late or have a tight connection.
For kids, the whole experience of the airport and plane ride are often just as exciting as the destination, so let them enjoy it.
Don’t over-pack and try to carry everything you might need during an extended trip with you. Diapers and such can be bought pretty much anywhere you’re going, so although you don’t want to be in need of a pharmacy first thing after you land you don’t need to carry an extra suitcase for this stuff either.
February 18th, 2010 at 11:31 am
Great points, Marcus! I have an 11 month old and she LOVES watching people and trying to get them to smile at her. And we try to arrive an extra half hour (1 1/2 hours for domestic flt) early to manage TSA with strollers and such, so the less I stress the less stress she feels.
February 23rd, 2010 at 3:16 am
I am always looking for the best travel sites out there so I was very glad that I found this site. Out of all the online travel sites I have seen, this one where offers good tips, news and photos. Glad I found it. Keep travelling on.
April 4th, 2010 at 12:15 pm
I have found the perfect bag for those travellers who have to take medciations on long distances,, good up to 30 hrs.. its called a Insulpak from the insulin Case shop in Chaska MN,I have the contact information if anyone wants it. Just want to make travel for Diabetics like me less of a worry.
April 15th, 2011 at 12:34 am
Love this blog…. any ideas for traveling with kids is so appreciated by travel lovers – brilliant.
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April 22nd, 2011 at 11:07 pm
Great tips! Traveling with kids can be such a challenge, and sometimes headache inducing.
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April 23rd, 2011 at 7:10 am
Also designate a child to each person so you only have one or two to worry about instead of all of them.
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August 10th, 2011 at 9:08 am
The tips u had given are excellent.As we all know that travelling with the Kids is not very easy, parents should be well prepared and do something to keep their kids and infants busy.
June 22nd, 2012 at 5:22 am
When you are traveling with children you should try and have your child either take a nap before the flight or get some extra sleep and make sure you pack your child’s favorite items when you’re traveling.
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March 4th, 2013 at 7:36 am
Very good tips, travelling with children is a challenge but not impossible. The same on a sailing yacht.
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