Travel Tips for Kids
Traveling with children is a “good challenge” (as my little learners and I say). This blog will give you tools and support to survive traveling with kids, and it includes ways to make travel accessible and enjoyable for autistic and neurodivergent people.
Here are some insights from science and parenting journalist Melinda Wenner Moyer, author of the Is My Kid the Asshole? newsletter, and strategies from Learn Play Grow to help you survive, and even thrive, on vacation with kids.
Kids are often adaptable and resilient when they know who and what is coming. Making ideas concrete really helps!
Look at pictures of where you’re going in travel books or on the location website so kids can see it.
Reconnect with family and friends you are going to see or travel with before you embark. FaceTime, picture albums, and play dates can really help!
Coach your kids about expectations and behavior. Clear is kind, so let your little ones know in advance what is expected. Role plays and making daily schedules can really help!
Role play how to stay safe and have quiet fun on the plane, table manners when you don’t like the food, or how to handle conflict when siblings or friends argue
Make daily schedules so kids feel safe in knowing what to expect and can practice being flexible.
Make sure adults are on the same page! If you’re traveling with friends or to visit family, share what works best for your kids. Communication and teamwork make the dream work!
Prepare for how to handle bedtime if your kids are go to bed before your friends’ kids.
Advocate for what your kids need. You know them best, and if they need a little space when they’re upset, advocate early rather than waiting for a tantrum.
Keep structure where your kids need it, and let loose on the rest! Some kids need consistent meal or bedtimes to be their best selves. Maintaining that structure is a blessing for everyone. But maybe you let loose on sweet treats, watching movies, etc. Part of life is knowing that different places have different plans, and vacations are great teachers!
Melinda Wenner Moyer's book How to Raise Children Who Aren't Assholes and other books, podcasts, and links on the Learn Play Grow resource page at https://learnplaygrowconsulting.com/resources
Travel offers amazing opportunities and unique challenges for autistic and neurodivergent people. Dawn Barclay's interview on the Uniquely Human podcast offers insights and strategies for making travel accessible and enjoyable.
Barclay urges parents to include children's interests to support motivation and give them ownership of the experience. She also encourages parents to pace the trip so children (and adults!) don't get overstimulated or exhausted.
Here are some of the strategies for preparing in advance and reducing anxiety during trips.
Wings for Autism offers a "practice" flight experience
Social stories can help children know what to expect
Visual schedules can help children sequence activities
Take mini trips to nearby places before a big trip to far away locations
Bring your own sheet and toiletries if particulars matter for sleeping and bathing
The podcast also includes lived experience and wisdom from David Sharif, an autistic world traveler and author of The Empowerment of My Condition. He urges people to leverage the power of technology to connect by using apps for translation, currency conversion, and navigating each unique city or destination
Listen and learn at https://uniquelyhuman.com/2022/06/10/travel-with-autistic-children-dawn-barclay/
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Rebecca A. Weiner, M.Ed. Is a dynamic educator and creator of Learn Play Grow. She helps young children with diverse abilities and their families, teachers, and schools experience success on their own terms through play-based learning, parent and teacher coaching, and consulting and inclusion support in schools. Connect with Rebecca at www.learnplaygrowconsulting.com