Top 3 Things To Pack When Travelling With Kids

December 21, 2006· Filed under Family, Holidays, Organizing, Parenting, Travel

Over the years we have done our fair share of travelling with our three kids. It is always a challenge to get everything packed and organized before you go, but the following three tips are a MUST for me.

Gallon Zip-top Bags - This is my #1 tip and one that has made the difference between sanity and insanity when travelling with my crew. I place each outfit, complete with socks, undies, and accessories in a separate zip top bag and label it with the child’s name. I make a separate bag with jammies and spares. Each bag is rolled slightly to remove excess air and then sealed. ADVANTAGES: The bags take up less space than the loose clothes; the outfits are ready to grab and go (helpful for Daddies, Grandparents and other helpers); and you have a container to put wet, soiled or stinky items in while you are at your destination.

Laundry Basket - If you are travelling by car, place a plastic laundry basket in the back to hold the smaller, loose items you are taking like shoes, back packs, portable electronics, gifts, etc. ADVANTAGES: It makes it easier to transport these items in and out of the car and you have somewhere to put your dirty laundry while at your destination.

Emergency Bag - A few years back someone gave me a red Clinique make up bag that is about 6″x9″. It is flat when empty and has a zipper top. I keep this bag with me just about anywhere we go and the kids know it is the emergency bag. In this bag I keep bandaids, travel pack of wipes, flat packs of chewable children’s pain reliever, the Triaminic cold/cough strips, my daughter’s Lactaid tablets, hand sanitizer, antiseptic wipes, a comb, a few ponytails, tissues, and a few mommy essentials. ADVANTAGES: Red equals emergency and I have trained my kids to know what and where this bag is at all times. You just never know when you may need these things!

As we enter this holiday travel week, please stay safe! And, if you have a tip for travelling with kids, share it with us.

From our sponsor: You might want to also consider bring along some activities for kids as well. You will find resources on riddles and brain teasers, arts and crafts or puzzles and coloring pages at Learninghaven.com.

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Friday Travels - Family Reunion in Ireland

October 6, 2006· Filed under Family, Travel

In September, my mother’s side of the family met in Cork, Ireland to help my Grandparents celebrate their 60th Wedding Anniversary. Our family is spread out all over the world, so this was a once in a lifetime opportunity to get everyone together. We had perfect attendance for four generations!

We stayed at Oysterhaven Centre, a sailing, windsurfing and recreation center, that has self-catering cottages that make travelling with 3 kids a snap. Each cottage sleeps 7 easily. There is a large courtyard and grassy lawn area joining the cottages, which made it very easy for everyone to get caught up on the years while the kids all played.

Each family took their own unique day trips to destinations like Blarney Castle, Fota Animal Park, The Jameson Distillery, Kinsale, Clonakilty, Garrettstown Beach, Cobh, and more. In the evening we all got together for dinner and more social time.

On the Sunday, Oysterhaven helped us host a reception for my Grandparents in their stunning garden courtyard. It was wonderful! We had about 100 people from all over come help us celebrate. My mom took my Grandparent’s wedding photo down to the florist and had them recreate the bouquet - what a nice touch. The cake was a traditional English wedding cake - fruit cake with royal icing, and the caterer had prepared a variety of other yummy treats for us to snack on all day.

I absolutely love the southern coast of Ireland and look forward to going back again. Stay tuned for future Friday posts as I will share more pictures from the Ireland trip and other cool places we have been.

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