Traveling
with kids is so much fun, and so tiring. It can be a real chore when you take young kids anywhere, but on an extended holiday, it can sometimes get rather cramped, cranky and frustrating for everyone.
I've always packed extras for the kids so when we travel, it is not so awkward and boring... then again, we live 6 hours driving time away from just about anything...So when we take any roadtrip, it is an extended roadtrip. My motto... always be prepared!
There is always some mishap that will cause tears from either one of the kids or myself... and having extra food, clothing or patience is a must. One of the kids will always have a snotty nose, uneasy stomach, headache, loss of bowel control, or all of the above. That's OK. Got you covered... Skinned knees, no problem... puking all over the car... yea... gag... I got it... gagging a bit more... it's ok.
When we travel, I want comfort, I am not usually really picky about how my kids dress... OK, I lie, when my daughter was young, I kept her frilly and neat and tidy, but when we traveled, I let up a bit. Shorts in the car is pretty necessary since we live where it is hot in the Summer and Winter can get pretty warm...there is no Spring or Fall. I always keep blankets in the car, for when the air conditioner is running cold... and I learned from my dad that you take water no matter what time of the year. You can't imagine how many times over the years that has been a lifesaver.
My list for the car:
Baby Wipes-they can be cheap or homemade.
Gallon Water-in the Summer, maybe two gallons.
Tissues- a cute little packet for each person in the car.
Umbrella
Sun hats- never leave home without a hat!
Sun screen- ditto about the hats...
Bug repellant- especially if you will be in nature.
First Aid Kit- laugh if you want, but it has come in very, very handy even on short trips.
Flashlight- either the wind up kind or keep extra batteries.
Fold up multitool... just in case! I have needed each tool once.
Blankets (those little airline blankets are wonderful and roll up to put in a baggie)
Pillows (the blow up type, same as the blankets... you deflate and roll up and stuff in a baggie)
Assorted car games, including magnetic chess/checkers, Road Bingo, Travel Trivia
Crayons/ Artist pad
Change of clothing-including socks ( I roll up tight and stow in a baggie under the seat)
Comfy shoes-- even if it is hot, mostly when it is hot, a good, comfortable pair of shoes is a must!!!
Snacks-- Fruit roll ups, granola bars, carrot sticks, Mandarin orange slices,Slim Jims.
Books-- Nothing fancy, nothing expensive, nothing old... just good, age appropriate books. My kids love tour books.
One subject notebooks for each kid-- for a journal of their travels.
Pens/pencils/colored pencils & if I am living dangerously... washable markers
Bikes---- I know, this is for trips that a bike is appropriate, but aren't they all?
Most of this can be stowed in a plastic tub that fits neatly in the center, between the car seats. Rectangle tubs at Dollar Store are great!
Now, I know that normally, we won't need even half of that stuff... but it is always handy to have it when you need it, and sad when you need it and you didn't pack it.
My family has always laughed at me for carrying baby wipes... but they have always been the best thing that I keep. One of my nieces who is not that much younger than me came up to me when she had kids of her own, and told me that she understood finally why I kept a supply in the car... There is always, ALWAYS something spilled in the car. Even with sippy cups and tight fitting lids, the
re is always going to be a spill, a spit-up, some sort of bodily function when you least expect it... and it is a good idea to keep a package handy to wipe up, I still use them if I am caught out and feel like my hands are dirty. All my kid are older now, but there are still messes to deal with... and those pesky bodily functions never cease to surprise you.
So, why the water?
We live in the desert... which should be a good reason, but when my dad kept water in the car, it was for a totally different reason. One... you never know when you will be caught out in the middle of nowhere for hours. Even in this day of instant communication, there is still the chance of being stuck in traffic, stuck in a storm, stuck with a flat, what ever the reason, it is always handy to have water. I have had radiator problems, break overheating, kids puking more than baby wipes can handle... believe me, especially in the Summer, water is the best bet. Even in Winter, that little bit of weight in your trunk can help when it is slippery out there. I would include a bag of sand if I was living anywhere that got snow... or traveled where there is snow.
People have always teased me about the snacks as well... we're just going a short distance... then we had a blowout, hungry kids, crying ensued, and keeping a bag of snacks is always appropriate. The other stuff is just fluff.
No, I take that back... the sunscreen is amazing, so is the bug repellant, ask my ex about
changing tires, or fixing anything wrong on the side of the road... chiggers, mosquitoes, those no-see-ums that bite you, all that scratching can ruin a trip. My favorite is this natural bug repellant, that is totally 100% natural, and it is mild so I don't mind using it on the kiddos... and it even smells nice. Made by the Super Salve Company. Actually, they have a whole line of salves and balms that are soothing and natural... no, I'm not paid to say that, they are that good!
A LED flashlight is always wonderful to have when you breakdown, or get lost... or both. Nightfall comes late to our part of the country, it is flat, devoid of trees and you can see for miles and miles, but when that sun drops... it is awfully dark out there. A flashlight can mean finding that lugnut, or your keys that you dropped when walking around the car. It can also be a wonderful tool for kids to use when they cover their heads with the blanket and tell ghost stories! .... I mean... while they are reading their nice books... Usually a spare bunch of batteries accompanies the flashlight.
An important item... Books! You can read on a Kindle or Ipad, but who wants to when you can touch a book? A real, live book. I don't take expensive or really old books when I travel, but I do take something for the kids to read. While my son was at camp recently, I sent a small book on the Constitution for him to read. I told him he was to read a page a day... which was hopeful thinking, but he did read a lot of it.
This is a time when you have a captive audience. Sing... tell jokes... act silly. I try to find a new CD that has either songs in a different language, or that has kid specific songs, stories or...sometimes I slip in the odd Foreigner or Boston album to break up the monotony. The kids grow up all too soon and when you lose them to video games and Youtube... it is about over with! Take the time to enjoy the trips in the car with your kids.. or on a plane, for the most part, the travel is the same, though singing at the top of your lungs is discouraged on airplanes... but those silly jokes are ok, and t
he ghost stories ( Just make sure everyone understands that there is to be no screaming!!!) But you can have just as much fun on an airplane as you can in the car.
Yeah... screaming on a plane isn't the greatest way to make it through a flight.
So maybe the ghost stories are left for when you arrive at your destination... but books are the greatest time spent while flying.
I have also kept journals for the kids to use when we are traveling. Each day I tell them to spend 10 minutes writing about what we did ... drawing a picture of somewhere we went, and you know, that usually turns into 30 minutes or more. They really enjoy finding leaves to press in the pages, or seeing who can draw a building to look realistic... or an animal that they saw.
Yes, expect tears, frustration and yes, sometimes agony... but it is fun! Don't forget that... it is fun to see the expression on your child's face when they see something for the first time... like looking off the top of Pike's Peak... or looking down into the crater of a volcano, or seeing a deer up close, or when they bike down a really steep hill and DON'T fall down!
It's worth it... hop in the car and drive as far as your money and/or time will allow. See what you can find around the next bend, over the next hill... and teach your kids to love the art of traveling.
O beautiful, for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America! God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood, from sea to shining sea.
O beautiful, for pilgrim feet
Whose stern, impassioned stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America! God mend thine ev'ry flaw;
Confirm thy soul in self control, thy liberty in law!
O beautiful, for heroes proved
In liberating strife,
Who more than self their country loved
And mercy more than life!
America! America! May God thy gold refine,
Till all success be nobleness, and ev'ry gain divine!
O beautiful, for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years,
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America! God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood, from sea to shining sea!
 |
| Not us... would be too easy! |
I've always packed extras for the kids so when we travel, it is not so awkward and boring... then again, we live 6 hours driving time away from just about anything...So when we take any roadtrip, it is an extended roadtrip. My motto... always be prepared!
 |
| Recent trip |
When we travel, I want comfort, I am not usually really picky about how my kids dress... OK, I lie, when my daughter was young, I kept her frilly and neat and tidy, but when we traveled, I let up a bit. Shorts in the car is pretty necessary since we live where it is hot in the Summer and Winter can get pretty warm...there is no Spring or Fall. I always keep blankets in the car, for when the air conditioner is running cold... and I learned from my dad that you take water no matter what time of the year. You can't imagine how many times over the years that has been a lifesaver.
My list for the car:
Baby Wipes-they can be cheap or homemade.
Gallon Water-in the Summer, maybe two gallons.
Tissues- a cute little packet for each person in the car.
 |
| All in a plastic tub! |
Sun hats- never leave home without a hat!
Sun screen- ditto about the hats...
Bug repellant- especially if you will be in nature.
First Aid Kit- laugh if you want, but it has come in very, very handy even on short trips.
Flashlight- either the wind up kind or keep extra batteries.
Fold up multitool... just in case! I have needed each tool once.
Blankets (those little airline blankets are wonderful and roll up to put in a baggie)
Pillows (the blow up type, same as the blankets... you deflate and roll up and stuff in a baggie)
Assorted car games, including magnetic chess/checkers, Road Bingo, Travel Trivia
Crayons/ Artist pad
Change of clothing-including socks ( I roll up tight and stow in a baggie under the seat)
Comfy shoes-- even if it is hot, mostly when it is hot, a good, comfortable pair of shoes is a must!!!
Snacks-- Fruit roll ups, granola bars, carrot sticks, Mandarin orange slices,Slim Jims.
Books-- Nothing fancy, nothing expensive, nothing old... just good, age appropriate books. My kids love tour books.
One subject notebooks for each kid-- for a journal of their travels.
Pens/pencils/colored pencils & if I am living dangerously... washable markers
Bikes---- I know, this is for trips that a bike is appropriate, but aren't they all?
Most of this can be stowed in a plastic tub that fits neatly in the center, between the car seats. Rectangle tubs at Dollar Store are great!
 |
| comfy shoes! |
My family has always laughed at me for carrying baby wipes... but they have always been the best thing that I keep. One of my nieces who is not that much younger than me came up to me when she had kids of her own, and told me that she understood finally why I kept a supply in the car... There is always, ALWAYS something spilled in the car. Even with sippy cups and tight fitting lids, the
 |
| Personal hand sanitizer |
So, why the water?
We live in the desert... which should be a good reason, but when my dad kept water in the car, it was for a totally different reason. One... you never know when you will be caught out in the middle of nowhere for hours. Even in this day of instant communication, there is still the chance of being stuck in traffic, stuck in a storm, stuck with a flat, what ever the reason, it is always handy to have water. I have had radiator problems, break overheating, kids puking more than baby wipes can handle... believe me, especially in the Summer, water is the best bet. Even in Winter, that little bit of weight in your trunk can help when it is slippery out there. I would include a bag of sand if I was living anywhere that got snow... or traveled where there is snow.
 |
| snacks! less sugar is better |
People have always teased me about the snacks as well... we're just going a short distance... then we had a blowout, hungry kids, crying ensued, and keeping a bag of snacks is always appropriate. The other stuff is just fluff.
No, I take that back... the sunscreen is amazing, so is the bug repellant, ask my ex aboutchanging tires, or fixing anything wrong on the side of the road... chiggers, mosquitoes, those no-see-ums that bite you, all that scratching can ruin a trip. My favorite is this natural bug repellant, that is totally 100% natural, and it is mild so I don't mind using it on the kiddos... and it even smells nice. Made by the Super Salve Company. Actually, they have a whole line of salves and balms that are soothing and natural... no, I'm not paid to say that, they are that good!
A LED flashlight is always wonderful to have when you breakdown, or get lost... or both. Nightfall comes late to our part of the country, it is flat, devoid of trees and you can see for miles and miles, but when that sun drops... it is awfully dark out there. A flashlight can mean finding that lugnut, or your keys that you dropped when walking around the car. It can also be a wonderful tool for kids to use when they cover their heads with the blanket and tell ghost stories! .... I mean... while they are reading their nice books... Usually a spare bunch of batteries accompanies the flashlight.
 |
| small books, interesting topics |
This is a time when you have a captive audience. Sing... tell jokes... act silly. I try to find a new CD that has either songs in a different language, or that has kid specific songs, stories or...sometimes I slip in the odd Foreigner or Boston album to break up the monotony. The kids grow up all too soon and when you lose them to video games and Youtube... it is about over with! Take the time to enjoy the trips in the car with your kids.. or on a plane, for the most part, the travel is the same, though singing at the top of your lungs is discouraged on airplanes... but those silly jokes are ok, and t
 |
| Good music, time to add new stuff |
Yeah... screaming on a plane isn't the greatest way to make it through a flight.
So maybe the ghost stories are left for when you arrive at your destination... but books are the greatest time spent while flying.
I have also kept journals for the kids to use when we are traveling. Each day I tell them to spend 10 minutes writing about what we did ... drawing a picture of somewhere we went, and you know, that usually turns into 30 minutes or more. They really enjoy finding leaves to press in the pages, or seeing who can draw a building to look realistic... or an animal that they saw.
Yes, expect tears, frustration and yes, sometimes agony... but it is fun! Don't forget that... it is fun to see the expression on your child's face when they see something for the first time... like looking off the top of Pike's Peak... or looking down into the crater of a volcano, or seeing a deer up close, or when they bike down a really steep hill and DON'T fall down!
It's worth it... hop in the car and drive as far as your money and/or time will allow. See what you can find around the next bend, over the next hill... and teach your kids to love the art of traveling.
 |
| San Isabel National Forest |
 |
| Garden of the Gods |
 |
| Royal Gorge Railroad and the Arkansas River |
 |
| snaky road up to Pikes Peak |
 |
| Monument to Katharine Lee Bates and the Song, America the Beautiful |
Lyrics to America the Beautiful
~~~By Katharine Lee BatesO beautiful, for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America! God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood, from sea to shining sea.
O beautiful, for pilgrim feet
Whose stern, impassioned stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America! God mend thine ev'ry flaw;
Confirm thy soul in self control, thy liberty in law!
O beautiful, for heroes proved
In liberating strife,
Who more than self their country loved
And mercy more than life!
America! America! May God thy gold refine,
Till all success be nobleness, and ev'ry gain divine!
O beautiful, for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years,
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America! God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood, from sea to shining sea!
 |
| Looking down on Pikes Peak cog railroad and the snow and fog |
 |
| Pikes Peak visitors center on the top of the peak |
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| Pikes Peak Cog Railroad in the fog at the top |
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| Middle of July and there is an abundance of snow, people stop and write in it! |
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