KinderHop :: Road Trip Tips

[trip style = road trip]

{KinderHop is published once monthly and written by Trip Styler’s Seattle-based kid ‘n family writer, Keryn.}

The most dreaded question any parent hears when they embark on a road trip is “are we there yet?” No one knows how to work this phrase like a toddler, but older kids like to pull it out as well. There are lots of ways to avoid it, but you need to get on your parental A-game and be prepared! This doesn't mean packing the entire playroom, get creative about what you CAN do with kids while they are strapped in a moving vehicle for a few hours. And remember, road trips are some of the fondest travel memories for kids, so here are few ways to ensure the open road is fun for you and your jr. road trippers!

{Editor's Note: Check out the contest we're running in partnership with Expedia right now! Tweet a pic and the hashtags #freedom & #expediafindyours for a chance to win a trip to aruba or $250 Expedia travel voucher.}

Game Plan Stay realistic. No kid {or adult for that matter} wants to sit in the car for 10 hours a day. Road trips are meant to be fun. Break up your trip into small, doable chunks that everyone can handle.

Take Breaks! Whether they are just to use the restroom, fill up the tank or load up on snacks, make sure you let those little legs stretch a few minutes every few hours so you don’t have mini 'road rage' meltdowns.

Grab Some Grub Stop at a local restaurant along the way or pack a picnic. Pull over at a rest stop or research a local park off the highway. You can sit back and eat while the kids enjoy some much-needed playtime.

Activities, Activities, Activities Test out a few activities on short rides to the market or at local attractions before you head out on your BIG trip. This way you aren’t packing a carload full of things that your kids hate. Need a few ideas? Here you go:

• Audio books
• Games: Spot It, License Plate Game or Car Bingo
• Sing a few silly songs
• Coloring books, stickers, etc.

After that, just pray everyone takes a little nap in the car, so you can rest for round two. As a last resort have your tablet or smart phone handy for little fingers to play a few educational games or watch a movie.

More KinderHop How To Pack Less With Kids In Tow Family-Friendly Big Island Making Hotel Rooms Work With Kids KinderHop – Meet The Columnist

[photos by @walkingontravel]

KinderHop :: Pack Less With Kids In Tow

[trip style = any]

{KinderHop is published on the second Wednesday of every month and written by Trip Styler’s Seattle-based kid ‘n family writer, Keryn.}

Traveling with children is often greeted with a groan. Once you add kids to your travels, you'll certainly be checking several bags and toting several carry-ons. Not true! With a little extra planning and prep, you can get all your child’s stuff into your suitcase. After all, kids are tiny and so are their clothes---for a little while at least! {At which point they graduate to their own "mini" suitcases...}

8 Ways To Pack Less With Kids In Tow

• DIAPERS: Only pack enough diapers to get you through the first two days. Buy the rest upon arrival at your destination. Don't be afraid to buy diapers abroad. Recognizable brands are available in a lot of countries, and the local brands work just as well in a pinch. You may have to guess at the size, but they are still super absorbent and are much easier to buy there than lug in half a suitcase across the globe.
• LAUNDRY: Plan on doing laundry when you get there. Pack enough clothes for half the trip. General rule: more tops than bottoms.
• SHOES: Two---okay, maybe three---pairs of shoes is more than enough. One sneaker and either boots/booties {cold weather} or sandals {warm weather}.
• LAYERS: Dress your kids in layers. They will get max use out of the clothes you pack, and you can mix 'n match for exponential outfit possibilities.
• REPEAT: Don’t worry about your child wearing the same thing twice. As long as it’s clean, no one will notice.
• LIMIT: Limit the number of toys. You will be out exploring most of the time. That is entertainment in and of itself. Bring a small bag of toys for the plane, train or car ride to your destination. If you need more upon arrival, pick up some local toys as souvenirs.
• RENT IT: Look into baby gear rental agencies. There is no need to haul a crib, car seat and stroller across the globe if you can rent them once you arrive. Many rental companies are very affordable {ie: crib = $25-35/wk} and will stock more items than you'll ever need. For example, I'm renting a crib this weekend when I travel with my baby to Colorado.
• SIMPLE: Above all, keep it simple. If you don’t use it at home, most likely you won’t use it on the road.

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More KinderHop Family-Friendly Big Island Making Hotel Rooms Work With Kids KinderHop – Meet The Columnist

[Photo by keryn]

KinderHop :: Family-Friendly Big Island

[trip style = sun + beach]

{KinderHop is published on the third Monday of every month and written by Trip Styler’s Seattle-based kid ‘n family writer Keryn.}

The Big Island of Hawaii isn’t known for its nightlife or high-rise hotels, Mother Nature’s playground is day-centric leaving plenty of time for a family to explore. Parents will fall in love with the food, diverse activities and endless escapes far from the hectic pace of everyday life. Kids will be thrilled to try their hand at boogie boarding, swimming with tropical fish and building black sand castles. Here's a few of our family's top spots:

Beaching It Kahalu’u Beach Park just south of Kona boasts the perfect playground for small children: rock-protected pools. Bonus: parents can take turns snorkeling at one of the best spots on the island. On the east side of the park, be sure to check out the Wai’opae ponds. Toddlers can peer into the tide pools while mom or dad take older siblings into the deeper pools.

Your little ones will be screaming for more at Kua Bay where the surf is just big enough to do some boogie boarding. Inexperienced swimmers should stick close to an adult. The undertow can be fierce.

For the much younger set, head south to Ho’okena Beach Park for some gentle waves to introduce young riders to the art of boogie boarding and wave jumping.

Hiking Trekking through Volcano National Park is a must whenever you are on the island. If you can spend the night in the area it will give you even more time to fully explore this seismic wonder. Kids will love creeping through the lava tubes and walking around the top of Kilauea Crater. Make sure you stay after dark to see the crater’s smoke glowing bright orange.

Up Close with Nature For a peak at the island’s famous black sand beaches drive down to Punalu’u Black Sand Beach to say hello to sea turtles taking a siesta in the sun. Keep your distance though; state law protects these creatures from sticky fingers {and adults are the worst culprits}.

Eat Let your taste buds take over at Island Lava Java, a breakfast hot spot with a view. Don’t’ be fooled by the beach-bum coffee shop interior; the menu is anything but. Weekends feature a guava bread pudding French toast, which is a hit with diners both young and old. For a little more romance head back after dark to dine by candlelight.

Shopping/ Meet the Locals Stock up on exotic fruits and local wears at any number of farmers markets around the island. The Kona Farmers Market is the easiest to find, but for a true peak into local life head to the Pahoa Farmers Market on Sundays.

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More KinderHop Making Hotel Rooms Work With Kids KinderHop – Meet The Columnist

[photos via keryn of @walkingontravel]

KinderHop :: Making Hotel Rooms Work

how to make hotel rooms work with kids

[trip style = any]

KinderHop is published on the third Monday of every month and written by Trip Styler's kid 'n family writer Keryn.

Hotels are a big part of travel, and when kids come into the picture sharing your previous haven-for-two with three or four can seem daunting. Don’t lose hope. It can work. Here are four tips and tricks I use for setting up the room and getting the little ones to sleep!

Suite Arrival
Whenever possible, opt for a suite so you can have your own space and your child can have his. If a suite isn’t an option---due to budget or hotel type---the following ideas take a crack at creating personal space in an open room.

hotel room sanity with kids

Crib
Chances are, if you're traveling with an infant or toddler, you will request a hotel crib in your room {or bring your own pack 'n play}. The problem is where to put it. Can the closet be made into a tiny bedroom? Will you need the bathroom at night or can it become the toddler’s room? Get creative with the space's nooks and crannies.

Fort Fabulous
If you have older children ask housekeeping for an extra sheet. Throw the sheet over the desk or a chair to create a little cave for your kids. Non-residue painter's tape can help with gently securing one side of the fort to the ground. A fold-up cot or just a pile of blankets underneath can turn an unused space into an indoor camping adventure.

Getting the kids to sleep
You don’t need to pack your nursery into a suitcase, but you do need to remember their favorite blankie or stuffed bear. If they need it to sleep at home then you’ll both need it when you travel. Before your trip, plan ahead so nothing large is absolutely necessary at bedtime. The less they need, the less you have to pack.

When all else fails and your little one won’t go to sleep, think of the bathroom as a movie theatre, spa or mobile office. Hide out and watch Netflix or Hulu on your iPad, read a book or get some work done until your child settles in for the night.

Related
KinderHop - Meet The Columnist
Using Your Hotel Room Like MacGyver
New Uses For Common Travel Items
Removing Travel Wrinkles From Garments

[photos via keryn]

KinderHop :: Intro To Keryn

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On behalf of the entire Trip Styler editorial team, we're excited to welcome Keryn as our newest columnist. Her topic will be kids 'n travel, aka KinderHop, which will publish on the third Monday of every month.

I met Keryn last summer in Vancouver at a massive travel blogging conference, and she dazzled me with stories of taking her baby on more than an in-flight snack pack's worth of domestic and international jaunts. She was a traveler before kids and has maintained this wanderlust with her family of three---soon to be four---jetting off or road tripping once monthly! Since then, we've kept in touch and I've followed her Seattle-based travel blog about traveling with kid{s}. I'm looking forward to bringing this travel go-getter's perspective and expertise to the TS crew, which even had her taking multiple road trips in her third trimester! To kick things off, a formal introduction:

"Never think a trip is impossible. The hardest step is the first step out the door. After that it just gets easier." - Keryn

1/ Former day job? Production manager at an art book production house in downtown Seattle.

2/ Current day job? Mom, playmate, family travel agent and explorer of all things that can entertain a mom and toddler for a morning out of the house.

3/ Number of kids? One 2.5 year old boy, Dek, and another little one on the way at the end of April.

4/ First flight with your son and where? Dek was 3.5 months old when we flew from Seattle to Philadelphia for the holidays. Our longest flight was when Dek was 14 months old from Seattle to Hong Kong for my business trip. In that same trip we did an add-on and flew to up to Beijing for a week of fun.

5/ Have your top trip styles changed with kids? We favour trip style = beach, urban and budget conscious with or without kids, and prioritize travel even more with kids than we did before! It is our guaranteed, uninterrupted family time. Work and life get in the way too much.

6/ Rent a condo or stay in a hotel room? We rent a condo or house whenever it is more affordable, which is most of the time. If it's a quick weekend trip we will grab a hotel room or a suite. This summer my husband is pushing for trip style = camping!

7/ Last few trips, and upcoming travels? Over the last four months we've been to Whistler, Victoria, Hawaii, Orcas Island and did Asia in the spring. Looking ahead, we're trying to do New Hampshire this summer and a big trip to Europe in the Fall {London, Switzerland, Italy and Sicily are in the works at the moment.}

8/ Traveling with kids is awesome because... They make you stop and really look at where you are. No one can slow you down like a toddler, but that is not a bad thing. Instead of rushing through 15 sights on a trip, you get to invest in and learn about 5-10. Travel stress goes way down and you learn to move at a different and much more enjoyable pace. You are supposed to be on holiday after all, you should enjoy it!

"If it's horrible, you can always come home." - Words Keryn's dad imparted as she embarked on her first international trip at 16.

[photos via keryn]