Spring Travel with Kids

It's only been almost 10 years since our last trip to Hawaii, so when we were invited to a wedding there earlier this year, we jumped at the chance to make this a family vacation. Packing for this trip, with 2 kids in tow is a far cry from our days of traveling without kids.

Here are a few tips for packing efficiently when traveling with kids:

1. What kinds of activities are we talking?
Prior to the trip, we agreed that with the exception of the wedding, we would be spending most of our time on the beach, napping, eating (read: shaved ice) and setting that agenda on repeat. In other words: pack light. On the other hand, we knew hiking would be on the agenda, so we decided to suck it up and lug the baby backpack.

2. Pack items that do double-duty
Cute flip flops that you can wear to the beach, and for a night out. A longer tee for cover-up can also double up as jammies. You get the idea. I used my carryall tote as a diaper bag on the plane, and as a beach tote on the beach. P.S. The waterproof lining was a godsend for those wet swim suits and snack spills.

Image courtesy of HM.

3. Keep them organized
We are fans of packing cubes and pouches to keep smaller items organized. Contact lens cases, 2-oz TSA-friendly bottles and tubes are all good items to have for "decantering" family-sized bottles of sunscreen and other body products. 

4. Have surprises ready for long journeys
We kept a bunch of small toys in pouches for each kid so we could "surprise" them with activities on the plane. Hot wheels and balls for Alistair, and markers and coloring pad for Maika.

5. Hands-free bags = lifesaver
Backpacks and crossbody bags are both wonderful options when traveling with kids. Especially if you're constantly chasing after an active toddler.

May your Spring travels be light and delightful!

All images courtesy of MAIKA unless otherwise noted.