Planning a family vacation? Here’s some tips for how to Relax on Vacation with kids!
As a mom of 4, I know how important it is to be able to unwind on vacation and avoid unnecessary stress.
Today, I’m sharing my best tips that I’ve learned over the years to help ease the stress of vacationing with children!
1) Planning is Everything
Have a general idea of what you want to do each day. If you can minimize decision making on the trip, this will help ease stress levels.
It’s important to make a packing list, so that you have everything you need on the trip. This will help you reduce trips to the store when you could be relaxing or having fun.
You can find a Road trip packing list here and a Disney Packing list here.
Pack the kids’ outfits in order. I fold the shirt and shorts together and then make stacks inside their suitcase of pajama set, outfit set, pajama set, outfit set, etc. This helps my older children to dress themselves and it helps my husband to be able to help dress the little ones. I keep each child’s underwear and socks in large Ziploc bags to keep them organized and accessible.
Make sure to pack snacks and small toys for the car ride/airplane ride. This can make all the difference between a happy traveler and a cranky kid.
2) Plan for Easy Travel
Make the trip as easy as possible on your family. Do what makes the most sense for your family’s schedule.
That might mean avoiding red eye flights or deciding to drive through the night.
Make it easy on yourself.
Our family tends to be early risers, so we are not fans of pulling an overnighter to drive through the night. We stick to our strengths and this makes travel easier.
3) Take Travel Breaks
Plan ahead and take a travel break. Try to plan a fun lunch break or perhaps a fun stop along the way.
It breaks up the trip and everyone can enjoy some time out of the car, stretching their legs.
You might like to work in a trip to a park, splash pad, children’s museum, or a restaurant with a play space.
4) Not Everything is a Family Activity
I used to think that when we were on “Family vacation” we had to do everything together….or that if we split up that I would be missing out on making memories.
Sometimes splitting the group is the best thing for everyone. There’s been many Disney trips that my husband and I will split our group.
Older kids will go to ride on the more adventurous rides while the little ones go back to the hotel to take a nap.
And let me tell you, I thought I would be missing out by leaving the theme park for nap time….but I was wrong. It was so refreshing to take a break and chill while my little ones were napping.
Other times, I have stayed late in the park to watch fireworks and do a few more rides with my oldest child. It was fun to have one on one time with her and build memories of our own!
5) Plan a Break for Mom
My husband often plans a break for me, which is SO needed.
Sometimes he will take the kids to the hotel pool while I hang back in the room and relax. Other times, I go shopping for a couple of hours.
When you have little ones, it’s nice to have some time away to enjoy the quiet!
I even like to stay back in the hotel room to have a little more time to get ready in the morning while he takes the kids to the continental breakfast.
Little breaks like this make a huge difference in how the rest of the trip goes.
6) Splurge on Comforts that Matter
If you have the funds, be sure to splurge on the things that will have a big impact on your trip.
Book a suite or two connecting rooms at your hotel. That way, the kids can go to bed while you and your husband can have a bit of time to yourselves, or at the very least be able to have the lights on a little longer!
If you’re flying, spend that extra cash and get the baby his/her own seat.
Splurge on the overpriced water to avoid dehydration or a frosty treat to help everyone cool down.
Splurge on the Lightning Lanes at Disney to help you get the most out of your time in the parks.
My point is, if you have the funds, use them wisely on things that will directly affect your day and ease your stress levels.
7) Be Flexible
Expectations can run high with vacations. Go into it knowing that things probably won’t go according to the plan perfectly.
Be ready to flex your plans when necessary.
Sometimes this means leaving a museum or theme park earlier than you planned.
Other times it might mean skipping the lunch plans you hoped for in order to calm the hungry, tired kids.
Being flexible means enjoying the little things and being grateful for the moments that do go smoothly.
I hope these tips and ideas are helpful to you in planning a relaxing vacation with children. If you have any tips to share with others, feel free to leave those in the comments section below!
More Travel Tips
If you’re planning a family vacation, be sure to check out our other articles!
You can find a free Road Trip Packing List here. Everything you need to pack for a successful family trip.
There’s a big list of Gluten Free Travel Snack Ideas here. Tons of awesome ideas for snacks on the go!
Learn all about Going to the Grand Canyon with Kids here. We share our best tips for what to expect and what to do!
Wondering if your child is ready for Disney? Here’s what we believe is the Best Age for Disney World.
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