Vacationing with kids

Have you ever brought your kids on vacation? Afraid to? Anxious? Don’t know where to start?
I’m certainly not a pro, but we have done it a few times with our kids at different stages of their childhood. Here are some tips I have found useful for anyone thinking, considering or wishing to go on vacation with kiddos.
Tips and tricks vacationing with kids
Don’t go! Haha, no I’m just kidding – it can be overwhelming and a bit stressful to think of all the gear you need to have in tow, the memories made will last a lifetime.
Step 1 – Choosing a destination
Choose somewhere the kids will enjoy. It’s funny, my sister and I have this conversation all of the time – it’s really never about us. Your life will be easier and happier if you plan around your kids. Keeping them occupied will make your life easier by a long shot.
Plan your route – if it’s a long drive, plan your stays – look for places with pools or playgrounds so that your kiddos can burn some energy upon arrival.
Choose a kid friendly destination – this will enable you to feel comfortable at your accomodations if your kids are loud and like to run (like mine) you get less eye rolls this way.
Step 2 – Travelling and packing
Packing – When we travelled with babies we literally packed everything – the bouncy seat, the playpen, the toys, the portable high chair – there was no room left for our things! We found that when you’re away you really don’t need the doodads you use at home to occupy your baby. Walking around hotels and seeing new sights is entertainment enough for the babies. Pack the absolute necessities such as a place for baby to sleep and either carrier/stroller to make them portable. It’s also a really good idea to check with your destination to see what they have available – often they will have a playpen and other things available saving you some room in your car. As the kids got older I enlisted them to pack the things they thought they would use – we have fine tuned that practice with some guidance. Packing games that are portable make the most sense, leaving behind large items that are not easily played.
Travelling – I never thought we would be a family that could travel further than the city by car, with our whole family. Our kids hated the car and complained so much even for short distance trips. However, I can safely say we’ve now completed two long car rides as a family. We did have to wait until they were a bit older (7,9,11) to give it a go. Packing for long car rides is super fun. There are millions of car games that are easily printed, like coloring books, doodle boards and lego kits are all great ideas to pack. For little ones include snacks, sensory bags, eye spy bottles and familiar little toys from home that are car friendly. Keep messy food, toys and games to a minimum. The most important thing to consider is to plan lots of stops.
Step 3 – Making the most of the vacation
Depending on your destination plan time to relax and refuel your energy. Book busy days with quiet days in between so that both parents and kids can recharge.
Don’t stress the schedule and be ok with changed plans. Let your kids and family take the lead. Sometimes on vacation we try so hard to jam pack the schedule but that may not be best for our family. Take it all in and be happy with what you accomplish, not disappointed.
Always pack snacks – it doesn’t matter where you’re going, for how long or with whom, when travelling with kids always pack snacks.
Photos – take photos. Document your first vacation because I promise as our kids have gotten older they still go back and look at videos and pictures of our first vacation.
Savour the crazy moments, the restful moments and the new experiences.