How To Keep Kids (and Parents) Smiling During Holiday Travel
Holiday travel with kids is equal parts excitement and exhaustion. Between early wake-ups, packed bags, and long stretches on the road, even the most patient families feel a little worn thin. It’s easy for the journey to start feeling like something you have to get through instead of something you’re able to enjoy together.
The good news is that it doesn’t have to be that way. With a bit of planning and a few simple comforts, travel becomes part of the adventure. Whether your trip is a short drive to Grandma’s or a cross-country flight, these 10 family travel tips help keep both kids and parents smiling all the way there.
1. Start the Trip with a Calm Morning
Start the trip with a calm morning to help everyone begin the day on the right note. Kids often pick up on the mood around them, so when parents move slowly and keep things relaxed, it helps set the tone for the whole journey. A peaceful morning does more to ensure smooth travel than any checklist or gadget.
Try preparing as much as possible the night before. Packing bags, laying out clothes, and organizing snacks ahead of time make the start of the day easier and less rushed. A good breakfast and a few minutes to stretch or sit quietly go a long way in preventing cranky moods later.
Bring along something familiar if your children tend to feel nervous about long drives or flights. It makes a big difference. A soft blanket, favorite toy, or familiar Pambu plush, such as Stormy Dog, helps create a sense of comfort and routine even when everything else feels new. These small touches of home turn the start of a busy travel day into something calmer and more grounded.
2. Pack a Comfort Kit for Each Child
Pack a comfort kit for each child to make long trips feel easier and more familiar. Having their own small bag gives kids a sense of independence and helps them stay entertained during stretches of waiting or travel. It also saves parents from digging through luggage every time someone needs a snack or distraction.
A good comfort kit includes small items that meet both comfort and curiosity. Think healthy snacks, a reusable water bottle, a small activity like a coloring book, and one comforting item from home. Kids often find it easier to rest and recharge when they have something soft and familiar within reach, whether that’s a blanket, a favorite hoodie, or a small Pambu plush travel companion, such as Flynn Fox.
For younger kids, especially, a soft plush toy is the heart of their comfort kit. It becomes a reminder of home and a steady presence throughout the trip. A familiar face tucked into a backpack or carried onto the plane makes new environments feel a little less overwhelming and a lot more comforting.
3. Make Entertainment Easy and Screen-Balanced
Make entertainment easy and screen-balanced to keep kids happy without relying solely on devices. Screens are a lifesaver during travel, but balancing them with other activities helps everyone feel more present and less overstimulated by the end of the day.
Audiobooks and music playlists are a great start. They fill the quiet time with something engaging that doesn’t require constant attention. Older kids might enjoy story podcasts or trivia games, while younger ones often love sing-alongs or guessing games.
For hands-on entertainment, pack travel-friendly options like sticker books, small puzzles, or magnetic games. Rotating a few new activities throughout the trip keeps things fresh and exciting. For more ideas to keep little ones engaged and smiling, you can check out our guide on keeping kids happy during Thanksgiving dinner — many of those same strategies work beautifully on the road, too.
4. Turn Travel into Adventure
Turn travel into adventure to shift your child’s focus from waiting to discovering. When kids see the journey as part of the fun instead of something to get through, the whole trip feels lighter. A sense of curiosity helps keep boredom and restlessness at bay.
Let your kids help plan parts of the trip, like choosing snacks for the drive or picking a rest stop from the map. Create small challenges, such as spotting certain landmarks or counting how many red cars you pass. These simple games turn long hours into shared stories and inside jokes.
For younger children, framing travel as a quest works especially well. Maybe their Pambu plush toy is the “explorer” of the day, joining them on the journey and posing for photos at each stop. Treating travel this way gives kids a sense of purpose and excitement, turning what could be a stressful day into a memorable family adventure.
5. Plan Snack Breaks (and Stretch Breaks)
Plan snack breaks and stretch breaks to keep energy levels steady and tempers in check. Hunger and restlessness are two of the biggest challenges during family travel, and addressing them early helps prevent meltdowns before they start.
Choose small, easy snacks that won’t make a mess or cause sugar crashes. Crackers, fruit slices, and granola bars are all reliable options. Keeping a small cooler in the car or a dedicated snack pouch in your carry-on makes it easy to reach what you need without slowing everyone down.
Stretch breaks are just as important. Every couple of hours, stop somewhere safe to walk around, stretch, or even play a quick game of tag before getting back on the road. These little pauses help kids reset and give parents a much-needed moment to breathe. For a few cozy activity ideas to enjoy during these breaks, you might like our list of fall weekend activities that bring comfort and calm to busy days.
6. Keep Surprises Handy
Keep surprises handy to bring a little excitement to long stretches of travel. Small, unexpected gifts shift the mood instantly when boredom or restlessness sets in. The trick is to choose items that are simple, low-cost, and easy to enjoy without creating a mess.
Wrap a few small toys, puzzles, or activity packs and hand them out at different points in the trip, such as one after lunch, another halfway there, and maybe a final surprise as you near your destination. These little moments of discovery keep kids curious and make the time pass faster.
A mini Pambu plush keychain or travel-sized stuffed animal can be a fun surprise, too. It’s soft, easy to pack, and doubles as a comforting companion once unwrapped. Even the smallest surprises make the trip feel like a series of happy milestones rather than a long stretch of waiting.
7. Create a Travel Routine
Create a travel routine to help kids feel secure and comfortable no matter where they are. Children thrive on predictability, and having a familiar rhythm while traveling makes long days feel easier for everyone. Even a simple sequence of snack breaks, reading time, or music moments helps them relax.
Start with cues that feel familiar from home. Keep meal and nap times as consistent as possible, and bring along the little comforts that mark their usual routines, such as a bedtime story, a favorite blanket, or a small Pambu plush toy, such as Toffee Bird, they associate with winding down. These familiar patterns help bridge the gap between home and the road.
For parents, building structure into travel also makes the trip more manageable. It prevents the day from blurring together and gives everyone something to look forward to. When kids know what’s coming next, they tend to settle in more easily, making the journey smoother from start to finish.
8. Build Quiet Moments for Parents Too
Build quiet moments for parents, too, because travel isn’t just tiring for kids. Long drives, delayed flights, and constant multitasking leave adults just as in need of rest and comfort. Setting aside small moments to recharge helps you stay calm and present, which in turn helps your children stay relaxed.
Take turns resting or zoning out with headphones if you’re traveling with another adult, while the other keeps an eye on the kids. Even ten minutes of quiet makes a difference. For solo parents, it means turning on a calming podcast while the kids nap or simply sitting still and breathing deeply at a rest stop.
The key is to let yourself slow down when you can. When parents find little pockets of peace, kids naturally follow their lead. Everyone arrives feeling a bit more balanced, and the trip becomes less about getting somewhere fast and more about enjoying the time spent together.
9. Expect the Unexpected (and Laugh When You Can)
Expect the unexpected and laugh when you can, because travel rarely goes perfectly. There are always delays, spills, or arguments over who gets the window seat, and that’s all part of the journey. The more flexibility you bring into the day, the easier it is to stay calm when things don’t go as planned.
Try reframing small hiccups as part of the adventure. A traffic jam becomes a chance to play a guessing game or listen to an audiobook together. A delayed flight is the perfect time to stretch, share a snack, or explore the terminal. These moments, though unplanned, often become the stories you remember later.
Keeping a sense of humor helps, too. Kids take their cues from your reactions, and laughter quickly resets the mood when everyone starts to feel frustrated. Use a Pambu plush toy, such as Peaky Panda, to help set up humorous moments or to distract your kids from the frustrations of the day.
10. End the Trip with Something to Look Forward To
End the trip with something to look forward to, so everyone finishes the journey on a happy note. After hours on the road or in the air, kids and parents alike need a small reward. Something that signals the transition from travel time to family time.
Plan a simple treat, like a stop for hot cocoa, a favorite meal, or visiting a relative they’ve been excited to see. Letting kids know about it ahead of time gives them something positive to focus on, especially toward the end of a long day. It turns anticipation into motivation rather than impatience.
Make a small tradition out of it, such as taking a photo together at the end of every trip or stopping at a specific restaurant. These small rituals help mark the end of one journey and the beginning of the next, giving the trip a sense of closure that everyone feels good about.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I keep kids happy during long car rides?
Keep kids happy during long car rides by balancing comfort and engagement. Pack snacks, small activities, and familiar items from home to help them feel secure. Giving them small choices, like which song to play next or which snack to eat first, helps them feel more involved and keeps spirits high.
What are some good travel toys for kids?
Some good travel toys for kids are quiet, compact, and easy to clean up. Sticker books, coloring pads, or small puzzles are great options. A soft Pambu plush toy is a helpful travel companion, too, as something kids are able to hold during naps or keep by their side for comfort when the trip feels long.
How do I keep my child calm on a plane or in the airport?
Keep your child calm on a plane or in the airport by sticking to a routine whenever possible. Bring familiar snacks, books, or comfort items that help signal safety and rest. During layovers or delays, let them move around when it’s safe to do so. Many parents find that a small comfort kit, such as snacks, entertainment, and one cozy toy, helps kids transition smoothly between travel stages.
What helps parents stay calm during holiday travel?
Parents stay calm during holiday travel through preparation and perspective, as they make a big difference. Try packing early, scheduling small breaks, and lowering expectations around perfection. Giving yourself permission to pause and breathe helps you reset before stress takes over..
How do we make family travel more fun for everyone?
Make family travel more fun for everyone by treating the journey as part of the adventure. Let kids participate in small decisions, bring games everyone is able to play, and celebrate the silly moments that happen along the way. When families approach travel as shared time rather than just transportation, even unexpected detours can turn into stories worth remembering.
Make Every Mile a Little More Comfortable
Traveling with kids doesn’t have to mean chaos and stress. With a little preparation, a few comfort items, and the right mindset, the journey is just as special as the destination. These moments in between — the songs sung in the car, the laughter in the airport, the quiet naps along the way — are often the ones families remember most.
Our Pambu plush companions are made to bring calm to the chaos. Soft, simple, and easy to pack, they help kids feel secure while giving parents a little peace of mind. Whether your trip takes you across town or across the country, a cozy friend can make every mile softer and every memory sweeter. Check out our full collection of travel plush toy companions here before your next trip.