Family Travel Made Easy: How to Prep Kids For Travel

How to Prep Your Kids for Travel (Before You Even Leave Home)

Traveling with kids can be incredibly rewarding, but let’s be real—it doesn’t just happen. A smooth trip takes some groundwork before you even pack the suitcases. Kids thrive on routine, so it’s unfair to expect them to suddenly transform into perfectly patient, polite world travelers if those habits aren’t encouraged at home first. By prepping your kids ahead of time, you’ll set them up for success—and make travel a lot more enjoyable for the whole family.

Here’s what we focus on to make sure our kids are travel-ready before every trip:

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1. Talk About Expectations Early

Kids do better when they know what’s expected of them. In our house, we often talk about polite manners because let's face it, I want kind polite kids all the time and not just when we travel. When those behaviors are expected all the time because they become part of their normal day to day routine which is much easier for them to recall. There is a lot of added stress when traveling for kids, but habits and routine are much easier to recall. The polite behaviors we highlight before all trips are:

• Using polite phrases like please, thank you, and excuse me

• Remembering indoor vs. outdoor voices

• How to act in places like museums, restaurants, and public transportation

We also love teaching our children to respect the cultures we will be exploring by learning simple phrases in the local language. Please, thank you, and excuse me are always at the top of the list. It is always so rewarding watching the children light up when they get to use their new phrases and have the locals interact with each of them in the local language. Everyone with small children understands the absolute pride the 2 year old feels when they get a “hello” after saying hello to literally everyone they see while walking the aisles at the grocery store. It is a very similar experience and yet has a bit of a magical feel to it because a language barrier has been broken. The excitement is infectious and all the kids can’t resist joining in.

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2. Keep Travel Toys Special

We have a stash of “travel toys” and activities that only come out on trips. The novelty keeps them fresh and exciting. If I add something new, I let the kids play with it for about five minutes at home first. This way, they’re familiar enough to enjoy it, but in my experience the novelty of a new toy wears out faster than a much anticipated known toy.

Another way to make travel days special is by giving each child their own backpack with toys and snacks. Letting them choose what to bring—and when to use it—gives a sense of independence, which is golden when routines are off. Sometimes we switch it up and pack one small “community bag” of treats and toys that the kids take turns carrying. Handing the bag to an upset child and letting them be the “special helper” has saved us from meltdowns more than once. And if you’d rather keep everything in your own bag, no worries—kids still light up when they get their toys.

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3. Make It Interactive with Cameras & Scavenger Hunts

One of our kids’ favorite travel activities is taking their own pictures. Kid-friendly cameras—or even an old point-and-shoot—make sightseeing much more fun for them. Before a trip, I like to pull out the cameras and set up a practice picture scavenger hunt, where the kids search for certain objects to photograph. This helps them get comfortable using the camera and adds a playful challenge.

You can use AI to generate scavenger hunt lists tailored to the specific location you’ll be visiting. But honestly, most of the time the kids are simply entertained by taking pictures in a fun new place. It’s always such a joy to see the trip through their eyes—what they notice, what captures their attention, and the unique moments they choose to snap. Some of our very favorite travel photos have come from their little hands.

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4. Build Stamina for Busy Days

Travel almost always means way more walking than my kids are used to, so we like to “practice” at home before a trip. Daily walks, scooter rides, or bike rides make a big difference in building up their endurance. I’m also a huge fan of strollers and carriers—whether at the airport or exploring a new city. They give my kids a cozy, familiar place to rest, keep them safe in crowded spots, and honestly, they double as my pack mule for diaper bags and snacks. That said, they’re not always practical everywhere we go, which is why those little practice walks help so much. The more stamina the kids have, the less likely we are to hit the tired-meltdown stage when we’re out adventuring.

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5. Get Them Invested Through Books

Before a trip, we always make a stop at the library to check out books about our destination. The kids get so excited reading stories about the landmarks, food, and culture we’ll see, and it’s the best feeling when they recognize something from a book once we’re actually there. Rather than the “ugh, another boring building” we get “hey, I know that place, that was in my book!”

If you’re heading somewhere well-known, you’ll probably find a surprising number of children’s books about it. And if your destination is a little more off-the-beaten-path, kid-friendly world atlases are always a win. The pictures draw them in, and the regional facts give them fun, relatable nuggets of information—no matter the destination.

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6. Create a Space for Calm

Just as kids need practice building stamina for long days of walking, they also need practice slowing down. If your trip includes places that require quiet and respectful behavior—like museums, temples, or even certain restaurants—it helps to start preparing at home.

One way we do this is by turning it into a game: practicing whisper-only instructions or playing “quiet voice” challenges. Visiting the library is such a useful tool as it helps with this skill as well. It naturally teaches kids that different spaces call for different behaviors, while also giving them practice sitting still for longer stretches as they read or listen to stories. That little bit of preparation goes a long way when you’re sitting through a meal or exploring a quiet cultural site.

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7. Practice Food Adventures at Home

Food is one of the best parts of traveling—and one of the best ways to explore a new culture—but it can also be tricky with kids. At home in America, it’s common for restaurants to offer kid menus filled with familiar options like chicken nuggets and pizza. Abroad, that’s not always the case so prepping the kids- and yourself for that is important.

To help our kids adjust, we use what we call the “polite bite” rule: everyone has to try at least one bite of everything before deciding if they like it. We practice this at home, and it applies to every meal, always. It’s amazing how often the kids end up enjoying something they were sure they wouldn’t like.

On vacation, we usually order family-style meals. This works beautifully because everyone gets to sample a variety of dishes, and it increases the chances that the kids find something they enjoy. Typically, we’ll choose one dish with them in mind and then pick a couple others we’re excited to try.

We also make food discovery part of the adventure. If we pass a bakery or restaurant that looks especially tempting, we’ll stop and order one thing to share. Not only does this keep the kids full (even if they didn’t love their last meal), but it also makes mealtime more fun and spontaneous. Some of our favorite food memories have come from those unplanned little bites along the way.

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Final Thoughts

Of course, none of this means things will always go perfectly—far from it. Meltdowns still happen. Travel with kids often means tired little bodies, disrupted routines, unfamiliar places, and food that isn’t quite what they’re used to. Tears are part of the package. But laying the groundwork—helping them know what to expect and giving them tools to succeed—really does make the whole experience so much smoother for everyone.

By setting expectations, keeping travel toys and snacks special, encouraging curiosity, building stamina as well as calm and practicing food adventures, you’re helping them feel confident and excited instead of overwhelmed. The prep work goes a long way, and when it is paired with energy-expending activities before and/or after more structured activities such as museum visits and public transportation to help them get the wiggles out it makes it possible. It’s that balance of preparation and planning that keeps our travel days smooth and enjoyable.

The goal isn’t perfection. It’s raising polite, curious, and resilient little travelers—and creating some of your very best family memories along the way.

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✨ SC&S tip: Start small. Practice these steps at home before a trip, and soon your kids will surprise you with how adaptable and adventurous they become.