6 Hacks To Make Traveling With Kids A Little Bit Easier

November 14, 2023

While vacations are normally viewed as an opportunity to take a load off, this isn't exactly the experience for parents of young children. After all, not only are you constantly concerned about your kids' wellbeing, but you probably also want to ensure that they don't get bored, lost, or simply get into arguments with one another and end up turning a road trip into a nightmare. As you could imagine, having all these concerns in your head can ultimately impact how much you are able to enjoy your vacation. Fortunately, there are some useful travel hacks that you can employ to make traveling with kids a little easier!

Organize the sleeping arrangements

Once you've picked out a holiday destination, make sure to do some thorough research on the accommodation that's available in the area. Find out how child-friendly each place is and keep this in mind when making a final decision. Many hotels and resorts that have experience with children will often have baby cribs that can be brought into the room as well as pack-and-plays. Some hotels even offer bunk beds for their younger guests.

Pre-plan your grocery store run

Once you've selected your hotel, it's time to find the nearest grocery store. This is a necessary step if you're not planning to eat out or order room service for every meal. Planning ahead will help you know exactly where the store is so that you can stock up on groceries as soon as you settle into your accommodation. If your hotel only has a minifridge, then make sure to buy fruit, crackers, and nonperishable items that don't need to be refrigerated.

Achieve a balance

Although it may be tempting to pack every day with tons of activities and outings, this could wind up being your biggest mistake. Sure, you may not want your kids to get bored, but you also don't want to exhaust them too much either. Make sure to arrange some free time for your family in between activities so that everyone can have a chance to catch their breath — you as a parent will need it too!

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Know your laundry options

Does your hotel offer laundry or dry cleaning services? Perhaps there are on-site washing machines and dryers that you can use when you get the chance. These are important questions to ask as you prepare for your family vacation. After all, kids can get messy and you won't want them to run out of clothes if laundry services are unavailable. Also, you don't want to pack too many spare clothes either — not only does this take up more room in the car but it also leaves less room for souvenirs and other items that you may purchase during your travels.

Always double-check your room before checking out

So, the vacation is complete and everyone had a blast! All that's left to do now is pack your bags and head home. Still, this doesn't mean that your planning is over. Because your kids may have dropped or misplaced some items, it's always a good idea to do a thorough sweep of the hotel room, even after your bags are fully packed — you never know what you could leave behind! Another good idea is to make a list of your possessions before going on holiday so that you can ensure nothing gets left behind.

Time your sleep to beat jet lag

Even as adults, trying to beat jet lag on overseas trips is never easy. While you may be tempted to allow the entire family to go to sleep upon arrival at their destination, this could prevent them from adjusting to their new time zone. Instead, make sure to keep everybody awake and active until nighttime arrives. One way to do this is by getting everyone to leave the hotel and do outdoor activities, such as exploring the city.