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