Written by: Debbie Martinez • March 7, 2023• Travel

Tips for Vacationing with Special Needs Children

Summer will be here before we know it, so now is the time to start thinking about your vacation plans. While most of us are excited to plan our vacations, I recognize that planning and taking summer vacations can be overwhelming for others due to extra considerations that need to be thought through.

Families with special needs children have way more to consider and prepare for than the rest of us. A family with a special needs child can never plan enough. Before I became a travel writer, I was a special education teacher and then a behavior specialist for severely disturbed children. At times, it was overwhelming just to get them out of class and on the playground, never mind on a plane and through airports or traffic.

Traveling is stressful for the child as well as for those traveling with them. Everyone is being taken out of their familiar surroundings, routine and support systems; therefore, so much has to be considered and well thought out. There is way more that goes into traveling with these special people than I can include in one article, but I wanted to touch on a few key tips and have included some websites to help you further plan.

Plan and plan some more. Make sure you have thought out every possible scenario and are prepared for it.
Consider the time of day your child travels best. Having worked for years with these children, I know that each child has a better time of day for certain things — so be cognizant of that.
Have things for them to occupy their time and snacks to eat. Do not forget their favorite blanket or stuffed toy.
Bring along a change of clothes, and make sure they start their journey off in their favorite clothes. Even if they have worn the same clothes for four days straight, let them wear them again!
Incorporate some “moving” time. If there is one thing I learned teaching, it is that these children need to be able to get up and move about. To stay in one place too long is torture for them and those around them. If you are driving, plan stops along the way; and if flying, consider if layovers work in your favor.
Make a list of everything that will make your vacation a success. This includes what your child will need, what the other children would like to do, distance constraints, etc.
Consider staying at an Airbnb or the equivalent versus a hotel. A house is far more flexible in terms of space, downtime capabilities and food.
Picking a place that your child really loves is key to everyone having a good time. If she or he is happy, everyone else is happy. That being said, balance is important, as your other children might get tired of the same place over and over — so pick a similar place and one with activities that interest the others traveling with you.
Not everyone you encounter along the way is going to be understanding of your situation, so here is where you learn the lesson of tolerance, patience and, unfortunately for a few hurtful people that cross your path, forgiveness.

Here are some fabulous websites:

travelguides.org
guidedtour.com
parentingspecialneeds.org
friendshipcircle.org (This is a wonderful blog on a preflight checklist.)
specialneedstravelmom.com (This is another great blog.)

Remember this: Your main goal is to provide your child with a safe, memorable vacation — and that includes you smiling. Once you have done all the prep work, take things in stride. If there is a mishap, deal with it and move on. Nothing is perfect in life, and things happen. So, take the pressure off of yourself, which will enable you to have a good summer vacation with your child.

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Last modified: March 7, 2023