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No matter what age your children are, it's a great time for
taking them on travels near and far. The surprise for many parents is that
the amount of preparation and effort put into a day trip with preschoolers
to a lake or on a picnic isn’t much different than for a month-long
trip to places farther from home. You just have to be prepared to take kid-sized
steps and expect to restock on “essentials” as you go. |
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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. My kids always seem to find
playmates to share kites and balls and other toys in parks and beaches.
After all, sand castles are built from Bali to British Columbia! Kids are
also a great excuse for going to some of the best spots, like pony rides,
carousels and petting zoos. |
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More reasons why you shouldn’t put off travels with little
ones? Preschoolers have a wonderful ability to conveniently drop off into
naps during long train and plane rides – and the cost of taking them
on those trains and planes is usually far cheaper than for teens. They’re
also often a golden ticket to special favors and attention from strangers
everywhere. Traveling in Europe? Don’t be surprised to find waiters
greeting kids with a small plate of crackers and cheeses to keep them content
while orders are taken and prepared (how smart is that?) In fact, all over
the world, restaurants are used to indulging finicky little ones, easy to
do since little kids’ tastes usually run to the plain and unadorned. |
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Of course, it’s not all cooing waiters and napping babes,
so go prepared if you want everyone to enjoy the trip. |
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The first preparation is packing, and you’ll find that
the "wants" and "needs" lists for little kids may actually
be only one list. The trick is to consider what’s needed for keeping
little ones content and you’ll soon realize that a lot of “wants”
like toys and treats, really are “needs” for a long trip. Get
lightweight nylon drawstring bags to hold fun stuff for each kid, then pack
them in your carry-on luggage. Or, if your kids are four or five, they can
have their own small backpacks full of toys, books, etc. or rollerbags they
can happily wheel around the airport. |
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The number one thing to remember? A beloved "snuggly."
Sometimes a toy is just a comfort item clutched when a child is in an unfamiliar
place or trying to get to sleep. Sometimes it's animated in a child's imagination
and confided to with whispered words in a corner. Whatever its role, don't
separate a child from a beloved stuffed animal, doll, or other snuggly such
as a blanket or pillow – the added bulk will more than pay its way. |
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Many times the familiar warmth of a small cozy blanket helped
my daughter drop off on a long plane trip, or made a strange bed seem inviting,
and a stuffed animal was a faithful companion when everything around her
was different and strange. For a wonderful story about the well-travelled
"Pengos," read "Traveling with
Stuffed Animals." |
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Another essential is a stroller that's lightweight and easily
collapsible. Airline crew will hang yours just inside the boarding door,
and you can hook it on a coat rack or under chairs at restaurants, etc.
In a pinch, many large hotels also offer "loaner" strollers (and
umbrellas) as well, just ask the concierge. Buying one? Get a model with
a sturdy mesh basket for "essentials," a good hood in case of
drizzle, and easy to set-up or collapse with one hand. |
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A few tips on toys: include some tried-and-true favorites;
have some brand-new, inexpensive surprises; don’t pack noisy toys (not
only will you get tired of the noise, the people traveling nearby may get
demonstrably irate) and plan on picking up local treasures along the way. |
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One friend always packs felt pads and a bag of felt shapes
or the magnetic play board versions. They make great toys since the variety
is limited only by imagination. Another packs new Lego Duplo packets. In
short, try to take along toys that get used in lots of ways, there’s
no room for one-trick ponies in your luggage. |
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You’ll also want to take along at least a couple favorite
books and plan to pick up some local treasures along the way. Picture books
for non-readers are great, but bring some you can share as well. Slightly
older kids may like the suspense of hearing a chapter book read to them
a little at a time. On one plane ride I apparently read "The Three
Little Pigs" to my four year old with such emotion that two businessmen
across the aisle dropped their conversation and started listening in (one
gave me a big beaming smile when I started huffing and puffing). Don't be
shy. Why should the sound of a children’s story be any more intrusive
than other conversations on the plane? It isn't. Besides, cuddling up together
for a half-whispered story is a wonderful way to spend waiting time, or
bedtime. |
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There are also lots of inexpensive portable CD players or
MP3 players for times when being quiet really is important. Also think about
recording yourself reading a few favorite stories: you can be more selective
about what to take along, and if you’re driving or trying to get them
to bed, recorded stuff make a great substitute for your attention. |
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Bring your own movies for long flights. One friend recommends
a portable DVD player, another uses a laptop to play DVD movies. (Newer
planes have a outlet in the seat armrest to plug in your electronics.) Bring
along one or two favorite movies for little ones – they will happily
watch them over and over. Remember to pack headphones (ones that your child
will wear) or turn down the volume while watching the movie. |
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Keep in mind that the most fascinating book, toy or game has
limited appeal. Don’t make kids go too far a stretch at once. Mix up
sight seeing with play time and snack breaks. An exhausted preschooler (or
parent) is no happy camper. |
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soft tote to carry snacks, use as a travel pillow, and it's machine washable |
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For long stretches on planes, trains, waiting rooms stock
up on snacks like baby carrots, trail mix, crackers, bite-size PowerBars,
dried fruit, cheese, that can satisfy little tummies quickly, then
restock as you go. One flight from Los Angeles to Denver was delayed for
over an hour before we boarded, and for another hour on the runway. The
crew refused to given anyone drinks or snacks while we waited, but my daughter
contentedly sipped her juice and snacked on trail mix while we adults stewed. |
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Even if you order a kid's meal on a plane, whatever is served,
it may not be something your child likes (some kids just aren't interested
in peanut butter and jelly). Bring your own mini-meal, like instant noodles
in a cup (just add hot water) or macaroni and cheese in a foil pouch. Ask
the flight attendant to heat up the macaroni and cheese, and your kids can
eat when they're hungry. |
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All this talk of snacks and toys and new purchases
probably has you a little worried about running out of room. Well, if you’ve
packed cheap crayons, coloring books, puzzles, etc. as your original “fun
packs” when you left home, then you have “expendable” things
you can ditch as you need to make room for new treasures. |
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In the end it all comes down to flexibility. Pack
for preschooler needs, expect to be spontaneous, let your little one introduce
you to a few new friends and places and everyone will have a great time! |
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Editor's note: Be sure to check the TSA
web site to find out the latest rules for carry-ons. |
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"People
come to the airport. They come to fly in big jet planes."
This is the perfect introduction for a plane flight – waiting
to go, getting the plane ready, boarding the plane, and all clear
for takeoff.
(Picture book)
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A perfect travel-size
board book for toddlers, filled with bright-colored trains, "Here
is a train with people inside. … There goes a freight train
loaded with freight. … Here is a steam engine puffing smoke.
…There goes the train speeding away."
(Board book)
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A
nifty combination of fun facts and maze puzzles that wipe clean,
so you can do them more than once. Make your way through moat,
staircase, ramparts and dungeon mazes. Fun for hours and perfect
for a car trip. (Activity book)
For
more mazes, try: Jungle
Mazes
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Stories and
picture puzzles keep 3 year-olds entertained on a long plane flight.
(Highly recommended by a parent who travels a lot with a toddler.)
Choose puzzles to fit the theme of your trip or child's interests: Puzzle
Mountain , Puzzle
Castle, Puzzle
Dungeon, Puzzle
Ocean. (Picture book)
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Tuck
this mini edition of Where's Waldo into your luggage. A travel
-size version of the Waldo classic – try to find Waldo in
a cake factory, clown town, an endless maze, Land of Woofs, and
more. (Picture book)
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