family travel

Today Jason Biers is sharing how to make flying with kids more enjoyable.

The first time I ever traveled with children in tow was when I went to Ecuador with my sister and her two young boys. While the trip was enjoyable and I wouldn’t trade that time with my nephews for anything, I will admit that I could have probably gone without experiencing the flight time with them.

If you’ve ever traveled with young children, you know that it’s a lot different than traveling without. They may not have the stamina that you do and may not adjust as well to uncomfortable situations.
Regardless of how cute and precious you think your kids are, it’s important to realize that they are capable of making you and everyone else around them miserable. That being said, there’s no reason you can’t have an enjoyable experience traveling with kids. All it takes is a little bit of forethought and preparation.

Double check passports

If you are traveling internationally, double check all passport dates. Children’s passports run out every five years and that has a habit of sneaking up on you. The last thing you want is to get excited about your Ecuador tour only to find out that your little ones can’t go because their passports expired.

Bring new toys

I recommend having a few new toys or games for your kids so that they are less likely to get bored of them quickly. Technology has made this fairly easy especially with all of the kid friendly apps out there. Depending their age, you might want to have one game or toy for every hour that you are actively traveling.

Bring snacks

Hardly anything will make a person crankier than being hungry; this is especially true for children. Don’t rely on sugary treats either. You don’t want to land at a crowded airport while your kids are flying high on sugar. Instead, pack snacks such as crackers, cheese, and grapes. When you are planning out snacks be sure that you are adhering to airport security guidelines so you don’t run the risk of having to throw out your food.

Check your luggage

I can’t stress this enough. More than likely your hands are going to be pretty full with kids and all of their necessities so it’s best to eliminate any sort of baggage that you won’t need while in flight. It’s worth the time it takes to retrieve your luggage at the end of the flight.

Plan for more time

You don’t want to feel rushed while traveling with children. This may seem like a more than obvious piece of advice but it’s one of the most difficult to follow. Getting through airport security and customs can take forever anyways, but it takes even longer when you are trying to wrangle curled toes in and out of shoes.

Bring Large Ziploc bags

This is especially important the younger your kids are. You never know when a diaper blow-out may occur or whether or not someone is going to get sick on their shirt. Having large Ziploc bags handy gives you a place to stash any soiled clothing so you don’t have to worry about making any further messes. These are unfortunate situations, but they do happen so be prepared for impromptu change of clothes. Don’t forget to throw in some baby wipes or paper towels just in case.

Hopefully you will be able to avoid any potential mishaps that may happen while you are travel with or without kids. If something does go awry, just keep in mind that the plane will land and you will probably never have to see any of those people again. Just allow yourself to sit back and enjoy the time you have with your kids even if it doesn’t seem to be going well.

About the author: Jason Biers loves to travel and has been the frequent victim of child terror on many of his trips. When he’s not travelling and taming kids he writes for G Adventures, a travel site that offer amazing tours.