A few more things to bring along on a family vacation
Third in a Mom’s Toolbox series on family travel
We’ve covered the carry-ons and how to fly through the airport. Today we’ll talk about your big bags. What else do you need… and how do you pack it all?
A few things we always bring:
Carseats/ Boosters— Depending on the age of the child and how many parents are flying, we typically bring a carseat and use it on the plane. This means we already have it for our destination. I have rented carseats and booster seats from the car rental company before which made packing easier, but I typically just pack our own. Carseats and boosters typically do not count in your baggage allowance, but check with your airline to be sure. The policies seem to be changing quickly these days.
Masking Tape-For minor childproofing in a pinch or labeling bottles and sip cups if your child will be in any type of kids club.
Sharpie marker-For labeling almost anything on the go. I label all clothes and anything else that might go with my kids to a kids club setting. I also use the pen to label toys along the way so there isn’t any question who owns which new car (or whatever else).
Small Plastic Toys– We have found that little plastic toys go a L-O-N-G way for entertainment. Legos, Little People, Fisher Price Snap & Style babies and other small plastic toys are easy to pack and easy to carry to almost anywhere you might be going to entertain at restaurants, in cars or while waiting almost anywhere. Plus, you can use them as bath toys, as well. Throw in a one of the plastic cups the hotel provides and you’ll really be in business at bathtime!
Zipper top plastic bags-For snacking on the go, to carry small toys (and limit what your child is allowed to take with him), to house new collections of rocks, leaves, coins, bottle caps… whatever! I usually grab a handful of the quart size and of the gallon size to take along for whatever. They almost always get used. And don’t forget to keep one quart-sized for liquids at airport security.
Medicines, dosages and a few first aid items-Save yourself a frantic shopping trip and throw in a few medicines and their dosing cups just in case. We bring fever reducer, pain killer, cough syrup and allergy medicine. I write the appropriate dose on each of the bottles. I also pack antibacterial cream and a few bandages.
A little liquid dishsoap— For cleaning sip cups, bottles and the like.
Flashlight-Find what you need in the dark without waking everyone.
Nightlight-New places can be disorienting. Just don’t forget to pack it when you are coming home, too.
Music-Do your kids listen to music before bed? We travel with an ipod and mini-speakers to soothe away new hotel sounds and help everyone drift off to dreamland.
Books and magazines-If you read to your child at night before bed, continue the trend away, too. The more things you can keep routine, the easier it will be to help your child sleep in a strange place. If you can find a new book or two that covers something you will experience on vacation, even better.
Baby bath soap-Unless I’m staying with a family or know the hotel will provide baby toiletries, I typically throw in a small bottle.
Small travel umbrella-Better to be safe than sorry.
A few toys for the hotel-I almost always go overboard on this one, throwing in too many contingency toys. So this is a reminder for me, too: Toss a few simple toys in for the times you will be just hanging out in the hotel room: winding down before bed, waiting for room service or just waiting while everyone is getting ready. Try to keep it simple here. You won’t be in your room long, but a few toys are always a good idea. That being said, remember that your plans may not always go as you wish. Things can happen beyond your control , causing activities to be cancelled. A few games might be good to have along in case of rain, sickness or other changes in plans.
Charging cords for anything electronic-and don’t forget to bring them home, too!
One thing we sometimes bring:
Portable crib-Our portable crib rarely travels with us. We usually use the hotel crib or, if visiting friends, we usually use theirs (or a friend of theirs’!). When renting a house, though, check to see if you will need to bring your own. On one beach trip I brought an extra portable crib to use on the beach. I set it up under a canopy so the baby could still nap in the shade while we played with the bigger kids outside.
On the portable crib note, our kids typically sleep in a crib on vacation for few months after they have made the transition to a big bed at home. I find that it helps them sleep better and makes me feel safer, knowing they won’t wake and wander around the hotel room unsupervised.
A few thoughts on packing in general:
Airline baggage allowances are getting pretty strict. Be sure to check your airline’s policies regarding the size, weight and number of bags you will be allowed to check. Then, as you are packing, weigh your suitcases so there won’t be any surprises at the airport. Compare your suitcases empty, too and pack the lighter ones. I have found rolling duffles to be the best for our family because of their weight.
Pack an extra zipper-top bag or duffle for anything extra you might buy so you aren’t stuck paying fines for an overweight bag at the airport.
When deciding what clothes to bring, consider that you can do laundry on the trip. You don’t need to pack clothes for every day.
Depending upon what new treasures you might have acquired on your trip, consider shipping dirty clothes and new purchases home near the end of a trip. The price to ship might be less than the price for checking an extra bag. Check into it.
I put all liquids, even those that are unopened and in shrink wrap, in sealed plastic bags. On our last flight an unopened can of sunscreen somehow sprayed in my bag. I will no longer trust the shrink wrap when all it takes is an extra zip bag.
Remember the flight home. Throw in a few secret goodies to remain hidden until then.
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