Educational Tours: Tips for Packing Light on Student Trips  

These days, when student travel groups set out for any destination by air, it is both practical and economical to travel light. Many airlines have begun applying new lower minimum weight stipulations that average 75 pounds per bag for transported baggage. If bags exceed this limit, additional fees might apply.

The trick for many student travel groups is to pack light when planning the initial trip and when making a return, refrain carrying an excessive amount of souvenirs. If heavier souvenirs are purchased, then the student or chaperone might want to think about shipping items instead of bringing these items on board the return flight.

The practice of carrying one bag only works especially well on 3-5 day student trips. Some airlines are even beginning to add extra charges for the first bag and additional bags; some only charge for extra luggage.

Encourage students to limit their possessions to one piece of luggage for the trip and a carry-on item such as a backpack, handbag, or laptop bag for items they might need easier access to on board.

Following are several other packing tips I would like to share with those taking student trips this year and next.

Select a good piece of luggage: Do NOT choose a suitcase that’s overly large. Instead, opt for something medium sized that has wheels and a handle for simple transfer. A lightweight bag would be canvas or nylon. Leather bags are going to be heavy. If the class trip is three days or less, students might be healthy to get by with just a carry on bag and a bag to stow under the seat. Check with airlines for regulation sizes for carry on baggage to eliminate a potential luggage charge.

Tag Luggage: In the event that a piece of luggage could be lost, place a study and an address inside apiece checked-in and carry on bag. Make sure to carry at least one change of clothes and a toothbrush in the carry on bag.

Make lists: A packing list is always helpful. It can help the student traveler to focus on what is needed, instead of adding extra items that will not be used. Make sure only necessary items make it to the list.

Select Clothing Appropriate for Climate: When packing, be aware of the climate or potential weather conditions at the destination. Pack essential clothing (and coats) accordingly. Wear bulkier items such as coats on the plane, to save space and weight in luggage. Roll underwear and place inside shoes to save space.

Limit shoes to two pair: One pair of shoes is worn on the plane. Pack another pairs of shoes and that’s all. Make sure both pairs of shoes are comfortable travel shoes.

Pack Trial Size Body Care Items: Try to shop ahead and obtain trial size toothpaste, mouthwash, soap, shampoo and hair care items. This saves space in baggage and makes bags lighter. Put all liquids in fix lock bags and take an extra fix lock bag for a wet washing suit or towel.

Prescription Drugs: Prescription drugs, especially diabetes medications with syringes, should be in pharmacy prescription bottles.

Eyeglasses or Contact Lenses: Make sure to bring conserving eyeglass cases, as well as spray and cloth for care. Bring just enough disposable contacts (with maybe one extra) for short trips to save space, or smaller amounts of contact lens cleaner to save space and weight in baggage.

These packing tips are designed for the student traveler who might be new to the intent of traveling afar. Yet these advance planning ideas for trips are essential for saving money and making transfer of baggage easier.

In the interest of economy, security, and assist of travel remember to go light on class trips.

About the Author

Howard Clemens founded Educational Travel Consultants in 1984. Over the last 25 years, Mr. Clemens has organized student travel tours for thousands of high schools, middle schools, and elementary schools. His company also specializes in performance tours to Washington D.C., New York City, and Orlando, Florida. Email him at info@educationaltravelconsultants.com or visit http://www.educationaltravelconsultants.com.

For a summer vacation, remember to pack plenty of sunscreen to keep all travel-size toiletries in a clear plastic bag, wearing a hat for sun protection, bring all essential medicines and to keep important documents in a waterproof container.

Pack smart this summer with advice from a reputable tour operator in this free video on travel. Expert: Russ Handler Contact: www.rhconsumernetwork.com Bio: Russ Handler has an online travel agency. Filmmaker: Christopher Rokosz

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Tips for Packing Children’s Suitcases  

Article by Stanley Lewis

Many people think about effectively packing a suitcase to be an art. There is a special talent to gaining all of your items in the bag and in the proper locations. The key is to do so successfully in that none of the items are mangled or put under strain during the transporting. The order of importance or need of the items is also a bourgeois to think about when packing a bag. While most adults are aware of their traveling needs and desires, packing a suitcase for a child is a bit different experience. However, there are some easy tips to follow to help keep both the parent and the child happy when it comes to packing a bag for a trip.

Place Clothing Articles in the Suitcase by Days

It will be much easier for the child to independently locate clothing without creating complete chaos in the suitcase if the items are put in accordance to a day’s wear. For example, place all attire needed for one day together. This means pajamas, underwear, socks, and day clothing. Be certain to place coordinating shirts and pants one on top of another.

Place Immediate Need Items on Top

Any items that your child will need or want during the trip or as soon as you arrive should be put on the top of the pile. This includes swimming attire, notebooks, books, or favorite toys or animals. Always ensure that the first thing your child sees when opening the bag is a special memory from home. This is especially important if you will not be traveling with your child.

Make Use of Plastic Bags and Zipper Compartments

Rather than sending your child off with an additional cosmetic bag, place toothbrushes, toothpaste, and any other needed toiletries in plastic bags and then fix them up in the compartments of the suitcase. It will be much easier for the child to handle and keep up with a limited number of suitcases.

Allow Your Child to Help Pack

If the child is not old enough to pack for him or herself, at least make sure that he or she watches you pack the suitcase. This will help the child feel more confident that he or she has everything needed and wanted inside the bag. It will also help for the child to be healthy to swiftly locate an item without panicking that it was left at home.

Always Pack Extras

Children are much more likely to have accidents and spills than adults. It is a wise intent to pack at least one extra set of clothing. Also be prepared for weather changes by slipping in one long sleeve or short sleeve shirt and pants set, depending on the season.

Many parents agonize and spend much more time preparing their child’s suitcase than they do their own. Many kids feel uncomfortable about taking overnight trips. Carrying out the easy tips listed above can help make parents and kids feel more comfortable about the journey, even if it is just for one night.

About the Author

Original article by Stanley Lewis for The Children Window, UK online department store for babies and kids including furniture, clothing, Children’s Luggage, gifts, toys …

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5 Best Tips for Packing for Family Trips  

Article by Corina Volegna

The economy might not be great, but many of us are still planning a family trip. Whether you are going somewhere far away on a plane trip, or being more economical by staying close to home or traveling by bus or car, here are some helpful tips. These tips will help you pack right the first time!

Step #1 – What is the purpose of your trip?

The first step for smart packing is to think about your destination and purpose of visit. Maybe you’re going to visit family and stay in their home, or maybe you’re going to stay in a hotel. You also need to think about if the trip is going to require a lot of outdoor activities, putting you at the mercy of the weather. Or maybe you’re going to be shopping, seeing plays, and visiting museums. Figuring this out is important for step two.

Step #2 – Make a list

Making a list is not only important for remember getting everything you need a long, it can also help you make sure you get all your belongings back with you. Just keep the list with you in your suitcase and double check it when you’re packing for home. If you have children who are old enough, have them write their own list too and double check it for them. Have them make sure their favorite plush toy is packed and you’ll instruct them about responsibility and make the trip more real to them.

Step #3 – Make a packing list for the children

Pack the essentials in your suitcase, things like clothes, shoes and toiletries. Then get a small backpack or travel bag and fill it with things to entertain the child. These can include travel games, toys, stuffed animals, story books or activity books. The longer the trip you have planned, the more you should pack. For longer trips, get a diverse mix of games and toys. You can include a combination of activity games, handheld games, dolls and stuffed animals. Through in a few teddy bears or their favorite plush dog or other stuffed animal. You can even bring along some DVDs, as long as you have either a portable DVD player or a automobile with a player. Keeping your children quiet and happy is key for more comfortable traveling.

Step #4 – Take care of the small things

There’s a lot of small things you’ll need to do to prep for your trip. For example, do not move until the last moment to do your laundry. Take the list you created in step two and wash what you’ve decided to take. You’ll also want to check the weather forecast for your destination, which you should probably do before the laundry, just so you know exactly what clothing items you are most likely to need. Also, do not underestimate the importance of CASH. You never know if your destination will take plastic or checks. Cash is the only thing that’s universally accepted, and there’s no guarantee your bank will have an ATM available. This is especially important if you’re traveling abroad, because international ATM fees can sometimes be unexpectedly expensive. Stop by your local bank after deciding what you’re planning to spend on your trip and take out enough currency to cover your needs.

Step #5 – Get ready the night before

This can eliminate a ton of last minute stress, and help you make sure that you don’t forget anything. Prepare your clothes and documents the night before, so you are not rushed the next morning. Other things you’ll possibly need to do is make sure all your electronics are charged (camera, cell phone, etc.), and prepare some dry snacks such as granola or crackers, because you never know when a tiny extra food will make all the difference for a comfortable trip.

So there you go, with these five steps packing can be stress-free! Remember, a tiny organization goes a long way towards a great trip.

About the Author

Looking for a great traveling teddy bear for sale or plush dog? Check out the great selection of stuffed animals for sale that KCPlush has to offer. Never leave home without one of their astonishing toys!.

For frequent flyer miles, apiece individual airline specific rules, but generally participation is the key. Discover how frequent flyer miles with tips from a travel agent in this free video on travel and holidays. Expert: Russ Handler Contact: www.rhconsumernetwork.com Bio: Russ Handler has an online travel agency. Filmmaker: Christopher Rokosz

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Family Travel Tips: 18 Ways to Enjoy a Road Trip

Whenever one of my friends returns from some time away, I ask: “Was it a vacation, or was it just a trip?”

When traveling with kids, true vacations are pretty hard to come by. With the packing, the automobile seats, the change in sleeping schedules, and all the inevitable whining that comes along, it would be way easier to stay home (especially when traveling by car.)

And yet traveling is important. When we travel, we open to a world that was previously unknown to us. We touch other cultures and other ways of life; we broaden our own perspectives and understand, finally, that our small problems are just that.

When we travel with kids, we open their eyes to all of this and more. Even when we take a easy trip to visit distant relatives, we show them a world of love that they might not had known existed.

Here are eighteen tips to help you enjoy road trip traveling with your kids.

Before the trip:

1. Use online trip planning websites to locate kid friendly parks, historic monuments, and other attractions in advance. Plan at least one child oriented activity apiece day, even on those driving days. Involving your children in the planning of your pass will help them to get excited about the trip, too.

2. When you are doing your research and booking your destination, think about an all inclusive resort. These types of arrangements (in which your lodging, dining, attractions, and activities are included) can really help you rest and enjoy your precious pass time.

3. Have apiece child pack their own small backpack with the books, workbooks, and activities that they most want to bring.

4. Have a kid friendly travel map on hand, as well as a pair of binoculars.

5. Think about buying or borrowing a portable DVD player. We only get ours out on long trips, but it has been really helpful, especially if you are traveling very long distances.

6. Get apiece child a special book of games, puzzles, or easy coloring books, just for the drive, along with some washable markers.

7. Bring some music that everyone will enjoy singing along to. We love our CD of old campfire songs. You can even create your own CDs of family favorites.

8. Bring a Frisbee or a football for when you stop at a park. You want to help your children burn some energy in a reasonable amount of time.

9. Pack healthy snacks, such as nuts, trail mix, apples, energy bars, and bottled water. A package of baby wipes often comes in handy for tiny messes in the car, too.

10. Pack a journal and a disposable camera for apiece child, so that they can document the trip in their own way. These items can be gift wrapped and given to the children as you need a diversion from boredom or sibling arguments.

11. Make sure to speak about your pass like it is the eventual adventure. The enthusiasm that you bring to the prospect of piling into the automobile will help in untold ways.

In the Car:

12. If you can, do as much traveling as doable while your children are sleeping. Of course, country is paramount. If you find yourself getting at all sleepy, pull over and switch with your spouse or find a hotel.

13. If you do not like to drive at night, or you are driving through countryside that you would like your children to see in the daylight, make sure you leave plenty of travel time. Plan on a maximum of seven hours of driving per day. Get up early, drive a bit, and then check into your hotel in the mid afternoon and enjoy the swimming pool. Have a nice, relaxed dinner and leisurely check out some local sites in the evening.

14. While driving during the day, plan to stop at least apiece hour and a half. Stretch, take some bathroom breaks, and remember that getting there is half the adventure.

15. Finger knitting really helps my children to pass the time. All you need is a ball of yarn. There is no mess and you can find easy instructions online by doing a Google search for “Finger Knitting.” During our last automobile trip, we all arrived at our destination with lovely pink finger knitted scarves.

16. During a routine fuel stop, ask apiece child to select five or six postcards, which they can send to their friends. Make sure to bring your address book and postage stamps so you can mail them on the way.

17. Grant one child to be the “navigator” apiece day. The navigator looks at the map and gives suggestions on where to stop for snacks, gas, and meals.

18. Try these easy Travel Games:
The Alphabet Game: Find all the letters of the alphabet, in order, on license plates, billboards, and road signs. Or find objects that start with apiece letter.
I Spy: One mortal spies something in the landscape or in the automobile and gives clues. (One doable variation on this game is “20 Questions.”)
License Plate “I Spy”: See how many says you can spot.
License Plate Alphabet: Find all the letters of the alphabet, in order, on license plates.
Letter Bingo: Print out Bingo sheets with clip art or words depicting sites you will see on your trip.

Ultimately, it is important to remember that there is no such thing as a perfect family vacation. Prepare as much as doable in advance, and then rest and go with the flow.

Family Travel Tips: 18 Ways to Enjoy a Road Trip

Travel Tips for Packing Smart

Vacations are great, aren’t they? It’s a chance to get away from life’s stresses and unwind, or see some place new. Each part of the pass is exciting and enjoyable…except the packing. These travel tips will take your mind off the stress of knowing what to take and what to leave behind.

Need vs. Want

We’d all pack the kitchen sink if we could but as more airlines are cracking down on overweight fees and limits for luggage, it’s important that you stick to a plan of what you’ll need over what you want to take. Check the weather to help you select the right clothes and bring one to two off-season items to be prepared for any weather changes.

Personal Items

With new regulations on travel there are some things you simply can’t carry on airplanes anymore. Travel sizes of your favorite shampoos, conditioners and other toiletries are usually acquirable in drug stores. Again the key to travel tips of the individualized nature is not to bring more than what you’ll need or use. First aid kits, over-the-counter medications and deodorant are musts and can be costly if you buy from the hotel where you stay.

Fold With Care

Rolling clothes instead of folding has long since been hailed as a great way to reduce wrinkles and create more room in your suitcase. When you are packing your suitcase, think in sequence of unpacking. What will you wear first? If it’s pajamas or a nice suit, place those items on top so you aren’t rummaging around for what you need.

Basic travel tips such as these can be applied to pass traveling as well as business. They can also help you select how to pack in order to save space and money during your travels.

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Travel Tips For Packing Luggage ? Making Sure Your Bags Make The Trip

In today’s busy and costly world of travel, packing your bags for any trip, whether it is a swift weekend getaway or a month long holiday abroad can be a bit dicey. This is especially true if you will be travelling by airplane. As the airlines have all adopted evenhandedly strict and in some cases exceedingly prohibitive rules and fees surrounding the transport of your bags. From increased security concerns to the rising cost of jetliner fuel, packing for a trip is not what it used to be at all! Before embarking on your next journey, you should consult some travel tips for packing luggage.

It used to be that packing your bags was a chore that you underwent simply to make sure that you would have all that you needed when you arrived at your destination. As long as you could get your suitcase closed, you were good to go. Very little, if any thought was ever given to the actual trip there and back when you were considering what you needed to bring along. This day however, you need to devote just as much if not more thought to what will and will not be granted on the plane as what you would like to wear once you get to your destination. It is wise to consult different travel tips for packing luggage before you start packing, just o make sure that your luggage will be granted onboard.

It used to be that apiece passenger aboard an aircraft was granted two checked bags, one carry on and one individualized item as part of the cost of their airline ticket. The only time that there would be an additional fee was if any of the checked luggage exceeded a certain weight. Today, many airlines charge you to check any bag, regardless of size. Airport security might also restrict what kinds of items you might bring in your carryon bag as well. For this reason, many airlines wage travel tips for packing luggage on their websites, which grants their passenger to know what they can and can't do on their flight.

The bottom line is this, if you are travelling anywhere for more than just a day, you are going to need some sort of luggage. Before you start packing it, you need to know what you can bring. The very ideal travel tips for packing luggage are simple, check with your individual airline to find out what is and is not permissible, and work from there.