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Momorandum Archive »
Executive Momorandum
Getting There
3/10/2010
- Getting There
Remember the very first time you traveled somewhere with a child, and wondered how
one little being could have such an exponential effect on what you had to organize,
and pack? While that initial shock factor recedes with time and parental experience,
consider that every family trip is a new opportunity to get a little more clever
about the "getting there and back" part. Having just recently gotten back from a
family getaway, and knowing spring breaks are just around the corner for many, we
culled
our favorite packing and travel tips
from our friends at the family travel site
WeJustGotBack.com, to share with
you. (Good at this as you may now be, you'll almost certainly find a couple of fresh
ideas below):
Favorite Packing and Travel Tips from the Readers of WeJustGotBack.com
- To keep hands free
with a little kid in tow, especially in a busy airport, buy a pack of inexpensive
carabiners
(D-ring snap-on clips), available in most grocery and big box stores. I snapped
a couple of carabiners onto my carry-on bag (and to my 5-year-old son’s backpack)
and I was able to tote extra items of clothing, small toys, and sippy cups while
still keeping my hands free. Best yet, everything stayed within easy reach.
–Eileen from Gilbert, AZ
- Whenever I travel
with my baby and toddler, I always bring along a box of
denture cleanser tablets.
They are amazing for cleaning pacifiers, baby spoons, sippy cup lids, and anything
else that is hard to sterilize on the road. Just fill a glass with warm water,
drop in the item, and pop in a tablet. We’re good to go in five minutes. –Amy
from Burlington, VT
- Nylon mesh lingerie laundry bags are
great for packing little items, such as my baby’s socks or my 3-year-old’s underwear.
I can see what’s in the bags, the small items stay organized, and I don’t lose
any tiny socks! –Maura from Berkeley, CA
- A
favorite bring-along
are those small bottles of bubbles
that come in packs. Whenever we’re waiting in a long line, I blow bubbles for
the kids to pop. The parents around us think it’s such a great idea because
it keeps everyone entertained. Their kids always call me “the bubble lady.”
–Jennifer from Owassa, OK
- When my child turned
two, I started packing a small, kid-size backpack
for him to carry on his own. Inside, I put his favorite stuffed toy and small
Ziploc bags containing various "activity sets": five crayons and a small pad
of paper; pots of Play-Doh and two shape cutters; and inexpensive action or
animal figures; a travel-size Etch-A-Sketch or magnetic sketcher. My son loved
having his own bag. As he got older, he learned to pack his own travel bag with
things to keep himself occupied (i.e. favorite books, Nintendo, etc). –Lori
from Sugar Land, TX
- I’ve found that
blue, low-tack painter’s tape
is a handy take-along. This can be used to (a) child-proof electrical sockets,
(b) hang up kid’s artwork in your hotel room, and (c) prevent a camera lens
from opening while you travel (just place tape over the closed shutter). –Beverly
from San Diego, CA
- If you’re going
to a resort with a kids' camp, bring a package of inexpensive,
new white t-shirts— a
3-pack is usually around $11. Inevitably, the kids will wind up making tie-dye
t-shirts as an activity one day and you’ll end up paying $10/each if you buy
one on the spot. –Diane from Cold Spring Harbor, NY
- Right after our flight home from a wonderful family vacation, I arrived
at the baggage carrousel to discover that my suitcase had been opened during
a random security search. The lock had been cut off. Since then, I have purchased
a TSA luggage lock. I
know the combination, and TSA officials can open it with a universal key if
they need to. –Roberta from Morrison, NJ
- I tuck a
crushable duffle bag
into an outside zippered compartment on my largest suitcase, and we have yet
to return home without using it. If I check my bag and it happens to be over
the weight limit, I just take out the duffle and transfer some of my belongings
into it so I can avoid the penalty. Other times, we use it to bring back souvenirs
that we bought on vacation. —Jodi from Milford, OH
You can read even more
tips on
wejustgotback.com ... and for a great interactive packing list, their editors
and we like this one on
independenttraveler.com
[Photo courtesy of Malias, via
creative Commons]
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