Kids’ travel guide: 6 tips to make travelling easier

Spring break, winter holiday or summer vacation means it’s road trip time! Photo-ready scenery, jam-worthy playlists and memory-making fun are on the itinerary, but it’s not always smooth sailing. Travelling with littles means lots of prep for anything your kiddos might need, and we’ve got just the ticket for any situation! Whether you’re travelling by car, train or plane, these tips for travelling with kids will make your travels more pleasant.

1. Pack snack boxes

Say goodbye to hangry and hello to satisfied children with a DIY snack box! Fill a compartmental box with a mix of sweet, salty and savoury snacks that even picky littles will love. This simple prepped food means fewer snack stops and less tummy rumbling as you travel with kids. Some great snack options include: 

• Apple slices
• Mandarin oranges
• Celery sticks
• Crackers
• Grapes
• Sliced cheese/string cheese
• Deli meat
• Dried fruit
• Popcorn
• Blueberries
• Carrots
• Nuts/seeds

Disclaimer: Be sure to cut and portion out these snacks according to the guidelines for your child’s age to avoid any potential accidents.

2. Bring a designated trash can

Avoid the hassle of picking brown apple cores or other trash out of your car’s cup holders by keeping a small trash bag or container on each row of your vehicle. This way everyone has easy access to throw their garbage away instead of making a mess. A clean environment is a happy environment, especially when travelling with children!

If you’ll be travelling by plane, it’s also smart to prep a small trash bag to keep messes at bay in between flight attendant visits.

3. Keep kids entertained

Keep family travel screen-free with these interactive activities!

Simply print out the activity PDFs and bring them with you on your trip. For easy organization, store them in upcycled school folders so your kiddo can keep their papers in one place.

Activities for older children

I Spy Colours: I spy with my little eye something . . . RED! Practice observation and writing skills by writing down items kiddos see for each category. Download this activity here.

I Spy ABC: This ABC practice is perfect for older children who are working on their writing and spelling skills. List the things you see that start with each letter of the alphabet. For example, if you see a boat, write it on the line next to the B. Download the PDF here.

I Spy Numbers: This activity is great for helping your children work on their counting skills. Count the items in the image and write down how many of each item there are. Download the activity here and the answer key here.

Activities for young children

Looking for activities to occupy your preschool-aged children? Try some of these!

I Spy Colours: Young children, or older ones who prefer expressing themselves more creatively, can do this activity during family travel by drawing one item they see that matches the specific colour category. Download here.

I Spy Numbers: This activity is great for littles working on their counting skills. Let them count the items in the image and fill in the number of circles that matches the number you counted. Download the activity here and the answer key here.

Activities for the family

Get the whole family involved in these exciting activities!

Scavenger hunt: Make family travel a true group activity with this scavenger hunt. Print a copy for each participating person. Work solo or in teams to check off items on the list. Whoever finishes first gets to pick the next activity!

Road trip edition: If you’ll be travelling by car, download this scavenger hunt.

Airplane edition: Travelling by plane? Download this air-friendly scavenger hunt.

Travel tip: If your children enjoy colouring, print out our Young Living colouring pages here.

4. Cultivate a positive travel environment with essential oils

Bring the power of aromatherapy along as you travel with kids. Whether you want a pop of Peppermint to kick off an early-morning drive or a hint of Lavender during backseat nap time, a travel diffuser is the best travel buddy for the job. Try out these diffuser blends for your trip!

Drop quantities are for our Viya™ Diffuser.

 Calm Cruise diffuser blend

 Cultivate an environment of calm as your littles get ready for a snooze with soothing Lavender, refreshing Orange and grounding Frankincense. 

• 2 drops Lavender
• 1 drop Orange
• 1 drop Frankincense

 Travel Ease diffuser blend

Aromatherapy can be great for easing feelings of discomfort, especially when travelling. This blend combines Peppermint, Ginger, Fennel and Lemon for the perfect travel diffuser combination.  

• 1 drop Peppermint
• 1 drop Ginger
• 1 drop Fennel
• 1 drop Lemon

If you’re taking group transportation such as airplanes, trains or buses, stick with a personal diffuser bracelet or pack an oil roller from our KidScents® Roll-On Collection for the kiddos. That way you can enjoy the benefits of essential oils while respecting public spaces!

5. Create a playlist with your child’s favourite songs

 We all know that music can really set the tone in any situation. If you’re travelling with kids, turn your travels into fun bonding time by curating your own playlist of your family’s favourite songs. Say goodbye to traffic jams and hello to jamming out together while building fun memories!

6. Accept that not everything will go as planned

When travelling with children, you’ve got to expect the unexpected. Things aren’t always going to run smoothly, but the most important thing is that you take the time to live in the moment. Take things as they come and enjoy making precious memories with the ones you love.

Looking for more warm-weather essential oil ideas? Check out these 5 summer wellness essentials or read about must-haves for a staycation summer.

What travel tips will you use first?

Tell us in the comments below.