Traveling with kids: 5 useful items for our next trip

I am traveling with my kids again this summer, heading over to Sweden to stay with family and friends. As always, travel fever does set in early at my house. That comes from being a big fan of planning ahead I think: so many to-do and to-pack lists right now!

Here are 5 very useful things I just bought to bring along on our next plane-trip to Sweden:


Sunscreen spray
We go through a lot of sunscreen this time of year, and I really like this brand. It's easy to use on the kids even at the beach since it requires no rubbing, only spraying, and the bottle even works if held upside down. It's also very water- and rub-proof. I wish this particular one was also unscented, but you can't always get everything you want. For more of my sunscreen tips, you can read Sun protection for traveling (and non-traveling) kids.


Antibacterial wipes
These are a must on flights with kids. Airplanes and airports are dirty, and it is very easy to pick up a cold or stomach bug when you're traveling with so many people in such a small space. I use these on all of our hands after any bathroom visits, and before any meals. And every now and then in-between! The wipes are also handy to use to wipe down a tray table, or other small area.

Voice & text package
International travel means it can cost a lot to use your cellphone. I've bought a text and voice pack from my provider, that will give me a much better rate than I would otherwise get. Definitely an important thing to think of if you're traveling abroad. For more tips on cellphone usage abroad, you can read my post from earlier this year about how to use your cellphone while traveling, without paying a fortune: Cell-phone tips & apps.


Some nice luggage tags
All our luggage now have some nice, durable luggage tags with our contact information printed on a piece of paper slipped inside the tag. If our luggage ends up where it shouldn't be, this will hopefully make it easier for people to return it to us. The flashy Canadian flag on the tags also makes it easy to identify our luggage on the luggage carousel.


A pack of ziploc bags
Readers of this blog might already be aware that I love ziploc bags for travel (you can read my post 8 uses for zip-loc bags when traveling with kids for a refresher!). And yes, I have picked up some for our next trip. The main use for these is to hold any and all liquids in my on-board miniature pharmacy, but they have many other uses as well: holding coins and bills of various currencies, and organizing passports and travel documents for example.