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Regardless of the time of year or however few kids you have in tow, going on vacation with the family can be a really stressful activity. Taking the kids on any kind of road trip, or traveling on an airplane with them requires so much planning in advance that you may as well be running a military operation alongside it! But here we go, the ultimate guide to traveling with your kids on long-haul trips!
Packing
The moment your vacation begins is as soon as you leave the house, so make sure that you are packing everything you need, no matter how trivial you think it may be at the time. We all know how important Maurice The Monkey is to our little one! If your road trip includes any overnight stays, pack your child’s blanket and pillow (if you have room), that way it will help your child go to sleep in a strange environment. For yourself, pack a separate bag to your luggage, as long-haul flights or trips mean you will be without any decent home comforts, and something as simple as having a toothbrush handy will help to make you feel a bit more human when in the pit-stop.
Make sure you have paper towels handy too, as any spillages will require a swift clean-up, and if it is left too long, it will not only be sticky on the car upholstery, but it may start to smell and make for a very unpleasant journey!
The Journey
The best way to beat the journey is by tackling the three B’s: Boredom, Boredom, Boredom! Keeping the kids entertained is the major factor in making the trip go smoothly for everyone concerned! The most successful method for keeping kids entertained on long trips are the portable CD/DVD players. The almost infinite amount of music or films can keep a child quiet for hours, and it stops them fighting with each other. Snacks are another way of staving off boredom, as eating gives the kids something to do, but try and bring healthy snacks on bored, as anything with a bit too much sugar may have the opposite effect of keeping them quiet! For the toddlers, choose the toys wisely! A noisy toy can be incredibly distracting on the road and potentially dangerous depending on the largeness of it.
The Destination
Choose wisely on a family vacation! Whether you’re going cross-country from New York to LA, or you are heading down south, you need the result to be as activity-based as possible for the kids. There are many Louisiana getaways that are suitable for moms and dads, but there are plenty of things to please the children too. The Sci Port Service Center in Shreveport is a fun place for kids to learn about science with interactive experiments, educational programs and play areas. The kids won’t even realise they’re learning!
The task that comes with keeping a child entertained on a long journey is a big one! And if you’ve never done it before, make sure you plan ahead. A happy child is a happy family!