Traveling with your preschooler this summer? Then, consider the following tips to help ensure your trip is void of major roadblocks:
CARSEAT RULES
It doesn’t matter if you are visiting Chicago and want to travel via taxi with your kids from your hotel on Wacker Street to the Shedd Aquarium a few miles away or if you are in Honolulu and need to get from Ala Moana Beach Park to the zoo in Waikiki, your little ones need to be strapped in a child safety seat to do so. No matter how inconvenient.
While child restraint laws vary according to state, most major U.S. cities stipulate that children under 80 pounds and under 4’9″ tall must be secured in a child safety seat while riding in a moving vehicle.
In regards to air travel; ideally preschoolers should be strapped in a child safety seat that is secured to a plane seat. However, commercial carriers do not demand that parents tote their child’s safety seat onto the plane. If you don’t opt to bring along your preschooler’s carseat you could use the CARES child restraint on the airplane. The restraint is a FAA-approved harness-style child safety device for kids 22 to 44 pounds.
CHECK YOUR FACTS
The Internet is a saving grace when it comes to locating the shortest route to a popular attraction or to find out which accommodations are located near preschool-friendly parks. However, it’s dangerous to take everything you read at face value. Before you venture out on your well-planned family vacation make a point to contact sites directly to confirm the facts, so you aren’t relying solely on printed material. For example, guidebooks don’t list construction areas nor can they tell you if a portion of the museum you are looking to visit will be closed because of renovations.
TELL THE TRUTH
When making travel plans let people know you are traveling with children. When service personnel are informed that you have kids in tow, most often than not they will accommodate you. For example, if you are traveling with a preschooler, ask hotel employees in advance for a room close to the pool or away from it if your youngster has a hard time sleeping in noisy conditions. With prior notification, restaurants can also reserve a corner table with enough room for a rambunctious preschooler to roam. Such conveniences will help make travel less stressful for you and your children.
Related Articles:
Traveling to the Beach with a Preschooler
Surviving the Summer with a Preschooler
Road Trip Sanity Savers for Parents of Preschoolers