Hi Paging Supermom friends! I’m Kirstin, half of the sister team that blogs at kojodesigns and Shiny Happy Sprinkles, and I’m thrilled to be here today. See, we love summer. And we love traveling as a family! In fact, last summer, we went on a five-week family trip to Greece, Turkey and the Middle East.
Since our kids were 4 years old and 20 months old at the time, we gathered some really fantastic tips for traveling with kids. And today I’m here to share my top five with you.
Give your kids input and ownership! Before you step onto a plane (or into a car), do some research as a family about your destination. Find a few things that your kids are really excited about and sprinkle those throughout your itinerary (for example, both of our kids LOVE the beach, so we tried to make sure there was some sandcastle time scheduled every couple days while we traveled).
Pack pipe cleaners and Scotch tape (along with other kid-friendly activities). On long plane rides, train rides, bus rides (or road trips), a well-stocked arsenal of activities is your Supermom Secret Weapon! On the top of that list? Pipe cleaners. Or Scotch tape. A couple packages of each and you’re travel experience will be much quieter.
Bring snacks! Hungry kids are grumpy kids — be sure you’re ready to offset delays, plan changes, and detours with a lineup of snacks (true story: while we traveled, I had enough snacks in my purse at all times to substitute for a meal for all four of us… and those snacks came in handy more often than I anticipated).
Find local treats. Whether you find funnel cakes on the boardwalk, baklava in Greece, turkish delight in Turkey, or gelato/ice cream at a local ice cream shop anywhere, trying out local treats as a family is the perfect way to enjoy your vacation and make memories together.
Slow down. Kids enjoy life at a slower pace. Use your vacation as the chance to match them — find playgrounds, ride carousels, eat ice cream (oh yeah, already said that). You might find, like we did, that the slower pace suits you.
Thanks for having us Supermoms! Friends, come on by kojodesigns anytime for more kid-friendly ideas (like the world’s best playdough recipe, our giant summer bucket list, our our homemade bath paint recipe). Happy travels friends!
Thanks for having us today, girls!
Hello! I just happened to find your blog and am happy to have found this useful list. I’ve flown from Japan to NY and then from Japan to Hawaii within the span of two weeks with my 10-month old daughter, and it was exhausting. But since she’s older now I’m certain these tips will come in handy when we make the trip back to the States again this year. Thanks!
These are some great tips, thanks! I’m planning a trip to Miami soon, and I think one of the problems I’ll face there is transport.