Traveling with kids: my to-do list before our next trip

I love lists and I always have a few going at the same time. Here are a few of the top items on me "get-to-it-before-the-next-trip" to-do list.


1. Make some nice luggage tags
I made a couple of good ones last year, but I need more to outfit all my luggage. All I need is a nice, rugged luggage tag (my choice last year were tags with a Canadian flag motif), and then I print out my name and contact information on a piece of paper that I can stick into them. Just to avoid anyone having a hard time reading my hand-writing, if worst comes to worst! I've begun including my email address in the contact information. Not sure if an airline would use it, but hey, it's worth a shot.


2. Find some good stickers for our suitcase(s)
Letting the kids decorate our suitcases with whacky, shiny, shimmery stickers has been a great way to make them easier to recognize on the luggage carousel, but they do tend to fall off after a while. Maybe a sheet of Spongebob stickers will do the trick this year?



3. Get a new suitcase
As I've mentioned before on this blog, my faithful 25 year old Samsonite red oyster-shell finally bit the dust last year. A wheel came off, something's bent, and well... I'm thinking it's time to get a new one. I've been making do with soft-sided luggage, and I don't mind doing that, but I need another hard-sided suitcase.


4. Apply for child's passport
Yup, seems my son's passport is due for renewal which means we'll have to go through the process of having his picture taken (usually the hardest step since he's not allowed to smile or make any kind of facial expression in the photo), filling in all the forms, and then waiting in line at the passport office to turn everything in. This isn't really that tough a process, but paperwork like passports and tax-returns somehow turns on my inner procrastinator...


5. Get a new, smarter phone?
I have a cell-phone. It's old-school. It has no keyboard, no touch-screen, no bells, no whistles. It does work great for phone calls, and I can even text with it (though it requires a lot of button-pushing). Lately, with all the Androids and iPhones and other smart phones in my vicinity, I have begun to consider whether it's time for an upgrade. Then, on our latest trip to Sweden, I saw people using their phones as a boarding pass somehow (I'm obviously to clueless to really understand how you'd do that). This struck me as so handy and clever that I want to be able to do that too. Also: no paper boarding pass! I am worried about costs for browsing the Internet (especially when I'm abroad), and also I would be so much more worried about the phone getting lost or stolen... We'll see what I end up with: same old or some new hotness.


6. Get a new kids' backpack
My son loves his wheeled backpack. He uses it for school and for each and every flight we go on. By now though, it's getting up there in age (almost 4 years of heavy use), and it is starting to fray a bit here and there. It's been a very tough traveler though, so maybe I'll head back to The Children's Place and see if I can find one there. Otherwise I'll be hitting the Internet for a replacement.

Traveling with my kids: 5 favorite outdoor activities

Whether we're traveling or just spending a day doing something together at home, my kids do love being outside. And as I've said before: being outside seems to make them happier than pretty much anything else.

Here are 5 of their favorite outdoor activities, at home and away:

On the beach in Maui.

1. Going to the beach
The beach is one of those places where I can take the kids and just see what happens. Maybe they want to just walk along the water, throwing an occasional rock or stick into the water. Maybe they want to gather rocks and shells (that would be my daughter). Or maybe they want to splash and swim, fly kites, build sand-castles, dig, stare at the ocean (that would be me), chase seagulls, poke at dead crabs, climb on logs and driftwood, or... the list goes on.

Hiking in Lynn Headwaters, North Vancouver.

2. Hiking
My kids love "going to the woods", and we have several favorite hikes around Vancouver. There's always stuff to look at, like slugs, bugs, dogs, plants, giant trees, and holes tunnelled under roots that may or may not be the dens of animals with sharp teeth. It's a great way to get some exercise and fresh air together, and it's also often a great opportunity to strike up some interesting conversations about anything between earth and sky with the kids. The woods, or parks (like Vancouver's Stanley Park) are great places for hikes, but urban hikes can be great too, especially if you're in a city or town with some proper sidewalks and pedestrian areas.

3. Having a pick-nick
Meal- and snack-times are always a lot more fun if you eat outdoors. My kids love doing this on the beach, or just in a park, or just about anywhere else. Usually I try to pack snacks and food in as small a container as possible (so it's easy to bring along). I have lunch-box sized cooler that can pretty much hold everything I need for lunches for all of us if I put my mind to it.

The fabulous playground in Garden City Park, Richmond, BC.

4. Hanging out at a playground
This is another outdoor activity my kids love, and we have several favorite playgrounds that we head out to on a regular basis. When we're traveling, this is also a great activity since most towns do have playgrounds, whether it's in parks, near schools, or close to something like a rec center.

Heading to the slope in Skellefteå, Sweden.

5. Tobogganing
This is my kids' latest obsession. After our Christmas trip to Sweden where they really discovered the joys of this winter-sport, they have also enjoyed it here at home when we had a week-long spell of snow. Their preferred mode of "transport" down the slope is an inflatable tube. Guess it provides some nice cushioning, and it's also fairly light and easy to carry back up the slope.

Science World revisited (and renovated): fun with kids in Vancouver

This past weekend the kids and I headed to Science World in downtown Vancouver. It is one of their favorite places to spend a rainy (or not so rainy) day, but last year, our visits there were a little problematic since so much of the building was closed off for renovations.

The kids absolutely loved the new dinosaur exhibit that went up in 2011, but a lot of the fun machines and devices and thingamajigs the kids like to twiddle and fiddle with were either out of sight, or squeezed into smaller spaces. No longer! All of Science World is now open to visitors, and there is a lot to see.

New and improved
Science World is definitely new and improved. The entire entrance area has been rebuilt and expanded. The extra space and new layout is designed to better handle lineups of visitors, which is a welcome change.

RAAAAA! (I identify with T-Rex a lot.)

There is also an entirely new exhibit called Our World just inside the entrance, which has interactive displays all about energy and water use, electricity, and more. The kids favorite: using water cannons to spray water at changing targets on the wall. Though whether they really got that it was about how to use water resources responsibly, I'm not sure.

On the second floor, up that winding ramp, there's a lot of new space and a lot of new gadgets for the kids to play with, as well as all their old favorites (like the various exhibits with water... and as usual, both kids ended up with wet sleeves!). My son loved all the new windows up there that give visitors a spectacular view of Vancouver and False Creek. I think he could have spent an hour just watching the rain and the boats!

According to Science World's website, the renovations added 14,000 square feet of space, and the second floor was actually almost confusing with all the rooms, and space, and new areas. Old gadgets were in new places, and there were lots of new gadgets in old and new places. I think we'll need another visit just to get used to it!

The Extreme Dinosaur exhibit is still in place, and the kids still loved it. (My favorite is definitely the T-Rex.) The kids also enjoyed the expanded Search Sarah Stern gallery with lots of interactive displays and lots of animals to look at too, from snakes and snails to guinea pigs and leopard geckos.

Design-a-saurus.

Other improvements
The White Spot restaurant downstairs has more seating now, and also more space overall. I'm hoping the food has improved as well, since I haven't always been impressed by the food quality there. There is also a separate room where you can sit down and eat if you brought a lunch or snacks along.

One really interesting room I hope to explore more on our next visit, is the expanded puzzles and illusions exhibit which features tons of tricky hands-on puzzles for kids and adults. If you and your kids are at all into brain-teasers, this is the place for you.

For a full list of permanent and temporary exhibits, as well as the various shows and movies at Science World, check out their website.

Making a dinosaur move.

Is it worth a visit?
It's not cheap to visit Science World. General admission for adults is $23.50. Youth admission (13-18 years old) is $19.75, and kids 3-12 years old pay $16.75. A family pass for 2 adults and up to 4 kids is $83.50. My family has an annual family membership that we get at a discounted rate through my husband's work, and because of that, we go a lot. For locals, I'd almost recommend getting the annual membership: if you visit just twice in a year, it pays for itself.

And it is a fantastic place for kids (and adults). Children can run around, they can touch, play, and interact with (and try to break) almost every single exhibit and gadget in the whole place. That's what Science World is all about: hands-on education, play and entertainment. There are science shows, movies, and dinosaurs. There are exhibits about the body, geology, animals, electricity, weather, and much more. And if your kids are at all into dinosaurs and you haven't seen the Extreme dinosaurs, then that's worth a visit in itself.

My how-to-get-there tip
Take the Skytrain if you can. It's the best and easiest way to get there, and you won't have to worry about parking. There is lots of parking outside, but it's pay-parking (unless you find a spot on a side-street), and seriously: it is just easier and (in my kids' opinion) more fun to ride the Skytrain. Get off at the Main Street/Science World station. Or, if you're staying in downtown Vancouver and the weather is nice: just go for a walk around False Creek!

Traveling with kids: 10 useful products

Searching the web for useful kid-travel gear is always interesting. Here are 10 items I think would be pretty useful when traveling with children:


1. A stroller gate check bag
If you're traveling by plane and bringing a stroller, you are sometimes allowed to bring it with you to the gate and check it there, but sometimes it will have to be checked with the rest of your luggage. Often, it will then have to be put into a gigantic plastic bag and put with the special luggage. A stroller gate check bag can make it a lot easier to pack up your stroller, and it can also protect it (at least a bit) from the rough treatment it might receive in the luggage hold. There are lots of brands, including Peg Perego's Stroller Travel Bagand McLean's bag from Sky Mall. You can read more about strollers in my post Flying with kids: all about strollers.


2. A car seat travel accessory
I have only brought a car seat on a flight once, and found it to be something of a hassle (partly because one of the airlines we traveled with allowed it on board, and another didn't). However, when traveling with a baby or young toddler it can definitely make the airplane seat comfier for them. And this contraption will make it a lot easier to take the car seat with you on your trip. Lots of different brands are available, including GoGo Kidz Travelmate. You can read more about bringing child car seats on planes here.
 

3. A kid-sized travel mattress
When my kids were babies, I usually brought along a fleece blanket that I could spread on the floor or on a seat wherever we went for them to lay on and sleep on. A travel mattress would have been a good option too, especially since it could also be used at your destination, if you're staying in a hotel or with friends or relatives. One option is something like the PeaPod Plus Baby Travel Bed. Another option that looks really good for traveling with is the kikko'pilo mini memory foam mattress.


4. A nursing cover
Breastfeeding is a very convenient way to feed your baby when you're traveling: no accessories to pack, no washing up (unless you count your nursing bra/nursing pads...), and no microwave needed. (I did the bottle-travel with my oldest who never learned to latch and the breastfeeding with my younger one: both ways work just fine on a plane, but yes, breastfeeding was easier.) A nursing cover is a great way to get some privacy for you and your baby when it's time to eat. There is a wide variety of products out there, including the Bamboobies Cute Little Nursing Cover and the Jolly Jumper Pashmama Nursing Cover.


5. Reusable snack containers
I'm a big believer in bringing snacks along on flights, and the best way to do that is in some kind of packable, crush-resistant, reusable containers. There are tons of options here, including the Zo-Li On-The-Go Travel Formula & Snack Dispenser,  Lock & Lock containers and On-the-Go snack cups.


6. A crazy kids' book
I'm sneaking this in here, because a good book can be a great travel accessory on board, at the airport, or at bedtime. My 4 year old daughter's current favorite is the very strange, zany, and funny The Magic Mustache by Gary Barwin. It's a different take on Jack and the beanstalk, and involves a nose (he's the main character), his parents the eyeballs, a magic moustache that grows into a bushy beard, and a very ferocious, giant mouth... It sounds nuts, and it is, but my daughter is smitten. Right now, it doesn't look like the book is readily available from Amazon, but look for it at your local library! Or you can get it from the author, Gary Barwin, himself! (You can read his own comment below this post! His email is: himself@garybarwin.com, and his website is found here. It's definitely a unique book, and well worth checking out!)


7. A reusable bag for liquids
These days of course, all liquids you bring in your hand luggage on a plane have to be put into a see-through plastic bag. I love ziploc bags, but yes, I have considered getting a reusable bag for this purpose. Travelon has a TSA Compliant Travel Bag with Bottles that is nicely priced, and looks very convenient. You can read more about the rules and regulations for air-travel with liquids in my post Flying with liquids.


8. Comfy travel pillows
No matter what kind of pillows you bring on board, it is difficult for adults and kids to sleep comfortably in economy class. But a travel pillow can definitely help. There are inflatable ones (I like these because they're easy to pack), and others made of memory foam or other materials. The dolphin-shaped Lil' Lewis Explorers Dolphin Neck Pillow looks really cute for example. Another idea I hadn't seen before is the Skyrest travel pillow for kids. This product is inflatable and fills the space between two seats on the plane, making a nice, comfy footrest for your child. (I've sometimes resorted to stuffing a carry-on on the floor for them to rest their feet on, but this looks a little nicer.)


9. A portable DVD player
This is an item I frequently consider buying, but haven't quite gotten around to acquiring; partly because of price, and partly because it makes for a lot of electronics to carry around for a flight. This Philips PD9000 9" PAL/NTSC Region Free Code Free Zone Free Portable DVD Playerdoes look good though, especially because it can play DVDs of various formats and from various regions, making it a lot more convenient for international travel.



10. ID Wristbands
This is one of those items you hope you don't really need, but maybe it would be a good idea to get, just in case. I was thinking it would be especially handy if you're going to somewhere big and busy, like Disneyland or other amusement parks or resorts. You simply write down your contact information on a piece of paper that is inside the band, and then your child just wears it (and you hope it will never, ever have to looked at by other people...). There are lots of different brands, including the Infoband Child Safety ID Wristbandand the Velcro Child ID Bracelet.