In a few months, I will be traveling by myself with two of my children. I thought this would be a good time to list some of my favorite traveling tricks.

Travel by Air

• Always pack a spare outfit in your carry-on bag. Even older children can get sick. Having an extra set of clothes can come in handy.
• I always make sure that I have access to the aisle. I do not like to step over people and you know how often your child will have to go to the bathroom on the plane.
• I try and board the plane near the end. Of course, you may find that the overhead compartments are full but your child won’t have to sit as long before the plane takes off!
• Gum is a must for my older children. For younger children a pacifier, sippy cup or bottle may help with ear popping.
• I always bring a bag of new items and toys that the kids haven’t seen yet. Stay away from toys with small pieces as they will get lost. My son loves dinosaurs so a few dinos can keep him busy for a long time. I also bring books and activity books.
• Snacks are a must. REMEMBER you are not allowed to bring liquids past security. Opt for buying juice and water after you pass security.
• We also let them bring their video games for the trip. It does keep them occupied for a while. Older children should bring their MP3 players if they have them.

Car Travel

• Car travel is much easier in my opinion. I can always stop somewhere and let them run wild for a few minutes.
• Paper towels and baby wipes are a must for traveling with children of any age.
• A portable potty has saved us many a time. Of course, we do have our boy pee into a plastic bottle if it is an emergency!
• Games, books, toys - something to keep them occupied.
• Portable DVD player. Our van has one installed. It might be worth the investment if you don’t have one and depending on how far you are traveling.
• Pillows and blankets are great if you have the room.
• A traveling CD is fun too! Download all the music that your family loves. Let the children take turns picking out favorite songs and then burn it to one or several CDs. They will have fun pointing out which songs are their favorites.

This is just a small list of ideas. In future posts I will be highlighting items that can be purchased to help make traveling enjoyable!