Traveling With Babies
October 2, 2008
By Linda Jenkinson
If you start baby travel slowly and plan wisely, both you and baby will enjoy first-class comfort. Begin with baby steps and you’ll find that soon you and your little one will be able to walk, ride, or fly in the fast lane.
Day Trips
Introduce baby to travel starting with a few day-trips to a local relative or friend. Basic equipment will be a packed diaper bag, a stroller or pram (if you’ll spend some time outdoors), and a car seat. Most modern car seats easily detach and convert into a baby carrier.
Be sure to pack your diaper bag with a diaper for each two hours you intend to be away from home. Pack 2 nipples for each bottle you pack, two to three receiving blankets, and an extra change of clothing for baby and an extra shirt for you. Cut down on diaper bag weight and keep things easy to find by using Ziploc bags to pack extras like nipples, wipes, and pacifiers. Pack one large, empty Ziploc for soiled items.
Overnights
For baby’s first overnight trip, you’ll need to extend your day-trip plan with a couple of extra receiving blankets and extra sets of clothing for baby. Even if your overnight trip is to Grandma’s house, remember that nighttime sounds and perceptions may be different from those during daytime hours. A good pram with wheel locks can double as a bassinet, helping baby feel right at home and enabling everyone to sleep more comfortably through the night.
If overnight travel is a frequent part of your regular routine, consider investing in a Graco Pack ‘n Play Classic Care Center. This excellent piece of baby travel equipment is a bassinet, changing table, and playpen in one portable unit that folds into a handy tote bag. There are 22 models of the Classic Care Center. With prices starting at under $50.00, you’re sure to find one that’s right for your little one and your budget.
Extended Hotel Stays
Many hotels stock products and equipment especially for travelers with babies, but they may not stock the brands you and baby prefer. When you make your reservation, ask for specific information on product brands and the equipment you’ll need to make baby’s stay comfortable. If you opt to use a hotel crib or bassinet, be sure to pack a couple of baby’s own blankets, a familiar mobile, and/or other “security items”.
Although your inclination may be to pack up your complete nursery, in some cases, an extended stay may allow you to pack even less than you would for an overnight trip. For instance, it would be impractical to pack a week’s worth of bottles and nipples. Pack only enough for a day and leave time in your itinerary for clean-ups. When packing baby clothes, include two or three one-piece outfits that can be quickly hand washed when soiled.
You’ll also want to be sure to bring along a stroller. Most contemporary strollers are lightweight and easily collapse for transport or storage. Some models are equipped with multi-position reclining seats so baby can sight-see or nap as he or she chooses. In addition, many have features like tray attachments, sun canopies, attached toy bars, and “parent” trays for your little extras.
If part of your vacation will put you in a crowd, consider a baby backpack or sling. The Baby Bjorn Carrier holds baby safely to your chest, increasing baby’s sense of security as he maintains eye contact with your familiar face.
From day trips to cruise ships, how you travel with babies depends chiefly on your destination and length of stay. However developing a basic plan and adding to it as the situation warrants will quickly make seasoned travel companions out of you and your little one.
Linda is mother and grandmother of two, she is author of the Baby Strollers Guide and the Baby Products Guide
We Recommend:
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Dimple Dolls Dimple Doll Special-Yellow
These snuggly little baby dolls have bells inside their bonnets. They make the perfect travel companion for your baby. They are small enough to stick in the diaper-bag, so you can bring them anywhere.
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Travel Packing Tips
October 2, 2008
It is advisable to be prepared if you must travel. There’s nothing worse than getting on the road, or arriving at your final destination, and realizing that you forgot something important. If your family is going on a trip during this holiday season, use this checklist to help you keep track of what to take:
1. Medications. Even if your children are healthy, be sure to bring along any and all medication that they could possibly need. You never know when a situation will arise that will require those medications for your kids.
2. Toothbrushes and toothpaste. Mom and Dad find it easy to remember to pack their own dental hygiene items. Younger kids may need reminding, though. Be sure everyone packs a toothbrush and toothpaste.
3. Sewing kit. Mishaps always happen. A button pops off. A skirt hem falls out. Pack a mini sewing kit in your suitcase to have on hand, just in case you need it.
4. Proper clothing. Call ahead of time and find out what the weather will be like where you are headed. Get specific temperatures if possible so that you will know what type of clothing to bring.
5. Bring extra clothes. Don’t forget to pack extra clothes as well, for everyone. Kids will need more clothing than adults, but it won’t hurt to throw in an extra outfit or two for you as well.
6. Shoes. Be sure you have matching shoes to wear with your outfits and don’t forget to bring the right shoes for the right weather.
7. Hair accessories. If you have daughters and they wear hair accessories, be sure to pack plenty to go along with their outfits.
8. Games for the kids. Kids get bored on road trips, especially if the trips are more than an hour or two. To save your sanity, be sure to bring along several fun games that they can play in the car. Puzzle books, audio cassette tapes (with a walkman), and printable games online are just a few ideas you can use.
9. Don’t forget the camera, you’ll definitely want to record all your family Christmas memories so don’t forget the camera and make sure it has batteries and film too.
10. And lastly don’t forget the presents! It’s a much too common scenario, you pack up the car, start your road trip to visit relatives for a relaxing family Christmas only to realize you’ve left the presents behind. Make a list of everything you’ve decided to take and check things off one by one.
We Recommend:
Snappy Travel: A Magnetic Fun Book
A great book for the car or plane ride because it’s all about travel and has magnetic pieces to move around as you flip the pages. This makes to book very interactive and keeps things interesting, since the story is slightly different each time. Very cute!
Rubberneckers- The Ultimate Car Game
The objective in this game is to look outside and find certain things to receive points. It’s a great way to keep older kids occupied, and younger kids interested and distracted from the travel time!
Lewis N. Clark Li’l Lewis Kid’s Travel Pillow
Finally, a travel pillow just for kids and it comes in 15 different animal shapes from alligator to hippo, so your little one will find his or her favorite animal and enjoy using it.
Don’t forget to take lots of picture and have them developed through Snapfish. Sign-up and get your first roll of film developed for FREE! Plus, your photos are placed online for FREE to share with family & friends.
Traditional Kids Summer Camps
October 2, 2008
Traditional kids summer camps are a great solution if the kids are out of school and parents are working. Take a look at some of the benefits of sending your kids to summer camps.
Summer Camp Fun
As parents we are responsible for making sure that our kids have great experiences. During the school year the school teachers enrich their lives through mental stimulation and activities. The issue for many parents is the summer time. The children are out of school and have all of heir days free. The issue is that most parents do not have the time off from work and must be out of the home for the majority of the day. The greatest way to combat your children being left alone to be babied by the television and the video games is to send them to summer camp. Summer camps are a good thing for the children and the parents alike. The parents are able to go to work without having to worry about their children being stuck at home getting dumber by the minute and children do not have to worry about being bored to tears and watching the same talk shows every day.
There are all types of children in the world. Some children enjoy sports and others enjoy crafts and others enjoy totally different things. The summer camps that are available to choose from are just as diverse as the children that attend them. For the kids that love sports there are sports specialty summer camps. When I was a child one of the camps that I went to was soccer camp. I spent the whole day everyday playing the game that I loved. My brother on the other hand loved hockey so when summer camp time rolled around he went to a hockey camp. My other brother loved music and playing instruments. Every year he attended a musical camp. We are just one example of how summer camps can bend to fit all types of children in all walks of life.
Summer camps teach children some very valuable skills in addition to the sports and the like. Children learn to adapt to an environment that is unusual for them. They are used to their teachers and the fellow students that they have grown up with and they are familiar with the rules they deal with day in and day out. Going to a summer camp with new adults and new kids allows them to see how the world changes and how they must adjust their behavior and line of thinking to fit it to their new surroundings.
Summer camp is a valuable experience on many accounts. If you are a parent and are considering letting you child stay home and do nothing over the summer consider letting them know about summer camp. You may find that your child is ready and willing to learn and experience new things at the summer camp of their choice.
For more information about Summer Camp or to check into Teen Summercamps or Traditional Summercamps.
