Summer is here and hopefully your schedule will allow some travel time as a family.  Whether it's for a week or a week-end or a day, here are some tips that will make the trip easier for you and the kids.

Packing -

• Invest in a fanny pack (or belt pack) to hold your absolute minimum needs so you'll have both hands available for your child and you won't have to carry a purse.

• Take along a night-light to reassure children waking in the night in a strange room.

• Keep plastic bandages and baby wipes in the glove compartment of the car, purse, pocket, or carry-on bag.  Be sure you have medication packed with you and not in your luggage.  Keep your M.D. and pharmacy phone number with you .... just in case.

Peace In The Car -

• For a fussy traveler, bring out a new toy or snack periodically.

• Keep the radio on with lively music.  Sing lots of songs.

• Stop every hour or two.

• Praise positive behavior.

• Give the kids a five minute warning before you stop so that they can put on shoes, etc.

• Plan and announce a treat for the end of the day, so everyone will have something to look forward to.

Food & Drinks In The Car -

• Carry a supply of small paper plates or coffee filters with little slits in the center.  Put the sticks of popsicles of ice cream bars through the slits and there'll be less mess on the car seat and fingers.

• Take along a box of crackers and a bottle of quirt cheese.  The adult who's not driving can decorate the crackers with the cheese in designs, letters, or numbers.

• Carry a thermos of cold water - it quenches thirst best.

Activities In The Car -

• Store colored pencils, markers, and coloring books in a metal cake pan with a sliding cover. (Crayons melt in the summer heat).  The closed top provides a work surface.

• Plan some "look for" games such as finding a roadside item beginning with each letter of the alphabet.  Or watching for license plates of different states.