Written by kids columnist Megan Tietz of Sorta Crunchy.

As the summer season kicks into high gear, families are making plans, packing bags, and hitting the road for a time-honored tradition – the family road trip.

A few years ago, we bought a portable DVD player to keep our kids entertained while we traveled.  And you know what?  It worked great!  But it broke, and we decided not to replace it.  And then we re-discovered how much fun family trips can be when we are engaged with and connected to each other.

We’ve had to get a little creative in coming up with ideas to keep the little people occupied without the help of a screen, especially since neither of them are old enough to read independently.

I’ve been thinking about what my family did when I was a child on road trips in those pre-DVD days, so I thought I might share a few ideas to inspire your travels this summer.

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Photo by J.E. Theriot

The following is written by kids columnist Megan of Simple Kids.

The summer months offer families a time to get away, enjoy a change in scenery, and breathe some fresh air. Whether the days away are filled with sightseeing, hiking, sailing, amusement parks, or lazy days at the beach, the relaxed and refreshed spirit that has been nurtured by a vacation can quickly be quenched by chaos once your key turns in the lock of your front door.

Vacation recovery can be particularly hard for kids. Physically, they may not have gotten enough sleep while they were away, and they may have engaged in more physical activity than is normal for them. Emotionally, they are coming down from that “vacation high” and may experience feelings of sadness and disappointment that The Big Trip has come to an end.

As a parent, you will set the tone for the transition from vacation to routine. Your children will mirror the way you approach the first few days after you arrive home. Here are three suggestions for creating peace and harmony as you and your children navigate the re-entry into the rhythms of real life.

1. Be proactive.

One of the underlying mottos of Simple Mom is “when Mom is doing well, the whole family thrives.” Take the time before you leave for vacation to outline what makes you feel the most at peace when you return from a trip. Then, no matter how frenzied things get before you walk out the door, invest some time in doing the things you know will make yourself feel calm and collected when you return.

For me, this means making sure the trash has been carried out, the beds are made, and the vacuum cleaner has been run. These are non-negotiable tasks for me. What inspires peace within you when you return to your home? Make it a priority to see that these are done.

In addition to setting the scene for an orderly return for yourself, you might also take some time to set up a comforting, welcoming atmosphere that your children will appreciate. If your children are young, make sure that their rooms have been picked up and that a cozy pair of pajamas and a favorite bedtime story are waiting on a neatly made and turned-down bed.

Encourage older children to make up their own lists of what makes them feel good when they arrive home from vacation, and oversee the actions they will need to take to create a tranquil “welcome home” scene for themselves.

2. Be realistic.

Whether you are young or old, spending several days or several weeks out of your usual routine can cause inner turbulence. It is not realistic to expect that you or your children will snap back the routines and patterns of everyday life immediately. Likewise, the suitcases may not be immediately unpacked, nor will the laundry be washed, dried, folded, and put away in an instant.

Determine the number of days for a realistic vacation recuperation time, and block that time off of your family’s calendar. The weekend after returning home from a trip may not be the most appropriate time to host a neighborhood cook-out, and it’s not thoughtful to plan a week’s worth of camp or other activities for your child following a family vacation.

Photo by Sharon Mollerus

3. Be gentle.

Remember, the goal here is to allow the refreshed and relaxed vacation mood to linger as long as possible. A mindful, slowed-down approach to the days following a family vacation will go a long way towards promoting peace in your home. Don’t get so caught up in getting back to the routines of life that you overlook or diminish your child’s need for a time of transition.

Emotions and feelings are not neat and orderly. Stop and listen. Offering a nurturing spirit and a calming touch is more important that folding and putting away clothes. Older children may want to talk about and relive some of their favorite moments from the trip. Uploading and printing out pictures or capturing thoughts in a vacation journal demonstrates to your children that you also want to honor the time you spent together as a family. These are the memories your children will want to hold on to – not how quickly you got the suitcases unpacked and stored away.

For home managers who are generally organized, the disorganization following vacation can be stressful. For the free-spirited home manager, the motivation and desire to get back on track might get lost in the tumult. Take some deep breaths, focus on the big picture, and remind yourself that vacation recovery doesn’t last forever. Eventually life will settle back into its familiar groove. Even in the midst of chaos, you can make a pathway for peace.

Do you find the days following vacation to be a challenge within your family? What are your biggest hurdles to a peaceful recovery? What have you discovered works best to get your family settled in and ready to ease back in to the rhythms of life?

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Megan traded in her lesson plans and grading pens in 2005 for playgroups and library story time,s as she engaged in her lifelong dream of being a mom at home. She strongly believes that when it comes to parenting and childhood, simple is better. She blogs about faith, mothering, and natural living at Sorta Crunchy.

The following is a guest article from Debbie Dubrow of Delicious Baby.

With Thanksgiving and the winter holidays just around the corner, it seems like everyone I know is heading out of town. When I talk to parents, the thing that causes the most stress isn’t holiday gifts or basting the turkey, it’s the prospect of a long plane flight or car ride with kids in tow. As a mom of two (ages three-and-a-half and two) who travels a lot with her two kids, I’ve learned and a few tricks that go a long way towards making travel days easier.

1. Save the surprises for Grandma’s house

The turmoil of packing up and getting through the airport can be unnerving for a small child, especially when their parents are stressed. A few days before you leave, tell your child about where you’ll be going and how you’ll be getting there. On the day of the flight, outline exactly what is going to happen. For example – “First we’ll take a taxi to the airport, then we’ll go through security, and then we’ll get on the plane and fly to Grandma’s.”

If you have a very cautious child, consider visiting the airport in advance, or role-playing what will happen at the security checkpoint. Even very young toddlers are comforted by their parents explanations of how things work (even if they don’t understand all the details).

2. Lighten Up

Each extra ounce weighs heavily when you’re rushing through the airport with a crabby child, a stroller, and you’ve only got a few minutes to get to your airplane.  Edit your suitcase, and ask yourself whether there’s a
clever way you can do without each item you’ve packed.

For example, would your child do just as well with a straw as a sippy cup? Can you order diapers online to be shipped to your destination? With airlines adding restrictions to carry-on bags and fees for checked bags, it’s worthwhile to check your airline’s website in advance so that there aren’t any unpleasant (and expensive) surprises at the airport.
For more tips on packing light, check out our family packing lists.

3. Get an Early Start

Kids create chaos, and when you’re trying to pack everything and everyone in the car, they have a way of undoing what you’re struggling to get done.  If possible, hire a sitter to play with the kids while you pack up. If you’re flying, extra time at the airport will give your kids some time to stretch their legs before they get on the airplane.

4. A Well-Fed Child is a Sleepy Child

Bring some hearty snacks and pack them where they are easy to reach. We love protein-rich eggs and sunbutter sandwiches. Freeze dried fruits, crackers, cereal and cheese slices also travel well.  Remember that any liquids need to be packed separately, so it’s easiest to avoid applesauce or other sauces. Here’s one tip  we never forget: high-protein snacks and cow’s milk have a mild sedative effect on young kids.  Avoid sugar – candy might keep the kids quiet for a few moments, but it works against you on a long flight.

5. Divide and Conquer

Try to avoid dragging the whole family through the more mundane travel details. One parent should stay with the kids while the other completes tasks like checking baggage, buying snacks, pre-boarding to install car seats, and renting a car. If the airport has a play area, (ask at the information desk or check the airport’s website) those are ideal times for the kids to “get their wiggles out.”

6. Clear their Ears

Takeoff and landing are hard on toddlers because they don’t know how to clear their ears. Bring a sippy cup or a straw so that your child can drink milk or water during takeoff and landing. Not every airline has milk on board, so buy some in the airport after you have cleared security, or bring some powdered formula from home.

7. Set Your Own Expectations…

I look back longingly at the days when a long plane flight meant time to read, think, and relax. When I’m flying with the kids, I prepare to spend the entire time reading to them, playing with them, and attending to them. Now that we’ve all been on long flights together, the kids know that from the moment they get on the plane they’ll have my complete attention, and as a result they are well-behaved.

8. A Busy Child is a Happy Child

Most articles about traveling with kids recommend that you pack a busy bag, filled with toys, books, music, and audio books, and I’m no different. But don’t break out the toys before you have to – be
creative. Make toys out of everything around you. Barf bag puppets, airline magazines, and old-fashioned seat belt buckles are all fascinating to young children. Teach yourself a few new finger rhymes
(e.g. Where is Thumbkin?) and games before you leave home. Need more ideas? Check out our top ten tips for keeping a child busy on a plane and our list of ten great travel toys you already have at home.

9. Bring the Binky

Don’t forget (or check) your child’s comfort object, whatever it might be. Travel is stressful. They’ll need it.

10. Bore Them to Sleep

If your child is sleepy, do everything you can to create a comforting, sleep-inducing environment. Give them a little milk to drink during takeoff. Follow the same sleepytime ritual you do at home, and sing quietly or play some music (using headphones).  Here are more tips for helping your baby or child sleep on a plane.

When all else fails, remember, you don’t need your child to be the best-behaved child on the plane.  You just need someone else’s child to be worse.

Debbie Dubrow is a mother of two (ages 3 1/2 and 2) living in Seattle. Her blog, DeliciousBaby.com, is about traveling with babies, toddlers and kids, and is filled with personal travel stories, family-friendly city guides, and lots of tips and advice for traveling with kids.