Traveling with children is often a big concern among families. Some families don’t even believe that it’s possible to jet set across the world because they feel it’s too much work. The kids will misbehave, something will go wrong, and the whole trip will be more frustration than actual enjoyment. So why bother?

No one wants a frustrating vacation or kids who misbehave on a flight. But with some preparation, family travel can actually be a lot easier than you imagine. There’s a few tips you should keep in mind before you take off.

Choose an Early Morning Flight

Flying with children often strikes fear into the heart of many parents - and rightfully so. You’re in a cramped space for a set amount of time, and you’re left to pray that your kids won’t become restless. In order to avoid this, it’s best to find early flights.

Early flights have less delays, which allows you to get to your destination quicker. Not only that, they tend to be less crowded and kids are more likely to be tuckered out and nap.

Give Kids the Window (or At Least the Middle) Seat

Never give your kids the aisle seat. With the heavy traffic between the flight attendants and passengers, the last thing you want is a kick-happy kid with legs facing them.

The best spot to give them is the window seat. This will give them their own safe space and the window provides some extra stimulation. If you book your flights far enough in advance you can always make sure to get the seats that want.

Buy Snacks Before the Airport

Make sure to bring plenty of goodies for your kids like granola bars and gummy bears. In-flight food is often expensive and the peanuts are rarely appealing to children. Plus, if you do experience an uncomfortable delay you have snacks at the ready. As a bonus tip, bring gum on your flight and chew it during take-off to help with ear popping.

Light Travel is the Easiest Travel

When we’re traveling, we have a big tendency to over-pack. Over-packing makes life more difficult for many reasons. It’s crappy to lug suitcases everywhere, more difficult to find what you’re looking for, and can come with expensive airport fees.

When you pack less you’ll notice that your whole trip becomes less stressful. This is due to decreased decision making. For instance, you can be crafty and economical with your shoes. Pack one good pair of walking shoes that can double as something for a nice restaurant and bring some flip-flops for the beach.

Bring Favorite Toys and Entertainment

While you want your kids to experience the trip you’re taking, there’s going to be a lot of downtime too. By bringing a few favorite toys you can provide them with a little home comfort and something fun to do during the slow times. Especially the flight!

Bring Fun Music

If you’re renting a car, then bring a CD or two of music that the whole family loves. Long car trips can be exhausting and boring for children, which makes them cranky. Some good music that everyone can sing along to makes the ride a lot more uplifting and enjoyable.

Reserve Everything You Can

Delays are one of the largest contributors to parent frustrating and cranky children. Prevent this by reserving everything you can in advance. Reserve your rental car, hotel, restaurants, tours and whatever else is on the table. It’s easy to wing things when we travel alone, but with children is becomes much harder.

Traveling as a family can be so much fun and a lot less stressful than you might imagine. By taking heed of these tips you’ll be able to ensure an exciting trip with less stress and frustration.