Advice: Stress-less Family Trips with Young Children. As new parents gear up to hit the road, they come to realization that tossing stuff in a suitcase is not going to work like it did in their pre-baby years. There are so many necessities for keeping kids happy and healthy while traveling that the task of getting everything together is daunting.

Following are tips for creating the ultimate travel survival kit for stress-less family trip with toddlers, whether via plane, train, or automobile:
Just in case you experience an oops. Bring along a spare set of clothes for everyone (parents included). Don’t leave home without the cloth wipes as they can salvage almost any unexpected spill or spit-up. PLAYSKOOL Cottony Cloths are unique wipes as they are made with real cotton so they stay super-soft and strong, meaning you only have to pack a few.

Pack doubles of essentials, from pacifiers to diapers. For toddlers, insulated no-spill cups with flip top design are perfect for travel as they both keep drinks cool longer, but also help prevent accidental spills. Include snacks that won’t crumble or go bad, like pretzels or raisins, and drinks that don’t leave impossible stains, like bottles of water, orange juice, or apple juice boxes.
 
Separate and protect. Split each family member’s clothes among your suitcases in case one bag is lost. If staying at a hotel, bring along adhesive bandages to cover and baby proof any exposed outlets or sharp edges in the hotel room.
 
Entertain and surprise. Nesting toys, baby proof mirrors, soft animals, plastic keys and teething rings help keep baby entertained and less fussy. Keep Teething Keys in a cooler, and look for ones filled with non-toxic Ice Gel that remains soft even when frozen and gentle on baby’s sore gums. Toddler options include counting books, music, audio tapes, stickers and sticker books, crayons, small-wheeled cars and trucks and blank paper and rubber stamps. Buy small gifts and wrap them in tissue paper (or an old sock) to hand out in spaced-out intervals. Better yet purchase a set of finger puppets to use as a distraction when stress appears evident. Travel tip: Don’t give your child too many sweets: all the candy, junk food, and soda often leave kids feeling sick on the trip.
 
On the road again. If your family vacation includes travel by auto additional effort may be needed. Spread a sheet or beach towel over the backseat to make cleaning up spills and crumbs that much easier. On those hot summer days when metal seatbelts can get too hot, cut an old sock and fit it over the seatbelt. Audio tapes with stories or a sing - long theme will make the hours go faster. Just as in an airplane or on the train finger puppets work wonders and books relating to the trip will be an extra benefit. Travel tip: Put a box of toys or a soft suitcase or a diaper bag between two kids in the backseat. It gives them boundaries and also serves as an ad hoc table for play.
 
Travel by airplane. Pack your diaper bag as if you were going to a desert island for an entire day. Request a bulkhead seat with lots of extra leg room to stand up and play. Loop toddler or baby toys on a thick cotton rope. This will keep them from being flung into the aisles or on the laps of fellow passengers. Suction toys that won’t fall off the airline trays make perfect playthings for babies. Travel tip: Pack a set of finger puppets which will prove invaluable when delays cause stress.
 
You will find travel-friendly products from CVS pharmacy’s PLAYSKOOL Baby Care line:
Easy Grip Bowl: Cute and colorful, the PLAYSKOOL Easy Grip Bowl has a comfy, ergonomic thumb hole that allows for an ultra-stable grip during mealtime – perfect for meals at the park, in the car, or on the plane. The bowl includes a lid with built-in steam vent and a color-changing, heat sensitive feeding spoon to make feeding time safer and easier than ever before.
 
Cottony Cloths: The only wipes made with real cotton, PLAYSKOOL Cottony Cloths are super-soft and stronger than other wipes on the market, so you won’t need to use as many. A nice bonus for travelers – the wipes come in soft-sided packaging, so they are easy to fit inside diaper bags and suitcases.  And they can serve more than one purpose—other family members can use them in a pinch to clean hands after meals or snacks while on the road.

Insulated Flip Top Cup: This colorful, no spill cup features a two-in-one, flip top design that not only keeps drinks fresh and cool longer, it allows liquid to pass through the spout only when your child sips – so there’s no need to worry about accidental drops.

We at Family Travel Files know all the products and careful packing will not alleviates the stress caused by being short on time so we encourage you to build in a time cushion of at least 30 minutes for air travel maybe more if your airport is on the congested list. Get through security and make eye contact with your departure gate. Then take advantage of the space and time to prepare for the confinement of the plane. When developing your route build in spare time so that your journey is fun along the way not a race against time that tests everyone involved. With a road trip make use of your child's nap time and plan your journey time so that you can make occasional stops of at least 15 minutes at wayside parks along the way.

General content provided by PLAYSKOOL, comment by FTF staff and images taken on Cocoa Beach, Florida by FTF. Copyright 2008.