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Ideas for Family Vacations in Washington with your Kids

Friday, November 23rd, 2007
Family travel vacations in Rhode Island


IDEAS FOR FAMILY TRAVELS IN WASHINGTON STATE WITH YOUR KIDS

Where would you go in Washington if you took your family there on a vacation? Would you check out all that there is to see in busy city of Seattle? Would you head further south to check out the natural wonder of the volcanic Mt. St. Helens? Or would you go instead to the eastern part of the state where the landscape is entirely different, maybe in part because your kids could then tell their friends they spent the summer in a place called Walla Walla, Washington? Wherever you go in Washington, you won’t be wanting for something to do while you’re there. Wander around the Puget Sound

If you have some time to spare so that you can afford the luxury of a longer vacation in Washington, use that time wisely by exploring the entire region that surrounds the Puget Sound. You can start all the way north up in Bellingham where your kids will get to hear a little bit of the Canadian accent filtering down from the oh-so-close border. Travel down to Seattle, then to Tacoma, then around to Olympia. Finally, you’ll wind up at Port Angeles. Each of these locations offers something that your family can enjoy in terms of attractions and activities. But even more important than these are the adventures that you’ll have along the way. The beauty of the area, the multitude of things to see and the chance to talk about all of what you’re taking in will help to bond your family in the way that summer vacations should.

Mt. St Helens

Mount Saint Helens National Volcanic Monument is practically a must-see during any family vacation to Washington. And there’s enough to do in the southern and central regions that surround it that you won’t have to go anywhere else in the state if you don’t want to. (If you’re coming from or heading to the Puget Sound area, you’ll want to also be sure to stop off at Mt. Rainier). In the park area itself, you’ll want to make sure to go to Silver Lake (where the visitor’s center is located and lots of area education is available), Coldwater Lake which is one of the favored spots for day use only activities like hiking and picnicking, and Johnston Ridge Observatory where you can get into the science side of the nature that you’re visiting. For spending time in a nearby city, you’ll want to check out Longview which has a historic walking tour, several parks and a welcoming air to its credit.

Walla Walla

If your family goes to Walla Walla in large part just to say that’s where you went for your summer vacation, well, you probably wouldn’t be the first family to do so. But that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to do once you get there. Visit the unique Blue Mountain Lavender Farm where a French-American family planted lavender to add to the already pretty scenery of the area. Spend a day at The Children’s Museum of Walla Walla which is always being expanded with new exhibits. Check out the railroad museum at the Dayton Historic Depot. And spend time at Hair’s Cow Camp & Ranch to get a real sense of the Old West history of the area.

Spokane

If you’re already over in eastern Washington checking out Walla Walla, you might want to make your way further north up to Spokane. It, too, has a children’s museum and also has plenty of other attractions including The Finch Arboretum, Carr’s “One of a Kind in the World” Museum, and Mt. Spokane State Park.

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Ideas for Family Vacations in Rhode Island with your Kids

Monday, November 19th, 2007
Family Travel Ideas for Family Vacations to Rhode Island With Kids

Family travel vacations in Rhode Island


There are two major ways that you can approach your planning for a family vacation to the state of Rhode Island. On the one hand, you can focus on a particular destination within the state such as Providence and the Narragansett Bay. On the other hand, your family vacation could be a more exploratory visit to the state, following nature trails, heritage trails or scenic roads through the state. Rhode Island is small, so the latter approach is more easily possible than in the other states that you might be considering as destinations for your summer family vacation. But it’s a state that is filled with activity so you could easily pick one spot and spend your entire trip there. Either way could be right for your family.

Destination locations within Rhode Island

Families that want to spend their Rhode Island summer vacation in one particular destination with the state will probably choose either the Providence region or Newport. However, even with as small as it is, Rhode Island is divided into seven different regions. Each of these can make for a great destination within the state so don’t dismiss any of them. But, you can start with looking at Providence and Newport.

Providence, located on the northwest side of the Narragansett Bay, is the capital city and also the largest city in this tiny state. It offers all of the conventional attractions of a capital city such as The Roger Williams Park Zoo which is home to over 1,000 animals from around the world. It also has interesting kid-specific spots like Carousel Village and family-friendly locations like Prospect Park.

Providence has a lot to offer but Newport is frequently considered the better family vacation destination in the state. It’s also located on the Narragansett Bay but has better water activities due to the fact that it’s positioned on an island (Aquidneck). An interesting feature on this island is a suspension bridge which connects it to the neighboring island. Attractions in Newport that appeal to families include the International Tennis Hall of Fame, Fort Adams, the historic Prescott Farm, and the outdoor activities at Brenton Point State Park.

Travel throughout the state of Rhode Island

Since Rhode Island is such a small state, you can easily make it a goal for your family to see the whole thing during your summer vacation here. It can make for a great goal-setting vacation where you pick certain attractions and areas to check off of a family travel list. Or it can be something that you theme around sites like scenic roads, heritage trails or nature trails. The latter two can actually be easily mapped out by visiting the corresponding links on the Rhode Island travel home page.

The Rhode Island Heritage Trails that have been mapped out for you cover various areas in the state and give you help in finding farms, religious landmarks and places of historical significance. Fourteen such trails have been mapped out including area trails like the Providence Heritage Trail and theme trails like the Farm Heritage Trail.

Similarly, there are Nature Trails mapped throughout the state. In this case, there are only four, so you can choose by activity what kind of path you want to follow through Rhode Island during your family summer vacation. Families that really enjoy the water might want to select the Coastal Nature Trail for their explorations whereas families that like animals might prefer the Bird Watchers Nature Trail.

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Ideas For Family Summer Vacations in California with Your Kids

Thursday, June 14th, 2007
Ideas for Family Vacations in California Ideas for Traveling with Your Kids to California� This Summer California is one of the most popular states for families to choose when selecting summer vacation destinations.� This is because it has some of the biggest family attractions in the country, has great summer weather and is often recommended by others as a terrific place to go with your family.� There are frequently discounted rates on flights and attractions for families because of the popularity of California as a destination.� Here are some ideas about where to go and what to do with your family if California is your state destination of choice.

The major attractions

Families often go to California to see the major attractions there.� Disneyland, California Adventure, Sea World, Legoland, Six Flags� and the San Diego Zoo are all popular destinations that many families choose to incorporate into their summer travel plans.� There are regularly family discounts at these spots if you plan ahead.

 

 

The major cities

If you want to give your children an interesting experience of the world during their summer vacation, a few days spent in each (or any) of the major cities in California can do that.� That’s because the big cities in California are all very different.� There’s

San Diego, with it’s laidback lifestyle and beach opportunities.� There’s Los Angeles with all of the glamour of Hollywood.� And there’s San Francisco, one of the most unique and culturally diverse cities in the world.� Even if you don’t see any major attractions (although they’re practically unavoidable in California), your family will have a terrific summer vacation exploring the ins and outs of these different cities.

 

 

A coastal drive

If your kids are old enough to be able to sit in the car for long periods of time, take the Pacific Coast Highwayall the way up the coast of California.� Your family will see interesting terrain, experience a variety of amazing views and be exposed to opportunities for hiking and other� outdoor activities.� Alternatively, a train can be taken up the coast so that you can save on gas costs and enjoy a unique experience with the family.

Music festivals

If your family enjoys music, a terrific summer vacation idea for California-drawn people is to attend a weekend-long music festival.� This gives your family the opportunity to camp out, listen to music all weekend and enjoy a nice getaway that doesn’t cost too much money.� There are festivals all over California all weekend long so do your research into all-ages events that sound right for your family. California is a large state with a lot of opportunities.� You can visit the major cities, see the big family travel destination attractions or do something more off-the-beaten path.� It’s a place that you can return to again and again without seeing the same thing twice and it’s a place that your family is almost guaranteed to enjoy if it’s the destination that you choose.

 

HERE ARE MANY MORE DESTINATION IDEAS FOR FAMILY ACTIVITIES IN CALIFORNIA - YOUR KIDS WILL LOVE THEM

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How To Make A Memorable Trip with Your Children

Wednesday, May 16th, 2007

How to make a memorable trip with your kids on vacation�

 

HOW TO MAKE A MEMORABLE TRIP WITH YOUR KIDS ON VACATION

 

Vacations are an important part of the bonding experience of families and so you probably want to make sure that the ones that your family goes on are ones which create wonderful, lasting memories.� But, as we all know, reality sometimes doesn’t let you live out your ideals in this way.� Vacations can also be a really stressful time for parents since the schedules of the family get thrown off and the general details of planning a trip are energy-consuming.� If you can get past the difficulties which come with planning and executing a vacation, you can create those memories that will be so important to the general life experience which your children recall as they get older.

The first thing that you need to do in order to create a really memorable vacation for your kids is to get yourself in the right mind frame for the trip.� Do what you can to be organized and to get your vacation planning done early so that the details of trip planning don’t leave you frazzled.� Understand that trip problems will come up, travel will get thrown off course and your kids’ schedules will get a little bit wacky.� Do whatever you need to do in order to get your attitude to where it needs to be to be accepting of these problems.� In the end, what is going to create a memorable vacation for you kids is the stress-free time that you spend with them while you travel together.

Once you have the right mind frame, you can add a couple of neat things to any trip to make it more memorable.� The basic tools that you’re going to need are a camera, a journal, and a small box or bag for each member of your family.� With these tools, you can capture all of the moments of your trip and preserve them.� This has a two-fold purpose.� The act of capturing your activities with photos and drawings or written journal entries will give the trip itself a focus, making it more enjoyable for the whole family.� And later, you can spend more time together creating the memory books for the trip which you can all enjoy for many years to come.

So, get a camera for yourself to capture all of the actions of your kids during the vacation.� But also get cameras for kids in the family as appropriate.� Disposable cameras or inexpensive kid’s cameras can be great for children of varying ages.� You’d be surprised at the things that they capture on film that you never would have thought could be so amusing.� Your kids will have fun taking pictures and they’ll notice things on the trip that they might not have otherwise.� And when you go to create your memory books later, your kids will be really proud that they were able to take the photos themselves to use for scrapbooking.

You should also encourage your kids to keep journals throughout the trip, because these are the things that will jog your memory about the details of the trip when you look back on them.� Young kids can get a small sketch pad and coloring book and older kids can get bound journals for writing.� You can set aside a time of each day during the trip, perhaps when winding down for bed, when the whole family discusses what you did during the day and then everyone works on their journals.� Just a few minutes spent on this can really bring a cohesiveness to the trip that makes your family feel like you’re all having a shared experience, and later you’ll have the creative works of everyone to look back on.

Finally, each member of your family should get a bag or small box for the trip.� The purpose of this is to collect little trinkets.� This helps your trip in more ways than one.� First of all, it gives kids another focus which is what makes a memorable trip.� As you take a walk through the woods, your kids can focus on finding the perfect leaf or stone to add to the trip.� Small items like penny tokens and ticket stubs can also go in this box.� Additionally, since your kids will be collecting items in this way to take home with them from the trip, you can deter their requests for lots of big impulse-buy souvenirs by re-directing them to their memory bag.

Childhood goes by in the blink of an eye.� It may be stressful planning your family vacation, but if you can put that aside, you can really create some lasting memories for your family to share.� Someday soon, your kids will be all grown up and coming home for the holidays and you’ll smile as you take down the boxes of photos, scrapbooks and memory bags and get ready to remember again all of the fun that you had while they were growing up.

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Packing For Your Kids - Family Travel Organizational Tips

Sunday, April 15th, 2007

Tips for Packing for Family Vacations and Packing for Your Kids�

 

Do you remember back, long ago, when you were single and could take off on a spontaneous vacation at a moment’s notice?� Maybe it was a whirlwind weekend trip to Vegas with the girls or perhaps it was a last-minute romantic getaway with the person your married to now.� Whichever it was, you packed quickly, and your essentials were something along the lines of clean underwear, going-out clothes and flip flops.� You figured that anything you forgot could be bought when you got to where you were going.� But it’s all different now, isn’t it?� When you’ve got kids, you can’t just spontaneously head off to catch the next flight to anywhere, and when you go to pack your bags, you need to be careful about not forgetting important items.

The major difference between packing for your spontaneous vacation and packing for your kids is the fact that it’s probably true that anything you forgot back then could be bought upon arrival but that’s not the case with certain kid items.� The basics will be there - the diapers and the food and even the clothing can all be picked up wherever you end up.� But kids have certain needs that need to go along with them.� You should make a checklist of what these are for your children so that when you start packing, you get the important things taken care of.

The main items which are likely to go on the list of things which kids must have packed are medicine, special diet foods, and creature comforts (such as pacifiers for babies, blankies for toddlers and favorite stuffed animals or action figures for older kids).� Items which are specific to the needs of your kids on a daily or regular basis are the items that you want to make sure you pack for your kids, so the best way to figure out what you need is to pay attention to what you do with your kids every day just before the trip and then pack accordingly.� If you’re using it Monday through Friday, you’re going to want to pack it for Saturday.

The other category of items which you need to pack for your kids that can’t be picked up when you get there are those items which you use because of your kids.� For new moms, this could be things like breast pumps.� A major item in this category is a list of emergency phone numbers, such as the doctor’s number, for you to pack to have at hand in case you need to deal with unexpected situations.� Medical prescriptions are another item in this category.� The spontaneous you could have made do with stopping at a random emergency room, and the parental you could do that as well if need be, but you’ll feel more comfortable if you know your children as safe as can be when traveling.

If you get these basic must-have items packed for your kids, the rest doesn’t matter so much.� Yes, it’s important to remember to pack the swimsuit for summer trips or the warm clothes in the winter.� It’s a good idea to pack items to keep your kids entertained during travel.� It’s important to bring favorite toys or much loved snacks.� And it’s good to have all of those daily care items that your kids are used to like the No Tears shampoo and the plastic combs.� But if you manage to forget one of these items when you pack for your kids, it probably won’t make or break how your trip goes.

Don’t let the packing take the fun out of your vacation with your kids.� If you pack in an organized fashion and make sure to get those must-haves in order in advance, you’ll be able to make sure that your kids have everything that they need with them on the trip.� It may not be spontaneous, but sensible vacationing can be fun, too.� And the more vacationing you do with your children, the easier it will be to remember to pack right each time.� Things may not be quite the same as they used to be, but that doesn’t mean that your travel can’t be fun.� And remember, there was a carefree part of you that knew a few things back when life was more spontaneous, and if you can roll with the punches like you did back then, you’ll be able to handle the new stresses that come with vacationing with your kids.

 

Here are more articles about tips for packing for your family vacations.

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Using an Infant / Child Car Seat on Airplanes

Saturday, April 14th, 2007
Using baby carseats on airplanes Every time that you go to get into the car with your babies or young children, you go through the routine of putting them into their car seats. It’s not something that you even think twice about; it’s just what you do. It’s the law, and it’s the law because it’s what keeps kids safe in the car. So, have you ever thought about the fact that this routine, which is so second nature to you, isn’t something that you do when engaging in other kinds of travel besides car travel? Don’t you think it’s just a little bit odd? More and more parents are realizing the oddity of this and taking action, making sure to bring airplane-compatible car seats with them on their flights.

 

For many, strapping their children into car seats on the plane has become as routine as strapping the kids into their car seats before getting in to the car. For others, use of car seats on the plane is a new thing. If you fall in to the latter category, you might have some questions about using car seats on the plane. Here are some of the basics things that you need to know about car seat use for your flights:
  • Neither airlines nor the law require parents to use car seats during plane travel. However, use of them has been recommended by child safety experts.
  • Children weighing forty pounds or more can safely use plane seatbelts. Children under forty pounds are much safer if they are in a car seat. As with your car seat in your car, you can choose to use a rear-facing car seat or forward-facing car seat, with the latter being better for kids who weigh under twenty pounds.
  • There are car seats which are made specifically to be used in both cars and on planes. These are called airplane-compatible and should be something that you look for when purchasing your normal car seats if you think that you will be doing any plane travel with your children.
  • Most airlines will let an adult board the airplane at the start of boarding in order to secure the car seat in place before the plane begins to get filled up. You should ask about this when you are waiting for boarding to begin. Note that car seats should be placed in the seat closest to the window.
  • The purpose of car seat use in planes is safety for your child. Some parents worry that trying to get a child out of a car seat in the rare case of an airline emergency could be problematic. This is an unwarranted fear; removing your child from the car seat is no more dangerous in a plane than in a car and keeping your children appropriately strapped in during flight could help save them if there are problems in the air.

It may not be the most common thing in the world to see parents strapping their children in to car seats on the plane. And you might think that it’s not necessary or that the hassles of carrying a car seat on board with you as you travel are not worth the effort. But it really is recommended that you use a car seat on the plane for your children and if you get used to the idea, it will soon just be second nature. Having your child’s safety be second nature is always a good thing!

�

…………………………………………….. SIMILAR PAGES …………………………………………….. Air Plane Travel with Baby or Toddler Air Plane Travel and Car Seats for Baby or Toddler Air Plane Travel with Kids ……………………………………………..

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Disney Vacations with Your Kids

Thursday, April 5th, 2007
Family vacations to disney world About Travelling to Disney With Your Children Childhood is a magical time filled with awe for all new experiences.� Places that capture that magic and let parents experience it right alongside their children are rare, but there’s one of those places which is familiar to everyone.�

Disneyland.� It is the vacation location known and loved by children across the globe.� And, if you can set aside the general stress that comes with trying to take your family on a memorable vacation, it can be one of those places where the entire family experiences the magic of what it’s like to be a kid.� Of course, kids today have a lot more variety in terms of Disney vacations than kids of yesterday; Disneyland is not the only Disney spot offered to them.� This means that you have some deciding to do about the Disney vacations that are right for your family.

Although there are many different ways that you can do a Disney vacation, there are three basic Disney vacations that you should look at to narrow down your options.� First, there is the basic trip to Disneyland which can now be augmented with exploration of the next-door theme park, California Adventure. Then, there is the Walt Disney World Resort Florida. And finally, you might consider taking your vacation on a Disney adventure on the water with the Disney Cruise Ship. Which of these Disney vacations is right for your family will depend on your geographic location, monetary considerations and ages of your children.

 

Disneyland Resort, located in California, is arguably the most famous of the Disney locations.� When you think of putting on the Mickey Mouse ears, getting one of those big all-day lollipops for the kids and passing by famous rides like Space Mountain or The Matterhorn, it’s the Disneyland vacation that you’re thinking about. With good weather all year long and discounts for families in all of the different seasons, the Disneyland vacation can be done whenever is convenient for you and in a cost-effective way. You can supplement your visit to Disneyland by buying a joint ticket to California Adventure, the big theme park now located next door to Disneyland. Many families opt to do multi-day Disneyland vacations so that they can see all that there is to see at both spots without having to rush through everything. If the only thing that you’re planning to do in California is Disneyland, then this might be the route to go.

�

Disney World. If getting yourself to California is a bit of a stretch from you neck of the woods, you may want to consider making a trip to Disney World instead of to Disneyland.� Located just outside of Orlando in Florida, Disney World is comprised of multiple mini-theme parks including water parks, sports parks, a race track center, Epcot Center, MGM Studios, Animal Kingdom, and multiple golf courses.� Taking a vacation to Disney World is like taking a vacation to a city of its own.� This is sometimes considered the better Disney vacation choice for families with kids who have a great age range because there’s enough for the little ones to do but plenty to keep older kids entertained as well.

 

Disney Cruise. The last of your major Disney vacation choices can be even better for families with older children.� The Disney Cruise line takes all of the adventure of Disney on ground and adds all of the adventure of a cruise ship and puts it together to create one grand Disney experience.� Heading off to sometimes exotic locations, this type of Disney vacation can really let you, as parents, enjoy yourselves with each other while creating lasting childhood vacation memories for your kids.� And since Disney caters specifically to families, and we all know that families never have quite enough money, this can be one of the least expensive opportunities to enjoy a cruise if you spend some time looking at the deals.

Here are more articles for Disney family vacations.

 

All Traveling Kids Family Vacations is a resource for families who like traveling with their kids.

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How to Travel With Your Infant in an Airplane

Sunday, April 1st, 2007

Advice for Traveling on an Airplane with Your Baby: How to Keep Your Baby Happy On Flight

 

 

Baby in Car Seat - Infant Traveling by Airplane

 

 

Baby in Car Seat - Infant Traveling by Airplane

The new airline regulations which keep getting more and more stringent as the years go on can be trying for even the more practiced and calm of travelers. They can be absolutely harrowing for new parents who are already overwhelmed with taking their infant on a plane. On top of worrying about how well your infant will do in the air, whether or not you’ve packed all that you need for your infant during the trip and what you are going to do if everyone starts glaring at you because your infant is the one crying throughout the flight, you now have to worry about what you can and can’t pack for your infant to have on the plane. Take a deep breath, get your mind settled and get ready to learn the latest news in airline travel with your infant.

Food for your infant

The number one concern for most new parents traveling by air with an infant is the consideration of bringing baby formula or breast milk on the plane. With the rules about bringing liquids on your flight getting tighter and tighter, you might be wondering if you’re going to be able to bring what your baby needs to drink on the plane. And if you’re like most new parents, you’ve thought ahead to concerns about delays and long layovers and you want to make sure that you’ve over-packed the formula, not under-packed it, in case something goes wrong and your infant needs to eat.

Don’t worry; the creators of airline regulations may be tough but nobody wants to hear your infant cry throughout a flight so they accept that baby formula is coming on board. Here are the rules you need to know:

  • Baby formula and breast milk can be packed in your carry-on luggage but only if you are traveling with your infant. If you are meeting your partner and infant en route, you will not be able to carry the milk on board.
  • You are allowed to bring any amount of milk or formula that your baby might need. As long as it fits in your allotted carry-on luggage, you’re good to over-pack the formula as much as you see fit.
  • Your packed breast milk may be checked by security. Packing formula or milk in amounts smaller than three ounces each makes the security check of them go much more smoothly.
Medical concerns

Food is the primary concern for most people traveling with an infant, but running a close second is the concern about the safety of taking an infant on a plane. The most common issue which affects infants on planes is the pain of pressure in the ears. Unfortunately, it happens and your infant might cry as a result, but the pain is not long-lasting and the baby’s ears will not be damaged. Pain of this kind can be reduced by making sure that the baby has a bottle to enjoy during the take-off and landing of the flight which are the times when the pressure will have the greatest effect on the ears.

The other medical concern which comes up for parents traveling with infants is that of already-sick kids. Can you travel with your infant on a plane if he or she is sick? Yes, but the flight itself is already going to be stressful so if you can change your plans until a time when your infant is healthy, you should do so. If you must travel with a sick infant, make sure that you check with security about the regulations of taking your infant’s medicine with you on the plane.

Secondary concerns

Food and medicine are the big issues to worry about when you travel with an infant. However, it is sometimes all of the other little things in life that can drive us craziest. Pack well in advance of your trip to be sure that you’ve covered all your bases and you’ll be better prepared to deal with these little concerns. Things to think about when packing include making sure that you have a blanket, any teeth items, changes of clothing, diapers and a toy or stuffed animal for your infant. If you travel frequently with your infant, you may consider having a baby bag packed at all times so you don’t have to worry about these things when it is actually time to do your travel.

Finally, you should remember that a calm parent makes for a happier baby. This is particularly true for when you are traveling with your infant. Don’t let the stress of travel get to you; accept that there will be ups and downs of traveling with your baby and just try to go with the flow. You will have a more relaxed flight and your baby will benefit from your patience.

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How to Keep Your Kids Entertained During Car Travels

Sunday, April 1st, 2007

Tips for Keeping Your Children Happy and Entertained When Travelling in the Car

 

Lego Family - How to Keep Kids Happy and Entertained in the Car

 

If you’ve traveled in the car with your kids for any length of time, the following phrases probably sound painfully familiar:

“Are we there yet?”

“I have to go to the bathroom.”

“Mom, Billy’s hitting me.”

“I’m hungry!”

“Dad, I’m bored.”

“Are we there yet?”

 

Keeping your kids entertained in the car can be a feat even when you’re just making the ten-minute drive to school or to Grandma’s house. It can take wells of patience when you’re talking about going on an actual road trip with the kids. But it can be done. Believe it or not, road trips create some of the best memories your children will have of the family travel you did while they were growing up, so it’s worth investing a little bit of time and energy in making sure that they’re entertained. Besides, car travel is often the least expensive route and you want to take advantage of it without going crazy right?

 

Here’s how to keep your kids entertained during car travel so that you can all have a great time on your road trip:

· Pack wisely for the car but make sure that you pack plenty of different things for each of your kids to do to stay entertained on their own throughout much of the road trip. Each child in the car should have their own little backpack or bag of things they can enjoy by themselves throughout the ride. Depending on the age of the child, these bags might contain items such as:

o Books, magazines and other reading material; bring mini-flashlights if you’ll be driving at night but the kids will be awake.

o Video games

o Personal DVD players with favorite movies; headphones are a good choice so the whole family doesn’t have to hear the movie.

o Mp3 players with headphones.

o Multi-colored pen and drawing paper

o Stuffed animal

· Choose seating in the car wisely. You know your kids best so you know if they can sit next to each other in a car for a long time without bickering or not. It may be unconventional for one parent to ride in the backseat but putting a teenager up front while you spend some time in the back with the kids can make a world of difference in everyone getting along. Do what’s right for your family.

· Enjoy group activities. These will vary greatly from family to family. Some families like to play road trip games like the game where everyone tries to find the letters of the alphabet in order on the signs as they pass. Other families do sing-alongs. Others just talk. If you can get the whole family engaged with each other for awhile, the time will pass more quickly and the memories will be more lasting.

· Bring snacks. When kids get bored, kids get hungry. Obviously, you want to keep things as healthy as possible, but road trips are a time for a little bit of indulgence. Bring smart snacks - not something that will cause a sugar high in your kids while they have to remain strapped into their seat belts - but bring stuff your kids will consider a treat.

· Remember to take breaks. You may want to just drive straight through until you get there, but your kids need the trip broken up for them. Take regular breaks and make them fun ones. Instead of just stopping at a rest stop, figure out where en route is an interesting diversion and make the journey part of the trip itself. There are plenty of interesting things right off of every highway that your can do as a family without spending a lot of money. Explore them!

Try to think of traveling with your kids in the car as an adventure which can be enjoyed by the entire family. Having the right attitude about the trip will help convey the fun of the entire experience to your kids, so you’ll be a lot less likely to hear those tired old refrains of “I’m bored” and a lot more likely to create great trip memories for your kids to treasure over time.

 

All Traveling Kids Family Vacations is a resource for families who like traveling with their kids.

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