7 tips to make traveling with your kids a holiday treat

(WXYZ) - Before you head over the river and through the woods to grandmother's house for Thanksgiving, check out our seven tips to make traveling with your kids a holiday treat.

1.) Be a savvy packer

Kids are messy, end of story. But instead of packing more, learn to pack smart. Dressing your little one in white or light colors doesn’t always agree with Kool-Aid and the confined spaces of an airplane’s cabin. Consider packing an old adult button down in your carry-on that your child can wear in reverse as a smock. Other items on your list should include a small portion of laundry detergent and a portable hair dryer. You never know when an emergency wash and dry session may strike!

2.) Fix it

If you pack nothing else, be sure to remember Ziploc bags, duct tape and a Swiss Army knife. “But we’re not going camping,” you say? No matter. Duct tape can secure a busted suitcase, patch a pair of torn jeans and seal gift boxes to send home. Ziplocs allow you to store collectables like shells, keep wet bathing suits away from your dry, clean clothes and will act as a barf bag when motion sickness strikes. The Swiss Army knife can be used during meal time, to open pesky packaging or tighten screws on malfunctioning toys.

3.) Remember regulations

The TSA has modified the rules for flying with breast milk, formula, milk and juice. So long as it is declared at the security checkpoint, mothers traveling with or without their infant are permitted to carry on quantities greater than the restrictive 3 oz. regulations for other liquids. It is normal for a TSA Security Officer to ask you to open the container, so be prepared by having it easily accessible by the time you reach the x-ray. Parents are encouraged to travel with only as much formula, breast milk, or juice in your carry-on needed to reach your destination. Gel or liquid filled teethers, canned, jarred or processed baby food are also permitted on board the flight. Here’s a full list of permitted items.

4.) Choose wisely, arrive early

When taking any mode of transportation other than the family minivan, consider traveling during non peak hours; late, midday and Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday. This will allow for more room to stretch out and decrease the stress on other passengers should your child pass out after a massive temper tantrum.  If possible, book nonstop travel to avoid spending the night in Tiny Town, Texas due to a missed connection. Lastly, arrive early. Sprinting through a terminal is taxing enough with without a toddler in tow and the restrictions of a baby bjorn.

5.) Build excitement

Make the trip itself a special occasion. Create a countdown calendar and allow your kids to cross off the days. Special treats; a game, coloring book, snack etc. can serve as incentives or rewards for good behavior both leading up to and along the journey. Remember that the trip itself; the bus, plane or train ride, can be equally exciting for kids as the destination.

6.) Keep them company

Kindles, PSPs, iPads, pods and phones keep kids busy but what about keeping them company? Go back to the old school travel past times likes the license plate game and “I spy” to encourage family conversation and fun. Pack a special blanket or stuffed animal in case creature comforts are needed to cope with turbulence or unfamiliar surroundings. When quiet time calls, throw in the DVD, strap on the headphones and watch your little one be lulled to sleep by the vibrations of the open road.

7.) Teaching opportunity

Whether traveling across the world or across the state, a new destination provides an opportunity to educate your children. What will they see, smell and hear? What types of food will they taste or landmarks will they visit? Why will it be different than home and is different okay? Teaching your children about different customs or cuisine not only makes them more well rounded (we know – in your eyes he’s already a little renaissance man) it will also ease any uncertainties about somewhere new.

Parents, do you have other ideas to make traveling with your kids a breeze? Share them in the comments section below.