Are you planning your first trip as a family? Worried about how to make travel fun for your kids? Vacations are a great way to make memories as a family, but to keep things stress-free, be sure to plan ahead and follow these simple tips.

Keep Your Family Safe From Germs

Bacteria and viruses are lurking everywhere when you travel. From the surfaces on planes to hotel floors, you can never be too vigilant when protecting your family from germs. Carry some antibacterial wipes with you so you can wipe down surfaces your children may come in contact with. It’s also a good idea to practice safe hand washing, especially before eating.

If you are bringing along toys, you’ll want to keep those clean too. You can easily disinfect toys and other objects, even on the go. If you have access to a sink, wash toys with soap and hot water, or use a mixture of vinegar and water to wipe them down. You can usually grab some vinegar for very little money from a grocery or convenience store once you get to your destination, and it’s great natural germ solution.

Bring Along Activities for Long Trips

If you’ve been a parent for a while, you know boredom can be a recipe for disaster with kids. However, plane rides and car trips can be fairly unentertaining for little ones, so it’s important to be prepared with ways to keep them occupied. This is one time when electronics, such as tablets and smartphones, can be a real lifesaver. You can find kid-friendly tablets that can connect to Netflix and Hulu to let your kids watch movies and cartoons on the go. If data is an issue, download a few movies from Amazon Prime or books to keep kids of all ages from getting bored during travel time. If you’d prefer to make your vacations and screen-free zone, then pick up some paper copies of books for your child to read on planes, or come up with fun games for your entire family to play in the car to keep everyone occupied.

Stock Up on Your Own Snacks

During trips, it can be all too easy to rely on fast food, restaurants, and convenience store options to keep your family members fed. But all that processed food can leave kids and adults feeling sluggish and can even have a negative impact on your moods. To keep your entire family happy and healthy during trips, try preparing your own snacks. For the car, you can easily fit a cooler into your packing list and fill it with nutritious options like veggies, fruit, yogurts, and hummus. Sandwiches are another great road trip option to avoid fast-food meals. When you are traveling by plane, you may be more limited by TSA rules on food, but you can still bring your own healthy snacks in your carry-on. Dry snacks work best here, such as crackers, granola, or even dried fruits. Just be aware that liquid rules apply to food too, even when it comes to bringing breast milk and formula on board for younger children.

Talk Seriously About Travel Safety

The focus of family trips should always be on having fun. As with anything involving your children, however, there also needs to be a focus on staying safe. If you are bringing your kids on a plane for the first time, talk to them about airport rules and security processes before your trip. This will help avoid any meltdowns when it comes time to travel. You should also take special care to remain in control of your children and let them know they need to stay close to you at all times while traveling. Discuss the rules about strangers with your children. Let them know how to locate people who can help if they get lost, such as police officers or security.

Traveling with kids doesn’t have to stress you out. In fact, it can be a real source of fun and learning for you and your children. Just be sure to follow a few safety tips and put together a plan that lets your family focus on fun and making memories together.

Guest Post By: Eric Kelly

Photo Credit: Pexels