traveling with childrenThe mere thought of traveling with children can be overwhelming and stressful. Take the pains out of car or air travel with children with these tips.

Take Your Time Whether it’s a cross country road trip or a flight from point a to point b, allowing yourself plenty of extra time can make the entire process much easier on everyone. Factoring in time for the unexpected and allowing time for young children to explore can help to elevate the stress of arriving on time.

Book Ahead Spontaneous trips become a thing of the past when children are involved. Making reservations can help to reduce stress when your toddler is having a meltdown and you are trying to find a hotel with vacancy.

Prepare for the Weather Outfitting toddlers in comfortable clothes will aid in keeping them content. Remembering gloves or water shoes can help to keep the children comfortable. After all, being cold or in clothes four sizes too big isn’t fun for anyone.

Be Tech Savvy With countless tech friendly apps available, keeping children entertained while traveling has never been easier. You don’t need to keep track of a toy box to keep them occupied. A few of their favorite toys and an i-Pad can keep them busy and out of trouble on long flights.

Use New Transportation Public transportation can be a novelty for children. Trains, planes, buses and boats can be an exciting adventure for young children and make traveling fun.

Keep Clean Hand sanitizer and baby wipes are essentials when traveling with children. They are great for wiping down seats and sticky hands.

Pack the Medicines When you have a sick child in an unfamiliar area, the last thing you want to do is track down medicine. Pack the essentials with you. Having a basic first aid kit with you can help reduce the stress of having to locate these items in an emergency.

Allow Children to Pack and Carry Bags When navigating an airport the last thing you need is one more bag to manage. Help your children to pack a carry-on back pack complete with the essentials and items to keep them entertained. Make certain that the bag isn’t too heavy for them to carry on their backs.

Stock Up on Snacks Hungry children are seldom happy children. Stock up on snacks when traveling to keep children happy and occupied. Limit the number of sugary snacks when confined to a plane or the car. With proper planning and a little extra time, traveling with children doesn’t have to be a hassle. We wish you safe and happy travels.