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Tips for Traveling with Kids (Without Losing Your Sanity)

There is nothing more magical than watching your child splash in the ocean or bury their toes in the sand for the first time. There is a special emotion that is evoked through visiting places where the vast expanse of nature envelops you and watching your child realize how big the world really is. From their first time on a metropolis subway or trying new foods from an unfamiliar culture, traveling with children is an adventure all parents should experience.

However, traveling with children, especially during the holidays, brings a unique set of challenges - from overtired toddlers to spilled soda and cracker crumbs to the question, “Are we there yet?”, being asked countless times.

For parents who want to travel with their children, starting with the right mindset and a little bit of preparation can make your next family adventure a rewarding experience for the entire family.

1. Plan Together – When you start planning your trip, either for vacation or for routine holiday travel, find ways to include your children. Select a few, small details of the trip where the kids can have input and they will become more invested in seeing the trip succeed. Such choices may include where they want to stop for lunch, what songs they want to listen to for the first hour of the trip, or one game they want to play together during the trip. Kids could also be in charge of packing which toys or activities they want to bring on the trip.
2. Stay Engaged – No matter your form of travel, stay engaged with your children as much as possible to help keep their boredom at bay. Consider coming up with travel games, such as I Spy or The Name Game, renting an audio book from the library to listen to together, or downloading a Bible show on a tablet for when the Wi-Fi disappears.
3. Anticipate Needs – Feelings of hunger, thirst, or needing to use the restroom often exacerbate restlessness and boredom. Anticipate your child’s needs by scheduling regular snack and bathroom breaks, even just to stretch legs, along your journey. One idea may be to have a snack every 2 hours and stop for a restroom break every 1-2 hours, depending on the child’s age. This helps children know what to expect and when, removing the sense of desperation for empty bellies or wiggly legs.
4. Be Kind – Traveling with kids is chaotic and unpredictable. Even the best planning will eventually give way to something unexpected. When things go off-script, remember that these are great moments to teach patience and to show kindness. Laughing through stressful situations and modeling how to stay flexible when things don’t go your way not only eases tensions, but it also often creates some of the most memorable moments of the trip.
5. Pause and Pray – For many, the night before a trip can be the most chaotic part. Last minute packing, preparing the house or pets for your leave, and finishing the final chores may cause parents to feel exhausted before the trip even starts. But before embarking on a family adventure, parents should carve out a special time to dedicate their travels to God. Ezra 8:21 gives a wonderful description of how this is to be done. It says, “There, by the Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions.” Committing your trip to the Lord and asking for His protection is the most important part of the trip. You will also find that by spending special time with God as a family, your own soul begins to quiet amidst the chaos as well.

Traveling with kids is important. Whether you go to a new park in a neighboring city or travel across state lines, adventures allow kids to explore the beautiful world that God created in exciting ways. Exposing your child’s heart and mind to as much of God’s amazing world as possible creates precious memories and builds strong familial bonds that will live on far beyond their childhood.