The Holiday season and the Holiday travel… Ah, the joys. My best tip for successful Holiday traveling is: feed the kids. And yourself and your husband. I don’t know how many times I have been on a flight and seen (and heard..) a child having a fit – only because she is hungry.
I think there are a few mom-types when it comes to traveling & food. There is the one who says “let’s eat when we get there”, already thinking the end of the journey, anxiously wanting to get there and adventure. Then there is the one who says “let’s plan our trip by food” – who has every single rest stop circled on a map on road trips, and who makes sure the family stops for food – even when nobody is hungry. Then there is the one who makes sure that things go smoothly, nobody is starving, yet there is space in everyone’s tummies when the opportunity for a culinary adventure presents itself.. I try to be that mom. Well, at least most of the time.
I love food… and so does my family. We do quite a bit of research on restaurants before we travel anywhere, and try not to do those desperate trips to fast food joints just because we could find anything else, and it’s too late, and “we just need food ASAP”. Oh, believe me, those times have happened enough many times on our travels, that I have somewhat learned to avoid them. Planning is good, but things happen; fights get delayed, roads get traffic jams, and sometimes the breakfast just doesn’t go as far as you thought it would.
So even if you know that in your travel destination there is going to be a Holiday meal or a nice restaurant waiting – pack on some snacks with you. Trust me – feed the kids = happy kids.
Even Holiday shopping is tough work – we had a snack break before going in to the next store…
GIVEAWAY
I’m giving away a $50 VISA card sponsored by Viva Towels.
Enter the giveaway:
Comment here with your best travel tip with kids. Leave me a way to contact you.
Deadline: December 26th, midnight EST.
Full disclosure: This post was sponsored by Viva Towels. For fun, fork-free recipes – including videos – and snappy entertaining ideas, get over to the VIVA® Diva Café.
SEARCH
{ 41 comments }
We definitely pack snacks, hand-held games, coloring books and crayons. And we have to make frequent stops to stretch our legs.
My best travel tip is to take the DVD player with you. I don’t let the girls watch too much TV, so they love trips because they can watch movies. I also agree with the snacks. Hubby makes fun of me for taking a cooler on every car trip, but it really does make a difference! :o)
mine is more… abstract! My tip is to have NO EXPECTATIONS. Seriously. Because if you go into it thinking that you’ll relax (ha!!) or things will go smooth, you’ll be really bent out of shape!
We have 2 toddler boys and long car rides become boring for them after a while, so we have two things we always do – 1) we try and stop at a fast food restaurant that has a play place so they can run around a bit and 2) we pack a big with little surprises for them. Every hour or so, I give them a new little toy or treat which I have wrapped up. They love unwrapping their special gifts and seeing what they got.
I need to come back here and read the comments before we leave tonight on our nine hour road trip. Previously, chapter books, and dehydrated veggies have been a must on our trips.
When the kids were younger and we use to travel, I would pack them each a “surprise” bag and give it to them in the car. I’d include activity books, magazines, small toys and their own snacks. They loved it! Thanks for the review and giveaway!
If traveling very far I like to stop for snacks and drinks and also it’s nice to have iPods and DVD players available. It keeps all those are we there yets from coming.
I like to keep special snacks and toys designated for the car so they are excited to play with them and stay entertained
You’ve got to let them take plenty of things to entertain themselves. A couple of surprise from you will help also. If they’re old enough to enjoy music, each child needs their own unit with earphones.
Toys and lots of them! Kids need something to occupy their minds and hands. Also don’t let them drink too much or you’ll be stopping every 10 minutes for a potty break.
Try to drive at night so they sleep.
I found that if we packed little bags of snacks and toys, and doled them out at intervals during the trip, it made for smooth sailing.
I never travel in the car with the children without my trusty paper towels, the children’s gaming systems, crayons, coloring books and plenty of snacks. I will put cereal, cut up vegetables, licorice or little gummies in snack baggies and always pack a little cooler of juice boxes and water bottles.
tamben7996(at)ol(dot)com
I have a wooden box that sits between the two kids on the seat. It has snacks, napkins, kleenex and toys. That way they can help themselves!
Keep your expectations low… don’t assume you’ll make great time or XX number of miles per day. Be flexible and you will be a LOT happier!
Can we say Nintendo DS/DSi. When I have long commutes with the kids, they are lifesavers!
My best travelling tip when you are travelling with kids is to pack a ‘secret’ bag of toys, adding one or two new ones is a great idea. Keep the contents a secret and every 30 minutes to an hour switch out the toys to keep little fingers busy and stop kids from getting cranky! Even things like Rubix cubes are great!
When leaving on a long car ride, make sure to leave at an hour when kids are typically sleeping…. sleeping kids are happy kids!
oheeyore at hotmail dot com
My only guess is the DVDs… play as many games as possible first and then pop in the dvd.
We make sure each of our four kids has something to entertain them – an ipod/video game player/dvd player, etc. And, we also try to do the bulk of our driving during the night hours when the kids are sleepy.
Thanks!
we also bring a small lunch box with drinks and goodies, you never know how long you will be out, and how expensive it is to buy two small milks on the road!!!
bsbielowicz@hotmail.com
Each kid takes their own music (iPods) and own handheld video game (DS/Leapster). We also play games like having the kids search for things – like 5 red cars, a green sign, etc.
Thanks :)
I keep a bag of mini carrots handy. My grandson loves them. Also, one of the things I’ve done is to buy small bottles of water that he can handle. He’s able to take the lid on and off by himself and if it does spill there’s not a big mess. They’re hard to find, but I look for the 8 oz. bottles.
You definitely gotta keep snacks in the car as well as toys or games to keep them busy on the road! Oh and don’t sweat the small stuff! i.e., if they gotta pee, let em! You’ll still get there!
My best travel tip is to take along games and toys. We have a few that never get used unless we are traveling so they remain special and fun to pull out and play.
Bring along lots of toys, games and snacks. If they are hungry or bored it will be the longest trip ever :-)
I generally use benedral and duct tape…works every time. I don’t have kids so I have no sage advice to pass along. Maybe Valium for mom and dad??
Well, with only a 2 year old I’m not an expert, but I make sure to bring plenty of extra clothes on an airplane ride (one for mom too). With a 1 year old, the diaper got out of place just a bit and the next thing I knew I was soaked and she was soaked and my dear hubby was 2 rows behind. Oh my!
“Special” toys & snacks along with a few favorites are a great way to keep kids excited about long trips. Thanks for the great giveaway!
My best travel tip for kids is to hit the dollar store before you go and buy some inexpensive toys and games. Pull them out when they get antsy and buy yourself some quiet time. Also if the get lost or break it is less tragic since they only cost a dollar.
madamerkf at aol dot com
I once drove 800 miles with a 2 year old and 6 month old and inlaws by the way, My best tip…..Leave the inlaws at home!
Does take a DVD player along count? Just kidding – partly.
I think it’s good to take some non messy snacks and drinks.
We’ll be driving about 12 hours to Blissdom and I’ll take a variety of books, music, paper, and gameboys. :)
Most important – make sure they go to the bathroom before you leave every stop!
Books, game, crayons and snacks! These are must haves to have a peaceful travel trip with kids.
Since our kids are pretty young yet…. we also plan on doing the majority of the driving during nap times.
Pack lots of snacks and toys. I have even bought new toys and hid them and brought them out for traveling so it keeps my son busy for hours.
Thanks!
Pack something new that they have never seen before. It will help to keep their attention focused on it longer.
My best travel tip is books on cd. My kids have enjoyed listening to Harry Potter, Treasure Island, Peter and the Starcatchers and more on cd on long trips. I like this better than dvds because the whole family including the driver can enjoy the book.
pack lots of books & a snuggly blanket for when they get tired.
We pack a backpack with snacks, games for the car ride, and a new surprise that they can’t open until we’re on our way!
We take the DVD player and pack special snacks and juice boxes. Thank for the wonderful giveaway.
Pack a variety of snacks and some small favorite toys ( I wrap them like Christmas or Birthday gifts so that the children have an item to unwrap I pass the snack and “gift” items out one for about every 20 minutes we are in the car this makes the time pass well. Make certain you have enough to last the entire trip! I pack a seperate small suitcase for each child. If I don’t have enough to give one every 20 minutes I recalculate and distribute according to how many miles/ hours and how many items I have.Sometimes I even gift wrap the food it makes it fun for them to see what they got handed.
Comments on this entry are closed.