Who doesn’t love a good vacation? I know I do. One of my favorite things to look forward to is my family’s summer vacation. We almost never go to the same place twice (there were those three consecutive visits to a water park lodge, but that doesn’t count because who gets tired of water slides?)

My parents use vacations to create memories I’ve cherished at every stage of my life. My siblings and I often joke about our vacation experiences, ranging from insufferable mom music during six-hour car rides to chocolate cake sent from heaven that we just can’t find in our home state of Maryland. However, one of the things I most treasure is how protected and safe we were, even if I never noticed the steps they were taking when I was younger.

Here are some safety tips to keep your vacation safe and fun for your kids!

  1. Check your car seats. Make sure your kids are riding in style. Double check for your child’s height and weight to determine whether they should be riding in a rear facing car seat, front facing car seat or booster seat. Even in rental cars, make sure you are following the car seat regulations for the area you’re in and use extra regulations if necessary.
  2. Make time fly. If you are traveling by plane, keep in mind that the plane may be a strange experience for your child. Flying is my favorite way to travel now but when I was younger it was quite overwhelming. Bring plenty of quiet activities like coloring books, crossword puzzles and word searches to keep them occupied.
  3. Talk before you walk. If you are taking your vacation separate from your children and leaving them in the care of relatives, be sure to discuss the safety expectations before leaving. Make sure the temporary caretaker agrees to safety conditions regarding car seats, outside play, water fun and fire emergencies. Many children may look forward to staying with someone else to test boundaries and safety regulations. Speak with your child before your departure and let them know that safety rules apply everywhere and to speak up when they are feeling unsafe.

I, like many children, used to think summer vacations were also a vacation from rules. As a parent or caretaker, it is important to make sure your children know that it is just important to be safe, maybe even safer, while away from home. Whether you are traveling to the pool, camping out or biking on the beach make sure your kids have maximum fun by avoiding having their vacation cut short by a preventable injury.

This article is provided by Safe Kids Worldwide: https://www.safekids.org/blog/vacation-safety-tips