KinderHop :: Travel Gear For Your Pint-Sized Jetsetter

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KinderHop is written by Trip Styler’s Seattle-based kid ‘n family writer, Keryn.

Yes parents, it’s true, your child will be able to carry their own bags one day. By the time my toddler was three he had his own backpack for toys and other must-haves he deemed necessary for our adventures. My rule is if you can’t carry it, you can’t bring it. This isn’t to say I don’t end up carrying that pint-size backpack more than he does, but he is learning early we all need to help out when it comes to travel. If I can make it easier by giving him a great bag he is excited to carry or roll around, it will make his travels that much more exciting, and my arms just a little lighter.

What makes a great kid pack? Stellar design, parent-approved functionality, and above all, durability and value for the cash. Here what's catching my eye right now:

1/ Skip Hop For the tiny toddler in your life these adorable animal-inspired backpacks are the perfect spot to stash a ton of toys and entertainment for your flight. Small hand luggage is also available and comes with a water holder on the side. Small backpacks or wheelie bag for kids makes things easier for mom or dad if little arms get tired or somebody falls asleep on the plane and you have to carry everything {and everyone!} out. Backpacks start at $20 usd, wheelie bags at $30 usd

2/ RoxyGirl Backpack Durable and just the right size for your punkrock preschooler and all her gear. Fit a few toys, a tablet and headphones in for them to carry all on their own. Parents of boys, have no fear. Once in a blue moon you can find a bag that is unisex and can work for your little rockstar mister---I did! Starts at $22 usd; prices vary depending on size.

3/ TrendyKid TravelKool Luggage A hardshell case that peaked my interest for kids who want their belongings ultra secure. Starts at $69.99 usd

4/ The Cuties and Pals Developed by a husband and wife team who took their little luggage idea to a big show: England's Dragon's Den TV show (similar to Shark Tank in the US). These cutie-patutie, animal-themed, polycarbonate products got rejected from the show, and then went on to be a RAGING success. Dragons have off days too... Suitcases start at $76 usd and can be found in North America on amazon, etc...

5/ Pottery Barn Kids Fairfax Navy Stripe Luggage Preppy and pulled together, this I'm-going-to-the-Hamptons-or-boating-type luggage can be personalized or left nameless. While it's not cheap, it IS water-resistant and has rubbery recessed wheels {a feature we love in suitcases}! Starts at $91 usd

More KinderHop Staying Sane While Traveling With Young Kids Exploring New Foods Abroad International Views On Family Travel Time Zones, Jet Lag & Kids Transitioning From Couple To Family Travel Back to School Seattle Shop ‘n Stay How To Keep Kids Occupied On A Plane Family Road Tripping Tips How To Pack Less With Kids In Tow

[photos of products sourced online]

KinderHop :: Stay Sane Traveling With Young Kids

[trip style = any]

KinderHop is written by Trip Styler’s Seattle-based kid ‘n family writer, Keryn.

Jetting around the world with your offspring is an incredible, life-altering experience, but it can also be exhausting leaving you wondering why you ever got on a plane in the first place. Family holidays don’t have to be stressful; you just need to include a few basic ingredients (ok, five) in your recipe for a successful trip.

Remember: Parent time is just as important as family time when you travel (and always).

1/ Go Big If your budget allows, book a suite. While the kids go to bed, unwind in the other room clinking glasses with your sweetheart in front of a crackling fire, watching the stars come out on the lanai, or <insert your perfect moment here>.

2/ Stay Realistic Nothing will ruin your super-organized trip like a derailment in plans. Setting realistic trip expectations (or even below what you expect to accomplish) will make the bonus moments all the more delicious.

3/ Plan Downtime As much as we all want to pretend we have the stamina of our teenage selves, we don’t, and neither do our kids. If you are trying to check off as much as possible on your holiday, when will all of that rest and relaxation come in? Plan downtime at the hotel pool or park into your itinerary, so you won't need a vacation from your vacation when you return.

4/ Trade Alone Time Maybe dad wants to play a round of golf and mom craves the spa (always, obviously). Swap some alone time so you both get a break from the kids!

5/ Splurge On A Sitter After a standout day sightseeing, pre-plan a sitter so you can paint the town red (or something like that). Many resorts and hotels offer trusted babysitters, and when they don’t, ask if there is a local service in town they  recommend (I've tried both options, which is why I'd recommend them as possibilities).

More KinderHop Exploring New Foods Abroad International Views On Family Travel Time Zones, Jet Lag & Kids Transitioning From Couple To Family Travel Back to School Seattle Shop ‘n Stay How To Keep Kids Occupied On A Plane Family Road Tripping Tips How To Pack Less With Kids In Tow

[photos by @walkingontravel]

KinderHop :: Exploring New Foods Abroad

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KinderHop is published once monthly and written by Trip Styler’s Seattle-based kid ‘n family writer, Keryn.

Foodies and taste mavens beware; you may be getting competition from the diaper set. Your kids will not only ignore fast food, they will eagerly anticipate sushi dinners and mild curries with naan. Impossible? Not if you start at the beginning and let their tastebuds do a little exploration of their own.

Priming For Foreign Foods Babies are born to be little sponges of knowledge. This isn’t limited to what you show them, it encompasses what you let them hear, taste and smell. Plus, introducing pint-sized jetsetters to a variety of flavors, you are less likely to search out the nearest burger and fries joint. Instead of sticking to the basic bland chicken and diced carrots once finger foods are introduced, prime them for foreign foods by spicing it up at home with a few herbs or a sauce your whole family enjoys.

Exploring Taste Take advantage of the one- to two-year-old stage where your child wants to eat everything you are eating. Allow them to sample anything they want from your plate, even if you are out at a restaurant. Salmon roe in Japan fascinated my son when he was 20 months old. He just had to try them. We grabbed a plate and he went to town, popping each little salty morsel in his mouth as if it were candy.

A World Of Adventurous Eating The most important thing to remember is let your child explore and set their own boundaries, which you can encourage them to push past from time to time. If they are interested in trying something you don't like, hold off on that “ick” face and ask for a small sample. If they reject it, no problem, just don’t be the road block in your child’s way to a world of adventurous eating.

*Check with your pediatrician before you venture into exotic foods with children under two as some dishes may contain allergens. **For more encouragement in raising an adventurous eater check out Hungry Monkey:A Food-Loving Father’s Quest to Raise an Adventurous Eater by Matthew Amster-Burton

More KinderHop International Views On Family Travel Time Zones, Jet Lag & Kids Transitioning From Couple To Family Travel Back to School Seattle Shop ‘n Stay How To Keep Kids Occupied On A Plane Family Road Tripping Tips How To Pack Less With Kids In Tow Family-Friendly Big Island Making Hotel Rooms Work With Kids

[photos by @walkingontravel]

Healthy On The Road :: Finding Time To Work Out When Traveling With Kids

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Editor's Note :: Today's post is a hybrid between Healthy On The Road and KinderHop.

Fitting in that daily workout while on vacation {with or without kids} always requires some planning and forethought---talents we tend to leave at home when we’re footloose and fancy free. Yet when traveling with our kiddies in tow, organisation becomes the name of the game.

A Plan I think our munchkins need breathers from the hustle and bustle of daily life as much as we do, however, there are parts of their daily routine that must remain, or, let’s be honest, no one’s relaxing! My son’s need for routine has turned out to be a real gift to me, the non-planner. Case in point, when it comes to keeping our children happy and occupied, even the most relaxed parent has some sort of family vacation plan.

A Challenge Parents: I challenge you to treat your trip's parenting plan as a scaffolding of sorts, and on your next trip, build on it to construct your health and fitness routine. Ever since I started building my exercise into my son's routine---versus compartmentalizing the two (which is more doable at home)---I have a much easier time staying on top of my travel fitness than I did pre-parenthood.

An Example Plan: Family pool time // Daily Fitness Routine: Your 30-min Workout Pools are perfect places to meet everyone’s needs {provided the water comes higher than your ankle}. 1/ Be intentional about fitting in a cumulative 30 minutes---ideally in 10 min bouts---of heart-pumping exercise {you should be able to talk, but in breathy sentences}. 2/ Do a mini water circuit and get the kids involved. For example, one of your stations might be treading water while towing a tot on their floatie x4 widths of the pool, or running/racing in the shallow end with your older kids.

When she’s not training clients or being trained by her dog Zuzu, Leah writes Healthy On The Road, published the first Wednesday of every month.

More Healthy On The Road Toned In Transit Every Day Is A New Day Eat In Technicolor The 15 Minute 54321 Workout {you can do anywhere!} Keeping Fit In Hotel Hallways The 20-min Exercise Itinerary Healthy DIY Plane Snacks Hotel Room Exercises {You can do in your underwear}

[photo by @tripstyler taken in Acapulco, Mexico]

KinderHop :: International Views On Family Travel

[trip style = any]

KinderHop is published once monthly and written by Trip Styler’s Seattle-based kid ‘n family writer, Keryn.

Not everyone can be or wants to be a traveling family like ours. Some families prefer to stay home or take short domestic trips. Each of us has our own style, but is this a personal preference or does it run deeper? Is it really a cultural thing?

As I have crossed the globe with my little traveling tribe of men, I’ve noticed travel is a priority for many families across the world, especially in Europe, Australia and New Zealand. While traveling through Europe this past fall we met other families on holiday for the weekend or their mid-semester break. Their escapes weren't seen as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. It was just something they did, and the parents didn’t think twice about bringing the children with them.

1/ Aside from the fact that many countries in the EU are close together, why do Europeans hit the road and friendly skies more  than their contemporaries in North America? Emiel who hails from the Netherlands and writes Act of Traveling thinks it’s because “living in such a small country we really depend on trade. In the early days---I'm talking 15 and 16th century---the Dutch sailed the world in order to explore and discover. We had big dreams for our small country. Traveling is in our genes.”

2/ Education has also played a large roll in how former jetset individuals and couples are now tackling travel as a family. Theodora of Escape Artistes was born and raised in the UK, but is now living the life of a digital nomad. She makes it work as a freelance writer, and home schools her son from destinations like Egypt and Laos. She says, “In the UK longterm travel is fairly normal; it's very common to take a GAP year before starting university, and spend a year traveling the world. Seizing the internet era, we continued this trend and set forth."

3/ Bethaney of Flashpacker Family was born in New Zealand and has been exploring ever since. “It's culturally ingrained in every New Zealander to head to the UK for a year or two after university. We call it our OE or Overseas Experience. The only way to visit Europe when you live so far away is to basing yourself there for an extended period. After doing my OE, I was hooked. Now that I have a family, I use the same mentality: pick a home base abroad and explore from there."

4/ Michelle of WanderMom is an expat from Ireland living in Seattle. She believes that it might be the familiar holding some families back. “When you come from a small country you learn not to expect normalcy when you travel. Before Ryanair I can't think of a single Irish travel brand I'd see outside Ireland. As a result you'd expect local customs and standards when abroad. I see many American friends expecting the familiar while traveling, which makes it more difficult for them to travel comfortably outside the US.”

Whether you believe it is a cultural trait or personal preference, you can never go wrong when you decide to pack up your family and show your kids the world by hostel or hotel. You will open their eyes, broaden their horizons and introduce them to their global contemporaries. Even if you only make it to the next city, state or province, showing your children pieces of the world is more than they ever knew before.

More KinderHop Time Zones, Jet Lag & Kids Transitioning From Couple To Family Travel Back to School Seattle Shop ‘n Stay How To Keep Kids Occupied On A Plane Family Road Tripping Tips How To Pack Less With Kids In Tow Family-Friendly Big Island Making Hotel Rooms Work With Kids

[photos by via each family]