As I was sifting through the digital pages of my drafts, I stumbled upon a forgotten gem, a narrative penned after our family vacation in March. With another adventure on the horizon this January, it dawned on me: why not share the tales of our unforgettable escapade from earlier this year?
This journey marked a series of ‘firsts’ for my little ones – their inaugural plane ride, the enchantment of Disney World, the thrill of our first family cruise, and the wonder of venturing beyond our national borders. An adventure both exhilarating and exhausting, filled with laughter, excitement, and the occasional toddler-sized drama.
As I dust off these travel memories, join me in unraveling the secrets of a successful family getaway. The kids were 5 and 3 (going onto 13 😆) at the time. Let’s dive into the arsenal of essentials that saved my sanity and made our journey a breeze. 🌟✈️ #MomLifeChronicles #TravelWithTykes
1.Snacks– Ok this one is easy. Kids love to eat, more specifically, they love to snack and no one wants a cranky child while you are supposed to be having family fun time, Am I right? So make sure you bring easy- to-pack snacks for the plane, car, hotel, etc. I purchased small snack- size Tupperware containers at the Dollar Tree and pre-filled them with different snacks to put in their backpacks for the airplane. These are super cute snack containers too if you are looking for something a little more kid-friendly. Nutri-grain bars were great to have on hand for my picky eater when he didn’t like the breakfast on the ship.
2. Reusable Water bottles – Let’s be honest; everything costs more on vacation, so you don’t want to be spending money on overpriced bottles of water. Most airports even have filling stations for water bottles, which is very convenient. They are also perfect if you are cruising or spending a day walking around an amusement park, and your kids will stay hydrated throughout the day. These are the bottles we use for my kids here. I love how you can put all the pieces into the dishwasher to clean.
3. A good pair of wireless headphones. If you are a screen time parent(no judgement here), then you want to invest in wireless headphones. No one wants to listen to Paw Patrol or Cocomelon on blast, aside from your child. So, do yourself and the rest of the people in your vicinity a favor and get some headphones. An added bonus: you can have adult conversations without your children eavesdropping and then repeating what you said later at inappropriate times. Looking for an option? Check these out
4. Portable wireless charger– Continuing on the theme of screen time and devices, you want those devices to be fully charged 🔋 at all times. The last thing you want is for your calm, preoccupied child to have a meltdown because her tablet ran out of battery. If you are a IPAD user, these are great! They also make a version you can use for Fire tablets and Samsung here. Keep in mind, if you have a case on your tablet, it may not fit right. They do sell extenders that will help in that case.
5. Kid’s Camera– I have talked about these before because I love them so much. We first got one as a gift for my daughter, and when I realized how much she enjoyed using it, I knew I had to get one for my son too. My children loved taking pictures on our vacation, and they could even bring them in the water. I had so many people come up to me and ask me where I got them, and of course the answer was Amazon, where else 😊 It comes with an SD card, rechargeable battery, and records video as well. This is the version we have.
6. Games and activities to stay occupied, especially on the airplane. First and foremost, you can never go wrong with coloring books and crayons. Go to your local dollar store and grab a couple to have on hand. For my 3 -year- old daughter, we got some of these reusable sticky books, which she loved. My 5- year- old really enjoyed this magnetic board game. An added bonus is that it is very small and easy to pack. These LCD doodle boards LCD doodle boards were perfect for both kids.
7. Water Bottle Carriers– I don’t know about you but I am tired of asking my children where their drink is. Whether at home or on vacation, it seems like the darn thing is always missing. Well with these, it will hopefully limit the amount of lost bottles. Also you don’t have to be in charge of carrying them when your kids get tired of holding them. It is a win win, not to mention hydrated kids are happy kids lol.
8. Booster seat– If your children are old enough to be in a booster seat, and you are doing any traveling involving a car, this is for you. You are going to want something that is easy to pack and use. I love how they pack up into a bag when you are not using it.
9. Inflatable Foot Rest– This is something I did not have for this trip but will definitely be purchasing for our next trip. It is also great for long car rides. It folds up nicely when you are not using it and does not require a pump to inflate. I love this option because you can inflate to different heights, and Mom and Dad can use it too!
10. Kid’s Tray Table Cover with Pockets …This versatile tray table cover is a must-have for parents on the go. Perfect for keeping toys, snacks, and tablets within easy reach, it also provides a hygienic barrier against germs commonly found on tray tables.
TravelbyBreanne 