Traveling with kids can sometimes be enough of a nightmare to turn your vacation into a stay-cation. By being prepared and staying organized you can make your flight to Denver easy and keep everyone happy during the flight!
Book early to ensure you can get seats next to each other.
Nothing's worse than trying to keep your kids under control from an aisle away, so be sure to book early so you have prime seating options available. Others will appreciate it too. If you end up in separate seats and want to try to switch seats, be sure to explain the situation entirely to other passengers while remaining polite.
Bring plenty of snacks!
Pack plenty of snacks including carrot sticks, pretzels, grapes, apple slices, bananas, fruit snacks, juice boxes and maybe even some candy to offer as a reward for good behavior.
Stay organized and be prepared for everything!
Know where you've packed things in your bag and make sure you have easy access to toys, games, snacks, diapers, wipes, and anything else that you might need to get to quickly. You might want to consider giving older children their own backpack to hold their toys, crayons, books, etc. This also makes them feel responsible and important to keep track of their own bag.
Check your stroller with your luggage.
If you can get away with using a carrier or baby sling, go ahead and check the stroller. This will free up your hands and leave you with one less thing to carry (and worry about).
Bring a car seat for the plane.
For young ones a car seat will probably be much more comfortable and familiar than buckling into an airplane seat or sitting your lap.
Set the ground rules and offer rewards if they are 'good'.
Be sure to talk to your kids ahead of time of time about what is expected from them and what proper behavior is on an airplane. If you have multiple kids, flip a coin for the window seat or agree ahead of time who will sit where and switch off on the way home. Bring a new toy, candy or new coloring book and let them know they will get a reward for good behavior once the flight is over.
Keep them busy!
Be prepared with multiple activities available to keep kids occupied during a flight. Bring a gaming device, an Ipad, portable DVD player with DVDs, new toys, coloring books, or puzzle books. Be sure to bring plenty of crayons, paper, and a notebook and let them explore their creative sides!
Rent kids equipment vs. bringing it all with you.
There are lots of companies out there that rent out kids equipment and will even deliver it to your vacation home or condo, meaning you have less to lug to the airport. SummitCove.com Vacation Lodging offers some of these items for your stay for a nominal fee, such as high chairs and portable cribs and we can have them setup and ready to go upon your arrival. We also have some 'kid-friendly' condos that come pre-stocked with these items and some even have toys and games to play with.