International Adoption Guide

Tips for Parents Traveling with Kids: Keeping Little Ones Happy and Healthy

While some people think that travel is wasted on the young, it can actually be quite beneficial for children. Travel isn’t just fun — it’s a great opportunity for learning and growth as a family. Going somewhere new exposes a child to different cultures, foods, languages, and people, making them more worldly and empathetic. Kids who travel with their parents tend to be more adaptable and better able at handling change. It also encourages children to try new things and ask questions to appease their curiosity. Finally, traveling instills a love of adventure that makes it easier for children to be bold and take risks in order to reach their goals.

Traveling is great for kids, but it’s not always easy. Children tend to lack the patience it takes to fly to another state or go on a road trip. And checking out unfamiliar environments means being introduced to germs that could lead to illness. If you want to keep your little one happy and healthy while traveling, try the following tips for parents.

How to Stop Germs and Prevent Illness

Breaking out of your typical routine and trying new things is great for growth, but it comes with the risk of getting sick — and that risk is even greater during stressful times of the vacation when the immune system is compromised. To make sure kids stay healthy, it’s important to disinfect toys and other items that can hold onto germs such as travel cups and pacifiers. Hard toys that are made with materials like plastic can be placed in the dishwasher to be sanitized. Note that this isn’t a good idea for any toys that have electrical components or batteries. This can also be said for wood toys, which should be cleaned by spraying a vinegar solution on surfaces before wiping with a clean rag.

If you don’t have a dishwasher, it’s perfectly fine to handwash hard toys with soft ones. First, clean off surfaces with warm, soapy water. Then, to disinfect and kill germs, wipe again with a solution of rubbing alcohol and water. Stuffed animals that cannot be thrown in the washing machine should be spot cleaned with a solution of laundry detergent and water. Make sure to clean toys about once or twice a week while you’re traveling to ensure your children aren’t carrying unfamiliar germs with you from destination to destination.

How to Keep Kids Entertained while Traveling

When we think of traveling and vacations, we often picture all the activities involved, from sightseeing in the city to swimming at water parks. The thing that picture leaves out is the amount of travel time it takes to get to your destination. Children tend to lack patience with their very limited attention spans, so it’s important to find ways to keep them entertained.

One of the easiest ways to prevent complaining and keep kids happy while traveling is by letting them watch their favorite movies and TV shows on tablets. However, you don’t want your children to be plugged in the entire time. Whether you’re driving or flying, traveling as a family is a great opportunity for bonding and getting to know each other better. Instead of spending the whole trip zoned out in front of a screen, engage in some travel-friendly games you can play together. Both card games and travel board games are great for long flights and car trips. Try bringing one your children have never played before to make them a little more time-consuming. If you’re in the car, try some road trip games like I Spy, 20 Questions, and I’m Going on a Picnic.

When kids travel, the experiences open up their worldview and make them more curious, flexible, and empathetic people. To make traveling as a family easier on everyone, prevent illness by disinfecting toys on top of all your other healthy habits. While letting your children watch TV and movies will definitely prevent boredom during travel, you’ll be missing out on a prime bonding opportunity. Play board, card, or road trip games together to keep kids entertained while encouraging communication.