I’ve always been a list-maker, but having kids kicked that up to a whole new level, especially when we travel. From the very first trip we took with Tommy when he was six weeks old, I made very careful lists in of exactly what we needed to bring – bottles and blankets and binkies and nightlights and extra diapers. My diaper bag was a black backpack that was great for traveling and from our very first trip it was always my job to plan and execute all of the packing (Matt’s job has always been to make what I pack fit in our little car). I prided myself on how well-organized it was and on how I always had a clean change of clothes, wipes, extra sippy cups, and lots of books and toys in its well-stocked compartments.
I definitely still endorse list making and careful packing as a tactic when you travel with kids, especially babies and toddlers who require a lot of gear, and especially if you’re going away for a long time. When I was packing for our trip to Arizona this week I made a quick list to ensure that we didn’t forget Teddy’s nebulizer, meds, and all-important Lovey Bear.
But I realized something important on this trip. My boys are now 4 and almost 7, old enough to know what they’d like to read and play with and what things might be most critical to amuse them on the plane. So they packed their own backpacks. The Easter Bunny may have magically provided some perfect new toys and travel games that gave them great ideas, but each of them came up with their own critical items like extra chapter books about Ben Franklin and a collection of small plastic dinosaurs.
The title of this post may be a bit misleading, because I’m not actually advocating that the kids get the final say about everything that goes into the suitcase. And obviously it only applies for those of you who have kids like mine who are past the toddler stage. But involving your children in the packing process not only helps get them excited for the trip, it gives them some ownership and makes them willing and eager to carry some of the load when you are schlepping through the airport.
And it’s also a way to give your children some independence and control over their own experience – and begins setting the stage for when they can actually pack (and even take trips) on their own. You’d be surprised what your kids are capable of. Maybe next time we’re traveling I’ll teach Tommy the virtues of writing a pre-packing list.
Monday dreaming will return next week at it usually scheduled time. And I probably won’t do much live blogging on this trip – I plan to just relax a little and enjoy my vacation. I’ve got other posts scheduled throughout the week though, so please come back. And I will definitely be sharing the whole scoop on Arizona when we return.
Comments
4 Responses to “Travel tip: Let the kids pack”
Got something to say?
Subscribe
RSS Connect with Mara
I also hang out at
Just recently my husband suggested that when go on a weekend away in the near future, that the kids should pack their own bags. (Our kids are similar ages to yours). My first thought was that our youngest will end up freezing the whole weekend!
Thinking more though, getting them to pack their own entertainment-y sorts of things – books, toys, soft toys etc – is a great idea.
BUT, I reserve the final say about the clothing though! I just can’t imagine my four year old suddenly realising that underwear is not optional – I really doubt that she’d think to include underpants…
Enjoying Travel with Kids’s last blog post..Favourite places we’ve visited: The Alhambra, Granada, Spain.
I still pack Jess’s clothes, but she’s packed her backpack of toys the last two times we travelled – one trip to Far North Queensland, the other to country Victoria. Seriously, it’s the only way to make sure that she gets exactly what she wants in the essential toy/entertainment area. Silly parents, we always bring something she doesn’t want, and leave something vital behind!
Have a lovely trip to AZ, my friend!
I let my kids pack their own things for most trips. They each get one small case (laptop-size) for toys or books, and I make lists for their clothes: 3 short-sleeve shirts, 3 pairs of pants, 3 underwear, 3 socks, 1 pajamas, etc.
Of course, I don’t worry much about their outfit combos, but when they choose what to pack, they don’t complain about what it is they have to wear.
Linda’s last blog post..Utz Factory Tour in Hanover, Pennsylvania
From a very early age (like 3 or 4), my husband and I told the kids, “Okay, go pack your suitcase!” whenever we would go on a trip. They knew where to find their suitcases, and they felt very “big” and capable whenever they were charged with this job.
When they thought they were done, they would come tell us (lots of coaching was needed at first, for this!), and we’d go through the checklist with them. “Did you pack underwear?” we’d ask. They’d look, find it (or not), and reply. “How many?” (Counting was needed for this response; at first we’d count them out for them). Gradually we’d make it through the list.
It took what seemed like FO-O-O-O-R-R-R-E-E-E-V-V-V-ER to go through the darn list, the first dozen times or so. But by the time they were six or seven, they already were extremely competent packers. We’d still go through the list, but it was a much faster process.
By the time they were in their early teens, no checking was ever necessary. They were seasoned veterans. When they were in high school, they were the awe of many classmates, who’d never done the job for themselves before. They even figured out space-saver techniques WE hadn’t thought of, and taught us!
I’m not kidding–my son went over to his best friend’s house to help him pack for his first semester of college, because the young man didn’t know how to pack his own suitcase!
The two things our kids have thanked us for most often, since they reached young adulthood are (1) not getting a divorce (not that we considered it), and (2) teaching them to pack their own suitcases! I can’t recommend it highly enough!