We are planning our next adventure – to the Bavarian Alps and I vowed to take a bigger roll in the details – where we will stay, how we will get around, etc.  After floundering for several weeks, my husband has taken the reins and provided the outline of an itinerary.  With that piece done, I find it much more fun and relaxing to plan the day to day details – a portion of the trip planning he actively dislikes.

How do you share trip planning?

1. Wear the base layer as PJs.  The kids always sleep in their long johns.  It saves valuable time in the morning and is a nice cozy way to start the morning (who wants to put on a cold pair of long johns first thing in the morning?)
2. Prepare the night before.  Pick a convenient spot near the door and lay out everything (and I mean EVERYTHING) in the order it needs to be put on.  Give each child a folding chair or designated spot on the floor so they each have their own space and there is no fighting over territory.
3. Need a lunch?  Pack it completely the night before (use a labeled zip lock bag to keep the lunch together and dry).
4. Load all skis, boards and poles in the car the night before.
5. After breakfast, require a potty stop (even if they insist they don’t have to go!).
6. Everyone gets ready together and in order.  Do NOT dress the kids one at a time – the first ones ready get too hot in their gear.  Instead, have everyone do each step together.   You can help as needed to keep things moving but kids can do a surprising amount by themselves if you let them.
7. Wear ALL gear to the slopes including ski boots (it gives them a chance to warm up before heading out on the slopes) and helmets.
8. Double check the essentials as you load the car: gloves, neck gators, helmets.
9. Pack an essentials bag – we have a bag of spare gloves, neck gators, ear warmers and even a helmet that stays in the car.  That way if something gets lost, we have a back up ready to go.

If you forget something, don’t panic.  Ski schools often have a spares you can borrow or buy.  Ask to check the lost and found for spare gear to borrow if you don’t want to purchase new.

Happy Travels!

1.  Travel Picture Bingo from imaginetics.  The small size and convenience of magnetic pieces make this a must have on any road trip.  Keep one in the car and play games whenever you ride in the car.

2.  Family Dinner Take Out from Melissa & Doug.  42 thought provoking questions will get the conversation going (and the laughter flowing) while riding in the car.  It is small enough to fit in the glove compartment.

3.  Go Fishing Take ‘n Play game.  Fun for kids of all ages – this is great for siblings sitting next to each other in the car.

4.  Fidget Puzzle from ToySmith.  Manipulative toys are fun for restless kids.  This one has 12 block connected by an elastic string and can be manipulated into numerous shapes.  Great for kids from 3 to 99.

5.  Squiggle On the Go.  Stretch imaginations as you pass the hours in the car with Squiggles.  With 200 unique pages, there is plenty for even the longest road trip.

What are your favorite travel games?

1. Sledding or tubing hill.  Some resorts have groomed tubing hills complete with magic carpets or tow ropes.  These tend to be pricey (up to $30 an hour) so if you are looking for the budget option, ask some locals where they go sledding, pick up a couple of sleds in the local grocery store and head out.  A thermos of hot cocoa and some cookies will round out the perfect afternoon.  If you are heading to Breckenridge, check out Carter Park behind the elementary school – great sledding (but beware of the rough ride down the middle – little kids should stick to the smoother path on the sides).
2. Dog sledding.  Kids and adults of all ages will enjoy this fun activity – there are packages from an hour to a full day.
3. Children’s museum/rec center.  Many mountain resorts have a children’s museum or indoor rec center (or both) that are fun for a day or even après ski.  These are generally very affordable but can be crowded and/or have odd hours.
4. Shopping.  Shopping at a resort can be limited but ski towns have a wide variety of unique stores to fit every budget and taste.  Kids will enjoy browsing the local toy store, small book store and even the eclectic gift shop.  Ask around for fun kid spots – for example, there is a small indoor play area in the back of Peek A Boo toys in Breckenridge.  The upstairs kids area of the Breckenridge visitor center is also a hidden gem – rarely crowded and fun, educational activities for the kids.
5. Ceramics studio.  Spend an afternoon or après ski evening painting a masterpiece to take home.  If you do this early in the trip, you can generally take it home with you, otherwise, they will ship it to your destination.

Of course, no trip would be complete without fun games for the condo/hotel room.  You can find our favorites here.

What are your favorite activities?

Look mom, almost done!

Let’s face it – family vacations are expensive and the pressure to “have fun” and build “lifelong memories” can be intense.  Family vacations are built on magical moments when everyone lets go and enjoys the moment.  While you can’t create those moments, tension can and often does squelch them.  I am prone to falling apart when things don’t go according to plan or bickering takes over the moment – so here are some tricks my annoyingly patient husband uses to talk me down.

1.  Everything is washable (or remember Kate).  I vividly remember watching a snippet of the reality show John and Kate Plus 8 where they visited DisneyWorld and Kate had a complete meltdown because the kids were eating ice cream.  I NEVER wanted to be that mom – snarky and mean because of ice cream.  Talk about killing the joy of the moment!  Clothes and kids are washable and if the day is going to be really messy, plan for it.  Pack loads of wipes, enjoy the drippy gelato near the hotel, bring along a change of clothes or pop into a local shop and buy a new shirt.

2.  Forget about the money.  My biggest pet peeve is to spend a small fortune on an extra special excursion only to have it ruined by whiny, unappreciative kids.  My husband is quick to step in on these situations with his brand of logic a) the kids have no idea how much things cost and are not deliberately sabotaging the event and b) the only one that can ruin it for me is ME.  If I relax and work with him to corral the kids (instead of pouting and making things worse), everything will turn out for the best.

3.  Let things happen.  Itineraries are wonderful and necessary travel tools – especially when traveling with kids.  However; there is a time and place to let things slip and enjoy the moment.  If you spy a local park, let the kids run off steam for 15 – 20 minutes (yes, there will be tears when you try to leave but they will quickly be forgotten – playing in the park may be thememory they bring home from the trip).

Kensington Park - a favorite stop in London

4.  Communicate, communicate, communicate.  If there is an activity or site that is particularly important, make sure to let others know.  Likewise, respect what they would like to see and do – this includes things that the kids might have a passion about.

5.  Starting to lose patience?  Take a minute to remove yourself from the situation.  Take a bathroom break – ALONE, close you eyes for a minute or just let your spouse know you need to step away for five minutes.

Finally, a class of wine always helps when things start to fall apart!

It did get me thinking….what makes the best family vacation?

The best family vacations are not about the destination – in fact, they are as likely to happen in your own neighborhood as in an expensive theme park.  They are about the precious few magical moments when it all comes together.  It’s the kids being enchanted by an out-of-the way fountain or playing in a new-found park.  The sweet taste of gelato when no one is worried about making a mess.  The wonder at seeing Cinderella’s Castle for the first time.

Come home from a vacation remembering the magical moments and it truly was a “best family vacation.”

1.  Glove/Mitten Cats.  Kudos to the Spyder company for finally designing mittens with a convenient loop snap that attaches to a loop on their jacket sleeves.  If your mittens/jackets aren’t this hi-tech, your kids NEED mitten clips.  I prefer the Glove Cats because the clips hold firm and they are just the right length.  Why are these necessary?  Little kids are always pulling off their gloves  – just ask any ski instructor and they will tell you they spend half the day putting mittens back on kids.  These clips prevent mittens from getting left behind.  The length is important – too short and they are difficult to attach but too long and dangling mittens drag on the ground and fill with snow.

2.  Good socks.  It is worth the money to buy high quality padded ski socks that fit properly.  Never get socks with “room to grow” that is a recipe for blisters!  Also, our socks tend to shrink during the year so I buy an extra pair to open later in the ski season.

3.  Labeled helmet.  No one likes to dwell on their kids getting injured but when you see someone coming down on a sled with ski patrol, all helmets look remarkably similar.  Label your kid’s helmet so you can easily distinguish it.  My kids have a purple snake drawn in Sharpie on the top of their helmet and helmet tails (we made fish tails and cheetah tails that attach to the back goggle strap with a zip tie – comment if you are interested in instructions on how to make your own).

4.  Contact information.  Tuck a business card with your mobile number in at least one pocket.

What little things do you need for a successful ski day with kids?

I have long marveled at the people that seem to have everything at their fingertips – need a tissue?  They have one handy.  Need a bandage?  No sweat.   My mom is one of those people and I always thought that, once I became a mom, it would magically happen for me as well.  No such luck!  Instead I still rely on mom and my handy list (of which I try to have at least a few of at any given time).  Here is my list of must have items.

1.  Tissues and wipes for runny noses and sticky fingers.

2.  Bandages and antiseptic wipes.  Character or design bandages work like magic with my kids and instantly stop tears.  They also seem to arrest a meltdown – especially if it isn’t really needed.   Remember, they stop meltdowns in other kids so be generous with your supply!

3.  Cloth tape measure.  This is handy for quick measurements and kids love to play with it.  My kids have walked around many stores measuring boxes, chairs, legs, wrists, pretty much anything and everything.  You can find fun animal tape measures here but, honestly, my favorite is the blue or white ones from the Container Store.   A note of caution – the retraction can be fast and whip the end around towards the face – teach kids to hold the tape away from them and/or turn their head to avoid getting hit with the end.

4.  Small notepad, pen and/or crayons.  We use our notepad for everything from drawing pictures to playing tic tac toe to practicing math facts.  Pick one with perforated pages that are easy to tear out so you can share pages with multiple kids and make sure you have enough writing tools so everyone can have their own.

5.  Small toys.  You don’t need a toybox in your bag but a few little cars, small animals, bendi dolls or similar items can be a lifesaver!

What are your must have items?

1.  Road Trip Game:  Fun for the entire family this small box will keep you busy for hours of highway miles.   The 10 classic road trip games and the travel quizzes are standard road trip fare – it is the 45 conversation starter questions that can really spice things up on a long journey.

2. Hangman:  Ready to step up from the paper version?  There are many variations on the market but our family favorite is the wooden hangman from Melissa & Doug.  It’s slim design tucks easily into the back of a seat and it’s durable construction stand the test of time and kids!

3.  License Plate Game:  Another travel classic that is available in a variety of formats.   We keep a magnetic version in our car and always have a game going.

4.  Spot It:  This is a new family favorite!  There is always one and only one matching symbol between any two cards – be the first to spot it and win.  Perfect for backseat fun, although we play it more while waiting at restaurants.

5.  Tell Tale:  This award winning game involves the entire family.  Use the illustrated cards to create stories in teams or all together – works for travel or as a family party conversation starter.

What are your favorite family travel games?

Slope Improvements:  The bunny slopes used to be created out of an otherwise unusable hill somewhere on the resort property or, worse, at bottom of a long run.  No longer!  Resorts are paying attention to the beginner experience by regrading slopes, installing magic carpet conveyor lifts to haul skiers back to the top (instead of traditional lifts) and locating them near the ski school.  Breckenridge actually has bunny slopes within the confines of their kids’ ski school so the under 7 crowd can learn to stop and turn in a controlled environment (that is conveniently just steps away from hot cocoa & bathrooms).

Safety Improvements:  One of the most difficult things for kids to do on skis is get back up once they take a tumble.  Handled jerseys help ski instructors (or parents) stand kids up when they fall.  They also allow lift operators to give a much needed “pull back” to little kids riding the lift.  Some resorts are taking this further with the addition of magnetized jerseys.  The magnets stick to the backs of lifts for the ride and the lift operator demagnetizes them at the top so kids can exit the chair lift.  An interesting concept that I would like to see in action.

Convenience Factors:  Ski nannies and valets are becoming more and more popular with resorts.  They help shuttle the kids to and from ski school, which is not an easy task with multiple kids and all their gear.  Telluride has staff in parking lots to help parents get kids and gear safely to the ski school.  Resorts have also spent money renovating and enlarging the children’s indoor spaces so they are inviting and fun for kids in between ski runs.

Happy Travels!