Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Guest post by Kendra-Tips for Traveling with Kids

Special guest post by:
Kendra Thornton- Travel advocate, TV spokesperson, PR businesswoman, proud wife and mama of 3. I am a long time travel expert who has been packing my bags and traveling the world since I was 3 months old! I've found my utmost desire in life is right here in my own home. I have taken my excitement for travel and brought it to you with some of my favorite travel tips and tricks.


Best Tips for Traveling with Kids









Family vacations are a great way to spend quality time with your family and get away from life’s daily stress. After many years in the travel industry and now as a full-time mom, I can confidently say that traveling with kids takes a lot of preparation. The best way to avoid hiccups? Make sure to get started early. In order to make my family vacation as pleasant and hassle free as possible, I make sure to follow certain tips.









Getting There


Traveling with kids can sometimes be frustrating. Many kids will get restless fairly quickly, and this happens most frequently during transport. In order to avoid these types of frustrations, we have always started our journey as early in the day as possible. When flights are booked later in the evening, there is a greater possibility of having long delays. For road trips, traffic tends to pile up as 9am commuters mix with bus and school congestion. With my family, we make it a goal to cut as much travel time as possible. This is economic as well, since many flights are cheaper in the early hours. Likewise, avoiding highway traffic means one less stop at the gas pump and more money allocated for fun later.









Traveling in a Car


During the summer, we take the kids on a road trip to their grandparents’ house. During these times, I make sure to keep the kids as comfortable as possible. One way to do this is to bring a mountain of blankets and pillows with them. Although going to sleep in the car is not very comfortable, recreating their bed in the backseat can be fun and cozy. Additionally, this encourages sleep, which can be a nice break from the “Are We There Yet’s.” To help promote naps, try investing in a blind for the window to keep the sun at bay.









Technology


Luckily, the technology of today has allowed our trips to go smoother than ever. Bringing along a portable DVD player, tablet or iPad can provide hours of entertainment for children of all ages. With educational games, movies and an electronic version of the License Plate Game, you can’t go wrong with this piece of technology. In order to keep the fun educational, we also downloaded books on tape for them to listen to. Finally, it is always a good idea to have headphones available.









Traveling with Babies


If you’re traveling with babies, there are additional items and plans to keep in mind when taking a trip. For shorter trips, schedule your travel plans when your baby would normally be sleeping. The white noise of the airplane or highway should help them dose off and will make your life easier as you focus on your route. If traveling during naptime is not an option, try to schedule your trip late at night or early in the morning. If you’re traveling by plane, schedule meals during take off and landing as this will alleviate added pressure on their tiny ears.









Hotel Arrangements


Wherever your travels take you, you’ll need a place to rest your head at the end of the day. To make your trip unforgettable, don’t settle for the first hotel in your online search result. Consider things that are important to your entire family, such as free WiFi, in-room refrigerators or proximity to the beach. Doing research whether through personal recommendations, travel agents or online reviews will help you figure out what your family wants and who will be the best provider. When my family was planning our trip to Hawaii, I was able to read through a host of Honolulu hotel recommendations that ultimately resulted in one of our best family vacations to date! Doing your due diligence before you make your reservations will not only alleviate stress but get you excited for your trip as well.

 





Thanks for reading,
 

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