Traveling with my twins can be really rough. Sure, a little vacation or holiday time might be fun once you get there, but between the packing and the think-ahead prep…and then all of the hours in the car or airplane…and then being somewhere without all of your stuff. Ai yi yi, it’s stressful. What I will say is that it’s gotten a whole lot easier since we started bringing along our tablets. While I hate to be that Mom who keeps plopping her kids in front of a screen, desperate times (like being cooped up on a 6-hour flight) call for realistic measures, and the Fire HD tablet is a lifesaver. Not only does it hypnotize my 3-year-olds with games and shows, but I also load it with apps that’ll make travel easier for my husband and me. I think of it like a hand-held motherboard when my family is on-the-move. Before hitting the road, you’ll want to download these essential apps…
*This post is sponsored by Amazon.
Travel Apps
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First Aid by American Red Cross
There's not likely to be any kind of emergency while you're traveling, but it never hurts to be prepared. This app from the American Red Cross gives advice to handle any medical emergency or natural disaster, and provides maps to the nearest hospitals. Hopefully you won't ever have to use it, but it's always nice to have some peace of mind.
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IStoryBooks
You may love reading to your kids, but you certainly don't want to lug around your entire library when traveling. With this app, you can load up your tablet with books from the iStoryBooks library (for ages 2 to 8), and either read them to your kids, or hit play for audio narration. It's a great alternative to videos during plane rides or car trips, especially since your kids won't need you to do the reading.
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Mom Maps
Sure, at home you know all of the best kid-friendly spots. When traveling though, how do you find the nearest playground or family restaurant? Almost like a Yelp for parents, Mom Maps collects advice, reviews and tips from other families, so you'll know exactly where to go when on-the-road.
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PBS Kids Video
You may already have a few shows and movies downloaded on your tablet. When away from home though, with limited TV channels, you kind of want an endless stream of content. With the PBS Videos app, you can download clips from some of their most popular shows like Curious George, Dinosaur Train and Wild Kratts. The app is also kid-friendly so you can leave them to their own, uh, devices.
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Postino
It seems like these days, no one sends postcards anymore--they just upload travel pics to Instagram. But the grandparents may still love a memento from your travels. With this app, you can take a picture, and have it turned into a postcard, which is then sent to your loved ones. The best part is, you can send Grandma a "wish you were here" note, without having to trek all over town for a mailbox.
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Travel Checklist
Before a trip, I always make several packing lists because I don't want to forget anything, especially with my kids in tow. This app comes preloaded with various travel-related lists, so it might point out items and to-do's that you would have forgotten. It also saves your checklists for the return trip.
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TripIt
Between flight information, hotel bookings, and dinner reservations, it's tough to keep all your vacation plans straight. TripIt is a travel organizer that allows you to create a single itinerary, all in one place, for all of those moving pieces. It's like a one-stop app for your trip info.
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Travel Interpreter
Some of the best lessons take place outside the classroom -- say in a foreign country, exploring the sights and sounds of a new culture. With this talking, illustrated phrasebook, you can get around and give your kids a language lesson at the same time. It translates English words into 32 different languages, including German, French, Spanish, and Italian.
