Visiting family members for the holidays is one of the best parts of the season, but traveling with young kids can be tricky. While you won’t be able to control the traffic or weather, you can take steps to prepare the whole family for the trip. The child development experts at Great Beginnings in St. Charles and Cottleville, MO, understand how important it is to keep kids entertained while fostering their young minds, especially during potentially stressful travel situations. 

Child Development Professionals Share 3 Tips for Kid-Friendly Travel

1. Prepare the Night Before

Airlines recommend arriving at least one hour ahead for domestic flights and two hours ahead for international travel, so parents need to do everything in their control to make sure everyone is ready to go. Make sure all luggage, including diaper bags and strollers, is packed the night before and placed near the door before everyone goes to bed. This will help you have a more relaxing night’s sleep and keep you on schedule when you head to the airport.

2. Technology Is Your Friend 

Traveling with kids once meant packing an extra bag filled with toy and activities, but advances in technology have streamlined children’s entertainment. Child development experts recommend keeping kids stimulated by using a phone or tablet to keep kids busy during a flight or car ride. They recommend providing a variety of early childhood education games to reinforce the skills they’re learning in preschool or daycare. Look for games with multiplayer functions, so you can play along or encourage siblings to share.

3. Give the Kids Jobs

Children like being given some responsibilities—having a list of tasks to complete helps them stay focused during a busy time. If you’re traveling by plane, make it your child’s responsibility to get everyone through security. This gives you an opportunity to teach them about the importance of airport safety and help them identify clothing items or practice counting skills. Ask your child to have everyone in the family take their shoes off, puts their electronics in a bin, and go through the scanner. Once you’re through the checkpoint, have your child return all the items to their owners and count them out loud. 

Traveling through a busy bus terminal or airport with your little ones may seem stressful, but it doesn’t have to be! Child development experts agree that taking the time to prepare for the trip will make it more manageable. To learn more about how you can help your child grow and navigate the world, check out Great Beginnings online. Call their St. Charles location at (636)-724-5048 or their Cottleville facility at (636)-447-4212 to learn more about enrollment.