“This post is sponsored by Carter’s; however, all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.”

Spring is coming and that means our family traveling begins.  I love warm weather.  I love weekend trips.  I love the flowers blooming and heading on an adventure with my hubby and kiddos.

Making memories with our kids through day trips or full out vacations has always been a priority to us.  As a mom of 3 boys, I have learned some tips I want to share. They simplify my life and take away some of the stress associated with taking a trip with kids.

1.  Travel when they are sleepy.

Whether it’s a car trip or getting on a plane.  I try to travel during nap or bedtimes.  The goal is to get a few travel hours in while they are sleeping. This means…less need for entertainment and more peace & quiet.

2.  Bring food..then bring some more.

Seriously, bring all the snacks and drinks because, traveling, somehow, makes kids hungry and thirsty NON-STOP.  Be overly prepared with goodies for the trip.

3.  Bring their favorites.

I bring my kid’s favorite gaming system, toy, snack or book.  I have a bag I fill with their favorites to have on hand for the trip.  This is like gold while we are traveling.

4.  Go to the dollar store.

Finding a new coloring book or cheap toy you can whip out when things get rough is always helpful.

5.  Pack for every possible situation.

We have been on trips and needed to run to the store because we thought it was going to be warmer or colder than we ha planned.  My older boys are simple because they can just grab a hoodie to go over any outfit. However, as many of us mom’s know, bringing enough types of outfits for a toddler or baby is so important.

I always bring a super cute outfit along for a nice dinner out as a family.  Carters has everything from fancy dresses to button down oxfords for your child to look their best.

 

10 tips vacationing with kids

I also bring a casual play outfit along that will fit any plans we have that day.

10 tips vacationing with kids

10 tips vacationing with toddlers

I always pack a long sleeve casual shirt that can go with any pair of shorts or pants.

10 tips for vacationing with kids

Lastly, I make sure that I have a casual, warm and comfy outfit to play around in.

10 tips for vacationing with toddlers

Carters has the cutest clothes that keep my child always looking picture worthy.  Their selection is perfect for dressing your child in the cutest spring fashions.

Whether it’s their easy outfit sets, a cute romper, or some of their super soft knits, your child will be ready for any activity you choose to do.

6.  Give yourself extra time.

Whenever we have a specific time to be somewhere we give ourselves a few hours of wiggle room. It may seem like a lot, but with road trips, it takes off a lot of pressure.  We can take more breaks and let the kids stretch their legs and run around a bit.  It makes the trip more enjoyable for everyone.

7.  Bring bedtime prep.

Whether your child sleeps with a favorite blanket, stuffed animal or sound machine. Bring everything that will make the place you are staying as similar to home as possible. This will save you a lot of sleepless nights adjusting to a new place.

8.  First Aid is a must.

I have bought so many bottles of pain reliever and first aid supplies for myself and kids while on vacation, when I actually had it all at home.  Bring all of those solutions for any “possible” situations and you will save a lot of time and money. You will be fully prepared for anything that may come your way.

9.  Bring outdoor toys.

We have thrown a few balls in the car to have something fun for the kids to do on days we don’t have activities planned.  Also, if you are taking a road trip this is perfect to create some family fun at rest stops.

10.  Research.

I make a list, a few weeks before we leave, of all the family friendly activities we can do.  I research family friendly restaurants that have a fun play area included.  When we get to our destination, there is no need to spend a bunch of time on Google trying to figure out what we are going to do that day because, I already have a “go-to” list.

I hope this list helps make the next time you travel with children much easier.

Be sure to head to Carters to stock up on everyday essentials, including colorful soft polos, cool tees, and knit shorts.  If you’re heading to the beach or pool with the little ones, don’t forget to grab some swimsuits, rash guards and trunks that all include UPF 50+.  They are my absolute favorite for toddler clothes.

Here is an amazing coupon below!

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10 tips for vacationing with kids

 

 

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50 comments

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These tips are so great! We’ve been taking long road trips with our daughter since she was 9 months old. I never thought about bringing balls and stuff to play with at rest stops! I will have to be sure to do that for the next road trip! We also always start our long road trip at night so that our daughter will sleep for 8-10 hrs of our 16 hr trip. That makes all the difference. Thanks for sharing!

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YES! For night travel too! We have done that. Yes, balls are such a easy tool to have extra fun at rest stops!

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So many good tips! I never bring enough food for the ride! Love the Carter’s clothes too…so cute on your little man!

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Thank you so much! Hope they are helpful for you!

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these are awesome tips! great photos I love carters for my kids but my oldest (8) is getting too big for their stuff– sad!

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Thanks for reading! I know I hate when my older one’s grow out of it!

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Love all these Carter’s outfits for Spring! He looks like such a handsome traveler.

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Thanks so much! Yes their collection is adorable!

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Good tips! Going on holiday with kids is definitely a learning experience! I agree that you need to take as much stuff with you as possible!

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LOL! Yes meaningful stuff is so helpful.

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Love the great tips, and your pictures were so nice!!! We love taking trips together as a family too! 🙂 Have a nice day!

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Thanks so much! You too!!

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Traveling with kids can be hard. These are great tips. We usually try to leave during nap time so they sleep in the car or leave early in the morning so that they don’t sleep in the car but will have a restful sleep when we get there.

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Yes nap time tends to be our goal!

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Great tips! When traveling anywhere overnight I always pack my girls’ white noise machine to help them sleep. I need to get better about packing a change of clothes when we travel by air.

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Yes! Noise machine for our toddler is a must.

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We always have much more successful road trips when we travel after lunch (nap time) or overnight. My kids are lovely, but we’re all happier when they sleep in the car 😉

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YES Exactly! We do the same!

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These are good tips. Traveling during sleepy times is a must!

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Thanks for reading! Yes it sure is for us!

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These are brilliant tips and that little handsome dude of yours … oh my goodness, he’s adorable!

The How-to Guru

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Thank you so much!

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I love the “pack for every occasion.” That is so true with toddlers! Even if we just go for a day trip it seems like we go through about three or four outfits by the time we get home! 🙂

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YES! LOL We do the same!

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Hi outfits are too cute!

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Thanks so much!

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We love Carters clothes!! They’re comfy and cute! And these are great travel tips! Thanks girl!

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Thanks so much! Yes they are the best.

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Going to the dollar store is a great idea! A variety of cheap toys may just entertain them for awhile. I will also add pack extra clothes for mommy bc you never know when your kid may just feel like throwing up in you.

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This is so true! Great add!

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Love these ideas, especially the dollar store new toys! We are traveling in about a month, so these will come in very helpful!

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How exciting! Thanks so much!

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Great trips, we’re taking our first trip with baby soon and I’m trying to read everything I can to help us prepare!

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That is awesome! Enjoy!!

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All spot on tips. I always try to travel about an hour before naptime. I know it will take a little while for my daughter to fall asleep in the car, so it gives her some time. And food. All. The. Food.

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Yes exactly! lol that’s awesome!

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Yes to the dollar store toys! They don’t know the difference! Let them run wild through the dollar store and pick out a couple of toys – they’ll be so happy!

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Exactly! such a life saver!

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Yessss love this! Such great tips

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thanks so much!

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Oh man, this is a great list! I always feel so unprepared and I’m totally using this list next trip!

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So glad you enjoyed it!

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I do the same! Great tips!

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Thanks so much!

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These are great tips! I found that I like to travel much lighter, especially if the kids are older. The food thing is true! Now I actually prep a few dinners in catering foil containers and bring them with us. This way we don’t have to go out for every meal.

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Omg what a great idea! Good for you mama!

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Oh, the dollar store is a total lifesaver when it comes to going on long road trips. Coloring books, puzzles and little toys are needed!

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Yes to coloring books! LOL I love that place.

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I always have little prizes too, but I dole them out very slowly. We don’t always get to all of them. I don’t want to use up my distraction points before we need them.

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Yes, spreading them out is so helpful!

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