Having the right gear is the ultimate hack for a perfect trip. This is never more applicable than when traveling with kids. Family travel can be fun and educational – to say nothing of creating memories that can last a lifetime. What it can also be, however, is cluttered and stressful. Kids (from babies to teens) tend to have a lot of stuff. Knowing how to stash all their stuff is step one of cultivating the most comfortable family travel experience. Step two is stocking up on items that will make your life easier on the road, in the air, and at your destination.
How To Stash Your Cash Safely
Pickpockets prey on those travelers who are distracted. No one is more distracted than parents with a couple of wandering kiddos in tow. Proactively protect your cash, keys, and passport with a neck wallet or money belt that keeps your most essential items close to your person and not waiting to be snatched in a pocket or purse. Plus, when you go to pay for snacks, you’ll know exactly where your credit card is without playing the “which pocket?” game.
Help Your Kids Get Rest While Travelling
It’s a known fact that babies get cranky when their nap schedule is interrupted, but older children can become just as grumpy after a long day on the road. Spending hours travelling in an RV can be exciting, but everyone still needs a chance to properly rest and recharge. One of the best things about travelling this way is being able to stop overnight at an RV park, giving the whole family a chance to stretch out, relax, and enjoy a more peaceful night’s sleep before setting off again the next morning. To make things even more comfortable, pack cosy blankets, travel pillows, favourite stuffed toys, and anything else that helps your children settle down more easily. Keeping a calm and comfy space inside the RV can make a huge difference to everyone’s mood, especially during longer adventures.
Why You Need a Waist Pack
Okay, so you’ve resisted the siren pull of the minivan with the stick-figure family decal on the back. We get it, you’re a cool parent. But don’t immediately discount a waist pack. Just because it reminds you of cringe family photos at Disney World from the ‘90s, doesn’t mean it’s not in existence for a very practical reason. Today’s waist packs are sleeker than ever, and they retain the best feature of your dad’s old fanny pack – they keep your hands free, and all your necessities a quick zip away. Waist bags free you up to more easily take pics and hang onto the things that truly matter: your kids.
Make Luggage Life Easier
Finally, if you are travelling by plane, you need to make luggage retrieval easier. Picture this, you’re waiting at the baggage claim after a flight with your kids that felt at least twice its length. You’ve had a scant three hours of sleep, and a medley of kids’ movie theme songs stuck in your head. The carousel starts to lurch forward. All the bags look the same. All of the sudden, you see your bag, and you know that it is yours because you had the foresight to buy a colorful bag or attach a reflective luggage tag to it and make it easily identifiable. That is what we call a parenting win.