Traveling with the whole family can be a practice of patience and creativity, especially for parents traveling with small children. It’s very tempting to hand over an iPad or another type of screen to keep the little ones quiet and entertained, especially in instances where you don’t want them to bother other passengers. However, with a little planning, you can minimize screen time and make the trip more fun for the entire family. Start with understanding when your children are at their “travel best” and, if possible, plan the roughest parts of the trip around these times.

Flying red eye with young children is often needlessly stressful. Instead, choose travel times when they’re less likely to have a melt down and when you have the best odds of not being in a travel rush. Ensure their blood sugar levels are as steady as possible to lessen the odds of hyperactivity or irritability caused by hunger. Not only will this make travel easier and more comfortable for them, but also for you and fellow passengers.

Planning a road trip with the family? It all begins with preventative maintenance and seeing your mechanic regularly. Knowing you have a vehicle that’s safe and in top working order sets the mood for the entire vacation. In some circumstances, you may want to rent a vehicle instead of using your own. You know it’s well-maintained, and you don’t need to worry about keeping it pristine. You may be able to get more space with a bigger vehicle, options like a bike rack for truck bed, and the roadside service might be better than what you have with your own vehicle.

No matter what kind of trip you have coming up, here are some effective ways to make the journey more fun:

• Come up with travel games before you’re en route. These will change based on your children’s ages, but it’s a great opportunity to share some of your favorite old-fashioned games with them. Before we had the option to have screens everywhere we go, we got creative. From the license plate game to I-spy, the options are limitless. Model good behavior and put your own screens away. Have everyone agree to certain no-screen times during the trip (or the entire trip if you’re really committed).
• Have the car detailed and filled with gas the day before you leave. If you’re embarking on a road trip, you don’t want to delay the fun by cleaning and stopping at the gas station the day of the trip. Instead, take care of this task the day before so you can set off as soon as everything is packed up.
• Keep healthy snacks readily available. Part of traveling might be indulging in special treats along the way, but this can be expensive—and cause blood sugar swings. Instead, make sure you have treats and snacks everyone likes available, but featuring items that will help regular moods. Stay away from added sugars and caffeine. When you do stop, if you have kids that crave junk food, avoid stops where it’s readily available. Instead, research local restaurants ahead of time that offer kid-friendly, but healthy, items.
• Make sure everyone has adequate sleep the day before. When you’re excited about a trip, it can be tough to sleep. However, this will make for a miserable first day of travel. Natural sleep aids and good sleep hygiene the night before a trip is important for everyone.
• Give yourself some extra time. Whether it’s calculating how many miles you can log in a day or putting together an itinerary of attractions and destinations, traveling with the whole family always leads to some snags. Plan for these. Give yourself extra time, and when booking airline tickets make sure the connections aren’t too tight. A missed leg of a flight can ruin an entire trip, especially for children.

As you gear up for vacation season, remember that it’s just as important to plan for fun as it is logistics. You’re showing your children the best practices for vacation planning, and they’ll follow your example. Make it fun, be prepared, and encourage everyone to go with the flow when necessary.

By Trevor McDonald.