Every season is the season to travel, but summer time elicits a bit more travel, due to free time with school being out of session and vacations being cashed out while the weather is nice. If you have friends all over the map, like many of us do, this means plenty of in flight family time to multiple destinations. Traveling in a group is always a challenge whether the group is young or old. This season, stay calm and feel prepared to travel anywhere with our 5 tips for a bearable family flight to wherever your travels take you this year:
Plan, Then Pre-Plan
The more you can accomplish in advance, the easier traveling will be. Make sure to pre-pack clothing, shoes, cosmetics and necessities before the trip and create a checklist of everything that is needed before leaving for travel. Ensure that liquids and gels are in their own plastic baggies by making a travel set that's dedicated for family trips.
Unlimited Play Time
If you're traveling with kids, traveling by plane can be the most difficult for them. There's limited space to move and stretch about, as well as dozens of people within 3 feet of them. Children get antsy, and may even get anxious or scared without something to occupy their minds. Don't hesitate to bring the portable gaming device if they play, or a travel-sized card game. A compact checkers board game is a great choice for any traveling child who likes a challenge.
The key here is to bring an item that appeals to the child's interest. With an older child, their favorite novel and an MP3 player could be exactly what they need. Younger children could use coloring books, elementary stories, or their stuffed animal companion to ease them into taking a nap.
Keep Up Communication
Sometimes on a flight, a child is just bored and wants to be stimulated intellectually. If they aren't tired or hungry, try talking about different things with your little ones. A great book of questions or conversation prompts can keep the whole family conversing for an hour or two about interesting ideas. Keep the volume moderate to prevent disrupting any neighboring passengers. You can also try an activity where your child must draw a particular feeling or idea on a piece of paper. Get them thinking and communicating creatively to stimulate their minds and stay entertained. You may even learn a few things when you're drawing as well!
Snacks, Food, and More Snacks
Airplane travel can trigger stress or anxiety in any traveler, which means the digestive system can get sluggish and may beg for food to ease the stress within the body. Fuel your body with plenty of vitamins and nutrients to drive away stress and make the rest of the flight smooth sailing. Bring light, refreshing snacks like apples, oranges, and vegetable chips to stay satiated. Children love to chew on fruit leather as well. Another option, if the flight is longer, is to bring grapes and cheese cubes or peanut butter sandwiches. This prevents hunger pangs and many low blood sugar symptoms like grogginess and crankiness. Avoid the common problem of being "hangry" for everyone you're traveling with.
It's Movie Time
If you have access to a portable computer or DVD player, bring the family's favorite films or TV series to occupy time while flying. Children love to get engrossed in their favorite shows, learning and developing as they watch them. Watching just a few episodes of a TV show they enjoy or a film can quickly shave off an hour or two from flying time.
Family trips don't have to be stressful. Take these 5 tips into consideration before boarding your plane, and you should be able to entertain multiple people for the duration of your flight! Once you've arrived at your destination, don't forget to stop by the E-Z Rent-A-Car desk and inquire about our affordable, reliable and convenient rental cars!
Image Credits
Abandoned Plane by Brett Levin
Travel Luggage by Anaa Yoo
A Deck of Cards by Bettina Gonzales
Peace Love and Mickey Mouse by Melissa
