Travel with kids ?s

misstypeA

We are going to Aruba in a few weeks with our 3 year old and 8 month old.  I have never traveled with either of them and am incredibly nervous.  Any advice on how to make the flight and stay a bit easier would be much appreciated.  I still need to get a large diaper bag or carry on and some sort of sun canopy for the beach so any recommendations would be great.  Thanks!

gibs

Advice and recommendations?

 

Leave the kids home and go on vacation.  It sounds like a nightmare waiting to happen.  Best of luck.

heyitsme

We travel a lot with DD. My first recommendation is just to relax, and do your best not to be stressed/frustrated easily. Traveling with kids isn't like traveling with adults, but it also doesn't have to be a nightmare. I find it's best when I ease up on my expectations from the get-go.

?How long is the flight? We've done many 20-hour flights with DD, as well as smaller ones, so in-flight entertainment is something I'm familiar with. For your 3-year-old, bring Band-Aids, stickers, crayons, a small new toy or two gift-wrapped (makes the excitement last longer)...a portable DVD player I'd recommend, but some people don't like them. We couldn't live without ours, even if the battery does only last 2 hours! For your 8-month-old, bring little toys, any sort of lovey/comfort item, extra bottles and food/formula in case you get stuck for a while, etc.

When you're there, if there's a time difference, just be respectful of that with your kids. Know their bodies are going to get overwhelmed for a day or so, they might be cranky at different times of day, etc.

But most of all, just HAVE FUN! A vacation is a vacation, kids or not!?

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joy143dh

Plane: DVD player and an extra battery.  NEW small toys that they haven't seen before.  DS likes the dobbler dots and also those water-pen coloring books are good for a flight. Bring little bags of various snacks

When you land: Get a TWO bedroom hotel or connecting rooms.  It's worth the $$.

Have fun!

mgfit1

You can do it and have fun.....it just takes planning.  We have travelled with our DS to the Bahamas twice, Italy and within the US in the past few years - he's 3.  It can be done.....

 My advice:

-use backpacks as carry on's for you/DH.  It keeps hands free to deal with kids.

-pack a backpack for your 3 year old with new toys/books/snacks and don't let them open it until they are on the plane

-get a DVD player for the plane and hotel room

-put your kids clothes in your luggage and pack one bag of diapers/snacks/food for the kids and check it through.  Make sure the bag you use is collapsable so you can just pack it in your suitcase on the way home and have one less bag.

-bring a good stroller your little one can sleep in at the beach/pool and make sure it has a canopy. 

-pack 2 days worth of diapers, extra clothes, food in your carry on for your little one's in case you get stranded in route for a long period of time.  I always pack a lot of food for us too because we thought we would have time on layovers to get food and more than once the flight was late and we were running for a connection and starving!  Bring BP sandwiches or something for just in case....it saved us on 2 trips.

-bring an extra outfit for yourself in your carry on.  If your little one gets sick on YOU - you will want fresh clothes.  My 3 year old barfed all over on our flight to Italy.....gross!  I had extra clothes for me too

-visit Target and see what travel items they have for kids...and stock up.  I have used disposable table toppers, disposable bibs, disposable changing pads, disposable toiletseat covers and more!  All of these things made it easier for me when travelling with my DS.

-Snacks that travel well - apple sauce cups, fruit cups, peanut butter and cracker packs, individual pringles containers, granola bars, cookies, crackers, goldfish crackers, PB sandwiches, bagels, fruit.  I always bring plastic spoons I can just toss for the fruit cups/applesauce. 

 Good luck with your trip!  Have a great time.