Mid-summer is approaching, and many families are making travel plans for the Fourth of July.

Many families travel to see extended family, and some take advantage of the days off by going on vacation. Not only do we parents want to have a good, restful, fun vacation, but also we want our young children to enjoy traveling. Here a few tips from parent experience as well as teaching experience that I hope will make your summer travels with young children enjoyable.

• Plan ahead. Half the enjoyment of a vacation is the anticipation of getting ready to travel. With your older children, you can talk plans out and share the daily agenda. With young children like babies or toddlers, we as parents need to keep their schedule in mind. This includes meal times, nap times and play time. Parents, it is also very important to put in place “Rules for the Road.” These rules should include sharing if siblings are involved; no quarreling because this can certainly affect the driver and safety; and rules for when you stop to rest.
• Stop frequently at rest areas. Interstate rest areas provide picnic tables for families to stop by and enjoy a picnic. The pit-stop also allows your young child to run and release some energy.
• Pack healthy snacks. Be sure to invest in a cooler so you can pack your young child’s easy-to-drink juices with straws, Sippy cups for toddlers and bottles for your infants.
• Stock simple first-aid kits with bandages, wipes, rolls of gauze, small scissors and peroxide to treat small cuts and scrapes. If your child has a tendency for carsickness, be sure to pack plastic bags for this. Also, pack a cool wet cloth to wipe faces and foreheads if your child gets sick. Packing a roll of paper towels comes in handy as well to clean up spills and messes in the car.
• Pack pastimes. Stock crayons, coloring books, handheld electronic games, cheap board games and books to quietly look at as you travel along the road. Children love to listen to stories and music on  tape or CDS.

As part of the “travel planning,” you and your child can visit your community library.

Happy travels with your young child!

Beth Pinyerd lives in Daphne and serves as director of younger children at Faith Family Fellowship in Spanish Fort.

Her column appears regularly in The Bulletin.