Summer Travel and Transport
Now that summer is here, we are on the go even more than usual...
Let’s talk about traveling with kids… I know I know, it can be a serious headache, right? At least once every trip I say to Scott, "what were we thinking?!" But at least twenty times every trip I sit back and watch the memories we make and relish in those moments. Traveling in our stage is HARD, but nothing stops us from getting our kids out, and spending time in new places as a family. With that being said, I have found that the more prepared I am, the smoother the drive/airplane rides go. So I am just going to list five tips for traveling and the best travel (as well as at-home) stroller that have helped me and my family!
Have a new toy/trinket for each hour of traveling. Hello dollar store!! nothing fancy or pricey. Just something to fidget with that they have never seen or played with before. It may seem excessive but it has SAVED my life (and theirs) on a few air plane rides. Also, these are reusable and not a bad price. My kids love them.
Have a new snack for each hour of traveling. Bring on the junk food when in route! We eat healthy at home but when we are on the road, new treats and snacks are part of fun. The kids get excited and it buys me some peace and quiet time.
Have a small back-pack or sack for each kid. Give them ownership over their things. Scarlett and even Welles feel proud to carry their own bags. I still keep Ames' stuff in my bag (inside its own pouch for organization). But letting the bigger ones tote their goods around eases my load and gives them some responsibility and that's exciting to them.
Books Books books. Again, new books are best. Run to the library and check-out some new books your kids haven't read before. I get soft books that are light weight for backpacks. These are also a good option for travel. They're lightweight and classic. I love a good classic kids book.
Movies and coloring books! Don't lecture yourself on "screen time" when you're on the road. Just download some new viewing material that your kids will stay entertained with. For Scar, anything with princesses is an easy win. For my boys, all music shows work best! We don't own a million tablets, so they usually have to take turns. We do have headphones which are great on planes. When we are in the car we use the DVD player our van has and keep the tablets charged for hotel use (different bedtimes = Scarlett watching a movie with headphones to keep her quiet). This is a good option if you don't own a tablet or don't want your kids to use yours;)!
Now, one of the most IMPORTANT parts of travel... strollers! I get questions about this ALL THE TIME. They can be the biggest help, or the biggest pain! Since Scarlett was born, I have tried multiple strollers. And while I've liked each of them, for different reasons, there were always things I wished they had. I recently tried the Evenflo double stroller and am in love with it. It has so many features that make my life so much easier while I am out and about with three kiddos! Especially when we are on the road and need something light weight (LEAVE the heavy/million-pieces-stroller at home)!
First off, it’s a double stroller. This is a must for our family. This way I can strap in two kids and Scarlett can walk next to me. We do not have to chase kids around and Scott and I don't have to worry about pushing two strollers everywhere we go!
Also, It’s lightweight! Who doesn’t love a lightweight stroller? I need to be able to lift and pack that thing up in my car or in an airport terminal, and this one is a breeze to handle. It was such a pain having to gate check big bulky strollers that have a lot of pieces, and then pick them up and put them back together when I got off the plane….while also keeping track of three children!
It runs smoothly. This is such a nice feature for when we go to amusement parks like Disneyland because it allows me to maneuver through crowds without feeling like I just ran a half marathon!
The seats recline, priceless, right? Stroller nap-time? Yes, please. Also, storage underneath. That is something I can't live without. Room for diapers, a bag, snacks, etc...
Lastly, I love the side by side seats. My kiddos can get in and out by themselves, and I don't have to pick them up and take them out constantly. Also, they like to entertain each other from the next seat over!
So basically if you have been looking for a great double stroller, for home as well as on-the-road, Evenflo has you covered!
Thank you to Evenflo for kindly sponsoring this post. All opinions are 100% honest & completely my own.
