
We all want a change of scenery now and then, especially during the summer months. But if you have a baby or young child, you may wonder if that beachfront vacation is going to be worth it when your kid can’t sleep!
Changes to routine and environment can derail even the best sleepers. Here are a few of our favorite hacks for keeping your kids sleeping well when you travel.
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White noise is great at muffling ambient sounds in a new environment and help your kids sleep during naptime and at night. But don’t try to lug your fancy white noise machine with you when you travel. Use a free white noise app on your phone. Or, turn on an old fan or humidifier to generate similar white noise.
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Bed rails keep toddlers from falling out of “big kid” or grownup beds., but we wouldn’t think of packing one. Make your own bed rail using rolled up towels or extra pillows. Just shove a few under a fitted sheet at the side of the bed to create a bumper. Still worried? Just drag that mattress to the floor for your little one.
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Black-out shades can be hard to find when you travel, but are critical for enabling daytime sleep and preventing early rising. You can create your own temporary window coverings using black plastic garbage bags and duct tape!
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Sleep on the go. Sometimes when we travel, we are out and about and can’t get the kids in bed at naptime. Help them try to nap on the go using a SnoozeShade for your stroller or car seat. It will create sleep-conducive privacy and darkness that may lull your child into a much-needed nap.
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Bedtime bathroom trips can be a challenge for little ones in a new location. Ship a training potty to your location and keep it right by your child’s bed so she doesn’t have to go far to make it to the potty. If you have a baby in diapers, set up a changing station right by your baby’s crib or pack-n-play so you don’t have to fumble around in an unfamiliar location in the dark. With kids who are accident-prone, try double-making the bed: mattress protector, fitted sheet, another mattress protector, another fitted sheet, flat sheet and/or blanket. If there’s an accident during the night, you can just strip off the first fitted sheet and mattress protector and you’ll have a second dry one already in place.
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Familiar objects can make bedtime and naptime in a strange place more comfortable. Bring one or two items from your child’s crib or bed with you so that your child has some familiar comfort objects just like at home.
Have your own great hack? Share it with us in the comments below!