Traveling takes on a whole new meaning when you welcome kids. Before kids, my husband and I could decide to go away for the weekend or even find a cheap airfare deal and take a few days off work to travel and explore a new state. But, once we welcomed our girls, our spur of the moment traveling stopped. Now, we start to talk about traveling and planning trips, I find myself making lists of kid-friendly places to eat, visit and stay. I do research on areas and read reviews and recommendations from other moms and dads about great family-friendly destinations long before my husband and I sit down and finalize our travel plans.
Why? Well, if you have children, especially young ones, then you know how stressful a family vacation no matter the length (long weekend to a full week) can be. Traveling by car will oftentimes include kids fighting in the back seat over what to watch or music to listen to, and you can't go a long car ride without hearing, "Are we there yet?" I used to laugh when my mom would talk about the stress of our family car trips as a kid. I thought she was exaggerating...that was...until I had kids of my own and experienced it firsthand.
While I can't talk on traveling via plane or even train, as we haven't dared venture this route yet :-) -- I can share travel essentials for kids that will make for your upcoming February and even summer vacations a little less stressful, thanks in part to some wonderful Tommee Tippee products I can't live without.
5 Must Have Travel Essentials For Kids:
1) Invest in a DVD player -- If your family likes to take long car rides, a DVD player is a must. And, with most portable car DVD players costing around $100, you can't go wrong for this investment. It will definitely cut down on the "Are we there yet?" questions
2) Snacks and Drinks -- Keeping your child hydrated and fueled up on the go is key to a happy child and happy car ride.
I can't go anywhere without the girls' pop up storage cups from Tommee Tippee.
They have helped keep my backseat clean and cut down on cheerios and puffs spills while snacking on the go. :-)
Have you seen the new 12m+ Filter Water Bottle from Tommee Tippee? I can't tell you how many bottles we have had to throw away from the girls are they were not only hard to clean or would get moldy fast. And, whenever we were out and about I was always leery of filling up their bottles with water as you never know how clean it is. But, thanks to these new filter water bottles from Tommee Tippee I can breath a little easier knowing that the water I put in the bottles will be filtered before it reaches their lips.
"This clever bottle filters water as they sip, reducing lead and removing 99.9% of microbial cysts. It also reduces the taste and smell of chlorine to make cleaner, tastier water they’ll enjoy all day, every day. And by making sure water always tastes great, you’re helping them develop healthy preferences that will last as they get older."
And, don't forget your Tommee Tippee pacifiers when traveling with wee little ones...
I never left the house with at least a half dozen binkies, as they always seemed to go missing when I needed one, or they would be dropped and get dirty.
3) CDs of music that the whole family will enjoy -- You never know when you will travel into an area with poor radio reception and the last thing you want to have happen is your child throw a fit when their favorite song comes on and quickly breaks into a staticky mess.
4) Headphones -- If your children are old enough to wear headphones without them bothering them, this is a must for multiple kids getting along in the backseat and for a quieter ride. I can't tell you how many times we have traveled over 3 hours with the girls in the backseat, only to listen to them fight about how loud each others' DVDs are, or that they want to listen to their own music, or play their video games in peace. This is another small investment that pays off big when you plan to travel with kids.
5) Sense of Humor and Patience -- While you can't buy either one of these, these two qualities are a must when you plan to travel short or long distances with your children. Come up with fun car games or even see who can be the quietest until the next light -- there are so many ways to keep calm and enjoy a family car ride with kids. You just have to remember the reason for your trip -- to spend quality time with your family and to create lasting memories. And, while a 3 hour car ride might sound unbearable, especially with little ones in the back seat, you will look back on these car rides are smile and even laugh, as they will become memories and stories you will tell over and over again at family gatherings and when planning future trips with your kids and even grand kids.
So, don't let the stereotypical car ride with kids deter you from planning a fun-filled weekend or week-long getaway with your family. Just make sure you pack the necessary travel essentials to keep both your children and you happy. And, I can't wait to hear about your trips and see photos of memories made, so be sure to share them below in the comments section below or tag me in your social media posts.
Happy and safe travels!
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Disclosure: This is a sponsored post in which I will be compensated by the vendor for my time. However, all views shared are mine and mine alone.
This filter water bottle would be nice for my grandsons to have to drink out of!
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