Eight Tips for Items to Carry When Traveling with Kids.

Every Wednesday is Tip Day.
This Wednesday: Eight tips for what to carry when you travel with kids.

In general, I aim to travel light, but I’ve learned over the years that this generally isn't a good strategy as a parent. If anything teaches you the happiness value of preparation, it’s parenthood. The right supplies can mean the difference between misery and good cheer.

If you’re traveling with a baby, of course you need a whole different set of supplies. My children are out of that stage now, and now I never go on a trip without at least most of these items:

1. A bag of almonds. These are for me as much as for my children.

2. A bottle of water. (Usually I’m violently opposed to bottled water, but I now concede that it’s good to have a bottle when you travel.)

3. Novelty candy. By this, I mean a candy that’s odd (e.g., Pop Rocks, candy spray) or takes a long time to eat (candy necklace) or fun in some way (Pez). I save this to whip out if my kids get crabby. Chocolate or anything that can melt is a risky choice.

4. Coloring book and markers, but REMEMBER to make sure that the markers aren’t all dried out. Just learned this the hard way. (Spend out! Don’t put a dud marker back in the box. A metaphor for life.)

5. Books.

6. Wipes. Not just for babies anymore.

7. Camera. Remember to charge it. Learned that the hard way, too.

8. We finally caved and bought a portable DVD player. This is a great invention. I actually finished Ken Follett’s The Pillars of the Earth on the plane while my daughters were transfixed by My Neighbor Totoro.

Irrelevant note to entrepreneurs out there: I think the scratch-n-sniff market has been sorely overlooked. Growing up, my sister had a collection of scratch-n-sniff stickers, and we still have fun going through her big pile. The Sweet Smell of Christmas is one of our favorite picture books. Happiness is a great scratch-n-sniff!

* Interested in starting your own happiness project? If you’d like to take a look at my personal Resolutions Chart, for inspiration, just email me at grubin, then the “at” sign, then gretchenrubin dot com. (Sorry about writing it in that roundabout way; I’m trying to thwart spammers.) Just write “Resolutions Chart” in the subject line.

Comments

[LaurenE]

The Sweet Smell of Christmas is one of my favorite childhood books. Once in a while, even today, I'll catch a whiff of something and instantly have that book's pages in mind. Usually the oranges or the pine tree. My college roommate and I once were smelling candles or something like that and both had this "I know this smell...what is it?" experience. One of us suggested, "I think it smells like a Christmas book I had." The other instantly replied, "The one with the bear and all the scratch-and-sniff stickers?" It was fun to have a simple thing like one scent make us both so happy in that instant.

[MelissaK]

I second #8: our portable DVD player has been worth its weight in gold for traveling.

Also, to expand a bit on #4: avoid crayons if you're traveling by car anywhere hot. Learned that one the hard way.

[Khara Mills]

Scratch n sniff, possibly the best school memory of swapping stickers in the playground! :-) I also need to spend out on some newly purchased underwear! God!

[Eternal*Voyageur @ Venusian*Glow]

Regarding no.2: Get a SIGG bottle. Not only are they environment-friendly and beautiful, but according to German safety tests they are one of the few that don't leak aluminium into the drinking water.

[Brad]

Candy is OK, but dried fruit is almost always as well-received and is typically thought to be better for their little systems.

We use an iPod touch or iPhone as a coloring tool for my 3.5 yr old, and as a camera. It has also replaced our portable DVD player for plane trips or quick ones in the car.

[Emily]

Did you love "Pillars of the Earth"? I LOVED "Pillars of the Earth." The sequel is wonderful, too! Save it as a treat for your next vacation.

[hahnak]

if you have the time can you post (or if youve already done so provide a link) a list of what you carried when your children were smaller?

thanks SO much!

[Jomama]

I second the iPOD for plane and car travel in place of a DVD player. 2 kids can share the earbuds between them, and they don't mind the small screen. Way lighter to carry. I once caught up on a half season of Desperate Housewives on a business trip thanks to my hubby downloading the free episodes for me.

Remember to bring the chargers!

[Poojan Wagh]

In what world does "Pillars of the Earth" make you happy. That book made me depressed for weeks.

[Mike]

Concerning markers: We've made sure to buy and use only "washable" markers in our house. Makes the occasional marker accident much easier to clean up.

[Mila]

As a traveler with no children, I generally carry a tiny bottle of soap bubbles with a wand that was a party favor at a wedding. I have stopped a crying child cold in its tracks with a waft of soap bubbles drifting through a bus, train or airplane cabin. Curiously, it seems to snap the adults out of their angst as well.

[qsmama]

No need to get the bottled water you're violently opposed to. Just bring an empty water bottle or several (we use Klean Kanteen--all stainless steel and no need to worry about exposure to aluminum or whatever is in SIGG's liner). Fill the bottle(s) at a water fountain after you go through security (or at home before you leave for a driving trip).

[Gough]

We just finished a 4500-mile road trip with our 2 1/2 year old grandson and I can personally vouch for all of these. I second the vote for a Klean Kanteen or a Sigg bottle as an alternative to a plastic water bottle. I don't know why we never traveled with baby wipes before, but we have a batch in each car now!

[bayernfee]

Having travelled overseas with 2 children for many years, I would highly recommend one more essential item: a roll of small trashbags. It is amazing what accumulates during a long flight. By the time the flight attendant finally comes around your seat pocket is already stuffed if you don't bring them. Keeps your clothes and seat clean and you know where to put the used baby wipes. Also handy in the car. Other: For older kids -- magnetic travel chess set/board games or small chess computer. For little ones: Small coloring book sets with colored pencils. Little games that you can buy in the dollar store. Mini puzzles that fit on the tray table. Softcover books purchased inexpensively at used book sales, they are very light and you can bring many (i.e. Berenstain Bears, Comics, etc.) Of course, I didn't bring out everything at once. Always tried to keep a joker for emergencies. If the pressure hurts their ears at take off or landing, let them use a lollipop. For babies, a pacifier is helpful, if they're used to it.
Happy travels.

[Mama Zen]

I never leave the house without wipes! And, my kid is six.

[c.a. Marks]

OK, I'll ask, why are you "violently" opposed to bottled water?

[Angela]

agreed with marks--my community recycles water bottles and I actively recycle. The recycled plastic gets used in other products and depending on where you start the analysis in the product life cycle, they don't take near as much energy to produce as the alternatives do. The bottle bashing reminds me of people bashing paper grocery bags [which made great book covers & wrapping paper] years ago...

[Kirsten]

The Sweet Smell of Christmas brings back such great memories! Thanks for putting a smile on my face!

[glasgowtremontaine]

The problem with bottled water is not just the bottles as objects: it's the bottles as a means of distributing water, as opposed to the highly efficient municipal tap system. Water that flows through taps is way greener than water that's lugged around by trucks.

Unnecessarily choosing bottled water feels creepily prodigal when you consider that our biggest health crisis worldwide is lack of access to safe drinking water: by which I mean not water that has never touched aluminum, but simply water that doesn't contain raw sewage and doesn't kill 11,000 children under age 5 per day.

[Helen G]

for traveling with small kids, also pack a variety of band-aids printed with favorite cartoon characters- when toddlers get tired, the chances they'll stumble and fall increase, and a nasty boo-boo can lead to a meltdown. You can pack a huge selection of band-aids in a small ziplock bag, and being able to say "do you want Thomas or Percy or James, Hello Kitty, or Dora?" cheers them right up. Bringing these along saved my bacon on the Airport Connection From Hell (Phoenix on US Air- never again!)

[website optimization]

I'm used to bringing only the things the are important and essential. This way it would be easier for me and less hassle..
Thank you for your tips! God bless!

[Jennifer]

But you still can't bring a bottle of water through airport security. Unless you have a baby and its in a sippy cup. Any bottled water has to be bought post-security.

[Denay]

Great tips! We use colored pencils instead of markers....don't have to worry about them drying out. They even make colored pencils with erasers now - even better. Learned long ago not to bring crayons - crayons can melt in a hot car.
Other essentials:
*CDs - they can be played in the DVD players; there are educational CDs (learning multiplication tables, learning about the human body), as well as just listening to the kids favorite music
*sandwich bags - come in handy for leftovers from lunch or to dispense snacks
*a deck of cards - endless possibilities - go fish, crazy 8s, memory
*bouncy ball - one that fits in the palm of your hand. I use to always keep these in my purse for entertainment during waiting times. We've gotten away from it now.