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We all love taking a vacation, irrespective of if it’s a short road trip to your grandmother’s house or a long flight to an exotic location. There’s nothing that renews the senses like a change in scenery. That is, until you have kids and you need to worry about their sleep schedule. Getting kids to sleep even when you’re at home and have stuck to a consistent routine can be a task at times and when you pull them out of it due to being in a different time zone or just traveling too much, you can be stuck with a huge problem once the holidays are over. So, how can you ensure that your kids get enough sleep while traveling so that they are well rested and ready to take on any adventure? If you’d like this question answered then this is the article for you! Read on to know more!

1. Stick To Your Schedule

Your first order of business is to ensure that your kids stick to their sleep schedule irrespective of all the exciting things happening around them. Sure, some disruptions can’t be helped, after all, a 5am flight isn’t going to wait till 7 for your little one to wake up. But while you are on vacation, it’s in your best interest to stick to a regular schedule in terms of bedtime, naptime and feedings if you have a baby. But if this is a little trickier because you are changing time zones, there are 2 ways you can deal with this challenge. Your first option is to stay in your own time zone. If you are going on a relatively shorter trip, then there’s no need to switch to another time zone altogether. For example, if you’re traveling from Los Angeles to New York and your little one is used to sleeping at 7pm, you can put them to sleep at 10pm.

This way, their circadian rhythm isn’t disturbed. Make sure to keep the light and noise situation more or less the same as your set up back home. This technique is the least disruptive to your child’s sleep schedule, but it may not always be the best option. If you’re traveling long distances and staying there for a longer period of time it’s time to do a gradual shift. This process starts well before you leave for your destination. You’ll have to start moving your child’s schedule by 30 minutes everyday. Try to do this as much as your schedule will allow. You may not be able to shift to a different time zone completely but you’ll at least be able to shift everyone’s schedule in order to avoid the worst effects of jetlag. Then when it’s nearing the time to come back home, you can do the same thing again, slowly shifting your baby back to their regular schedule.

2. Use The Right Sleeping Tools

The best way to get your child to fall and stay asleep while you are on the go is to replicate the environment they have at home. Take light for instance, most kids can’t take their regular naps in cars or trains while traveling during the day, because they are not used to sleeping with so much sunlight on their eyes. Not to mention that blue light that comes from the sun and other artificial lights signals to your body that it’s time to be awake and active. It is in the absence of this light that your body starts to switch off and go to sleep. Then take into consideration that kids are more sensitive to light. So, making sure that it’s dark or that the sun is out of their face is very important when trying to get your kids to sleep. You can also travel with a portable white noise machine if your child is more sensitive to noise or used to listening to it at home. If you’ve got a baby, make sure you have a travel crib or bassinet on hand so that they have their own space to sleep in. and of course, it helps to pack a few toys and squishies that your child is attached to. This way the teddy and your baby can go to sleep together, as per usual.

3. Get Back On Track When You Come Back Home

As hard as it is to snap out of vacation mode, once you get home it’s time to get back to your usual routine right away. You can still gradually shift back if you are coming from a different time zone, but the shift must happen. This way you won’t have a hard time with the kids when they start school or you start work.

Traveling with kids can be a challenge, especially when you don’t want them to miss out on the fun but don’t want them to mess up their sleep schedule either. But with a few tips, they can have the best of both worlds and so can you!