This is a post I wrote about two years ago from a trip our family took to Oklahoma while my Husband was doing some job training. Recently our family made a local move out of an apartment and into a house with a yard, Hooray! I wanted to dedicate the whole month of September to provided Moving Tips and Resources that have benefited our family over the years. Enjoy…
Over the years my husband has had to travel many times for his job. Because I am a stay-at-home mom, our kids and I have been fortunate enough to travel with him. In the early years we stayed at different hotels with one kid under one. Then a few years later with two kids aged two and under. More recently we have experienced staying at a hotel with five kids ages 6 down to five weeks old. Let me share what tips I have learned for staying at a hotel with little kids. Stick around to the end where my Husband shares his BONUS tip for staying at a hotel with little kids!
Plan Ahead when Staying at a Hotel with Little Kids
Planning ahead for your hotel stay will make the days feel more purposeful for everyone. What do you want your daily routine to look like? Meal plan what you will eat. Will you take outings with just the kids or as a family? Are there certain stuffed animals, blankets, or other comforts that will make your child feel calmer while away from home? What books or toys do you plan to pack. Will you bring crafts or coloring books along to do? Roughly planning what you will do or need during your stay will help with packing preparations and what to expect day to day.
Planning ahead for our hotel stays has been a sanity saver for me. With so many people to prep and pack for this helps guarantee I will not forget anything. About a week out I will start making a list of anything I think we may need. Whether that be during the car ride, throughout the week in the hotel or other comforts that will make the trip easier on everyone. Then when it is time to pack, I can consult my list, and not have to worry, “Am I forgetting something?”
True confessions, on a recent weeklong trip to visit my family I actually forgot to pack my wallet! The really sad part is I didn’t even realize it until a few hours into the trip. Thankfully my husband usually does all the driving and had his debit card handy. But you better believe he took the opportunity to tease me about it that week. 🙂
Lower Your Expectations
I am preaching to the choir right now! Whatever you have planned and the expectations you have created in your mind go ahead and knock it down a few pegs. More than likely even your best laid plans will not go as expected.
With our most recent trip to Oklahoma for some training my husband had to do, our travel time took longer than expected. Once arriving at the hotel our family ended up in a smaller room than requested. So, we had to get creative when figuring out how to sleep my husband, myself, and our five kids in a room with only two queen beds. When my husband asked about getting a bigger room the hotel staff informed him, we couldn’t upgrade for the first week. The hotel was booked after the town had experienced a weeklong power outage. Additionally, the fridge in our room didn’t work, and we didn’t have a microwave for the first few days. Basically, everything that could have gone wrong happened during that first week for us. Talk about stressful!
Keep a Routine
Don’t try to do everything you would normally do at home. A rough version of your routine will help keep some normalcy for little kids. And bring sanity to the situation for Mom!
In Oklahoma our routine was very flexible. I tried to keep the flow similar to what the kids were used to at home, but I knew some things may take less or longer time than expected. After my husband left for work and the kids had eaten breakfast, we spent the morning doing schoolwork. Then went to play outside. Most days we would meet Sam for lunch. The afternoons involved a rest or quiet time, followed by play and watching a few TV shows before dinner. In the evening it was bathtime and bedtime stories. Then we played some soft music and continually told the kids to quiet down until they dozed off.
Know the Evenings Will be Chaotic
Brainstorm some ways to make this potentially stressful time easier. If you only have one or two kids, this may not be a big deal for you. However, cramming 7 people in a small space made for a more wound-up evening. Maybe allow a TV show before bed. Read aloud a chapter book or some picture books. Give some extra cuddles or play some soft lullabies to help kids calm down before bed.
I wish I could say we figured this out, but over the course of two weeks we tried many different options. Finally, one night we turned on Shark Tank so my husband and I could watch something we enjoyed rather than another episode of Paw Patrol and the kids actually fell asleep very quickly!
Get Out of the Room
Staying in a hotel room all day may cause you and your kids to go stir crazy. Some ideas for adventures outside of your room may include… Let your kids run up and down the stairs. Play outside in a grassy area or go to a local park. Have lunch in the dining room. Go on a picnic or eat at a restaurant. Visit the hotel gift shop and let the kids pick something out to buy. Play at the pool. Go sightseeing.
I made sure the kids and I got out of our room every day. Some days that involved exploring the hotel. Other days we ventured out to a local kid friendly attraction or to visit Dad at work.
Decorate Your Room
Have some comforts of home available. Maybe that looks like bringing a small plant from home. Light a candle every day to make the room cozy and smell nice. Draw pictures to hang up or move furniture around to make the room flow better for your family.
When we were in Oklahoma, I had brought along a Sun Catcher craft kit for the kids to make. We hung the finished artwork on the windows. The kids got excited when we were outside every day to look up and see the sun catchers hanging in our room window.
Bonus Tip from Dad…
Like I promised here is what Sam had to share as his BONUS tip for staying at a hotel with little kids. IF POSSIBLE, STAY AT AN AIRBNB. 🙂 Like the Airbnb commercial states, “when you stay in a hotel your kids’ bedtime is your bedtime, when you stay at an Airbnb you pick your own bedtime.” Amen!
Have More Ideas to Share?
Leave a comment if you have additional ideas or tips for staying at a hotel with little kids.
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