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My Spring Break Road Trip Essentials for Travel with Kids

Hey there! Rachel here. For those of you who don’t know me, I’m the cofounder of Figgy and a mom of six.  One of my favorite things to do is travel… with my kids.  It’s a lot of work but I have that “mom anxiety” that kicks in as soon as I think about taking a solo trip with my husband.   So for now, we all travel together. 

My Spring Break Road Trip Essentials for Travel with Kids

Hey there! Rachel here. For those of you who don’t know me, I’m the cofounder of Figgy and a mom of six.  One of my favorite things to do is travel… with my kids.  It’s a lot of work but I have that “mom anxiety” that kicks in as soon as I think about taking a solo trip with my husband.   So for now, we all travel together. 

When I’m headed out on a road trip - I like to bring at least two Figgy base cushions or a Figgy Expansion Set along and a twin sheet set. Why?

 

Figgy Play Couch and Twin Sheets and Vacuum Bags

 

  1. Extra place to sleep. Sometimes the hotel rooms or AirBnB’s don’t have enough sleeping space or safe spaces for my littler kiddos (i.e., they roll off the side of the bed in the middle of the night….).  A twin sheet fits perfectly and it creates a great, soft sleeping pad!

  2. It makes a great little table! Stack two Figgy cushions and cover with a hotel towel if you plan to eat on it - contains mess and provides a great place to nosh on snacks.  This also serves as a great place to do Magna-Tiles or other small activities. 

  3.  If your ok with a hotel room being an obstacle course, it’s great to use the Figgy in a triangle position between the beds. This eases my mind when my kids are inevitably hoping from bed to bed and creates a fun little place to climb!

If you are worried about car space - take your Figgy pieces and put them in a vacuum compression bag. They condense quickly and compactly!  I’ve found most hotels will loan you a vacuum to re-seal them or an AirBnB will have one already. 

Other Travel Essentials: Trains, Planes, and Automobiles

From Brazil to Estonia and beyond, my husband and I have packed up our 6 kids and sought out adventure.  Throughout the journey, I’ve found the BEST things to pack for the road (or sky ahead).

Travel Essentials for Traveling

  1.  Always bring trash bags. Surprisingly, useful in many situations from a blowout diaper to dirty laundry. I find they are more cost efficient for road trips too - just hang one handle over the head rest in your car and you have a spot to stick all your trash that doesn’t get overfull and is easy to get rid of. 

  2. Extra chargers/cords and universal plugs with USB/UBC features. You always need more than you think!

  3. These airplane hammocks for smaller kids - helps keep them in their seat and their food/toys from falling. 

  4. Mialilly suitcase that doubles as a seat! It’s great for moving through airports quickly with a child too big for a stroller, too heavy to carry, but who doesn’t want to walk.

  5. A bag with bandaids and Tylenol melts. You never know when you’ll need them and its great to have something quick and handy that doesn’t take up much space. 

  6. A baby carrier (or two)  for smaller kids. No need to worry about steps or awkward manuvering of a stroller. I love the ones that fold up small and usually bring two.  Takes up WAY less space than a stroller if your someone who likes to travel light.

  7. Laundry bags. They have SO many uses and are a great place for kids to place their worn clothes. They are sturdy with handles so they can double for a diaper bag, grocery bag, etc. 

  8.  This is more what not to bring - DON’T OVER PACK. You will regret having to lug it around.  Most of the time, if you forget something or decide you need something, you can purchase it along the way. 

  9. Instant Coffee or Tea.  This is only for my caffeine drinkers out there, however, I hate traveling and not being able to have my morning coffee or tea when I wake up. It can be a hassle trying to track some down in a new place so I usually bring something easy that I can make in my hotel room or on the go. 

  10. Pack an extra duffle bag. We often accumulate things during our travels - for example, when we were in Holland my 13 year old bought authentic clogs that were NOT tiny.  Thanks to a spare duffle bag we were easily able to pack our treasures up when we were flying home.  I select one that easily counts as a “personal” item for a flight so that I don’t have to pay extra to check it and it doesn’t count as my carry on. 

 

Each family is different but I hope these help make your travels a little easier! Have a tip? We’d love to hear from you!


Cheers,


Rachel