Preparing a Trip with Kids

Packing for a Family Vacation- What You Can Do to Make it Easier

Planning a family vacation can be overwhelming. Once you have decided on the place to go you have to plan what to pack. You don’t want to bring too much, but you don’t want to bring too little. It’s usually after you get to your destination that something happens and then you think to yourself that you should have brought that one thing. Preparing a trip with kids doesn’t have to be stressful.

I have a few easy tips that can help with your packing to make the process simple. This is exactly how I packed for our trips to New Mexico and Broken Bow and everything ran smooth.

• Make a packing list for each person. Check off the items as you pack them and highlight items that you will grab the morning of the trip.Use this list before going on the trip and use it when packing up your stuff to return home. This will help you make sure you don’t leave anything behind. 

• Pack clothes for each day in a Ziploc bag.This makes traveling easier and no one can change their outfit the last minute if everything is packed up in a bag for the day. Everything would go inside the bag: shirt, pants, underwear, socks and hair accessories. When you’re done wearing the clothes, you can put them back in the bag to take home and wash. Be sure to pack an extra day’s worth of clothes (just in case).

• Allow each person to have their own travel bag. This will keep everything organized for that individual. Also, it keeps everyone accountable to carry their own bag.  

• Bring first aid items and kid’s medicine: pack an assortment of medical items such as ibuprofen, anti-nausea, hydrocortisone, Band-Aids, Neosporin. Every trip we have to use at least one of these items. 

• Don’t take things that will make things more stressful. These things include: formal clothing or impractical shoes. You don’t want to carry around a sports coat, elegant dress or high heels. This will be stressful to manage and carry around..especially if you don’t end up wearing it. You also don’t need to bring more than two pairs of shoes. Take a pair of comfortable shoes to walk around in and a pair of nice looking shoes for when you attend an event or restaurant.

• Bring children activities: books, electronics (tablets), games/activities for them to play in the car, drawing paper, crayons and a few toys.This will keep them entertained on the way there. If you are traveling by plane you will probably only choose a few things for them to take.  

• Baby wearing items/stroller: if you have a baby or a toddler you will want to bring a stroller and/or baby carrying gear. Without these you will be tired from hanging onto baby or passing baby back and forth between the adults. Although, taking these items  really depends on where you are traveling to or how you are getting there. Some places may have strollers available to rent, so I advise to call ahead of time. Yet, baby wearing gear can usually be folded up and carried in a suitcase.

• Allow your children to help pack. This gets them excited for the trip and it teaches them responsibility. They will learn what it takes to prepare for a trip and how to get organized. Plus this will also keep them accountable for keeping their bag organized throughout the trip. 

• Use one bag for toiletries when you can. Everyone will have to brush their teeth, take a shower and brush their hair, so it makes sense to put it all in one bag.

• Prepare snacks and drinks for on the road. If room is available in the car, I pack a case of water and a bag full of snacks. Everyone will get hungry and thirsty while traveling. Also, packing it will save money and time from pulling over and getting fast food.