Quick Tip Tuesday

If stress and high altitude give you a squicky stomach.  Try reeeeeally hard not to eat Mexican in the airport terminal.  Hello indigestion!

Helpful Link Day

Found this link on MSN today.  It's not necessarily about traveling with kids, but it's got some good advice anyway...

9 Travel Myths and Hoaxes

Happy Trails!

Haul Review

I promised a review of these toys when I bought them a few months ago, so here we go!  I bought all these things at a dollar store, so you're looking at 7 dollars worth here.  (The pinwheels were three on a card.) 

I didn't pack the Counting with the Count book because it wouldn't fit in ODS carry-on.  The other coloring book was completely ignored by YDS who much preferred to spend his time drawing his own pictures on blank paper.  Oh well... 

The red pin-wheel broke before we even got on the first plane, but the blue one became a bone of contention among other toddlers in the airport lobby.  A little squirrely to deal with because of the fragility, but a big hit.  

The basketball games were a great way to transport crayons and the boys loved playing the game.  But the very biggest hit was the keychain bracelets.  Major love from both kids, and Mr. Three wore his to bed a couple of times!

I reviewed this stuff mainly to show that you just never know... Sometimes they like the weirdest things...  That's part of what makes the searching fun!

Quick Tip Tuesday

My criteria for airline amusement is it has to be small, quiet, relatively inexpensive (read: replaceable), and something that will pass inspection (no toy guns, things filled with water or gel, etc.)  I love to shop educational toy stores because they usually have lots of small toys in bins for under $5 and small sticker books full of re-positionable stickers.  Another favorite is the dollar isle at Target.  You can find masks, crayons, wooden toys, all kinds of stuff if you keep your eye out.  But, my all time favorite place for this kind of shopping is the party store.  Talk about cheap!  20 plastic Slinkies for $2?  Sign me up!  It's also where I first found the best airplane toy of all time.  I've since found them at Wal-Mart, Target, and Oriental Trading Co. but you'll always find them at party stores.  Now, go forth and shop!

Rookie Moves

We just got back from a trip to Hawai'i.  I was really excited about this one since I had picked up this blog recently and I got "the big head," as they say in the South.  Let's talk about all the rookie mistakes I made, shall we?

Rookie Move #1:
I didn't follow my list.  I had things like sandals for the boys, ultra mega super absorbent leak-locking mattresses for me (with wings), and my "sights to see" list on there.  None of these things made it into the bag.  I had packed the boys some flip-flops so they were OK, but it would have been nice for them to have had shoes a little easier to walk in.  Both of them had flip-flop related parking lot vs. knee interactions.  We had to run to the store for pads, and I asked my neighbor/catsitter to send me my list in an e-mail.  All things that were an inconvenience but not a big deal in the long run.

Rookie Move #2:
I didn't fully unpack in the hotel room. As a result, my husband didn't have a belt all week, and I forgot I'd packed dress shoes and wore flip-flops to a fancy dinner.

Rookie Move #3:
I didn't bring enough sunscreen. My youngest is allergic to most sunscreens and I didn't bring enough of the one he's not allergic to.  The company has changed formulas so though I could find the "same" thing almost everywhere we went, we couldn't use it.  I used something new on him and he ended up being itchy and swollen for three days.  So, we spent a fair amount of time researching sunscreen ingredients, brands, and places to get them on our island.  Poor little itchy kid... But I had packed Benadryl cream, so that was good.

And finally, Rookie Move #4 (it's a doozy):
I forgot the food bag.  I did pack my beautiful, awesome food bag.  I just didn't bring it.  I realized what had happened when we got to the airport.  I called our neighbors and gave them the perishable items.  We ended up spending gobs of money on breakfast in the airport and buying meals on the plane.  But over all, the boys did very well.  I'm glad I didn't forget it when they were younger, but at 3 and 5 they did great.

The Good News:
Even though I should have known better, all those mistakes were just minor inconveniences.  We still had a fantastic vacation!

This is How We Roll (Part Four: What to Pack--Amusements)

And now the fun part:  Amusement Bags!

Oh, where to begin... This is my favorite part of packing.  More fun than the trip itself, sometimes... I try to pack at least one toy I know they love, and a whole bunch of new stuff they've never/rarely seen.  I keep the new toys for the next trip put a way in a closet so they're fresh for next time.

Ol' Standbys for Littles:

• Crayola Color Wonder markers and paper
• Aquadoodle travel pad
• (1-5 years) books (i spy and waldo books take forever to finish)
• (18 mos+) small cars
• (2+) static cling sticker books
• kaleidoscopes, binoculars (around 3 Little 1 went through a phase of wanting to look through things)
• (18 mos+)spinning wands*

*Please allow me a moment here to discuss the greatest airline toy of all time.  It's called a spinning wand.  It has lights.  It spins around.  It vibrates a tiny bit.  When Little 1 saw it on the plane the first time, it was love at first sight.  They are super fun on a night flight or when you pull the shade.  Sometimes they do have sounds so make sure the one you get doesn't make annoying noises.  Also, try to test them in the store.  They're pretty fragile and often don't even make the trip to the store.  They're also cheap so when they spin themselves into oblivion, you can replace it easily.

And for Tinies:

• (12-18 mos) two or three mega blocks to put together and take apart
• (12-18 mos) an empty CD case or small bag to practice zippers
• (6mos-5years) plastic slinky springs
• (6-18 mos) empty mint boxes to open and close
• (0-12 mos) rattles or other "noise makers" for distracting purposes
• (0-5) party blow-outs that don't make noise
• (3 mos-4 years) puppets
• (0-3 years)toe games*

*I accidentally found out that Little 1 loved toe games as we were landing late one night.  We were coming down, he had to be put back in his car seat, and most of the cabin was fast asleep.  He was getting cranky and wasn't having any toy as a distraction.  Out of desperation, I grabbed his foot and bonked his nose with it.  It surprised him and he laughed.  He laughed the whole rest of landing.  It still works on Little 2 who's three! 

Surprise Favorites:

• flapping fish (A little fish with a pull string meant for the bath.  Pull the string and the tail flaps.  Little 1 said it was his favorite toy that trip.)
• I Spy Bag (A bag filled with plastic pellets and small shapes.  It's really meant for babies, but my then two year old loved it and still does at three.)
• brush/mirror compact (They fought over these.  It's a little compact size mirror with a brush that pops out.  Good grief you never saw such a fuss!  Come to think of it...one broke.  I'd better find a replacement quick!)

Disappointments, but might be great for your kids:

• lacing cards
• stencils

Trying this time:

• card games (The Sandwich Game for both, Go Fish for Little 1)
• regular coloring books/crayons
• basketball game
• pinwheels
• felt book (Modified.  The book itself is too big, but I'm using some of the pieces and rolling them up in a piece of felt.  If I get super crafty and find the time I might make a little scene.)
• dry erase puzzles

Stuff to stay away from:

• Balls (They get thrown.  Like, across the plane.)
• Things with lots of little parts
• Gel clings (I learned this the hard way.  Little 1 eats them.)
• Stickers
• Markers that leave marks
• Play doh (maybe, depends on the kid)

Here is a pic of most of the stuff in my amusement closet....

Pictured:
color wonder paper and markers, puppet, pinwheels, stencil, felt book, coloring/activity books, travel aquadoodle, spinning wand, lacing card, wipeable activity cards, no noise party blow out, playing cards, wooly willy, I spy bag, rainbow disk, sunglasses, kaleidoscopes, magna doodle, brush/mirror compact set, stretchy bracelet keyrings, ball maze, paper fan, Jacob's ladder, wind up toys, slinkys, carabiners, tiny keychain flashlight, matchbox cars.  (in the original display, but not in this picture: Mardi Gras beads, static-cling sticker books)

***

This has been really fun for me.  I hope I've given you some ideas you can use.  I'm always on the lookout for better ways to pack, new snack products, and quiet toys.  I'll be sure to update you with what I find!

This is How We Roll (Part Three: What to Pack--Food)

Now that I've covered what bags to bring, I thought I'd talk a little about what to pack in them.  The big suitcase is easy: clothes, shoes, and toiletries bag.  Whatevs.  But what to bring to eat?

Eating is a big part of my "Amusing the Kids" arsenal.  As such, the food bag is a big deal in my house.

If you haven't heard about Pirate's Booty yet, you have got to go right now and find some.  Buy it off the net if you have to.  It's really yummy.  My guys get it as a treat when they're on the plane.  I try to pack snacks they actually like that are relatively healthy, don't take up too much space, and will fill them up pretty well.  Pirate's Booty takes up a huge amount of space, is only remotely healthy, and isn't very filling, but they love it and it has gotten us out of some big, ugly jams when things were beginning to melt down.  You could say it saves our booties.  (Oh yes I did...)

Another of my favorite snacks for kids are applesauce pouches.  They come in a variety of flavors from different manufacturers, Trader Joe's has the cheapest that I've found.  (GoGoSqueez is pictured here). I've seen similar pouches full of baby food in Babies R Us, which I think is a fabulous idea.   I don't mind spending a little more money for something that's conveniently packaged for flights.  Sucking something from a pouch is a hundred times easier than dealing with spoons and cups with foil wrappers that explode all over your shirt (I'm looking at you, Gerber...).

Other ideas:

• Dried fruit (I used to buy the boxes of Brother's freeze dried fruit from Costco, but it's all made in China and that's a little scary to me.  So now I buy Just Tomatoes brand products.  They're more expensive, but I feel they're safer plus, they also have some organic products.)
• Trail mix (I almost always have a package or two for the adults just to keep us going.  Trader Joe's has great pre-packaged serving size portions of some nuts and trail mix, but if I don't have time to get there, I just baggie some bulk bin trail mix.)
• Pretzels
• Goldfish (the only time my boys get colored goldfish is on airplanes, they go nuts!)
• Cheerios, rice puffs, or other dry cereal
• Fruit bars/leather (Archer Farms, Target's generic, has some great fruit leather strips and bars that are just fruit juice.  They also have some little gummy "candies" made from fruit juice.  And apparently, they also have some organic versions, too.)  Oooh and LaraBars!
• Yogurt tubes (pre-frozen, so by lunch time they're thawed but not too warm and also serve to cool the bag some)
• Babybel cheese or string cheese  (Added benefit to Babybel is my two love to play with the wax!)
• Fresh fruit, but try to think of some that don't have peels or cores to dispose of such as berries or pre-peeled oranges.  Nothing like packing up to come home and finding a week old banana peel in your luggage!

I have already sung the praises of the Sassy lunch sets.  I usually pack a lunch in addition to all the brib--- uh... snacks...

Little's Lunch:

• Some sort of protein, usually left-over from dinner the night before maybe chicken, maybe beans
• carrots or other veg
• frozen peas (in the green compartment, obviously!)
• juice or milk box (yes, they do make shelf stable milk, it's not horrible...)

These go directly out of the fridge into the food bag to stay as cold as possible.  The frozen pea container helps a lot with this, too.

I found a some inexpensive lunch boxes by bramli at Target a couple of years ago.  I don't think they sell them any more, but you can still find them online.  They are not watertight, so I pack accordingly.

Adult Lunch:
Usually hummus with carrots and pita bread on the way out, whatever I can scrounge together from leftovers from the trip on the way home, maybe a sandwich with some fruit and/or veg.  We drink whatever the airline is giving out free, though some airlines are even charging for water and soda now.  Some travelers have suggested bringing refillable water bottles and that's not a bad idea.  We also buy two big waters in the terminal if we have a chance.

Whatever it is, I don't pack the fork or knife because I don't want a hassle with the security team, so it's finger food.  Also, you can't bring ice packs or blocks on planes these days, so try to think of things that don't require refrigeration.

Also, a lot of people suggest nursing or giving your little one a drink to soothe ears during landing and take off.  Neither of my boys have ever seemed to actually notice.  But it doesn't hurt to have a little something ready just in case. 

Finally--now, I've never done this-- but some parents swear by it: Cookies.  A little bribe here and there won't kill anyone and it might keep some of the glaring to a minimum.  Cookies would never work with my kids, because as soon as they found out about them the whining would begin, followed by decent upon the cookies like ravenous beasts, followed by yet more whining because the cookies were all gone.  I prefer to pack treats they like, but aren't crazy for.  You know your own kids.  If you think you can handle it, go for it!

Next up: The Activities Bags!