It’s wonderful to renew acquaintance with our extended family, and to catch up on family news. However, bringing children to live with another family for a few days (or even weeks!) can be challenging for both hosts and guests. A few simple rules of courtesy can help smooth the way for a fun and pleasant visit for everyone.

We have traveled by airplane, car, ship and train. We have stayed with relatives, with friends, at hotels, at rental houses, at beach cabins, and in trailers and tents. We have learned the hard way about the challenges of travelling with children, including jet-lagged babies wide-awake at midnight, toddler tantrums on crowded airplanes, car-sick and homesick children, and bored teens enduring an endless torment of art galleries and museums. From our experience, I have developed the following list of essentials for travelling with children.

The canyon will amaze whoever walks along it (people of all ages from all over the world appreciate its natural beauty). It is the perfect place for kids to fulfill their curious minds, and for adults to remember that there is more to this world than their busy lives.