Traveling with Kids Debbie Dubrow DeliciousBaby.com

Debbie Dubrow DeliciousBaby.com

Agenda Why Travel Your Greatest Fears Planning Flying On The Road

Why Travel

Your Greatest Fears

Planning

Flying

On The Road

Why Travel? Wouldn’t it be easier to stay home?

Wouldn’t it be easier to stay home?

Why Travel Leave your day-to-day routine and reconnect as a family Slowing down can be good Immerse yourself in a new culture Kids help you connect with locals Learn through doing and experiencing History & culture in context It's ok to be different New activities

Leave your day-to-day routine and reconnect as a family

Slowing down can be good

Immerse yourself in a new culture

Kids help you connect with locals

Learn through doing and experiencing

History & culture in context

It's ok to be different

New activities

Your Greatest Fears What are they?

What are they?

Changing Expectations Relaxation? Pace Will they appreciate it Will it be perfect Live in the Moment

Relaxation?

Pace

Will they appreciate it

Will it be perfect

Live in the Moment

Planning

Where to Go Wherever you want... Set your goal and then make it work Don't worry about what other people think or say Kids live everywhere Activities, products and services will be there All inclusive resorts aren't necessarily easier

Wherever you want...

Set your goal and then make it work

Don't worry about what other people think or say

Kids live everywhere

Activities, products and services will be there

All inclusive resorts aren't necessarily easier

Flights Logistics Minimize stopovers Time of day (sleeptime) Cost Discounted infant & child fares Extra charge for lap infants internationally Policy on car seats (esp in Europe) Checked baggage fees (stroller, carseat, infant luggage) Lap Infant Safety vs. cost Find a flight that isn't full

Logistics

Minimize stopovers

Time of day (sleeptime)

Cost

Discounted infant & child fares

Extra charge for lap infants internationally

Policy on car seats (esp in Europe)

Checked baggage fees (stroller, carseat, infant luggage)

Lap Infant

Safety vs. cost

Find a flight that isn't full

Hotels Location Close to public transportation & main sites Apartment rental or home swap Extra space, kitchen, washing machine Weekly housekeeping (not daily) Residential: grocery stores, restaurants & playgrounds Hotels Room size: inexpensive suites Chains are more baby safe & soundproof (in general) Wifi Refrigerator or kitchenette Cribs? Other Considerations Pool; babysitting; kids activities; kids menu; toys

Location

Close to public transportation & main sites

Apartment rental or home swap

Extra space, kitchen, washing machine

Weekly housekeeping (not daily)

Residential: grocery stores, restaurants & playgrounds

Hotels

Room size: inexpensive suites

Chains are more baby safe & soundproof (in general)

Wifi

Refrigerator or kitchenette

Cribs?

Other Considerations

Pool; babysitting; kids activities; kids menu; toys

Logistics Baby Gear Ship ahead or buy on-site Local Rentals In-City Transportation Public transit is easiest Some airport-transfer services offer car seats Sit-n-Stroll Car seat laws vary Cell Phones Unlock your phone Buy a simm chip on arrival

Baby Gear

Ship ahead or buy on-site

Local Rentals

In-City Transportation

Public transit is easiest

Some airport-transfer services offer car seats

Sit-n-Stroll

Car seat laws vary

Cell Phones

Unlock your phone

Buy a simm chip on arrival

Documentation Birth Certificate and/or Passport Visa(s) If only one parent is traveling, appropriate documentation Notarized permission, custody agreement, death certificate, etc. Emergency contact list Include local "911" and doctor Medical history Itinerary Photocopies of credit cards & passport separate from your wallet

Birth Certificate and/or Passport

Visa(s)

If only one parent is traveling, appropriate documentation

Notarized permission, custody agreement, death certificate, etc.

Emergency contact list

Include local "911" and doctor

Medical history

Itinerary

Photocopies of credit cards & passport

separate from your wallet

What To Do Pace Similar pace to home: 2-3x more time to see city Naptime in hotel, stroller or sling Allow time to enjoy piazzas, local playgrounds, etc. Finding activities Festivals Playgrounds City or tourist websites Google maps satellite view Activities & restaurants Local Blogs Expat websites Search "Barcelona with kids"

Pace

Similar pace to home: 2-3x more time to see city

Naptime in hotel, stroller or sling

Allow time to enjoy piazzas, local playgrounds, etc.

Finding activities

Festivals

Playgrounds

City or tourist websites

Google maps satellite view

Activities & restaurants

Local Blogs

Expat websites

Search "Barcelona with kids"

Preparing Kids 10+ mo Explain what will happen Shuttle, airport security, flight, etc. Explain security while you're in line Need to put lovey on the conveyor belt 2+ yrs Start to show pictures of your destination Start to show a map Pack a busy bag together 3+ yrs Story books, crafts, videos Picture of the day journal 5+ yrs History related to destination Travel journal

10+ mo

Explain what will happen

Shuttle, airport security, flight, etc.

Explain security while you're in line

Need to put lovey on the conveyor belt

2+ yrs

Start to show pictures of your destination

Start to show a map

Pack a busy bag together

3+ yrs

Story books, crafts, videos

Picture of the day journal

5+ yrs

History related to destination

Travel journal

Packing Less is Better Carry on Passports & documents Comfort items Food, formula, bottles, sippies, diapers, medication Quiet, neat toys Extra clothes & PJs “ Cares” harness, car seat Stroller or sling Electronics Checked bag / roller Plan to do laundry (you will anyway) Separate each person's clothing Packing checklists on DeliciousBaby.com

Less is Better

Carry on

Passports & documents

Comfort items

Food, formula, bottles, sippies, diapers, medication

Quiet, neat toys

Extra clothes & PJs

“ Cares” harness, car seat

Stroller or sling

Electronics

Checked bag / roller

Plan to do laundry (you will anyway)

Separate each person's clothing

Packing checklists on DeliciousBaby.com

On The Road

Time to Go Pack Early Hire a sitter Allow extra time at the airport Eat, play, exercise

Pack Early

Hire a sitter

Allow extra time at the airport

Eat, play, exercise

The Plane Flight / Car Ride Most parents' biggest fear (me too) A small % of the trip Expect that things will sometimes go poorly But... you can make things easier Exercise, exercise, exercise Food, water, milk Protein and milk are calming Low sugar Quiet time during takeoff Dole out toys slowly Bribe your neighbors Plan for delays

Most parents' biggest fear (me too)

A small % of the trip

Expect that things will sometimes go poorly

But... you can make things easier

Exercise, exercise, exercise

Food, water, milk

Protein and milk are calming

Low sugar

Quiet time during takeoff

Dole out toys slowly

Bribe your neighbors

Plan for delays

Jet Lag Expect about 4 days to adjust Seems worse on return Don’t fight it Things that help Sunshine (esp at dusk and dawn) Exercise Calm and quiet at night Adjust meal schedule gradually Take advantage of long naps

Expect about 4 days to adjust

Seems worse on return

Don’t fight it

Things that help

Sunshine (esp at dusk and dawn)

Exercise

Calm and quiet at night

Adjust meal schedule gradually

Take advantage of long naps

Travel Toys What makes a great travel toy? Quiet Neat Reusable Disposable No small parts

What makes a great travel toy?

Quiet

Neat

Reusable

Disposable

No small parts

At Your Destination “Planning is everything, the plan is nothing” Know what you want to see and do Do the most important things first Allow extra time Carry addresses, phone numbers, directions Be flexible Live in the moment!

“Planning is everything, the plan is nothing”

Know what you want to see and do

Do the most important things first

Allow extra time

Carry addresses, phone numbers, directions

Be flexible

Live in the moment!

Resources DeliciousBaby.com Packing lists Favorite travel gear Favorite travel toys Babyproofing Jet Lag Severe food allergies GoCityKids.com CookieMag.com Frommer's "With Kids" series

DeliciousBaby.com

Packing lists

Favorite travel gear

Favorite travel toys

Babyproofing

Jet Lag

Severe food allergies

GoCityKids.com

CookieMag.com

Frommer's "With Kids" series

Bring with me Favorite Travel Gear baby sherpa eagle creek bags carabiners cares frommers books + rome book ergo lock & lock Favorite Travel Toys empty cardboard box sticker books coloring books playmobils blue tape Flyers Keeping kid busy + Duct Tape + itinerary?

Favorite Travel Gear

baby sherpa

eagle creek bags

carabiners

cares

frommers books + rome book

ergo

lock & lock

Favorite Travel Toys

empty cardboard box

sticker books

coloring books

playmobils

blue tape

Flyers

Keeping kid busy + Duct Tape + itinerary?