Children enjoy visiting new & exciting places but they don't like to be confined in a small area such as the backseat of a car for a long period of time, especially with their siblings

We have three boys, ages 7, 9 and 11 and have been traveling with them since they were infants. We have camped and have travelled cross-country by train and airplane.

Here are some suggestions for traveling with children:

• Make it fun

Making a trip fun begins long before you start your adventure. Build anticipation by talking with your children about your upcoming trip once the date is firmly set. Talk about all of the exciting places you are going to see and the things you hope to do with them.

Plan ahead by purchasing small, inexpensive toys and books which will keep them quietly occupied when the scenery no longer holds their interest. This will also save you money. When you make an unplanned purchase out of desperation during your trip you are likely to pay more for that item.

Don't give them the toys at the beginning of the trip. Wait until it becomes necessary. You want them to learn to appreciate travel for the sake of travel.

Toys For Travel

• Make it interactive & educational

Children want to learn, they just don't want the learning to be dry and boring. Consider purchasing fun geography and map books appropriate for their age level which will cover the area you will be traveling through / to. You can also show them the map you will be using so they can see the difference between their map books and yours.

When they ask the infamous, "Are we there yet?" show them on the map where you started from (your home), where you are now, and where you hope to be at the end of the day. Periodically give them updates while showing them the map.

When we travelled across the country, we went east by train and returned by airplane. We showed them the map during both trips so they would have an understanding of the different time requirements to cover a certain distance depending upon the mode of travel.

Consider purchasing an inexpensive digital camera so they can take their own trip photos. A travel journal or scetchbook is also a good idea.

Travel notebooks, journals and diaries

That's it for now. If you have travel tips of your own, please feel free to sign our Guestbook.

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