Family vacations are the perfect opportunity to bond with your loved ones while making memories that will last a lifetime, especially for young children. Although traveling with your little ones can be fun, there is no denying that doing so can be stressful, especially when you are a new parent or have little to no experience in traveling with particularly young children.
Whether you’re a stay-at-home parent or work at a clinic that practices functional medicine, it’s likely that you are in need of a few tips for traveling with young children ahead of your next family vacation. Keep reading to learn a few simple but effective ways for making travel with your little ones as seamless as possible.
1- Pack Snacks
Whether you’re planning a cross-country road trip or flying to your next vacation destination, the key to keeping young children happy and carefree throughout the duration of a long trip is packing plenty of snacks. For picky eaters who might not like the food available on a long-haul flight, bringing snacks from home can save the day. Plus, packing snacks for your children will save you money on snacks at restaurants, gas stations, and grocery stores during your trip!
2- Make Lists Before Packing
It is important to remember to bring clothing, toys, snacks, and more when traveling with young children in order to avoid any temper tantrums that could lead to unwanted stress. To ensure that you don’t forget anything important, be sure to make a packing list (or multiple) and stick to them when preparing to pack for your trip. Over-preparing is better than being unprepared and forgetting any necessary items that could keep your child happy!
3- Pack In Advance
In addition to creating a packing list, it is important to make sure that you give yourself plenty of time to pack so that you are not working at the last minute and to avoid risking forgetting something important. Instead of waiting until the night before your trip to throw all of your child’s belongings into their suitcase, spend the week ahead of your next vacation working with your child to pack. This will ensure that the job gets done while allowing them to play a hands-on role in being responsible for their belongings and in preparing for an exciting trip.
