Welcome to the most stressful time of the year as a parent! Christmas gifts, Christmas cookies, decorating, running errands and then throw in traveling with kids on top of that…we’re all spent! I’m going to share a few tips for traveling with kids over the holidays that will hopefully help your mind ease!
I travel with my kids quite a bit! I mean, we drive a good ways just to get to the grocery store, so they are good little travelers! As most of you know, Brett is a pilot and we fly a lot of the time, but when he is in his busy season which is every October – January, I am driving the kiddos to wherever we need to be!
We are taking a little roadtrip next weekend, so I want to share my checklist for getting myself and my kids on the road with ease!
Tips for Holiday Travel with Kids
- Don’t Stress – If you leave something; it’s fine. There will likely be a Target or Walmart near you. Don’t worry about trying to think of every last little thing you will need. Make a list, pack what you can and then don’t stress if you forget a pullup or toothbrush, because those can be bought if absolutely needed!
- Make Lists – The teacher in me loves to make lists and check them off! Sometimes I just make the list so that I can feel satisfied checking off the list when the task is finished! I make a list either on an app on my phone or in writing for each of our bags. I write what should go in each bag and then when traveling, I know exactly what is in there. Also, when re-packing to come home you will instantly have a checklist for what should be returning to the same bag!
- Invest in Good Bags – I LOVE my Coachman weekender bag from Jon Hart. It’s been a while (high school graduation, to be exact) since I’ve had a great weekender. I mean the ones that you know wont give out for 10 years! I absolutely love these bags because they are easy to clean and they fit everything I need while remaining durable. The monogram is perfect, too! 😉
- Pack the Kids Separately – We got the girls Jon Hart backpacks to keep their belongings with them. They pack their necessities in each of their bags so they feel pride in taking care of it while we travel. It’s always their responsibility to keep up with their backpacks whether we are in the car or plane! Then it’s their responsibility to get their belongings back into the backpack when returning home! Don’t forget the snacks, tablets and movies…you’re going to need them! Oh, and your noise-canceling headphones! 😉
- Relax – Most of the time, as parents, we forget to have fun on trips! We get so busy planning and micromanaging everyone that we don’t relax enough to have fun! Enjoy your family during the holidays and especially during travel! Take time to soak in the memories you’re making. Take pictures. Make sure you’re in some of the pictures. Enjoy!
I hope this list was helpful for you. I don’t think of myself as an expert in travel, but we do it so often with our kids that I’ve found what works for us! Do you have any fun plans over the holidays? Will you be traveling to see family? I can’t wait! The holidays are the BEST time of the year!
Shop all of the Jon Hart Collection here. These make really great gifts for holiday, graduation, etc! I actually will be getting something special for the men in my life, so stay tuned for more details on that soon!
Read More on Traveling with Kids
Thank you to Jon Hart for sponsoring today’s post! Thank YOU for supporting the brands I love and choose to work with who in turn support Little Lovelies! All content and opinions are that of my own!
Photos by Lissa Anglin
