Image courtesy of Boians Cho Joo Young at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
We all know that travelling with children comes with a set of challenges. However, with the right preparation, it will save parents, children and other passengers from may hours of woe.
Children Newborn to 2
Because children in this age bracket still frequently sleep on long drives, their sleep pattern will likely be messed up by the time we get to the destination. Plan ahead to have plenty of rests, stops to nurse/feeds, diaper changes, and some just to let them run off their excess energy. Pack their favourite blanket and toys.
Loom Band container
Children 3 to 5
More ingenuity will be needed to occupy this age group. Help them to pack their own activities into their back pack. Bring something small, unique and fun. Don’t bring things with lots of pieces that they’ll be able to lose easily. Include some snacks for them to nibble on. A great idea is to pack it into a loom band container. You can grab several of those containers for each of your child and pack it with different snacks on each of the little boxes. Books, toys, a few crayons, colouring book, favourite small toy would be great for them. Don’t forget to bring their favourite blanket and stuffed animal. You can also bring a dvd player and their favourite shows/movies.
Children 6 to 9
This is a fun age group to travel with. We can invent games such as counting all the blue cars we can see, count the state license plate or playing the ‘I spy with my little eyes game’. If they can read, pack a favourite book or two for them, as well as longer movies if they have a tablet/dvd player. Crayons and their sketch book might also entertain them still. For added comfort, don’t forget to bring a lightweight blanket, and pillow/stuffed toys.
Children 10 to 12
The tweenager phase can be finicky. One minute they want to be teenages, the next they’d still like to do what the younger kids do. Patience is virtue. Pack some music and their headphones. A dvd player, a few good movies, as well as some books will occupy them.
Children 13 to 15
Teens do not like to be seen with parents. Despite the fact that they do love you, they need to look cool in front of their peers. Pack them some dvds, musics, and headphones. They can also be in charge on an aspect of the trip, as well as discussing the sights and trips they’ll see.
Children 16 to 18
The newness of being a teen has started to wore off at this age. Whenever possible, they can help and be in charge on some aspects of the trip. Let them navigate, maybe drive occasionally, they can also plan the route, or some portions of the trip. Give them a lot of room to make their own choices, this way they will feel more grown up and will be more willing to be seen with you. Off course, music, dvd’s, headphones, books and tablets can’t hurt to help take some of the time away especially when all other things fail.
Travelling with children is an adventure on its own. Remember, your children are only young once, and fond memories are made of this.
