Items to always have on hand when traveling

• Band-Aids
• antiseptic hand gel
• small tissue packs
• sun screen
• Dr.'s phone numbers
• Tylenol - children's & adults
• a rubber door stop can provide extra security for a hotel room door
• small plug in nightlight - to help find the bathroom in the middle of the night

• Crayons
• mechanical pencils
• highlighter - good for word search games
• paper
• deck of cards
• zip lock bags (collecting shells, storing food, wet clothes)

• sun glasses
• hats/visors
• light weight wind breaker
• umbrella
• camera with extra film
• keep a photo of your child in your wallet - incase you loose them in a crowed area
• extra copy of birth certificates, photo id, travel reservations, airline tickets

Helpful items for a road trip

• Frisbee - great for some quick exercise when making a stop
• plastic boxes - one for each child, to hold their supplies - the lid makes a great desk or place to hold food. 
• clean water - several bottles of water work best for drinking, a quick wash up, cleaning a scrape and so on.
• lightweight blanket - small child's blanket for cuddling with at nap time.
• paper towels - for quick clean ups.
• snacks - saltines, goldfish crackers - any kind of lightly salted dry cracker.  Hard candy, such as life savers or tick tacks.
• compass - fun for the kids if they want to help navigate.
• trash bags - for storing laundry, wet items or just for trash.

Travel food

• individual applesauce and fruit cups (don't forget plastic spoons)
• dry crackers - small snack pack size
• individual size water bottles (a permanent marker will help to keep these separate)
• poptarts
• individual cereal boxes
• flavored rice cakes
• juice boxes/bags
• jar of peanut butter and loaf of bread (don't forget a plastic knife)

Provide all family members with their own case for toothpaste, toothbrush, comb, shampoo and soap.  Trial size babybath works well in place of bars of soap.

Make a list of like items that each family member will be responsible for packing.  Have them check off the items as they pack.  (ex. 5 pairs sox, swim suit, jacket ...)

Allow each child to bring a small bag or games, toys, stuffed animals or other personal items to make them feel comfortable.

Several months before a trip, find a few small toys that your child enjoys, but hasn't played with in a while and pack them away.  Bring these toys with you on your trip for something 'new' to play with. Small toys like the ones found in happy meals work well with this idea.

You can reduce wrinkles by hanging up 1 to 2 items inside a plastic dry cleaning bag before hanging them in your garment bag.