Traveling with young children

Traveling with kids can be challenging at the best of times – let alone during the holiday season. So here’s a few tips from Baby Bargainista contributor Rebecca on what to pack besides your patience.

• A couple of weeks before the trip put away several smaller toys/books that seem to be your child’s favourite. This way when you bring them out be happy to see them and (hopefully) won’t get bored too quickly. Ensure any toys with noise have volume buttons for both your sanity and the sanity of others around you.

• Take a tour of your local dollar store and look for little toys and items that can keep the kids occupied and won’t break the bank if they get lost or left behind at Grandma’s house. Stickers keep my 17-month daughter occupied for a good 10-15 minutes at a time.

• If you usually water juice cups down, consider filling the cups half full of ice ahead of time so that you water down the drink while keeping it colder/fresher longer.

• Pack lots of batteries if you are taking any kind of electronic devices. It’s always better to have more batteries than more complaints of “Mommy my batteries are dead. I’m bored.

• Buy some (lightly) scented disposable diaper bags to have on hand as if you have to change a stinky diaper without a trash nearby – you don’t know how long you might need to carry that stink-bomb around!

If you’re flying:
• It’s okay to pack snacks/food – just not liquids, unless it is milk or formula in which case should be in the diaper bag. Packing your own snacks and food not only ensures you have food when you want it, but it saves some money.

• Make sure all medicine – including Children’s Tylenol or Tempra is also packed in a clear plastic bag and in easy reach.

• Look for stroller lines and try to mark out elevator locations ahead of time if you can.

If you’re driving:
• A great idea to have to help with snacks and keeping little hands busy is a travel tray for for those in forward-facing car seats. A friend of mine got some for her kids for a long drive they took over the summer and kept everyone occupied with arts and crafts. She also said it made snack times a lot easier and required less stops.

• Similar to looking for stroller lines – try to plan and/or find rest stops ahead of time – keeping in mind that not everything goes according to plan and sometimes you can’t plan when nature’s going to come calling. It’s also important to note that not all roadside rest stops stay open year round. Check with tourism boards for more information.

• Besides toys and books, make sure you pack extra warm stuff for you and the kids – or a shovel or two that can not only keep kids occupied but can help get you out of a situation if you are stranded.

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Bargainista holiday shopping guide – part 2: school-agers

The first part of Bargainista’s holiday shopping guide focused on teenagers and this installment by Jenny looks at those just a few years younger.

If you have a school-aged child, niece, or nephew, you probably already have some idea of what to get for them – or who to ask. But what to get for the school-ager on your list who you don’t know well? They may be a far-flung relative, or the child of a friend or neighbor, or a friend of your child’s – or perhaps you want to donate a suitable gift to a toy drive and are not sure what kids of this age would like.

Clothes are practical, but boring; and, books, electronic games and DVDs depend a lot on personal taste, their parents’ approval, and what they already might own.

As the parent of a young school-ager (she just finished her first term of grade 1) and aunt of many older kids under 13, I can tell you that what their parents will most appreciate is anything that can fire the imagination and keep them busy at the same time. If it engages their brains and gives me a few minutes of peace, I’m in!

1. DIY kits: There are tonne of cool do-it-yourself kits for the budding scientist at stores like Mastermind. Motion detectors, FM radios, robot bugs!

2. Crafts: Likewise, there are a tonne of crafty things available at most toy stores, like doll-making kits, beading sets, and more. My favorites are the more open-ended kits that include a few wooden items and some paints, or piece of ready-to-frame board with glue and pieces of felt, that really let a kid’s imagination take over.

3. Art Supplies: Most open-ended of all is art supplies! Any art or stationary store will have sketchbooks and colored paper, and most toy stores will have washable markers and colored pencils (very important for the younger kids still working on their fine motor control). Stores like DeSerre have a wide-range of art supplies and craft kits you may not find elsewhere. They also have instructions for lots of age-appropriate crafts on their website.

What’s your favorite way to keep kids busy, or the best gift that keeps them occupied for long periods time?

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Bargainista holiday shopping guide – part 1: teens

As part of Bargainista’s holiday features this year baby bargainista columnists Jenny and Rebecca are bringing you a three-part holiday shopping guide for the kids (teens, school-aged and toddlers) in your life.

I know, they’re not babies anymore so technically not the right age range for a baby bargainista post! But for anyone who has a teen on their gift list, it can be hard to know what to get for them – especially if they’re not close relatives, but are instead the son or daughter of a friend, or a distant family member. Teens are also the most-often requested group for charity toy drives like Toy Mountain, CP24/Chum Christmas Wish, The Toronto FireFigthers Toy Drive or other ones in your community.

It’s easy enough to buy a stuffed animal or doll or noisy truck for young kids – chances are they’ll like it; but it can be a struggle to come up with a suitable gift for a teenager you don’t know well (or don’t know at all, in the case of donated gifts). The most coveted items seem likely to be expensive electronics.

So, how do you stick to a budget and still give that teen something they’ll be happy with? By giving them the gift of choice!

1. Cash. It seems impersonal, but to a teen whose only spending money may be allowance or earnings from a part-time job, a little extra cash to spend on something – or to add to their savings – can mean a lot. If you're sending gifts in the mail and don't want to send actual cash, you could try pre-paid credit cards.

2. Gift cards. If you can find out their favorite store, clothing or activity, this gives the teen the option of choosing something they really like, or putting the card amount towards a bigger purchase (like electronics). Some of those giant gift card displays even have amounts that can be put towards fun outings, spa days or entertainment packages.

3. iTunes credits. Like a gift card for music, but without the CDs (does anyone under 25 even own CDs anymore?).

4. Movie passes. Whether it’s just the cost of admission, or package covering refreshments as well, this can offer the teen on a budget the gift of a night out with friends.

Something that teenagers crave is independence and all of the above give them the ability to choose how and when they’ll use your generous gift.

Do you have any go-to gifts for the teens on your list?

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HoHoTO Hangover Auction - the Daily Bread Food Bank

On Wednesday night I attended #hohoTO - the third event in a series initially conceived on Twitter by some hardworking Toronto folks a little over a year ago. Last year everyone thought it was incredible the community raised $25,000 within a matter or days. In August, the tally approached $15,000.

This time around, thanks to almost 700 people who bought tickets and a truckload of sponsors and prizes raffled off at the event, almost $50,000 was raised for the Daily Bread Food Bank. But see, that’s the hitch. Not quite $50,000 was raised and there are still some prizes that weren’t claimed at the event. So, what’s a savvy organizing team to do? Have a HoHoTO Hangover Auction on Twitter, of course.

You can share in the fun and holiday cheer Tuesday, December 22, starting at 8 p.m. ET. All you need is a Twitter account and your chequebook. Besides, doesn’t it feel good when you can do your holiday shopping and help others in need at the same time? See you there!

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