Vacationing with Young Kids

By: Alexandra Murtaugh

Next week, we are taking our 4 young kids to North Carolina for a summer vacation. In preparation for the long road trip, I am making sure that there are plenty of activities and snacks in the car to keep each kid occupied and relatively happy. However, as I’m thinking through the vacation, I’m also thinking through ways to support our young kids emotionally on the trip. While vacations are fun, exciting adventures, they’re also a significant deviation from routine and normalcy and can cause some dysregulation. Here are some ways that you can help your young kids navigate a vacation: 

• Bring Elements of Home: Though we cannot perfectly replicate the experience of home away from home, we can bring certain things that comfort kids so that they have a piece of home with them on vacation. For my kids, this typically looks like bringing along their pillows and stuffed animals, but it can also look like things that they’re used to having around like their own water bottles or towels. 
• Establish a Routine/Schedule: You cannot maintain your typical routine when on vacation, but you can establish a routine or schedule that roughly guides your days. This provides some structure to kids and sets up some natural boundaries in the day. It’s also important to try to maintain some semblance of the same bedtime and waking routine, if you’re staying within the same time zone.
• Plan for Regulation: It can be tempting to try and plan a trip that has a lot of activities, especially when you have active kids. But also remember that kids need opportunities for regulation and relaxation, too. Be intentional about incorporating opportunities for regulation into your vacations.
• Involve Kids in Planning: We may spend a lot of time thinking through our vacations, but it’s usually a surprise to our kids. Involving kids in the planning of the vacations, activities, and events can help them feel a sense of control. Depending on the age of your kids, even young kids can help plan meals and travel activities, and can even help pack.

Some of this may seem tedious– vacations are supposed to be relaxing, after all– but vacations are a transition and transitions can be stressful. Putting some forethought into the planning process so that we can mitigate some of that stress will go a long way in helping to truly create a vacation that is enjoyable for all involved!