Newsworthy Family Travel Articles

It must be springtime! With school nearing close and summer fast approaching, articles about traveling families abound. Here are some of our favorites:

• TSA: Traveling with Kids
• Mom's Minivan: Flying With Kids
• FAQs: Tips for Families Flying with Children
• GoodLittleTraveler: PREPARE Toddlers and Children to Fly
• Travel+Leisure: 6 Tips for Flying With Kids
• OneStepAhead: Tips For Flying With Children
• WomenOnTheirWay: Flying With Kids

5 Reasons to Travel With Small Children

Travel deals abound in this economy. If your family is in a position to take to the skies, there's no better time to do it!

But, you say, my children are so young!
Yes, I nod with understanding. This is precisely why you should go.



5 Reasons Why Parents Should Travel With Small Children:




"No matter what age your children are, it's a great time for taking them on travels near and far. ... Traveling with preschoolers is really fun – they are so wide-eyed and ready for adventure, with few, if any preconceptions. You already know what great ice-breakers kids are, they talk to anyone and see other small kids as potential playmates..." - Tips For Traveling With Preschoolers, TravelForKids.com


"Frankly after a 2.5 week trip (7 flights in late Sept.) with our 15 mo. old we decided that travelling with him we had more fun than we would have before he was born, despite twice the hassle and three times more gear." - Charis, responding to Surviving Long Plane Flights on the Berkeley Parents Network


"Children open a whole world of kindness from strangers that you might not experience traveling on your own. They also open your eyes to see things you might miss, the small nuances of how life differs in a foreign place, and how much it is the same. I watch more closely how people interact with their children and how they treat a stranger's child. Those interactions speaks volume about a culture and about the hope we have for the future." - Glennia, authoring Have Kid, Will Travel on The Silent "I" Blog


"Last summer my husband was invited to teach in Prague for two weeks. The deal included a two room apartment. So we all went. It worked out really really well. The whole trip made an incredible impression on [4-year-old] Allison and she is still talking about it quite a bit. ... I think when you travel with kids you are forced to engage in the local life in a non-tourist way in order to give your kid the much needed kid time in a local park, amusement park, etc." - Melanie, responding to Taking Kids To Europe on the Berkeley Parents Network


"For anyone out there holding back from traveling overseas because of kids, I say GO! Go today! Book your tickets because the experience is well worth it." - Marlynn at UrbanMamas.com, A tale of international travel with toddler in tow



Ready to go?
Resources for Traveling with Toddlers, Preschoolers & Kindergartners:

• GoNomad.com - Tips for Traveling Abroad with a Toddler

• ParentMap.com - Holiday travel with babies and toddlers

• "NZ, AUS, Fiji and US with newborn and toddler in tow" Blog - Top 10 Tips for Travelling with Young Children
  
  
• Jennifer Widom - Adventure Travel with Children Under Four: Proper Preparation and the Right Attitude
  

• SixInTheWorld.com - Top 6 Lists and Details: Overview of the Trip
  
  
• Khushi @ BloggerMoms.com - International Travel with Toddlers - The plane ride
  
  
• GoodLittleTraveler.com - Family Travel Resources: Family Travel Weblinks

• TimesOnline.co.uk - Gap family down to earth in Dorset
  

Traveling Parentpreneurs: Awesome Travel Products Made By and For Traveling Families

When it comes to flying, cruising or roadtripping with children, no one knows better what a traveling family needs than a parent. As one myself, I have a passion for and a great interest in ideas executed by 'traveling parent-preneurs'. In the first of an ongoing series, today's feature introduces the families behind the YakPack and the BearHug.


The best products are the ones created from a need, and rarely has there been a need so acute as that experienced by the Phillips family on a multi-state roadtrip that resulted in three children ill in the backseat. As Mrs. Phillips writes, "The worst part of the trip was in Kansas. We stopped at a rest area, stripped our three year old child in the bathroom and washed her in the sink. It was so horrible that I couldn't stop from gagging. That's when I realized in my rush to the bathroom, I had left her change of clothes in the car. I threw away what she was wearing and wrapped her in my coat.

"Because of this and other horrible experiences, my husband and I created the YakPack - the Ultimate Clean-Up Kit for Sickies. Had we only a few YakPacks on board the mini-van vessel, we could have prevented the aftermath. Now, we never leave home without them."

The YakPack fits under the seat in the car, in a diaper bag carry-on or even in a standard-size purse. But don't let the compact size of vinyl zipper case fool you. Each YakPack contains:

• Motion sickness bag
• Absorbent lap pad to protect surfaces
• Latex free protective gloves
• Vomit absorbent/odor neutralizer powder
• Plastic scraper and scoop to pick up neutralized material
• Antimicrobial wipes
• Dry towel to remove residual
• Biohazard bag for proper disposal

I gifted a YakPack to a family friend whose daughter gets car sick on any trip lasting longer than about an hour. They were leaving for a summer camping trip in the mountains, and I couldn't have offered a better road trip product for them. Highly recommended by both our families! There is also a great post over at the JetWithKids.com Blog about how best to use it in flight.

Also highly recommended: the Dioquino Family's BearHugs - the ultimate in multi-tasking travel comfort for children.

Taking into consideration the needs of warmth, allergies, germ protection, comfort, practicality and even the cute factor, BearHugs are part blanket, part wrap, part lovey that can also be used as a backpack or a pillow. Perfect for travel by land or air ... and just as perfect for a sleepover as a movie night at home.

Some wonderful features worth mentioning:

• kids can carry it themselves (wrap turns into pillow/backpack)
• room for toys or books inside (little pocket on the front for treasures)
• kids bond with the bear on the front, which helps make them feel at home, even while they're away (the BearHug is a great transitional object for children who don't adapt to change or new situations well)
• the BearHug wraps all around, so protects from dirty airline seats while providing full body warmth
• kids can walk around while wrap stays on
• hypoallergenic (allergies/asthma)
• great for kids with sensory (touch) issues
• comes in blue, green, pink and purple
  

To purchase either of these products, please visit their websites:
www.theyakpack.com
www.bearhugsunlimited.com


Here's to clear skies and (smooth) open roads!

If you too are a Traveling Parentpreneur and you'd like to submit a product for review, please email me at TravelingParentpreneur (at) goodlittletraveler.com.

Why Traveling With Toddlers is a Very Good Thing

One parent friend of mine told me once that she and her husband weren't planning to take a family airplane trip until their then-2-year-old son was 6 - she was just too worried about what she imagined in her active son's potential bad behavior, packing and carrying all the necessary accoutrements that go with little ones, all the added details (and delays) that seem to go with traveling with toddlers. But after she had her second son and realized that if their family stuck to their no-planes-til-the-boys-are-6 plan, all told it would result in nearly a decade without a family trip! ... and she was ready to find some solutions to her dilemma.

It has been argued that traveling with children under three is a waste of time. I've heard all the excuses: that biggest of which is that babies and toddlers are too young to remember what it is they are seeing and experiencing. My response to that is the same as any child development specialist's with regards to a child's exposure to being read to: exposure is a VERY good thing. My daughter doesn't remember asking me to read Big, Runaway Bunny or Where The Wild Things Are every night two and three times when she was two. But she still loves for me to read to her, and is now a great reader herself.

I wanted my daughter Shae to want to travel. As she grows up, it is crucial that she understand that there are different ways of living, looking, building, believing, learning, contributing - and I want her to internalize this knowledge and act on it as a result of seeing it, not just reading about it. I am convinced that having a broader exposure to the world, domestically and internationally, results in better citizenship and commitment to one's community. What better way to appreciate what one has than by witnessing firsthand what others don't? What better way to understand that others do not think/problem solve/create in the same way as ourselves than by learning - even just a few words of - another language and realizing just in the sentence structure alone how differently the same idea can be expressed or considered?

Having this belief in broad exposure as a benefit, coupled with my own selfish desire as a world traveller not to give up exploring just because I was now a mother, I set out in not-so-subtle and less obvious ways to raise her as a Good Little Traveler. From map sheets in the crib and a biplane rocking chair to a wall papered with old saved National Geographic maps and multiple bookshelves overflowing with stories about exploring, adventuring, discovering, journeying. I also took her on the road almost from the time she was born. But one needn't be as interested as I am in travelling as a rule, just open to the idea.

I love this quote by Teresa Plowright at About.com, where she writes: "Travel is in many ways different from vacation: travel, for example, might be sightseeing in Paris, or exploring hill towns in Italy, or a road trip with plenty of stops and exploration along the way." She goes on to write: "Travel with a baby or toddler entails logistics, no question. But gear is so great, these days ... And travel with a baby can be extremely rewarding, especially in countries where people tend to dote on babies."

There are so, so many great reasons to take your infant / toddler / preschooler / kindergartner out into the world!

Flight Delayed? What To Do With Toddlers At the Airport

Airlines are feeling the squeeze just as we are and flights are being cancelled, delayed and re-routed at an unprecedented rate. When you are a parent flying with a toddler, the prospect of an extra hour (or three) at the airport can be daunting. But fear not! Tried and true plans of action await you below...

First, and most importantly, if possible, keep moving!!!

Exhausting as it may be for the parent, ideally it will be for your kiddos, too, so that when they do finally board the plane, they’ll be ready to nap or snack (ie, sit still). If a family sits, sits, sits during the delay, parents shouldn't be surprised when their children are ready to consider the airplane seat their own personal jungle gym! As one parent writes, "As a professional speaker, I spend many hours in airports. It amazes me how many parents insist that their toddler or preschooler sit in a stroller or a chair waiting for the flight. Since everyone will be constricted on the plane, it’s better to keep active in the airport."

What is a travelling parent to do?

• Explore. Most airports have displays on loan from local museum collections. Many airports have kid play areas.

• Play I Spy out the window. Find airplane parts found in books such as: Richard Scarry's A Day at the Airport, Byron Barton's Airport, The Noisy Airplane Ride and Busy Airport.

• Count baggage. Identify colors of shoes walking by. Make a scavenger list together (let your child help think of silly things to look for and then set off to see if any of the items can be found)
  
• Play "One Sip" - I am quoting directly from a great Travel Tips page over at WeJustGotBack.com: Silvana from Nashville writes about this fabulous game: "My daughter and I like to play the “one sip” game. We walk through the airport from drinking fountain to drinking fountain, taking only one sip at each. The idea is to walk as far as possible with your child."

• Hit the loo. If your plane is delayed for a long time, find a bathroom in a different terminal – ideally arrived at by a tram, train or long people mover, all of which are always entertaining for little ones. For that matter, up and down the escalator you go!

More great ideas from more traveling families:

• JetWithKids.com Blog: "Traveling With Kids: Airport Time"

• DeliciousBaby Journal: "Surviving Flight Delays With Kids"

• The Perrin Post: "Top Ten Things to Do When You're Stranded at an Airport"
• FlyingWithKids.com: "Travel Tips - Airports"
• WeJustGotBack.com: "Tip Sheet: Flying With Kids - Taking care of the air necessities"
• GoodLittleTraveler.com: "Top 4 Tips for Flying With Toddlers"

Snacks for In the Air and On the Go

... or How to Feed Toddlers Something They'll Enjoy That Won't Pump Them Full of Sugar and Make Them Impossible To Control ...

It is an unfortunate truth that individual-sized processed snacks are easiest to find, and generally well-packaged for travel, but they are almost always full of sugar and excess salt - and rarely a good idea. Rather than processed fruit snacks or lollipops, pack carrots, goldfish, raisins, peanut butter crackers, pretzels, seedless orange wedges. (Side note: Some parents swear by lollipops or hard candies, since they take so long to suck, and are therefore good time occupiers as well as useful rewards for good behavior ... the downsides of course being that their child is now fueled with sugar and very likely a fidgety, sticky mess. If you choose this option, pack extra wipes!!)

Our favorite? Grapes are easy to pack, fun to eat, come in a couple of colors - and will rehydrate as well as satisfy snack urges. Before our last trip, the night before we put together veggie snack bags of carrots, snap peas and crunchy cucumber slices and fruit bags with grapes, chilling them overnight. In the morning we put the bags in a lunch bag-sized soft cooler pack. Even midday after two layovers, the snacks were refreshing and hydrating. Luckily we'd more than we needed because we were asked and able to share with other kiddos on the flights!

... and for those that say, your toddler eats snap peas? or in the spring months, sliced green or red peppers?! Well, yes. I should qualify that with the little white lie I use to make that possible. Snap peas have always been referred to as "sugar peas" and sweet peppers as "apple peppers" (because Shae's favorite fruit is apple). We've always eaten pretty healthy, and since my girl is incredibly sensitive to sugar (insert sugar = instant hyperactivity), we've been fairly careful about limiting it on the regular. In small, confined spaces like the car or the airplane, we go so far as to exclude it almost entirely, with the exception of 'reward' or 'treat' organic treats like Clif Kid snacks, which are family (and her microsoccer team's) favorites.


More Healthy Snack Ideas for the Plane, the Car, after school, on the weekend ... en route to anywhere:

• Mom's Team: "Healthy Snacks for the Youth Athlete"
• Suite 101: "Healthy Kid Snack Tips and Recipes"
• Minti.com: "Plane Rides: Snacks to Keep the Kids from Complaining"
• DeliciousBaby.com: "Tips and Advice for Traveling With Severe Food Allergies"
  

The Best Airplane Travel Toys for Toddlers & Preschoolers

We find when we fly that parents have to do most of the entertaining, but there are some great travel toys for the toddler and preschooler set that are just as much fun for parents to play too ... and may even give a parent a well-deserved break!


Experience has taught us to bring only items that:

1. have few (or no) extra pieces that aren't securely attached to the game (or you will spend the majority of your time fishing things off the dirty airplane floor);
   


2. pack easily and don't take much room and
   
   
3. will hold attention and be reusable (at least for the flight home!).
   

We are big fans of DK Series Sticker Books and Mudpuppy Press Play Scenes, quality Magnetic Travel Games (like those made by eeBoo), low-tech creative fun like children's chopsticks (let toddlers 'fish' for their goldfish or raisins), crayons and drawing pads and Lacing Cards. See below for some of our other favorites.


Where to find more recommended travel toys?

• Our selection of high quality, family-tested, recommended products can be found at GoodLittleTraveler.com. Links to reputable vendors with even wider selections of travel toys and games can be found in the margin at left on that page as well.
  
  
• Also from GoodLittleTraveler.com,Travel Books for Children, equally appropriate for before you go and on the plane, are listed separately.
  
  
• JetWithKids.com - Plane Entertainment & Toys
  

• DeliciousBaby.com - Ten Great Travel Toys you Already Have at Home
  

Have a wonderful trip!