Whether you're going away for six weeks or only three days, it's still a big job to pack for a family trip.  Here's some tips.

Difficulty Level: Medium      Time Required: 1-2 hours

1. First, forget the usual advice to "travel light": small kids can go through three clean t-shirts before you even get off the plane at your destination. 
2. Use plenty of clear zip-lock bags when packing: for tooth-brush stuff, for toiletries, audiocassettes, batteries, crayons, etc. 
3. Practice redundancy, for important items (like bandaids):  buy doubles and  pack each in different places-- this doubles your chance of finding the thing when you need it! 
4. Don't forget to pack the medicines you use most frequently:  children's fever medicine, etc.
5. Have each child use a backpack to carry their fun stuff.
6. Have each child use one piece of "rolling luggage" for their clothes. Even 4 or 5-year olds can handle "rolling luggage" on flat surfaces. 
7. Let older kids pack their own bags-- but check the contents, in case they've packed their rock collection, or 500 Pokemon cards.
8. For the budget-minded: pack cereals, crackers, instant soups, and other snacks. As you use up your food-stuffs, you'll free up room for souvenirs. 
9. Ditto, with diapers: bring plenty of your own (--you know where to buy them cheapest); as you use them up, you'll have room for souvenirs.
10. Bring plenty of amusements (see below), and maybe a ball or frisbee too. 
11. Don't forget Mom (or Dad)-to-the-rescue stuff: batteries for hand-held electronic toys; scotch tape; scissors; pencil-sharpeners. Duct tape can come in very handy too. 
12. Don't forget: bandaids, and baby-wipes for cleaning hands, faces, messes.  
13. And for hot climates: sunglasses, sunscreen, sunhats, t-shirts to wear while swimming, aqua-shoes if you have 'em, snorkel and facemask, swimsuits. 

1. Don't forget to pack your own stuff! It's easy to get so busy packing for the kids that you leave behind the things you need or want yourself.
2. Check for those  most easy-to-forget items: sunglasses, cameras, sunhats, swimsuits. 
3. Two swimsuits are a good idea: use the second one when the first is wet. 

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• Long List of Things to Amuse Kids on Trips