A pleasant walk is often the perfect way to see the sights on vacation, and most kids will enjoy the journey.  Just remember to keep the kids and their needs in mind while out for your stroll.

Toddlers will enjoy exploring at their level–poking in the dirt, pointing out flowers and spider webs, basically getting muddy and having a blast.  Don’t pressure them into hurrying up, just try to move along at their speed.  They’ll tire soon enough, and when that happens, a good baby carrier–especially a comfortable backpack–will almost be a necessity.

Preschoolers will also enjoy exploring at their own wandering pace, though some will balk if the path gets too rough.  Encourage them to find their own way over rocks and trees, and they’ll feel right at home.  They might even want to stop and splash through streams or rain, or collect leaves or pine cones.  A diaper bag with a change of clothes or ponchos might come in handy on these trips.

As kids tire, and grumble about sore feet, it might help to remind them of the cafe or ice cream shop at the end of the hike.

Be mindful of wildlife.  Insects might not appreciate the visitors, and larger animals might challenge the family for entering their territory.

Walks in town have their own dangers.  In some countries, the crosswalk doesn’t carry the same stopping power that it does in the United States, and pedestrians are expected to watch out for cars, not the other way around.  Make sure the kids are safely contained to the sidewalk and don’t dash into roads.

Sometimes, depending on the traffic or the local wildlife, the safest place for a kid is up off the ground, in a backpack or daddy’s arms, where they can’t get hurt or lost.

Hotel cribs can be a real time and space saver. With limited room in the vehicle and long hours driving, it’s always nice to arrive at your hotel and find baby’s crib set up and waiting. But, to ensure baby’s safety through the night, take a few minutes to make sure the crib meets safety standards before bedding your little one down for the night.

The crib should be assembled and set up correctly.

The hotel crib should be sturdy and not sway or rock when you shake it. 

If the crib has wheels, make sure they are locked.

Crib mattress should be well supported and fit in the crib snugly. There should be no space between the mattress and the crib walls.

The mattress should be firm.

If possible, check the date of manufacture. Very old cribs do not meet today’s safety standards. Older cribs are less stable, as well.

Make sure baby can not get her head caught in the slats and that the sides of the crib operate correctly.

Check weight limitations. Be sure your child is not too large for the crib provided. If the child is too heavy, it could cause the crib to collapse.

Do not put soft or fluffy items in the crib with your child. This includes crib bumpers.

Place the crib away from windows, where your child can not reach window blinds, cords, lamp or lamp cords, or any wall plugs.

For mesh or travel cribs, double check that the sides are in the correct position and locked. Your baby could get tangled in the mesh and suffocate.

Consider bringing your own sheets for a hotel crib. Your child will feel more secure with familiar sheets, and you will know they are clean.

Take the extra time to double check safety and  you and your child will sleep better.

A sick or injured child can turn a fun filled family vacation into a disaster. Prepare for the unpredictable before you leave home.

If anyone in your family takes prescription, over the counter medication, or supplements regularly, be sure you have enough on hand for the trip. You may not be able to find them in a strange town.

Remember, not all OTC medicines are available everywhere. If there is a specific brand of allergy medicine your child uses occasionally, take it with you.

For prescriptions, carry a new written script with you.

For each family member write down the name of the medication, the condition it is taken for, doctor’s name, patient’s age and weight. This is especially important for children. Keep a copy of this list in your luggage, another in your vehicle, and a third in your purse or wallet.

Keep the name, address and telephone number to your pediatrician or family doctor in an obvious place. Rescue workers will look in your wallet or on your cell phone first. To identify contacts in your cell phone as emergency numbers use the key phrase ICE with the entry. ICE stands for “In Case of Emergency”

If traveling by car, be sure to have a well- stocked first aid kit and reference manual with you. Cuts, scrapes and minor sprains can be treated with basic first aid. For broken bones, head injuries and more serious injuries, treat with first aid until you get to the nearest emergency room.

Always keep insurance cards with you, and make copies of the cards, just in case. Have enough cash available for one parent to fly home with an injured or ill child.

The odds are, you’ll never need to fly a child home because of illness or injury, but it’s better to be prepared.

Jet Lag leaves adults tired, cranky and many times, physically ill. For children the adjustment from one time zone to another is even more difficult. Young children, especially, are very sensitive to any changes in their schedules and react poorly to sudden time differences.

Avoiding jet lag for your children makes good sense for everyone.

If traveling by air, try to travel during your child’s normal sleep time in the new time zone. It is likely they will nap during part of the trip.

Push fluids. Keeping well hydrated will go a long way toward alleviating symptoms of jet lag. Water is best, sports drinks are good, but avoid carbonated sodas.

Avoid junk foods. Sugar and high fat carbs like cookies and chips will make blood sugar unstable and make your child more fussy. At the same time, try to keep the child’s diet as close to normal as possible.

Try to get your child prepared for the new time zone by adjusting their schedule gradually over a week or two before the trip. If this is not practical, have your child go to bed in line with the new time zone the day before the trip. When you arrive at your destination, let them nap, but keep them on the new time.

Physical activity will help your child’s body deal with the jet lag. Take them for a walk around the new city, a swim in your hotel pool or let them run through a park when you get to your destination. It will also help to let your child walk around on the plane often.

Parents should remember jet lag effects adults and children equally and that children are not as psychologically able to push past the physical effects. Children may need extra nap time for a few days upon arrival at the new destination.

What do you do when the unthinkable happens?  What do you do when the family reaches their destination, ready to begin their vacation, only to discover that the most important family member (next to mommy, of course) didn’t arrive alongside everyone else?

We’re talking, of course, of the Favorite Toy–the scuffed and battered teddy bear that shares the secrets and pillows of the toddler, their “bestest friend ever!”  When that best friend gets lost on the way to the vacation, what is a parent to do?

First off, try to reassure the child that Harold can indeed be found.  Then, if possible, take the child by the hand, retrace their steps, and hopefully Harold will be found, happily soaking in the sunshine beside the pool, right where the child left him.  If Harold isn’t found, though, that could ruin a child’s whole vacation…so, use a little bit of forethought  and make sure that doesn’t happen.

Kids should carry some sort of ID in case they get separated from their parents; that ID should have home address, contact phone numbers, and anything else that will help authorities return the child to their family as soon as possible.  Parents might consider using Harold to demonstrate just how important the child’s ID is—by printing an identical set for Harold, to make sure he finds his way home.

“Remember when we printed out the ID papers in your pocket?  Well, don’t worry, we printed ID papers for Harold, too, remember?  If he gets lost, he’ll find his way to someone and show them his ID papers.  They will see your name on his papers and they’ll try to find you at our hotel, and if they can’t find you, then they’ll put Harold on his own airplane so that he’s waiting for us when we get home.”