If you missed it, here are the links for the traveling with kids series. Check out part 1 (airplane travel), part 2 (your in-vehicle bag), part 3 (packing), part 4 (while you’re gone and making unpacking easy), part 5 (safety), and part 6 (away for Shabbat).
I remember when I had my first child. I had a huge diaper bag and wouldn’t even run into a store without lugging it along…just in case, you know. And if we’d go somewhere for an overnight, I’d think about trying to pack up a bouncer, stroller… Things have certainly changed!
Now I keep a bag in the car for whoever is in diapers or might need some extra clothes. And wipes – always useful! If it might be needed, I’ll take a diaper and a small package of wipes in, but most of the time I don’t. Usually I’ll just bring my baby in a sling (I have a big collection of them – maybe I’ll write about that sometime!)
But for longer trips, you need to bring more. In addition to the in-car kit, what should you pack?
First, will you have access to laundry facilities? If so, you can pack significantly less. The ages of your family members will determine how much clothing – and extra outfits – they’ll need as well. And last, check the weather report – will you need warm things, layers, or shorts and t-shirts?
There are other items to consider as well. Do you need to bring diapers (estimate how many you’ll need based on average use x number of days), pull-ups, and wipes? Any medications or vitamins? Will you need toiletries? And be sure to pack toothbrushes, toothpaste, and deodorant and other things that aren’t included in a hotel’s toiletries kit.
For a shorter term trip, like a Shabbat overnight or so, check out this post – how to pack in a laundry basket!
Once you know what you’ll need to bring, you can start setting aside what you’ll need: count out diapers and vitamins, set aside any food you’ll pack, and things you won’t be using until then: swimming clothes, swim diapers, hiking shoes, baby carriers, etc…
Then, when you get close, it’s time to pack. I find it helpful to work one person at a time and get the number of bottoms, tops, underthings, and whatever else we also need. I put everyone’s together in the suitcase to make it easier to unpack and sort through when we get there.
I recently went on a 5 day trip with my family of 6. We packed two suitcases, two bags of food, a bag of swimclothes (I keep those separate because sometimes we want to jump right in and having them accessible makes it easy!), and a pack and play.
Each child had 2 pairs of shorts and 2 pants, 4 tops, 4 underthings,3 extra pairs of tzitzit for the kids, socks, tennis shoes, and 4 pj sets. I packed a couple of shirts that could go to several kids as needed, and my 2 year old got an extra outfit.
More to come on making unpacking easy!
