Tips and Tricks for Summer Travel with Kids

by Marae Torrelier April 23, 2022 810 Views

Summer is right around the corner and after two years of not getting around much, it’s time to dive into the most fun of family time this year.

Summer 2022 is promising the best of family time, and no family adventure is complete ( or bearable) without the right gear. We’ve been full-time traveling with our now toddler since she was 6 weeks old, and here are the essentials we recommend for any family thinking of summer travel.

The Right Stroller

I say the right stroller because for our first trip to Europe we made the mistake of getting a very cheap stroller and paid the consequences dearly. Umbrella strollers are good for quick trips, but when you plan to be strolling your child around from country to country, and from the metro station to the airport, you need something that is comfortable, compact, sturdy, and with plenty of storage room.

A stroller is a mother’s assistant: it carries our drinks, stores the endless list of belongings we must take along (even if it’s just down to the grocery store), keeps our most prized possession safe and in place, doubles as a bed…. The list goes on. The right stroller though is like hiring your best friend as your assistant. It anticipates your every need.

Enter the Joovy Kooper RS:

Light enough to be able to lift on the rare occasion you find a sidewalk it’s too wide for (this is a major point in Europe as some strollers are way too wide).
Incredible maneuverability: essential for all things transporting your most important person.
Plenty of storage room and pockets: it comes with a cup holder, zipped pockets, ample bottom storage basket, and a removable tray table so your little one can eat while you stroll – and you can keep your sanity by removing and cleaning it as you see fit.
Extendable sunshade: because sometimes it’s 10 pm and still light in Europe.
So cute: because who wants to have an eyesore in their Summer vacation photos? (a point we did not think about enough, judging by our first choice).
Check it out here!

A Long-sleeved Swimsuit

No summer trip is complete without family fun at some body of water, and therefore, no summer packing should lack the one (or two) piece of clothing you and your kids will be living in all summer; a bathing suit.

We love going to beach and lake destinations, and nothing puts a smile on our baby’s face like seeing a body of water she can get into. However, nothing worries me as a mother more than the potential dangers of sun exposure, and so bathing suits are not just an opportunity for us to look beachy (and matchy) but also to add a bit of disguised precaution.

Often, we opt for long-sleeved bathing suits for our toddler, because this not only protects her from the sun (and the occasional jellyfish encounter) but it saves me from running around the beach chasing a wired toddler who refuses to have sunscreen re-applied for the 20th time.

Our favorite long sleeve suits are from Pink Chicken, as they are cute, protective, and matchy. If you are into “mom and mini” fashion, enjoy fun boho prints, and like long sleeves bathing suits, this is our current favorite.

Reef Friendly Sunscreen

Choosing sunscreen may not be as exciting as choosing matching bathing suits, but it is an essential all year round, and something you’re better off having too much of rather than not enough.

Summer fun guarantees one thing: time spent outdoors, and that, in turn, guarantees sun exposure. As much as I care about protecting my baby’s skin, we are particularly mindful of the consequences our products have on the environment and particularly the ocean.

It is for this reason that I have spent plenty of hours researching and testing different sunscreens to ensure our toddler is protected but so are the oceans she will continue to enjoy for the rest of her life.

Our current favorite reef-friendly sunscreen is the Thinksport SPF 50, which you can easily find in most sports stores and on Amazon.

Comfort + Familiar Items

This may seem like a silly point, but we all love the comfort and as much as our tiny humans enjoy discovering new places they also love the comfort of the familiar. Additionally, nothing makes bedtime routines more accessible while traveling than having some familiar and comfortable items.

It is for this reason we always bring our playard whenever we go on road trips or beach trips. Essentially, if we are driving, it is coming.

The only thing better than a playard is a playard that has a changing table, ample storage baskets, and a bassinet option. When our daughter was a baby, we couldn’t live without our playard.

Takeaway

Summer travel, like any travel, does not have to be complicated. What matters most, is that you and your family bond and enjoy experiencing a new or familiar location away from the everyday stresses. When planning your family summer trip, remember that the only real essential for a family getaway is your family; and perhaps a passport if you’re going abroad.

If you’d like more tips, inspiration, and family-friendly itinerary ideas, you can follow Marae and her full-time travel family over at @bravefamilytravel on Instagram.