Vacationing with kids can be a challenge. Younger children appreciate routine: while they may be eager to explore in the safety of their own backyards, the unfamiliarity of a hotel room can be intimidating. Ensure that your vacation is fun for the whole family and have a look at these tips for getting your traveling tykes to relax as much as possible.

Provide friendly distractions. Sure, a new coloring book can keep kids occupied for a while, but don’t underestimate the value of preexisting items, such as favorite movies, or even family photos and videos. Children love being the stars of the show and can kill hours sifting through pictures and videos featuring themselves on your iPod or iPhone. It won’t be long before they completely forget that they’ve been uprooted.

Don’t forget “Blanky” or “Teddy.” If your child can’t sleep at home without his favorite blanket or stuffed animal, just think of how impossible it will be for him to drift off in a new place. Bringing a few items from a child’s room can provide some friendly scenery and offer an otherwise scary place a sense of warmth and familiarity. Don’t forget to use routines from home to your advantage. When unpacking, help your child put items away as if you were back home. Read him his favorite bedtime story. Stick to familiar schedules as closely as possible.

Shed some light. Make sure that there are two functional lights in the room at night: one in the bathroom, and one in the bedroom. Pack nightlights, chemical light sticks or flashlights so that if your child has to use the bathroom at night, she won’t need to fumble through foreign territory to find her way.

Make sure there’s enough room for everyone to sleep comfortably. All too often, parents try to save a few dollars by booking a room without enough beds to satisfy everyone. After going through the effort to make the room itself as welcoming as possible, don’t deny both yourself and your children a good night’s sleep by cramming more than two people into a bed or trying to force siblings that bicker habitually to share a blanket.

Avoid the street racket. A hotel room is disturbing enough; adding the chorus of noise from the street out front is unnecessary, if you can avoid it. Flashing headlights and passing engines can be enough to keep your child, and therefore you up all night, which can only take away from all the fun everyone should be having during the day. Leave the sleepless nights for another occasion, and request a room toward the back of the hotel and away from the din. The view may be less attractive, but it’s more than worth the good night’s sleep.

Not every aspect of a vacation is controllable, and when children are in tow, there’s no telling what can go wrong. However, some things are more easily leveraged than others, such as the conditions under which the whole family can enjoy a restful evening together while away from home. Keep the above tips in mind when you take off on your next getaway, and happy travels!

August 11th, 2009