First 5 Nevada County’s Blog

posted by Tulum Dothee

If you plan on traveling somewhere this summer with young children, keep in mind the following…

• Young children can only sit for a couple hours at a time.  Break up your drive with lots of stops.  Running on the lawn at a rest stop will improve everyone’s mood.
• Have each child pack and carry a backpack with activities and  protein snacks.   Snack every two hours to keep spirits up.
• Pack additional surprise snacks and items to get you through tricky moments.
• Listen to books on tape appropriate for the entire family.
• Plan car trips during sleep/nap time.  
• If you have to fly, plan the flight for the morning when your child is rested.  Avoid traveling during the “witching hours” right before dinner.
• Play “What will we do when……” games while on the road.  The role play will give your children valuable skills on how to act in public. 

Once at your destination:

• Balance your together time.  Schedule some outings for everyone and some for only the immediate family to give everyone a break. 
• Help your children stay grounded  by connecting every hour to read a book or play a simple game.  
• If visiting friends or family let them know ahead of time that you will be leaving the gathering when the children have had enough. 
• Chat after a gathering to share feelings, thoughts and experiences.
• Limit your visit to two to three days.

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