- I used to travel a lot before having four kids.
- While we had to adjust some things while traveling, the biggest has been balancing everyone's needs.
- To keep them happy, I always look for playgrounds for them to decompress and let them eat fast food.
I was an avid traveler long before I had children. Now, one of my greatest joys is sharing my love of exploration and adventure with my family. Yet, traveling with my four kids has been an adjustment.
I've learned that my family has a much better time when I balance my kids' needs with my own, even if it means we don't do everything on my itinerary.
These are some key lessons I've learned about how to make family travel more fun for everyone.
I look for playgrounds
Children like to be active and have time just to be kids. That means that wherever we go, I look for a playground — which is often easy to find — where they can spend an hour or two running around.
At first, I hated taking time away from a trip for something as simple as the monkey bars, but I found that giving my kids the time and space to play outdoors refreshes them and allows them to focus on other activities as the trip progresses.
As a bonus, I often meet local moms at the playground who give me invaluable tips about kid-friend attractions and restaurants I wouldn't have found on my own. On the rare occasions we haven't found a playground, my kids have jumped into soccer games and played tag in fields. There is always a place for kids to play if you look around.
I engage with them while doing adult activities
While I could happily spend my days wandering through museums and going on long hikes, my kids often need more to hold their attention.
On a recent visit to Venice, I booked a family-friendly tour that included a scavenger hunt workbook that kept my kids engaged for hours. I also seek out interactive exhibits in every museum we visit and head straight for those exhibits whenever my kids start to get antsy.
Just in case none of this works, I usually make a bee-line for must-see exhibits when we first arrive to make sure I don't miss what I came to see.
They can get fast food
Before kids, I always made it a point to try local specialties. Now, I often give in to my kids' desire to eat fast food.
Embarrassingly, we have eaten at more McDonalds while traveling than we have at home. However, when my children have full tummies and feel they have some control over what we do, they are much happier. I also relax rules around junk food and soda while traveling. It's a small way to make trips feel special, and it won't hurt them in the long run.
I plan some activities just for them
Although I never feel as though I have enough time anywhere, I sometimes forgo seeing bigger-name attractions to take my kids to somewhere I know they will love.
On a recent trip to Atlanta, my son happily spent an afternoon exploring all kinds of slime at the Sloomoo Institute. Although our afternoon making slime meant that I missed some great museums, giving my son a few hours to do something he truly loved put him in a great mood for the rest of the trip.
They have jobs when we travel
My kids love having some responsibilities when we travel. Giving them something to be in charge of helps them feel involved in planning.
My 9-year-old is often assigned the task of taking photos. My 13-year-old is usually in charge of figuring out the best route from place to place. Finding useful tasks my kids like and are good at also helps take some pressure off of me.
There's less limits to screen time
The internet is full of activity ideas for kids while traveling. We have tried, and like, many of them. I also keep my kids stocked with books while traveling. However, I am far more lenient with screen time while we are away than I am at home.
Travel often involves long hours of waiting on a plane or in the car. Screentime is the one reliable way I've found to make the hours go by without major meltdowns. That means I have a less stressful trip, the kids are happier, and I get some time to myself. Promises of extra screen time are often effective in cajoling my kids into doing something they would rather skip.
We bring games with us
I never embark on a trip without a few small games. Uno is our favorite. Having some games on hand is a great way to pass the time at night. If my kids are dysregulated, taking even a few minutes to connect over a game is a great way to reconnect and get the trip back on track. Games are also a great activity for my kids to do together while I catch up on work or plan the next leg of our journey.