One of the best things about being a parent is getting the opportunity to watch your child experience things for the first time. One thing you can do to help open their eyes to the world’s wonders is to take them on trips. Traveling with little ones has many great benefits, from teaching them to respect diverse cultures to building their self-esteem and flexibility. That said, traveling with kids can be stressful—not to mention expensive! Don’t worry. This guide brought to you by Jonah’s Twisters provides tips for budget-friendly and stress-free travel with younger children, including babies and toddlers.
Skip the air travel and take a road trip instead
Traveling involves a lot of waiting time, which isn’t always easy for impatient kids. Make it easier on them by skipping airports and sticking to road trips. Air travel is more expensive and adds a lot of stress to the situation, like getting through security checkpoints. A road trip is more flexible and fun for all involved. Bestow provides cost-efficient hacks for a successful road trip with children, like bringing a cooler with drinks and snacks, making sure your car seats are still sized correctly, and alternating the role of driver versus kid supervisor with your adult partner.
Prepare kid-friendly travel entertainment
Even a road trip can be tedious for impatient little kids. Make sure you’ve got plenty of options to keep them engaged on the road. You can try the license plate game, for example, seeing how many license plates from different states you can spy. Another option is to sing songs or solve riddles together. If all else fails, make sure you have a tablet on hand that’s loaded with kid-friendly programs or games. Before you go, make sure it’s fully charged. It’s a good idea to have a portable charger or extra battery with you, however, just in case!
Try a vacation rental instead of a hotel
When traveling as a family, it’s generally more affordable to stay in a vacation rental instead of a hotel. Staying in a house or apartment of your own also offers unique benefits for families. For example, you’ll have a kitchen, where you can prepare the types of food your little ones like. This is great for picky young eaters. A vacation rental may also have kid-appropriate perks like a crib or high chair, meaning less for you to pack. Plus, some rentals have outdoor space, which is great for playing together.
Look for child-suitable destinations and plan appropriate activities
The key to a successful and affordable trip with kids is advanced planning. For example, you can use an online ticket sales platform to find discounted ticket rates for events that you’d like to attend as a family. If you have something like Disney in mind, which can be an expensive endeavor, there are ways you can make a trip like this work. For example, use websites like MouseLifeToday.com and various online resources to seek out information about rewards programs and tips/hacks that can help you save a lot of money. Regardless of what you choose, planning is the name of the game — and the sooner you start, the better.
Make sure to pack well in advance
When you’re traveling as a family, you have to pack for your kids as well as yourself. Advanced planning will help ensure you bring everything you need, so you don’t have to waste money buying stuff on the road. The Organized Mom Life provides easy checklists you can use when packing for kids of different ages, including babies and toddlers. For instance, infants need clothing, swim diapers, bibs or burp clothes, a swaddle or sleep sack, and toiletries.
Traveling as a family can be a lot of fun. However, without advanced planning and the help of different websites, these trips can be needlessly stressful and expensive. Trust the tips above to ensure a successful trip.
