Traveling with kids: 5 tips on how to keep it together

Going on a long-haul flight with young children can't exactly be described as relaxing, especially if you're traveling as the only adult with more than one child. However, it can be done and if you're lucky, you might even keep your sanity the whole way (bonus!).

Surely someone this cute can't cause problems, right? Right?

 If you're unlucky, you could end up with an infant who won't go to sleep on board and cries for hours, a toddler having a mega-meltdown at security in the airport, or a preschooler refusing to put on his seat-belt before take-off and screaming about it. All three scenarios have happened to me, and I still think I've been blessed with a relatively easy run when it comes to flying with my kids.

Here are my top 5 tips for making it through to the other side in reasonable shape:

1. Mental preparation
Sounds lame right? But it really does help. Mentally prepare yourself for the lack of sleep, the uncomfortable seat, the bored children, the lineups at the airport. You know it's coming, you know it'll be an ordeal, but you also know it'll be fine and you will eventually get to where you're going.

2. Use the mantra
If it gets bad on board or at the airport, if you're doing everything you can to distract and entertain them and it's still not working... repeat this mantra to yourself (maybe to fellow passengers as well): This too shall pass. Because it will. Eventually your child will sleep, stop whining, find a movie they like, or make it through the metal detector without crying.

Yes, it sucks if your child picks travel-time to act up. Maybe they're doing it because they're tired, anxious, hungry, uncomfortable, or simply because they're a kid. But try not to sweat the embarrassment of it too much: anyone who is a parent has been embarrassed by their child's behavior at some point. Come prepared, prepare your kids, and then just deal with and contain the behavior the best way you can.

3. Sleep if you can
If your kids are sleeping on board a long flight, take a nap. Sure, you could watch a movie on that tiny little screen with those jiggly head-phones, have a drink that won't taste as good as it would on the ground, or read that fascinating in-flight magazine. But really, in my opinion, sleep on a long-haul flight is always the best option. Even if it's a 5 minute power-nap.

4. Allow reasonable amounts of crazy
If your kids go a little nuts when you're walking through the airport to catch a connecting flight or when you're waiting to board, then consider allowing them to run around somewhat wildly. As long as they're not messing with other passengers, going into no-go security areas or causing an international incident, it might be just as well that they are allowed to run off some energy.

Sitting on a plane for eight or nine or more hours is hard for most kids. And while traveling there are many situations when you have to control their behavior quite strictly, so allowing them to goof around a bit might just take the edge off for them. In airports, try to find a relatively large and uncrowded area if you can so they can move around without bugging others.

5. Relax!
Yeah, not so easy, right? Especially if your children are climbing their seats and dumping apple juice over you. But try anyway. Years and years ago I used to get stomach problems and sore muscles when flying. Then I realized that this was mainly caused by me (unknowingly) tensing up in all sorts of strange ways when sitting on the plane, and even from the travel anxiety I had before going on the flight.

These days I try to be aware of how I sit on the plane, and catch myself if I'm tensing up my stomach muscles, feet, neck, shoulders and so on. Then I try to relax those muscles before it starts to really bug me. Wearing comfy clothes (especially comfy pants), taking your shoes off on board, and bringing a neck-pillow can help too.

Some of my earlier tips for how to handle long family trips like these can be found here:

• How to prepare yourself and your kids for a long flight.
• What to do at the airport when traveling with kids.
• What to pack in your hand luggage when traveling with kids.

Sun protection for traveling (and non-traveling) kids

We all know that we should protect ourselves and our children from the sun in order to avoid sunburn and possible skin cancer. Either you stay out of the sun, you cover up, or you slather on the sunscreen. I use a lot of sunscreen on my children, partly because I still have hideous memories of my own sunburns and would rather spare them that pain and suffering at all costs.

Regardless of the type of sunscreen I use, I always look for a few things on the label:

• Fragrance-free, especially for my son who is very sensitive to smells, but also because it's just nicer if it doesn't smell too much.
• Non-irritating, which should mean it doesn't sting the eyes. Most sunscreens sting my eyes, and I just want to avoid that for my children.
• Waterproof, because my children love playing in the water, whether it's running through the hose out in the backyard, enjoying the water-play at the water-park, splashing in the pool, or playing in the ocean.
• Hypoallergenic, since my children both have somewhat sensitive skin.
• SPF 30 or higher, because anything less just seems pointless. When we were in Maui, I slathered the kids in SPF 50 and up.

When applying the sunscreen, I apply it everywhere the sun will shine (and usually where it probably won't shine, just to be sure).

• Apply the sunscreen about half an hour before heading out. Re-apply every two hours or more often if your children are playing in the water.
• Don't forget to put sunscreen on the top of your kids' feet if they will be barefoot, on their ears (even if they wear hats), and rub it into your their scalp too if they have very thin or fine hair (mine were bald as cue-balls for a long time, so I got used to rubbing sunscreen into their peach-fuzz hair).
• If you are somewhere with a very sunny and very hot climate, stay out of the sun for a few hours just before and after noon. I think mornings and afternoons are the best for beach and other outdoor activities under those conditions.

 
Creams and lotions
These can be a bit messy to put on, but they work great and you can really make sure you're putting it everywhere. Make sure that any sunscreen creams you buy are not too thick: it can make them very hard to rub into skin.

I usually try not to use creams and lotions when we're on the beach, mainly because of the sand-factor: rubbing sandy lotion or cream into someone's skin might be good for exfoliation, but your kids probably won't like it much.

When we're in beach-mode, I usually apply creams and lotions to the kids' skin before we head out in the morning, and then use sprays when we're on the beach.

Sprays
Pump sprays are alright, but really not much different than lotions in my opinion because they still need to be rubbed into the skin.

My absolute favorite type of sprays, especially for use on the beach, are the clear, continuous sunscreen sprays. They don't need to be rubbed into skin, you just spray all over and it's done. No messing around and getting sandy.

When my kids are playing in the sand (and becoming sand-covered) I brush off as much sand as possible and then just spray the stuff on them even if there is sand left. It works great, but my children are sometimes nicely caked with sunscreen-glued-on sand at the end of the day... Extra SPF, right?

I have seen sprays that claim they will make sand not stick to skin, and I might try those out next time I'm beach-bound in hot weather with the kids.

Rashguard shirts and suits
Rashguard shirts or the zip-up body-suits are fantastic for children. We used them for all our beach time in Maui, and it really helps since you do not have to worry about the back, neck, shoulders and upper arms getting sunburned . If your children play in the water a lot, these outfits make your life (and theirs) a lot easier and hopefully sunburn free.

If your child is under 6 months old
For this age group, it's usually recommended that you keep them covered and out of the sun rather than putting sunscreen on them. Some medical associations are now saying it's probably ok to put small amounts of sunblock or sunscreen on children younger than 6 months, but the main recommendation is still to keep them out of the sun because they burn and overheat so easily.

Use a cute baby hat, put them in the shade of a small beach tent, use a parasol, use a blanket, just cover them up any way you can.

Sunglasses
Yes, kids should wear sunglasses too, even if they're just babies. Though I had, and still have, a hard time getting my kids to keep their sunglasses on. I usually rely on the hats to protect their eyes and faces, but every year I keep hoping I'll find some shades for them that they'll really like and actually enjoy wearing. Hasn't happened yet, but I'm not giving up!

Traveling with kids in Sweden: Lycksele Djurpark

As European countries go, Sweden is a big place. Many tourists end up seeing Stockholm, Göteborg, Malmö and maybe a bit more of the southern parts of the country. However, northern Sweden gets a lot of tourists too, and it's well worth a visit (and I should know, since I grew up in northern Sweden!).

Where in the world is Lycksele?
Lycksele is located in the interior of Sweden. The town is about 130 km from the region's main city, Umeå, on the coast, and it takes just over an hour to fly there from Stockholm Arlanda. It's a sparsely populated municipality with just over 12 000 inhabitants, and it has a pretty awesome zoo, Lycksele Djurpark, which is well worth a visit especially if you're traveling with kids.

The zoo
This is an outdoor zoo. Few animals are in actual cages, rather they roam around in largish enclosures with lots of trees, bushes and other vegetation. This means it is sometimes difficult to catch sight of some of the animals, but for someone who is squeamish about animals in cages (me) this is nicer than old-school zoos.

Visitors walk around the zoo on paved paths and some boardwalks. You can also take the train around the area too, which is something my kids love to do. Jst get your tickets at the entrance area and hop on when the train stops!
If you want to see everything in the zoo, there is quite a lot of walking involved. My tip is to bring a stroller or carrier if your children are young or if you know they won't like walking that much: it'll save you a lot of hassle (and whining). Also bring some snacks and something to drink, so you can stop and recharge their batteries occasionally.

 Most of the animals are native to Sweden or Scandinavia: moose, reindeer, seals, river otter (if you can catch sight of them), wolves, lynx, arctic fox, wolverine, and so on. There are also bears (usually with bear cubs in summer), and a wolf pack.

My favorite animal is the musk ox. Distinctly stone-agish in appearance, woolly, horned, looking like a pile of hay, they are not to be trifled with. Sticking your fingers through the fence or, hello!, climbing the fence is definitely not recommended. These animals are fierce and they are not as slow as they look.

Pigs, horses, and rabbits oh my!
Apart from the wild animals, there is a large section of the zoo devoted to farm animals. Sheep, pigs, goats, horses, cows: they're all here. The miniature piglets are some of the cutest things you'll ever see, literally looking like toys come to life.

There are pony rides, a petting zoo, and a large "rabbit warren" with real rabbits and child-sized tunnels for the children to explore.

The amusement park
Lycksele djurpark also includes a large amusement park area with rides for children, games, mini-trains, playground, bouncy castles, fairground games, and more. Tickets for the rides are bought inside the park and are not part of the zoo-admission.

Where to eat
There are a few coffee shops and snack places throughout the park, selling cookies, muffins, ice cream and the like. However, there is only one restaurant and every time I've been at the zoo, eating at this restaurant has been a vexing experience.

It's a cafeteria style restaurant where you order your food, get a number and then wait for your order to be ready before you pick it up yourself at the counter. In the busy season, there are always long lineups at lunchtime, service is kind of slow, and there's a lack of menus in other languages than Swedish. The poor layout of the place also makes it hard for people to know when their food is ready.

If you're here in summer, expect your meal to take a while. I've decided that next time we're visiting, we're bringing a picnic lunch!

Conclusion
This is a great place to visit with kids, if you are prepared to be outdoors and to do some walking both uphill and downhill. Lycksele itself is a small town really, but you can find some nice local food (fish, reindeer and moose meat for example), and the sami culture is also on display in many of the gift shops.

Map thanks to Lycksele kommun and muskox thanks to Lycksele Djurpark.

Traveling with kids in British Columbia, Canada: Hell's Gate

If you're looking for a good destination for a daytrip with kids from the Vancouver area, heading out to the Fraser Valley and into the Fraser Canyon is a good bet. And if you do the trip April to October, Hell's Gate is a pretty spectacular spot to visit and it features a ride that is sure to wow your kids.

Wheeee!

Hell's Gate is the name of a very narrow part of the Fraser River: the passage is only 35 m (110 ft) wide and steep cliffs plunge into the rushing waters below. The big attraction here is the air tram which takes people across the gorge to the restaurants and exhibits on the other side.

You can bring a picnic lunch or snack to eat out on the observation deck, or there's a cafeteria-style restaurant with a good view of the river and the train track on the other side. If you're lucky a train will go by right when you're sitting there (my train-crazy son almost fell out of his seat when that happened when we were there last time). You can take pictures from the observation deck, take a stroll on the bridge that goes across the river, or visit the gift shop for some souvenirs.

There are lots of exhibits and information about the gold-rush era in the Fraser Canyon throughout the Hell's Gate area, including some information about the various spirits and ghosts supposedly haunting the facilities. There's also a shop selling about a zillion flavours of fudge, an exhibit about the salmon that pass up through the gorge here every year, using the fishways built especially for them.

But really, for kids, the main event here is that ride back and forth across the river. My children were about equal amounts freaked out and loving it: perfect kids' entertainment! The drive through the canyon is also quite an experience and the scenery is spectacular. If all you've seen of British Columbia is Vancouver, then visiting the Fraser Canyon provides a glimpse of small-town BC and a taste of the wilderness.

There are lots of tunnels (count them and try to remember all their names!), and there are many places to stop for short or long hikes. Alexandra Bridge makes a nice stop, and if you're traveling here in the warmer months, there are camp sites both in Hope (the main town in the area) and at other spots along the river. If you want to stay in the Canyon for a few days, there are lots of activities including white water rafting, fishing, and hiking. And if you or your children are interested in rock hounding, you can also stop near Lillooet, Lytton or Boston Bar and try to find some agate or jade.

Movies and books for traveling kids

Preparing your kids for family trips, whether it's shorter family vacations or longer trips to places they haven't seen before, is a great idea. I'm a big believer in preparation: talking to your kids about where you're going, what will happen on the flight and when you arrive, all that stuff.

Reading books and watching movies or shows about travel, and about the place you're going to can really help. Here are some suggestions of books, movies, and TV-shows that feature stories from various parts of the world, take place in different countries, or are specifically about traveling. I think they can all help children get into the traveling spirit!

Books

Kidogo - This book about a baby elephant is set on the African plain, and features animals from the area. A great story for young kids!

The Road to Mumbai - My daughter loves this story about a little girl who flies off in her bed, with her pet monkey to get to a monkey wedding in Mumbai.

 
Paddington Bear - If you're headed to Britain, specifically London, the books about Paddington Bear are a great read!

Strega Nona - All the books about Strega Nona are set in Strega Nona's village in Calabria and even feature some Italian words and phrases. My kids love these stories, and I think they might make a great read if you're headed out on a family trip to Italy.

Madeline - This is a real classic, and the illustrations in the original book show off many of the most famous places in Paris. I'd bring it along to read with my kids if I was going there with them!

 
Toot and Puddle - These little pigs go traveling all over the world. Or at least Toot does. Puddle likes to explore closer to home, but does come along occasionally. Wonderful stories whether you catch the TV-show or read the books.

Books of Astrid Lindgren - As a Swedish Canadian, I have to recommend Astrid Lindgren's books. They are essential reading for Swedish children, and if you go to Sweden, you can even visit Junibacken in Stockholm and meet up with some of the characters from the books. I'd specifically recommend the books about Emil, "Ronia, the Robber's Daughter", and "Karlson on the Roof".

Harry Potter - So many kids (and adults) love the world of Harry Potter. If you're headed to London or Britain, they are definitely a good way to get your kids excited about that destination!


Movies & TV-shows

Ni Hao Kai Lan - Kai Lan is a great TV-show, teaching kids phrases and words in Chinese, and also introducing Chinese culture, animals and stories. Definitely a good pick for younger kids, though my 8 year old still watches this show too!

Dora the Explorer & Go Diego Go - Both these shows feature phrases and words in Spanish, and are also great little adventures for kids to watch featuring various animals and environments. Dora's use of maps can also be inspiring for children: my kids both play "map games" when they pretend to be following map directions, just like Dora and Boots do.

The Lion King - This classic Disney movie is a great movie to watch for any reason, but if you're headed to Africa, it would be especially inspiring for children.

Ratatouille & Finding Nemo - My kids have a real soft spot for Pixar movies (probably inspired by their parents), and these two movies are real favorites of theirs. If you're headed to France on a family vacation, I think Ratatouille would be a must-see. It might even make your kids more excited about trying French cuisine! Finding Nemo is a classic as well, and since it's set both underwater in Australia, and above the water in Australia, it could be a great movie pick for a family traveling down-under.

The Princess and the Frog - My kids love this movie, and it features a lot of great scenery, animals, music, and food (as well as accents!) from the New Orleans area.

Wallace and Gromit - The movies about Wallace and Gromit are works of sheer claymation genius, featuring Wallace's zany inventions and evil penguins masquerading as chickens (you'll see). They also feature a humorous look at British society and habits such as tea drinking, upper class mansions, vegetable fairs, Wensleydale cheese, and expressions ("cracking toast Gromit!").