Family trips help everyone come together during the summer and explore a new place or revisit a familiar one. But as every parent knows, traveling with kids comes with a unique set of challenges. Whether it’s an antsy child who’s getting upset in a long security line, a crying baby in a crowded airplane, or an announcement of “I need to go to the bathroom” just as you get in the car to go, traveling with children is an adventure in and of itself.
While some level of unpredictability is unavoidable in family travel, the good news is that there are some simple ways to minimize the unexpected and keep children happy and engaged throughout the trip. Once you reach your destination and see how the new sights, unfamiliar foods, and different cultures spark curiosity in your children, you’ll realize it’s all been worth it.
Explore these tips for traveling with kids that are designed to help families make the most of summer travel—whether you’re flying across the world or driving to a neighboring state.
Planning Ahead
The difference between a smooth family trip and a stressful one is often decided before anyone leaves the house. So, let’s go over a few family summer travel tips that can help prevent headaches down the road.
Involve the Kids Early
Children who have a hand in planning the trip tend to be more engaged and patient once it’s underway. Let them help choose an activity or research a restaurant—and if you can’t decide between two options, let them have a say. Having a sense of ownership in the trip can help them feel more invested in ensuring a positive outcome.
Build in Buffer Time
Everything takes a little longer when you’re traveling with family: moving through airports, finding a restaurant everyone agrees on, and even getting out the door on time often requires more time than you expect. Build generous buffers into your itinerary and resist the urge to stuff the day with too many activities. Even if you can manage to hit a dozen items on the itinerary in a single day, if you’re rushing from place to place, it’ll be harder to enjoy, leading to stressed-out parents and overtired children.
Research Your Airport
Some quick research before travel day can save a lot of stress at the airport. Look up whether your departure airport has a family security lane, a dedicated family check-in counter, or an indoor play area where children can burn off energy before boarding. Also, checking out an airport map to find the best way to get to and from your terminal is always a good idea.
Cater Your Itinerary
While you may have relished the opportunity to spend the day visiting multiple museums or swimming in the ocean as a child, that’s no guarantee your kids will feel the same way. Match activities to your children’s interests and make sure you find at least one thing each child will love. So, even if your restless child is struggling to sit still one day as you lounge on the beach, they’ll be content knowing that tomorrow they’ll get to do something they love.
Similarly, don’t forget to work in some activities that you’ll enjoy. Even if you’re not a fan of theme parks and you’re planning a trip to Disney World for the kids, that doesn’t mean you can’t find an activity that genuinely interests you. Remember, a happy parent is more likely to take hiccups and tantrums in stride.
Consider Logistics Carefully
For families flying with kids, seat selection is essential. Think about nap schedules when booking departure times and small bladders when choosing who gets the window and who gets the aisle. If your children are young, a direct flight may be well worth the cost. And if you’re traveling internationally, make sure your passports are up to date well in advance. Processing times can be longer than expected during the peak summer travel season.
Travel with Built-In Support
Whether you’re traveling as a single parent or you’re going with your coparent, it’s normal to want a little extra support. Traveling with other families who have children of similar ages is a great way to keep kids entertained and distribute the parental load. Hosting an au pair makes this even easier—they can join daytime adventures, help manage the kids during travel days, and take the reins in the evening so parents can enjoy a moment to themselves.
Packing Tips
Packing right is an essential part of every summer family trip. Done right, it ensures things run smoothly; done poorly, and things can quickly go wrong. Here are a few essential packing tips for traveling with kids this summer:
- Pack smart: Bring only what you need. Keep some essentials in the carry-on, including a change of clothes for the young ones, a small first aid kit, medications, and a comfort item or two that can make an unfamiliar hotel room or a noisy flight feel more like home.
Resist the urge to overpack. One stuffed animal is helpful; four is three too many. Keep in mind that some things can be bought along the way, and packing the whole house will just create more headaches. - Snacks, snacks, and more snacks: Packing light does not apply to snacks. Every parent knows how a hungry child can turn a bright, sunny travel day into a dark and stormy one. Therefore, pack more food than you think you’ll need, including a mix of favorite treats and nutritious ones such as trail mix or granola bars. To save room (and weight), remove individually packaged items from their boxes.
Also, remember to distribute them strategically so they’re not used up all at once, and buy more along the way so you’re not weighed down by a bulging bag-turned-grocery store. - Keep the essentials accessible: Documents, medications, water, and snacks should always be within reach at a moment’s notice and should be easy to find every time, not buried at the bottom of a bag. For parents traveling with a spouse, partner, or an au pair, make sure all the adults know where these essentials are, so Dad isn’t left emptying the bag in search of the antacid Mom packed.
Managing Expectations
Travel is exciting, but it can also be tiring. For children, especially, the combination of disrupted schedules, new food, and overstimulation can surface in ways that catch parents off guard. Managing their expectations can help children more easily adapt to the changes that travel often demands.
Prepare Them for What’s Coming
Walk children through what to expect—the airport, hotel, the schedule—and be honest about the hard parts. Surprises that adults are used to can feel disorienting for children who thrive on predictability, and promising that everything will be wonderful sets everyone up for disappointment. Instead, try something like:
- “The flight is going to be five hours, and some of it might be boring. But you can read your book, rest, or watch your show.”
- “The bus ride is two hours long and won’t stop, so you’ll have to use the bathroom before and hold it for the trip.”
- “We’ll be traveling all day on Saturday, but once we get there, we’ll have plenty of time to rest and have fun, OK?”
Build In Downtime
One of the most common family travel mistakes is an itinerary that doesn’t leave room to rest. Children need downtime, and so do parents. Some of the best travel memories come from the unplanned afternoon when everyone slowed down—explored the side streets around the hotel, stopped for an impromptu ice cream, or spent an hour walking by the seaside. After particularly long travel days, consider building in a full cushion day to catch up on sleep and recharge before the next big adventure.
Keeping Kids Engaged
Long travel days (particularly when flying with kids) call for a toolkit of engagement strategies that goes beyond screens. Here are some simple family summer travel tips to prevent bored children wherever you are:
- Create a travel activity kit: Put together a small bag of activities saved specifically for travel. This may include a new small toy or puzzle, a coloring book and pencils, a journal, Mad Libs, or a deck of cards. Combine some of their favorite pastimes with new ones—the novelty of items they haven’t seen before can provide a reliable burst of engagement at exactly the moment you need it most.
- Play travel games: Whether it’s twenty questions, the license plate game, I spy, or storytelling rounds, classic travel games are fun for all ages. They require only a bit of attention and imagination and can make the journey just as memorable as the destination.
- Embrace the journey: A long road trip or train ride can be more engaging if you take time to point out the changing landscape and talk about what’s just outside your window. Highlight how the terrain is changing, regional differences in architecture, signage, or wildlife, and let the trip become part of their experience.
- Make time for play: Once you’ve reached your destination, it’s important to carve out some time for your children to play. Taking them to a local playground or even setting aside an hour for them to play with their favorite toy in the hotel can make a big difference.
- Create one-on-one time: Families with multiple children who have different interests can benefit from splitting up now and again during the family trip. Let one parent take a child to the beach while the other explores somewhere new. For single parents and anyone who could use some extra help, traveling with an au pair is an excellent solution. They ensure every child has more one-on-one time to do what they love, so no child has to compromise their whole day.
Cultural Learning During Travel
Travel is one of the most powerful forms of education a child can receive, and summer is one of the best times to experience it. Children who travel grow up with a more nuanced understanding of the world. They learn firsthand how people live, eat, celebrate, and behave differently, and that all of those differences are worth understanding. Here are some tips to supercharge cultural learning while you travel with your children this summer.
Start the Learning in Advance
Before you set out, take some time with the children to learn more about the history, food, language, and customs of your destination. Children who arrive somewhere already curious tend to notice and absorb more.
Eat Local
Make a point of eating where locals eat, trying traditional dishes you otherwise wouldn’t order, and talking about what you’re tasting. For families who enjoy world dinner nights at home, travel is the real-world version of that tradition. To find the best local spots, ask around—a concierge or an employee at your lodging is a great resource.
Seek Out Authentic Experiences
Rather than booking an all-inclusive resort, consider a homestay or a locally owned hotel where you can easily engage with the community. You’ll usually discover that locals are kind, welcoming, and full of recommendations you won’t find in any guidebook. Encourage your children to engage with the community too, whether that’s asking a shop owner about an unfamiliar toy or striking up a conversation with a neighbor. Intercultural interaction always goes a long way and tends to make a lasting impact on children.
Keep a Travel Journal
A journal gives children a way to process what they’re experiencing and hold onto it. They can sketch, tape ticket stubs, press flowers, and write a few sentences about the highlights of the day. Over the years, they’ll have a collection of travel journals that captures a genuine picture of what they did on their trip and how they felt at the time.
Traveling with an Au Pair
For families who host an au pair, summer travel takes on an additional dimension. An au pair can provide hands-on support on travel days, help manage the logistics of moving a family through airports and unfamiliar cities, and bring an extra set of calm, capable hands to the most demanding moments.
In addition to providing practical summer childcare assistance, an au pair who travels with your family brings a new cultural perspective and travel experience that you won’t find anywhere else. If your family is visiting your au pair’s home country or region, the trip transforms into a chance for your children to see a place through the eyes of someone who loves it—and an intimate guide who knows what they’ll love about it, too.
Even if you’re not traveling to their corner of the world, an au pair’s presence during a family trip is nothing short of enriching. They’re curious, adaptable, and good at finding joy in new places—qualities that are contagious and can lift up the mood for even the grumpiest or most nervous little travelers.
Book a family vacation with built-in support this summer—enjoy childcare that travels with you when you host an au pair with Au Pair in America®!
Whether you’re planning a staycation or preparing for a family trip this summer, au pair childcare makes every adventure a little smoother. Less stress, more joy, and tons of authentic cultural discovery—it’s all possible when you host an au pair with Au Pair in America. Discover how an au pair can make your next family trip the best one yet.
