Well it has started … our grand tour of hotel rooms, air mattress and visiting family our kids have never met. Their routines are getting changed hourly, their limited diets shrank and tantrums are a common hourly event. I’m not gonna lie, during lunch today I had to mojitos for lunch. It’s been a long day and it is only the first one without Hubs here to back me up. However, I didn’t come unprepared.
so I reach into my Barney bag and I find a lot of things! From gizmoos and gadgets to odds and ends and even some old string….
Yea, I just did that. If your real good I’ll even finish singing the Barney bag song from Barney. Is that show even still on? God I hope not. But it did inspire my Barney bag.
This time I even had Barney bags for each kid and myself made. Ultimately, after we are done being nomads the bags will be used as “going to grandmas house” bags. Here are a few things and tips I use to pack them:
Tip 1: Only pack what they can get out themselves. A new toy bag is no fun when you aren’t even allowed to get our toys out of them. So anything that goes into the bag is free for our kids to take out unsupervised.
Tip 2: Pack goodies they aren’t always allowed to have. I don’t buy my children play dough. Ever. It’s messy and stains and I just can’t stand picking up the millions of little crumb pieces. So instead, to not totally deprive my kids of childhood memories, I save play dough for travel. I don’t want to be totally rude but is rather the maid at the hotel or someone on the plane deal with it. Instead of the large pots, I purchase the small mini ones that are normally used for birthday party treats. This way each kid gets a few colors and it’s small enough to back in a carry on and doesn’t take up all the room.
Tip 3: Crayola Magic Wonder products. My kids are little artists. They love coloring but they also have ADHD and can’t concentrate for long. Then factor in grandparents who are used to having littles around all the time and the messes they can make it letting a kid color in a color book turns into a disaster. As soon as I found this product a few years back I have always wanted to kiss the persons feet who invented it. The paint and markers only color on paper. No color shows up any where else. It’s mmmmaaagggiiiccc- and so cool.
Tip 4: Pack a water bottle. My kids are always asking for water. There are times I can’t get it. Henco facto I always pack a non spillable water bottle so they can help their little selves.
Tip 5: Got electronics? We do. So I make sure to pack them in their little bags and back the chargers in mine. Can’t leave home without it.
Hope these tips help during your summer travels!