Traveling for a vacation is always exciting but sometimes it can be overwhelming for a small child. No matter how much they are looking forward to the vacation destination, keep in mind that the travel part of the trip may be a bit tough on your child. Here are some great ideas and suggestions to make that “hurry up and get there” part of the vacation fun and as stress free as possible for everybody involved.
- Prepare a special travel kit. Include puzzle books, games, and maybe even a new stuffed friend in a special backpack for your child to open once you get on your way. This helps to cut down on boredom as well as give your child something to look forward to while traveling to your destination.
- Be prepared for emergencies. Face it, they happen. A small child who is not used to traveling by plane or train may become motion sick. Or so excited that they have an accident. A change of clothes, an extra set of underwear and some pediatric motion sickness medicine can make a world of difference. And these items easily fit in a carry-on. And if you are traveling with an infant, there is no such thing as enough diapers. Planes and trains get delayed, putting that extra diaper in your carry-on or laptop bag may be the best thing you ever did.
- Resist the urge to board first. Unless you are traveling on an airline that does not assign seats, don’t give into the temptation to board first with small children. That helps to reduce the amount of time your child is confined to one spot and can reduce the chance of them getting overly tired and cranky at being in the same spot for a long period of time.
