Traveling with Kids

Traveling with Kids

Debbie DubrowDeliciousBaby.com

Debbie DubrowDeliciousBaby.com

Agenda✦ Why Travel✦ Your Greatest Fears✦ Planning✦ Flying✦ On The Road

Why Travel?Why Travel?Wouldn’t it be easier to stay home?Wouldn’t it be easier to stay home?

Why Travel✦ Leave your day-to-day routine and reconnect

as a family✦ Slowing down can be good

✦ Immerse yourself in a new culture✦ Kids help you connect with locals

✦ Learn through doing and experiencing✦ History & culture in context✦ It's ok to be different✦ New activities

Your Greatest Fears

What are they?

Changing Expectations

✦ Relaxation?✦ Pace✦ Will they appreciate it✦ Will it be perfect✦ Live in the Moment

PlanningPlanning

Where to Go

Wherever you want...✦Set your goal and then make it work✦Don't worry about what other people think or say✦Kids live everywhere

✦ Activities, products and services will be there

✦All inclusive resorts aren't necessarily easier

Flights✦ Logistics

✦ Minimize stopovers✦ Time of day (sleeptime)

✦ Cost✦ Discounted infant & child fares✦ Extra charge for lap infants internationally✦ Policy on car seats (esp in Europe)✦ Checked baggage fees (stroller, carseat, infant

luggage)

✦ Lap Infant✦ Safety vs. cost✦ Find a flight that isn't full

Hotels✦ Location

✦ Close to public transportation & main sites ✦ Apartment rental or home swap

✦ Extra space, kitchen, washing machine✦ Weekly housekeeping (not daily)✦ Residential: grocery stores, restaurants &

playgrounds✦ Hotels

✦ Room size: inexpensive suites✦ Chains are more baby safe & soundproof (in

general)✦ Wifi✦ Refrigerator or kitchenette✦ Cribs?✦ Other Considerations

✦ Pool; babysitting; kids activities; kids menu; toys

Logistics✦ Baby Gear

✦ Ship ahead or buy on-site✦ Local Rentals

✦ In-City Transportation✦ Public transit is easiest✦ Some airport-transfer services offer car

seats✦ Sit-n-Stroll ✦ Car seat laws vary

✦ Cell Phones✦ Unlock your phone✦ Buy a simm chip on arrival

Documentation✦ Birth Certificate and/or Passport✦ Visa(s)✦ If only one parent is traveling, appropriate

documentation✦ Notarized permission, custody

agreement, death certificate, etc.✦ Emergency contact list

✦ Include local "911" and doctor✦ Medical history✦ Itinerary✦ Photocopies of credit cards & passport

✦ separate from your wallet

What To Do✦ Pace

✦ Similar pace to home: 2-3x more time to see city

✦ Naptime in hotel, stroller or sling✦ Allow time to enjoy piazzas, local playgrounds,

etc.✦ Finding activities

✦ Festivals✦ Playgrounds

✦ City or tourist websites✦ Google maps satellite view

✦ Activities & restaurants✦ Local Blogs✦ Expat websites✦ Search "Barcelona with kids"

Preparing Kids✦ 10+ mo

✦ Explain what will happen✦ Shuttle, airport security, flight, etc.

✦ Explain security while you're in line✦ Need to put lovey on the conveyor belt

✦ 2+ yrs✦ Start to show pictures of your destination✦ Start to show a map✦ Pack a busy bag together

✦ 3+ yrs✦ Story books, crafts, videos✦ Picture of the day journal

✦ 5+ yrs✦ History related to destination✦ Travel journal

Packing✦ Less is Better✦ Carry on

✦ Passports & documents✦ Comfort items✦ Food, formula, bottles, sippies,

diapers, medication✦ Quiet, neat toys✦ Extra clothes & PJs✦ “Cares” harness, car seat✦ Stroller or sling✦ Electronics✦ Checked bag / roller

✦ Plan to do laundry (you will anyway)✦ Separate each person's clothing

✦ Packing checklists on DeliciousBaby.com

On The RoadOn The Road

Time to Go✦ Pack Early

✦ Hire a sitter

✦ Allow extra time at the airport

✦ Eat, play, exercise

The Plane Flight / Car Ride

✦ Most parents' biggest fear (me too)✦ A small % of the trip✦ Expect that things will sometimes go

poorly✦ But... you can make things easier

✦ Exercise, exercise, exercise✦ Food, water, milk

✦ Protein and milk are calming✦ Low sugar✦ Quiet time during takeoff ✦ Dole out toys slowly✦ Bribe your neighbors✦ Plan for delays

Jet Lag✦ Expect about 4 days to adjust✦ Seems worse on return✦ Don’t fight it✦ Things that help

✦ Sunshine (esp at dusk and dawn)✦ Exercise✦ Calm and quiet at night✦ Adjust meal schedule gradually

✦ Take advantage of long naps

Travel Toys

✦ What makes a great travel toy?

✦ Quiet

✦ Neat

✦ Reusable

✦ Disposable

✦ No small parts

At Your Destination“Planning is everything, the plan is nothing”

✦ Know what you want to see and do

✦ Do the most important things first

✦ Allow extra time

✦ Carry addresses, phone numbers, directions

✦ Be flexible

Live in the moment!

Resources✦ DeliciousBaby.com

✦ Packing lists✦ Favorite travel gear✦ Favorite travel toys✦ Babyproofing✦ Jet Lag✦ Severe food allergies

✦ GoCityKids.com✦ CookieMag.com✦ Frommer's "With Kids" series

Bring with me✦ Favorite Travel Gear

✦  baby sherpa✦  eagle creek bags✦  carabiners✦  cares✦  frommers books + rome book✦  ergo✦ lock & lock

✦ Favorite Travel Toys✦ empty cardboard box✦ sticker books✦ coloring books✦ playmobils✦ blue tape✦ Flyers

✦ Keeping kid busy + Duct Tape + itinerary?