Traveling with kids, regardless of age, can be intimidating. From running around like a chicken with your head cut off making sure you have remembered everything to keeping them entertained and happy for the trip.. it’s all a little, okay.. a lot, overwhelming. I’ve come up with a list of what to pack, clothes and other basic needs, as well as things you can keep in the car or with you on the plane to help keep them entertained.
The very first thing I do when I am getting ready to pack for a trip is to make a list of all of what I will need. I love making lists because it seems to help me remember all of what I need to pack for trips, especially the longer ones. Once I have my list made I grab bags for each child (and my husband and I) and do one at a time so that I can focus on what I need for that one person.
Now let’s go over what to pack:
- Outfits – I always do enough outfits, including underwear and socks, for every day we will be gone plus two. Especially for the younger kids. Accidents and spilling stuff can happen at any given time so I try to make sure to add more outfits just in case. If you will be going somewhere where you will have access to a washer and dryer, this may not be necessary.
- Younger Child Related Items – Diapers, pull-ups, wipes, etc. Depending on the trip that we are taking depends on how much of these items I pack. If we are going somewhere that I will know the area or I can pick up extras close by then I only pack what I will need for the trip there. For example, if I know that I can pick up diapers once I get to our destination I only pack a diaper per two hours of travel and a pack of wipes. If we will be in an area where a store is not within a 10 minute drive then I pack what I believe will be necessary and make the extra trip if needed while we are gone.
- Overnight bag – When we travel long distances I pack an overnight bag for when we stop at a hotel. This will include pajamas for the night, diapers/wipes for the night, toothbrush/paste, and a change of clothes for the next day.
- Toiletries – Toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, hair brush, detangle spray, hair ties, diaper cream, baby powder, Tylenol (both for me and the kids).
- Electronics – This is one of those things that not everyone packs but I always make sure to pack my phone charger, my daughter’s tablet/charger, iPod/charger, and sometimes I will take my laptop and charger. It just depends where we are going and if I will need it while we are gone. The tablet and iPod are used to keep the kids entertained in the car during long trips.
- I also always pack a hoodie for each of us so that if it gets chilly at night we can still be warm.
Aside from our bags for the trip I pack a car bin and small car bag for the baby. These stay in the car with us where as our bags go in the back or the trunk. These can easily be carried on a plane, as well.
- For each kid I pack a car bin.
- In these bins I put their snacks, drinks, toys, electronics, books, and DVDs.
- The snack depends on the kid but normally it’s things like cheezits, goldfish, cookies, etc.
- I allow the kids to pick three movies each to take with us that will be watched during our drives.
- The kids also pick 2 or 3 books to take with them.
- Sometimes we pack coloring books and crayons, too.
- In these bins I put their snacks, drinks, toys, electronics, books, and DVDs.
- For the younger kids make sure to pack the stuff that they are used to having at home during naps and bedtime. For our youngest we pack her sound machine, a couple pacis, and her blankie.
- I always pack a ‘car bag’ for the baby which is just a smaller diaper bag with the necessities for traveling. I pack a diaper per 2 hours of travel, wipes, cream, extra outfit & changing pad. This is what I take in any stops we make so that I don’t have to tote the whole diaper bag in. This makes quick stops so much easier.
I hope that these have helped you when it comes to packing for your next trip! Traveling, in and of itself, is overwhelming.. especially when you’ve got kids, so I hope that these tips will bring you some relief for at least the packing part.
Thank you so much for reading! Do you do something different when packing? Let me know in the comments!
xoxo
lena ralene 