Traveling with Kids Can Be a Little Stressful Sometimes. Be Prepared!
Don't Be in a Hurry
If your vacation is jam-packed with scheduled tours and events, you'll probably be stressed out trying to get everywhere on time. Kids don't care much about schedules, so it's best to be flexible instead of trying to pack a lot of attractions into a short amount of time. Yes, you want to visit everything you can during the limited time of your vacation, but it won't be a very fun or relaxing vacation if you're always in a hurry and fighting with fussy kids the whole way. It's great to plan lots of activities, but if they don't all pan out, don't worry about it. Just visit your top priority attractions, and try to relax if naps and tantrums get in the way and things don't go according to plan!
Let the Kids Help You Plan
If you have older kids who are able to help you plan the trip, this can be a great family activity. Go online while you're planning your travels, and see what types of things your kids are interested in. If they're involved in the planning and they can see pictures of the places that you're going to go, it's likely they'll be more excited about the trip. Most attractions have great websites with lots of pictures, and if they have a hand in planning the schedule, it's likely that your kids will be just as excited about going on vacation as you are!
Keep Their Energy Levels in Mind
Some travels require lots of walking. Although you might not mind the extra exercise much, lots of walking can quickly lead to cranky kids. Though strollers can take up a lot of space, you should consider taking one if you've got smaller children—this will keep you from having to carry kids everywhere if you're wandering around a city and their little legs get tired. This really depends on the individual family and the ages of the kids involved, but we've noticed lots of people end up walking more than they thought they would while on vacation. Also, never be caught without snack options! In some places snacks are easy to find, but you never know when you're traveling to a new place.
Choose Kid-friendly Lodging
Though this was harder back in the day, it's super easy to find out whether lodging is kid-friendly in today's world! With a little bit of Internet searching, you can find out all the amenities that every type of lodging offers. Some hotels are geared more toward business travelers, while others are designed with families in mind. Some B&Bs and inns are better for couples, while others are perfectly kid-friendly. Find a place to stay that includes, or is close to, a park or playground.
Be Prepared for the Weather
Weather is always something to consider when traveling, but it's even more important to consider when traveling with kids. If you were traveling alone and you found that your jacket was a little too light for the chilly weather, you'd probably grin and bear it… but most kids are different. Traveling can already be hard on kids, and you want to keep them as comfortable as possible to try to eliminate sources of tantrums! Check the weather forecast as you're packing.
