15 Life-Saving Tips for Traveling With Grandkids
Traveling with grandkids involves a lot to think about. As a mom whose daughter has both grandparents and great-grandparents, I’ve learned a few important things when the kids are traveling with grandma and grandpa. Keep reading as I cover all the key factors to consider before traveling with grandchildren.
1. Purchasing Travel Insurance Ahead Of Time
You never know when illness might strike, forcing you to cancel flights or hotel reservations. The kids could catch something at school and be too sick to travel, or you might fall ill as a grandparent.
No matter the situation, getting travel insurance in advance can be wise and potentially save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars, especially if you’ve planned a big special trip with the grandkids.
2. Pick A Destination That Interests Everyone
This is one of the key factors that comes to my mind when thinking about traveling with grandkids. There’s often a significant age gap between grandparents and grandchildren, along with differences in what each generation grew up enjoying.
I suggest choosing a destination that appeals to everyone. If you’re unsure what the grandkids might like, talk with their parents, or the grandkids themselves, to ensure everyone is interested in the destination.
3. Bring Travel Documents And Find A Secure Place To Keep Them
I always recommend having one person responsible for all the travel documents. It makes things much easier, especially when boarding flights. I usually handle my family’s documents and keep them in a secure zippered pocket in my carry-on backpack.
As a grandparent, you’ll want everything from boarding passes and passports to child ID cards. Be sure to keep them in a safe place, as kids can easily misplace things.
4. Get Children Involved In The Planning Process
While allowing kids to help choose the destination is great, including them in the overall planning is even better. This is especially useful for big trips, road trips, cruises, and other types of travel. I always suggest asking the grandkids what they’d like to do, whether it’s to visit a zoo, an aquarium, the beach, or something else.
Involving them in the planning gives them something to look forward to and ensures you don’t schedule activities they’re not interested in. Be careful not to offer too many options, which can sometimes overwhelm children.
5. Don’t Go Overboard With Activities
Grandparents can sometimes get caught up in the excitement of planning new adventures with their grandchildren. This can lead to an overly packed schedule filled with activities and must-see attractions every day.
I suggest choosing one or two activities each day without a rigid schedule. Kids can be unpredictable; they change their minds, need naps, or have fussy days. This is why wiggle room in your travel plans makes things easier. While packing in activities might sound fun, it can easily overwhelm and take away from the enjoyment.
6. Make Sure Parents Approve
Another important consideration when traveling with grandkids is getting the parents’ approval, as they are the child’s primary guardians, not you. It helps to get their input on everything from snacks and meals to activities and even the destination.
Clear communication and verifying everyone is on the same page can go a long way in making the trip fun and stress-free for everyone involved.
7. Take Plenty Of Photos
We live in a fantastic time where we can easily take photos and videos on our smartphones. While this can sometimes be a negative, it’s great for capturing special moments during trips with grandkids.
Be sure to snap plenty of fun pictures along the way, and remember to share them with the children’s parents; they’ll love seeing that everyone is safe and enjoying themselves!
8. Bring Extras
You might have seen “bring extras” and thought it sounded a bit vague, and that’s intentional. As a grandparent traveling with young grandkids, it’s essential to pack extras for almost everything: diapers, wipes, snacks, outfits, toys, shoes, and more.
Trust me, you’ll be glad to have those extra supplies. I can’t count how many times I’ve been grateful for spare outfits or snacks while traveling with little ones!
9. Maintain A Positive Attitude
As with most trips or travel days, maintaining a positive attitude is key. This is even more important when traveling with kids or grandkids. Things happen, and life goes on. If your flight gets delayed or you’re sitting in hours of traffic on the interstate, don’t complain left and right, and let your child see that you are getting annoyed.
Make the best of the situation, play a fun game, sing a song, and have fun with the curveballs. This keeps you and your little ones happy along the way!
10. Plan Games
Games are essential for kids of all ages, including traditional card games, board games, electronic games on iPads, or simple games like I Spy.
Be sure to pack plenty of games for your travel day to keep your grandkids entertained and happy. This is especially helpful during delays, providing a fun distraction to keep everyone excited and calm.
11. Think About Meals Ahead Of Time
My sister-in-law and her husband enjoy planning long road trips, and they follow a two-hour rule. Every two hours, they schedule stops at rest areas, gas stations, or fast-food restaurants so everyone can stretch their legs and get necessities. They also use these breaks to give the kids snacks and grab coffee or meals for the adults. This is an excellent tip for grandparents to keep in mind!
By planning meals and stops in advance, you can avoid the stress of scanning the road for the nearest McDonald’s. Instead, check your route on your phone and plan your meals in advance. This approach can also be helpful for flying, as you can look up airport terminal restaurants ahead of time.
12. Don’t Make Travel Days Too Long
I’ve been traveling with my daughter since she was just a few weeks old, exploring nearly every mode of transportation, including cars, airplanes, and ferries. One key takeaway is to avoid making travel days too long.
This means shortening your time on the road during long trips, ensuring layovers and flights aren’t excessively long, and more. Generally, kids enjoy being active, so the less time they spend cooped up, the smoother your travel day is likely to be!
13. Stop For Bathroom Breaks Often
This is an essential consideration for grandchildren. They often need to use the bathroom frequently, and sometimes they might not tell you, so it’s wise to stop regularly to prevent accidents.
This is also helpful when traveling with little ones who wear diapers because no one wants to deal with a bad diaper rash while on vacation!
14. Ways To Get Outside
My family loves spending time outdoors. We’re all much happier when we can play in the yard, visit a playground, go for a walk, or hike. We thrive outside. This is true for most kids, too; they enjoy exploring and being in nature.
When planning your travels, consider various ways children can spend time outdoors. This might include researching nearby parks, stopping at rest areas with picnic tables, or choosing a vacation spot that offers beach or mountain activities instead of just city attractions. Planning for outdoor family activities will help ensure everyone has a great time while traveling with grandkids.
15. Bring Supplies For If Things Go Wrong
This is another important consideration that may seem vague but can be applied in various situations. It’s wise to pack supplies like wipes, paper towels, or toilet paper for spills or accidents.
However, this also applies if travel plans are delayed or canceled. Make sure to include items like coloring books, games, electronics, and books. Essentially, think about what you would want on hand if things didn’t go as planned, and bring those items along in advance, just in case.
Do You Have Any Other Tips For Traveling With Grandkids?
Let us know your go-to tips and considerations in the comments!
