Give me traveling tips...Tips for traveling on airplanes, in cars, on buses, on trains...traveling without losing my mind, my temper, or my child and without without giving fellow travelers an hour-long high-pitched serenade accompanied by kicks to the back of the seat. The best advice. Wrap everything. From books to crayons - whatever you bring wrap it. The wrapping is the exciting part for toddler on up. Don't waste your expensive wrapping paper; use old US Weekly's you have lying about, newspapers, or even printer paper. But, by wrapping each and everything you bring it extends and heightens the process. And the book you've read a thousand times is suddenly new again.
In fact, start hiding away great toys (small things) so they will start forgetting about them now.
Now, when Pandora open her box, it was all kinds of trouble - but having a box or a backpack to fill that is just for them is the best. So, bringing the right things is so important!
What to bring.
1. Stickers.
2. If you are planning on buying a few items - you have to try Crayola's model magic. It's the genius of playdough without the smell or crumbles. Its perfect for the plane.
3. Little kids like familiar books (so wrap and bring the best).
4. I think that bringing one doll or stuffed animal is always nice because if there is some disaster with spilled apple juice and your child is crying or starting to fuss you can always direct the attention to the doll. "How can we help baby - she is really crying right now..."
5. Something to draw with - (again, wrap all of the pens to stretch out the experience - there are also the Crayola Color Wonder pens that won't draw on anything but the special paper).
6. A balloon - to blow up and then let the air out on your child's hands, face, etc. (be sure to wrap even something as small as a balloon).
7. Of course, portable DVD players are genius. And kids love listening to your iPod - so be sure to fill it with music for them.
8. Baggies of food. Marshmallows. crackers. raisins. A little bit of a lot of things is more fun than a lot of one thing.
9. Mini bubbles - I know, it might seem strange on an airplane - but hey, if it works!
Other advice.
I bring Clorox wipes in a plastic bag - I wipe down all of the airplane seats and trays first thing. I just feel so much more at peace.
Get up an walk around on airplanes. And stop and make your child run (really run- enough to get sweaty) if you are in a long car trip.
Now, what has worked for you? Its summer - so everyone needs advice right now!
Painting: Pandora by Odilon Redon
3 comments:
Thanks! These are great tips. We're flying in a couple weeks and I have already been accumulating things to bring. Adding some of this stuff to my list!
We also like those magnet toys/books/tins, I think called Imaginetics. Like where you can dress up Mr. Potato Head with magnetic parts.
Oh, and I have found that Avery thinks it's cool to take her own backpack on trips. Putting it through security and carrying it on the plane. So I fill her small backpack up with some of her activities, and then I just make sure that it will fit in whatever I am carrying on because at some point she's bound to get tired of carrying it!
When I was little we traveled by car across the country every summer. We each had a small tote bag that we could choose to fill before we left with whatever we wanted with us. Then, my mom would buy really cheap, small toys-like birthday party favors that have several toys in a package so each of us five kids could get one. Every so often, when we were getting really antsy, she'd hand us a 'surprise' and we'd have a brand new toy to play with. I still remember a couple of toys I got as 'surprises' but I can't remember much of what Santa brought me. It helped pass the time and gave us something to look forward to each day.
We are traveling next month and I'm not quite sure what to bring for a 9 month old...the dvd player will be great, but does anyone have anything good for little ones? Bubbles or balloons might work-I'll definitely give it a try!
I'm bookmarking this one... especially for our 10 hour flight to Chile!
Post a Comment