Planning a family vacation can be a daunting task. Whether a short trip or a long haul, there’s just so much to think about and keep track of. And regardless of how prepared you might think you are, there’s always room for error or forgetfulness or—to be honest—sheer chaos to ensue!

To this end, there’s an arsenal of phone and tablet apps—both free and at a cost—that can assist you in the process of planning and taking part in a family vacation. So whether you’re taking the kids on a weekend drive to the country or city, or flying out for a weeklong vacation or to see your extended family, try making using a few of these handy apps.

Once you try them, you may never be able to travel without them again!

Sunday Drive

Let’s face it. We all want our travels to be carefree. We want things to go smoothly, to be easy. Easy like Sunday morning, right? But traveling long distances—especially by car and with kids—doesn’t always allow for that. Well, worry no more! You’re in luck because there’s an app for that! This app allows you to take an ordinary, easily monotonous car drive and transform it into an educational adventure for the kids. It points out historical routes, scenic landmarks and other historical gems along the way. Your kids will be entertained even before you reach your intended destination.

Mom Maps

Sometimes, we just need a little help from our friends. This app allows moms to fill in vacation downtime and tap into the support network of like-minded mothers sharing local information about family-friendly points of interest. Regardless of where you find yourself, use this app with information from other parents to locate tried and true restaurants and events, as well as parks and play areas on a detailed map that shows you how to get there.

Rest Area Finder

As the name suggests, this app from Guidebook Galactic allows you to find rest areas in nearby locations. Making pit stops for snacks and bathroom breaks has never been easier! A similar app, Sit or Squat, is also there for you in an emergency. Based on user reviews, it allows you to find nearby bathrooms anywhere in the world and it notes if the bathrooms are open or closed, and if they’ve been recommended by other users.

Postino

Gone are the days of scurrying around while on vacation in search of the perfect postcard only to have it lost in the mail. With this app, you can turn your prized photographs into postcards and send them electronically to friends and family. The app allows you to send the image you truly want and to be sure that it gets to its destination. But hey, if snail mail is still your style, you have the option of printing the postcards out and mailing them for a fee as well. Postagram is a similar app that allows you to be your own postmaster.

TripIt

With confirmation emails, addresses and excited kids to look after, reaching your destination might seem like a Herculean task. Not anymore! This app allows you to keep track of all your important travel details with ease. You can construct custom itineraries by hand or simply forward your confirmation emails from the various providers you’re using, such as airfare, rental cars, hotels, etc., and the app will convert all the data into a chronological itinerary with all of your pertinent information in one place. Concise viewing and ease of use all at your fingertips!

GateGuru

Dealing with layovers and airport terminals is a daunting task in itself, but throw in cranky kids and you’ve got a disaster in the making. Luckily, there’s an app to combat that. This godsend of an app allows parents to navigate the tricky world or airport terminals and quickly, easily find important information based on arrival and departure times. Find restaurants, restrooms, kids’ play zones and more, and make use of the app’s detailed airport maps and useful navigation tools as well.

The Weather Channel

Enough with the evening weather report already! It’s time to take the weather report into your own hands—literally! This handy app allows you to access everything you might need about the climate in multiple locations. It will show the local time, humidity, visibility, temperature, wind speed, and other important factors, on an easy-to-use interface and, most importantly, in real time, when you need it most. Now you can pick the perfect clothing for you and your family and be informed about possible climate changes—all while on vacation.

Kayak

Though there are many apps out there for finding the right type of lodging, from hotels to timeshares to sublets, it’s all available on this app. Kayak has proven a favorite for many as it works as a one-stop shop for your travel needs. It allows you to find flights, lodging and even rental cars all in one place. You can also use it to manage itineraries, track flights and receive price alerts. On a related note, if you happen to be searching for a same-day family-friendly hotel, the HotelTonight app has you covered. The app even rates hotels and provides room descriptions for the discerning last-minute planner.

YouTube Kids

Don’t have enough space in your luggage to bring along your child’s favorite movies? If you’ve elected to leave behind the DVDs, music and books that tend to keep your child occupied, this app can help with the possible repercussions! Let your kids watch educational movies or listen to appropriate tunes all with the ease of a functional and reliable app. And you don’t have to worry about them seeing what they shouldn’t as the app is already filtered to provide programs and videos for younger viewers.

In addition to the apps listed above, there are a host of other apps geared towards reading and learning comprehension for children. While some of these apps are free, others offer free trials while still others cost relatively little to quite a lot for a yearly subscription. Websites, such as the Fun Educational Apps site , allow you to take your pick of the fun for children of all ages!

Also be sure to visit Android and Apple app stores to select the best apps for your journey. Like the above-mentioned website, many of these apps are based on age and grade level, and can help to turn any vacation into yet another opportunity for learning.

Want apps for your android? Visit the Google Play App Store here: https://play.google.com/store

Want apps for your iPhone or iPad? Visit the Apple App Store on iTunes here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/genre/ios/id36?mt=8

The post 12 Great Travel Apps for Families appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.

There has never been more access to social media from a barrage of outlets as there is now. Whether a phone or netbook or notebook or mini-notebook or laptop or desktop, just to name a few, social media has made it almost impossible to go without some sort of device to connect to one another with. Though for many parents this may be a sign of the times or an indication that we are spending less time together face-to-face with our friends and family, it can also be a useful tool when it comes to traveling and travel ideas for capturing those moments of pure delight with your family.

Kids are now more tech-savvy than their parents with social media apps and the latest phones and gadgets. They know specs and speeds and what plays the fastest videos. To filter this information and make sure you have a handle on what your children are learning and using their devices for, get actively involved! Travel can help with this.

One way of spending more time with your children on your kid-friendly vacation – or even before the vacation – is to sit down with your children and explain what the boundaries of using this technology will be on the trip. At the same time, however, you can have your children prepare a mini “tutorial” for you as to what are the best ways to capture those precious moments. Though this might seem like a chore, many kids will relish the idea of teaching something to their parents, of holding some knowledge that their parents don’t even have. This in turn makes for a wonderful time of share-and-tell at home where parents and children can learn from each other about various social media apps and what the best ways are for not only capturing great moments and media but saving those moments that will surely take place on family-friendly vacations.

Another important thing to remember is that the technology itself is not the important thing here: it is the quality time spent together on vacation with your family. Many parents exasperate themselves trying to keep up with their children and the latest technology. There are even some parents that have more apps and social media outlets than their own children. But again, the most important thing to remember is that these items are just means to an end, and that end is sharing the actual, lived moments with your children and loved ones. A daily excursion, family meals together, walks around the resort or theme park – these are the times that bring your family together!

It is important for your children to be up-to-date with the technology that will enable them to excel in the classroom, but not all technology is necessary or even worthwhile. Be sure to draw the line with your children as to what they can use and when they can use it. Just because your children have more access than you does not take away from the fact that you are the parent!

In this way, your vacations will turn into fun learning experiences where children and parents experience social media together! Posting pictures online and creating slideshows, making small movies and uploading digital media to watch for a later date all play into this. By setting the boundaries and knowing what you are setting the boundaries for, you will be able to better make use of social media and to make sure that your children, both during the vacation and after the vacation is over, are making the right use out of social media!  

The post Dealing with Travel in the Digital Age appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.

Most people are probably familiar with the old adage which states that it’s not so much the destination as the journey that’s most important. And for those of us who have children, it is exactly the importance of the journey that cannot be emphasized enough.

Whether it is a short trip to the grocery store, a one-tank road trip or traveling across the country for a destination vacation, the safety of our children is a constant among all the possible variables on the itinerary.

Not only must the journey be kept in mind as far as the safety of each and every child, but ensuring the continued safety of our children once the destination has finally been reached is also something that needs to be taken into consideration.

To this end, companies such as Britax USA are making it easier for parents, whether traveling for vacation or simply on-the-go, to ensure the safety of their children by providing a remarkably comprehensive lineup of car seats, strollers and other accessories for both the inside and outside of the vehicle.

Britax was actually formed back in 1939, and for the last 70+ years, the company has been pioneering the child seat industry worldwide. Indeed, when Britax entered the American market in 1996, it only took a year for the British company to launch the very first convertible car seat in the U.S., the Roundabout.

Since its early beginnings in the child seat industry, Britax has become one of the most trusted car seats in America, as well as garnering the accolade of best-selling car seat in Europe

Indeed, it is from this very first introduction of convertible car seats that, in 2010, Britax redesigned the line to create safer convertible car seats, such as the Boulevard 70-G3.

The new series of car seats, like the Boulevard 70-G3, is outfitted with Britax’s patented SafeCell technology, where the SafeCells, an engineered structure designed to compress in the event of a crash, counteract the forward propulsion that can take place with typical car seats.   

The Boulevard 70-G3, then, weighing in at 19.5 pounds, is an exemplary model of what car seat safety can embody. The Boulevard supports up to 70 pounds of weight, thereby ensuring that, as your child grows, the Boulevard will still provide adequate safety and comfort for your child just as it did at the time of purchase!

An added comfort for your child is the fact that the Boulevard offers an option for both rear and forward facing reclining. This feature, as well as the extra layer of padding included from High Density Comfort Foam, will support your child with the ultimate amount of comfort.

The Boulevard 70-G3 also comes with Britax’s energy-absorbing Versa-Tether, which is located on the back, upper part of the child seat. This latch system, essentially a strap that hooks onto an anchor in your vehicle, allows the child seat to be comfortably tethered to the vehicle in either the forward-facing or rear-facing position.

The Boulevard 70-G3 also comes with an easy-to-remove cover (with 8 different fabric options, including Silver Birch and Aztec, available), matching comfort pads and an infant body pillow. These convenient features allow the Boulevard to be cleaned easily without uninstalling it or even disassembling the child seat.

In addition to the wonderful advancements that Britax has made with redesigning the line of convertible car seats, is the plethora of accessories that can be purchased to accompany the car seats. These products also speak to the company’s dedicated focus on child safety and innovative technology.

One such inventive accessory is the Britax Back Seat Mirror, which is not only compatible with most vehicle head restraints, but also provides a view of your child at any angle while the car seat is in the rear-facing position. Likewise, the Britax Vehicle Seat Protector is designed with non-slip material and raised edges to catch spills and debris, making the vehicle seat protector a breeze to cleanup. The seat protector is also waterproof, while a front seat guard helps to defend the front of the vehicle seat from your child’s shoes.

Britax also makes convenient car seat covers, such as removable covers to keep out the rain, sun and bugs.

To ensure the ultimate amount of fun once the destination is finally reached, Britax also provides stroller accessories. Strollers can be purchased with rain, mosquito and sun covers as well, while useful accessories, such as pouches and organizers for holding assorted items, as well as a cup holder set for children that can be attached to strollers, are also available. There is also the option of purchasing the Britax B-AGILE Child Tray, a useful accessory to match the cup holders and to ensure storage and eating opportunities for your child while on the go.

Regardless of the accessories, however, it is clear to see that Britax USA stops at no cost to ensure the safety of children. With such devotion and care for consumers, it’s no wonder that parents purchase these products with not so much the cost involved in mind, but the equal care and concern for the safety and well-being of future generations: http://www.britaxusa.com/   

The post Britax USA: A Compassionate Company in Child Seat Safety appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.

There are days when it seems you spend all day driving; groceries, endless picks ups and drop offs, the post office, drycleaning that has piled up, you name it.  Running errands with a toddler in tow can be a challenge so I’ve come up with a few ways to ensure a smooth ride for both mom or dad and your child.

Bag of tricks.  Always carry a special bag of goodies with you containing easy on-the-go ways to keep your toddler busy (picture books, small toys, coloring materials, etc.)  So any time there’s waiting time, you will have some fun activities for your toddler.  Make sure to mix it up a bit so there are always some new items in the bag and only bring out the bag of tricks when you’re out and about so that it’s fun and special for your toddler.

Music.  Music is a great way to engage your toddler.  Bring along your iPod with a special playlist for your toddler (and headphones, unless you want to sing along:).  Make sure to check the volume setting.

Books on tape.  A great tool in situations where a lot of sitting and waiting is required (appointments, driving, etc.)

Snacks.  Bring along healthy snacks that aren’t messy (cut up fruits and veggies, cheerios, crackers)  

The classics.  These blasts from the past are still engaging and fun for your toddler and easy to carry with you.  Games like I Spy and Etch-a-Sketch and activities such as felt boards and paper dolls have been entertaining tots for many decades

Take photos.  A fun way for your toddler to stay busy is by asking him or her to take pictures.  This works well when traveling, on walks, or running even errands).  Then, when you get home, you can make a little online scrapbook together of the trip or the day’s events.

Apps. If you want to go the electronic route there are many toddler appropriate apps that are as easy to bring along as your phone.  One of our favorites is the BubbleBum travel app which is FREE.  It offers tic tac toe, including a version where you play with a photo of yourself as the game piece, car bingo, traffic jam and treasure hunt.  

And just remember to keep a sense of humor whenever possible, it will go a long way to keeping your sanity.  Plus our kids often take their cues from us, so it will also help to keep your tot happy too!

Sincerely,

Daddy Nickell

Robert Nickell, aka Daddy Nickell, father of 7, offers his “5 cents” worth of advice to expectant and new parents. Daddy Nickell is the founder of Daddyscrubs.com, delivery room duds and daddy gifts and apparel, and the DaddyScrubs blog where he covers topics about parenting all from a Dad’s perspective.

The post Entertaining Your Toddler When On-The-Go appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.