July 18, 2024

The latest in news, tips, and trends about family travel:

How “gramping” gives you and your kids a vacation — no actual camping required. 

What doctors do to keep their kids healthy on vacation — including which meds they bring on every trip. 

Your TSA rights as a breastfeeding parent. Bookmark or pass this link to a friend for their next flight.

Sunscreen 101: How it affects your vitamin D intake, which ingredients to look for, and what amount to actually use. 

The ways families are making travel accessible to their kids with disabilities — including autism. Making core memories. 

PS: Add these expert-ranked US-family vacation destinations to your travel list. 

Last week, we asked you to vote on a question to answer. The winner was:

I’ve never flown solo with my kids before. How do I prepare?

FEATURED EXPERT:

Wonnie Baik

Founder, Nara Travel Design

“Traveling with kids … can be a very stressful experience — from the physical reality of dealing with extra luggage to the mental energy it takes to make sure you have everything you need (formula, favorite blanket, pacifier) before you board,” says Baik.

Here’s how to make things easier:

• Include your kids and prep them. Whether it’s a grocery run to pick out their snacks or letting them choose which shows to download, involving your kids can help you travel with less friction, says Baik. Plus, she recommends informing them on "what to expect." "Kids love routine. Walking them through what to expect at the airport will make the overall experience more familiar," says Baik.

• Stock up on activities. Choose a handful of activities to bring onto the flight, like a fun book on the destination or a new toy (Baik’s 4-year-old son loves this puzzle game.) Depending on their ages, this can help keep one child busy while you tend to the other — or keep them both occupied simultaneously.

• Consider global entry if you’re flying internationally. “One of the first things I did once my little one was born was to apply for a passport [and] global entry. With a kid, every minute counts, and anything I could do to shorten that time window of waiting in line — I was sold,” says Baik.

We have thoughts. This week, we ranked our thoughts on parenting travel hacks, from 0–10. No science, just snark.

Hard pass

1/10: Snackle boxes give aesthetic vibes, not practical ones. We know exactly who’ll be dealing with the inevitable tantrum when their favorite snack runs out. 🙋‍♀️

2/10: Packing clothes in a shoe organizer sounds great in theory, but planning every outfit ahead of time, for every kid, feels like it’s adding more to our to-do lists. Regular packing is bad enough.

Ehh

6/10: Baby powder as sand remover. We love this easy way to get sand off kids’ bodies — but are we trading one mess for another? Probably.

More of this

8/10: Sticking your valuables in a clean diaper so no one steals them at the beach is a seriously solid tactic. Potty training who?

10/10: This ice pop hack lets you bring the frozen treat to the beach or playground without the melty mess. New parenting level unlocked.

Hot Take: Kid-sized Luggage is Unexpectedly Helpful

Before becoming parents, if you had asked us if luggage made for kids was worth it, we would have replied with a collective no. But, as with most declarations made PK (that’s pre-kids), we’re here to eat our words because, it turns out, it's actually made our lives easier.

"The Olli Ella See-Ya Suitcase has made my 6-year-old daughter more responsible. Whether she’s sleeping at my parents' house or we’re going away for the weekend, she’ll take it upon herself to pack clothes, toys, and books. Plus, it’s durable  — we’ve had ours about three years — and comes in many colors," says theSkimm’s Staff Writer Marisa Iallonardo. 

State’s Mini Logan Carry-On Suitcase is a second option we love. theSkimm's Editorial Director Karell Roxas says, "It was the perfect size for my independent-minded 4-year-old. He could roll it around the airport by himself, which saved us from many 'I do it myself' arguments." The front pocket is great for storing art supplies and the side strap is perfect for a fave stuffy.