Great Tips for Traveling with Kids During the Holidays

Do you fantasize about arriving at the Family Christmas get-together without a splitting headache and the veins in your neck standing out? Is the car ride a joyous trip in which everyone sings Christmas carols and basks in the holiday spirit or is it more like a trip in a paddy wagon with a rowdy street gang?

Before you decide to give up holiday travel, here are a few ideas to help make your trip to Grandma's house more enjoyable.

Making Travel a Breeze

Traveling doesn't have to be a chore if you follow a few simple rules:

1. Don't leave things to the last minute.

2. Make a checklist of all you need to do, make or bring on your trip.

3. Make sure that clothing is laundered, pressed and laid out the night before.

4. Make sure coats, mittens, hats, and boots are all together and ready to toss on as you head out the door.

5. Tape a Don't Forget list to the door to avoid getting halfway to grandma's house when you realize the green bean casserole you made is home in the fridge.

6. Prepare any food items in advance (if possible) - If you can't make it early, make sure you have all the ingredients and they are easily accessible.

7. Gather any gifts you need to take and put them near the door. Make sure to add them to the Don't Forget list.

8. Make up Goody Bags for the car ride.

Goody Bags

There should be one bag for each child. Each bag should have the child's name on it to avoid fights over whose bag is whose. The temptation to have just one bag for all the kids will be strong, but fight it. One bag = tug-of-war, punches and screaming.

Goody Bags can include whatever you think will keep your child occupied. A few items to consider including are:

Snacks

Depending on how long your trip is, you may want to include a few treats, such as:

Single serving chips bags

Apple slices or orange wedges

Juice boxes (limit these to about 1 per hour or you may be making several unscheduled potty breaks)

I put all snacks into snack-size Ziploc bags so that, if there are leftovers, the snack can be sealed to stay fresh and not mess up the Goody Bag.

Toys

Allow each child to choose one toy to add to the Goody Bag. You may need to assist them in this choice so that the toy does not include too many small pieces or take up a lot of space.

You may also want to add a new toy that your child has not seen. Action figures or dolls make great surprise finds. Remove the new toy from the packaging beforehand to avoid excess trash in the car. Put the toy in a Ziploc to keep the parts together, if necessary.

Game boys or PSPs make good time fillers for long car trips. Just be sure to bring extra batteries and have your child use headphones or turn the sound down.

If you are traveling during daylight hours, coloring books with crayons or books to read work well.

Fun for the Whole Family

There are things you can do, that include the whole family, to make your trip more enjoyable, such as:

Sing

Singing Christmas carols or along to the radio can be a great way to pass the time and get your family in the holiday spirit.

Games

These games work best if led by an adult (preferable not the driver).

The License Plate Game-Best if there is a reasonable amount of traffic. Players scan the cars, trying to find licenses plates from other states. When a new state plate is spotted, the spotter calls out the state.

I Spy- The leader chooses an object in the car that is visible to all and says, "I spy, with my little eye, something that is (name the color or shape)." Everyone guesses until someone gets the right answer. The person with the right answer is the new leader.

Decoration Hunt

If you are traveling in the evening and have the time, take detours through subdivisions and check out the holiday decorations.

Final Note

A little planning goes a long way, so plan ahead and enjoy the holidays.

Happy Holidays!