Free 6 Month Travel Planning Checklist: Stress-Free Family Trips Start Now

Planning a family trip can be overwhelming. When do you book your flights? Hotels? Priority attractions? The “deadline” sneaks up faster than you realize. Especially when you’re limited to traveling during peak times with school schedules. This is where our 6 month travel planning checklist saves the day!

We’ve broken down all the steps you should take 6 months in advance and along the way. Ultimately, this ensures you don’t forget anything!

Plus, we even include a list of things to do the day before your trip so you return to a stress-free home (hopefully)!

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Why You Need a 6 Month Travel Planning Checklist to Beat the Crowds

What should be done first when planning a trip?

Checking passport validity is the first real step before anything should be booked. Most countries (and airlines) require that your passport is valid for 6 months after your trip.

Additionally, with kids, both parents are required to attend the passport appointment, so you’ll need to make sure to get a time slot that works for everyone. Plus, you’ll need to gather all your documents and get your ducks in a row before arriving at your appointment.

Give yourself plenty of time to organize, in addition to the passport processing time.

We booked our trip to Mexico before starting our toddler’s passport application. After paying extra for the expedited service, her passport arrived just 4 days before our departure flight. Frankly, way too close for comfort!

Furthermore, this is the time to plan your family travel budget. This Ultimate Travel Budget Planner is beautiful, easy to use and helps you stay on track of your budget.

What should be done after booking flights?

First, make a rough plan of your days, then book your hotels!

If you have any activities, attractions or tours that are a priority for your family, you want to book those as soon as they’re available! Unfortunately, the disappointment of missing out on something important can put a dark cloud over the vacation.

For family-friendly tours, activities and skip-the-line tickets, check out Viator or GetYourGuide!

The Non-Negotiable Items That Guarantee a Happy Return Home

How do you stay organized before traveling? Using a timeline-based strategy like the one outlined in our checklist. 🙂

For example, about a month before your trip, inventory all your kids clothes and gear. This is the best way to avoid a frantic, night-before run to the store for a swimsuit or jacket in the right size.

When you come home, you’ll want to arrive to a clean, stress-free house. Of course this means an empty sink and toys put away.

However, my top advice: change the sheets and towels, too! We all know how good it feels to come home to your own bed, and having clean sheets is just the cherry on top.

Click here to get our 6 month travel planning checklist sent straight to your inbox!

Don’t Forget the Entertainment: Keys to a Smooth Travel Day

Travel days can be boring… It’s a lot of hurry up and wait, which can put a lot of strain on kids’ already thin patience. In addition, the excitement probably affected their sleep the night before, plus they’re so amped for the adventure ahead!

A week before your trip, stock up on some activities. Here are some ideas to get your started:

• For little kids:
  • Reusable sticker book (that won’t stick where they’re not supposed to!)
  • Suction cup fidget spinners for windows
  • LCD Coloring Tablet for endless coloring (I might have more fun with this than my toddler…)
  • A felt Montessori Busy Board that won’t disturb fellow travelers (or diners)

For more ideas, check out our Toddler Carry-on Essentials Guide!

• For big kids:
  • Travel-themed Guess in 10 deck
  • The simplicity of a Rubik’s Cube makes it a great travel companion
  • Kids Fire Tablet with headphones, charged and full of downloaded content
  • Travel Journal for their own planning and documenting the adventure

Pack your reusable water bottles and shopping bags, too. It’ll help save some money, while also being Earth-friendly!

Conclusion: Stay Organized with our Checklist

Our timeline based system gives you the peace of mind you need to have a stress-free trip.

The full, printable PDF contains tons of actionable steps. Additionally, you’ll have the satisfaction of checking everything off as you go!

Download the checklist in the form below!

P.S. This checklist is too good to keep to yourself. Please share this 6 month travel planning checklist with other traveling parents now!

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