Traveling with toddlers to a vacation rental home
Thousands of families will pack up and head to vacation rental homes this month for Spring Break. For many of us, that means traveling long distances by car and/or airplane with a toddler.
As soon as we take off for our Disney Orlando vacation rental home, I know I’ll hear “are we there yet?” at least a dozen times, but I’m also sure that’s the only part of our travels that will be predictable. The rest, well, we just prepare and hope for the best!
Here are some of the things we’ve done to make our family travels to a vacation home go more smoothly:
- Contact the property manager to ask about referrals for a babysitting service and services that will rent and deliver cribs or pack ‘n plays, a high chair, diapers/wipes, etc. to the property.
- Pack lightly since vacation homes have washers and dryers!
- Wrap small, quiet toys individually to be handed out en-route as a special surprise—this is particularly good for unexpected delays.
- Fill a toddler carry-on with light books, the wrapped toys, crayons, a coloring book and an extra set of clothes in a re-sealable bag.
- Gate-check / have in the car an easy-to-fold stroller, which is immediately accessible, and doubles as a great way to get around the area surrounding our vacation home.
- Offer healthy snacks with low sugar to keep energy levels up, but craziness down.
- Encourage napping.
- Unwrap the toys, color, play ‘I Spy’ and other games, watch a DVD.
- Thank and tip those who provide extra help with luggage, cab hailing, etc.
- Stop at a local store to pick up food for family meals.
- Drive around a few streets to explore nearby kid-friendly places.
- Enter our private vacation rental home and relax!
With a little planning, the ‘getting there’ part of the trip with kids can sometimes be just another enjoyable part of your vacation.
Posted by: Karen on Thursday, March 6, 2008
Under: Family Vacation, Travel, Vacation Homes, Vacation Rentals.
Comments: 8
Comments
Comment from Cheap Hotels In Las Vegas
Time: March 12, 2008, 8:43 am
Vacation rentals can be great for families when you need to find a area for a toddler naps and not making everyone sit quiet in a hotel room. Having access to kitchen and laudry is a plus also. Vacation rentals can be found world wide at a great price and location.
Comment from Land For Sale In Blue Ridge Mountains
Time: March 13, 2008, 7:55 am
Many vacation rentals have cribs and play pens and high chairs available and that can be huge in packing. Just bring your stroller and clothes and toys. Some give you info on local parks that can be enjoyed by the entire family.
I like to have the child pack a small box to have in the car with all there choices of things to do. I got to Florida years driving straight thru with a toddler having a large bag of potato chips and soda and paper cups and cooler of ice on the front seat and kept handing them back as he wanted. For those inbetween meal snacks. I put his favorite comforter and pillow box of toys and we were good to go. Only ask me twice were we there yet and I think that was pretty good.
Vacation rentals are affordable, lots of room to stretch out and location in a community can make it a great alternative to stay in a luxury rental property.
Comment from Accommodation In Orlando
Time: March 14, 2008, 9:02 am
I don’t know about your kids but my sleep on long trips and that is good. Don’t forget to stop at picnic areas and let them run around and get rid of all the energy.
Having things they like to do available and a pillow does wonders and don’t forget thpse cd’s of there favorite music and consider a book on tape option. Everyone can listen to a story.
Comment from Real Estate In Melbourne FL
Time: March 17, 2008, 6:53 am
Have all the todlers favories in the vehicle is key but involving them is fun also. Prior to the trip have them assist with a making a map and include things you know you will see and have them help. They can get there map out and help with the navigating also. Cut out and paste on places. On the back paste things they might see and they can circle as they do.
Comment from Lake Mary Homes For Sale
Time: March 18, 2008, 6:49 am
These are the kind of trips you wish you bought those vehicles with the DVD screen and you can just play a movie.
I traveled long trips with my grandparents and we were always told if you want to come next year to behave yourself this year in the car and we did. You remember those days you could only open the vent window in the back seat and no ac. Kids have it so easy ac, dvd players, tinted windows we use to bake in the sun. There was nothing like a swing from the front seat to quiet a car for 100 miles or so.
Comment from Real Estate Web Designers
Time: March 19, 2008, 7:40 am
Traveling with a todler is easy they sleep, eat and play. It’s the 7 & 10 year old with the “he touch me” “no she touched me first” that wears on a parent when traveling. Thank goodness for MP3 players and those unique moments that you catch your children having a good time but will totally denie it.
Vacation rentals can be a great way for families to spend time together exploring a new area and a home to relax in at night.
Comment from North Georgia Land For Sale
Time: March 21, 2008, 9:01 am
I have traveled by plane with a toddler and found the steward and stewardess very helpful. When I got on board usually within minutes they offer to move me to bulkhead seats that offer more leg room ad ability to put child on floor and stand. They have brought many things from wings like the captains to stickers on strings hung from the ceiling to amuze the child. They have brought miniture ice cream cones for them on take off to get them to swallow. I always felt they were there to assist and make it easier and a couple times were moved to first class also and my parents as well as we were traveling together.
Prepare by bringing things to entertan and food and blankets and the roar of the plane actually luls them to sleep. I have traveled with a 4 month old on up and basically no problem. Even people around us complimented on how well the baby and todddler was and is always a center of amusment for those sitting around us.
Comment from Melbourne Florida Real Estate
Time: March 22, 2008, 8:59 am
Sometimes buying a new toy and opening it when starting on the trip will entertain them for hours. I like the tapes on children books for the ride as well works with my kids when they were little.
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