6 Tech Savvy Solutions for Easy Travel

If you’re excitedly packing for your great spring break getaway, take some extra time with your family’s devices before throwing them in your bags.  Why? We count on a myriad of technology to keep our kids entertained while in the air and on the road and it’s a pain when you bring it and can’t use it.  Here are some simple steps to take before you leave to ensure that everything will be in working order throughout your travels.  

Power devices on

Test your devices to make sure they work before you leave.  Nothing is worse than getting in the car or being captive on an airplane with a device that doesn’t work.  Pressing the power button to ensure that it it’s in good working order takes about two seconds. 

Always pack extra batteries

Bring along an extra set of batteries.  Or two. That device that you turned on while at home may work for a little while but may not have enough juice to last the duration of your trip. I always pack a set of batteries in the kids’ backpacks as a just in case measure.  It’s usually not a problem to stop and buy replacement batteries during a road trip but you’ll save yourself some money and the trouble at stopping at every airport newsstand to find the right ones for your device.

Give your kids the responsibility of caring for their own devices

Make kids responsible for their devices. You have enough to deal with when traveling so put your kids in charge of the technology they want to play with.  If they have dedicated devices such as LeapPads, Leapster Explorers, Nintendo DS, or Sony PSPs or Vitas, they can easily take responsibility for their care during travel.  I know you’re thinking about your whirling dervish of a toddler whose ability to take care of his or herself is questionable but when it comes to toys, you’d be surprised.  From a very young age Captain Computer has always been in charge of his Leapster Explorer with the idea if he wanted to play with it, he had to take care of it.  He always put it in the same place in his backpack, wound up his headphones carefully, and stored the cartridges and extra batteries together in a little Ziploc bag.

Chargers and power cords should go in your carry on

Pack chargers and power cords in your carry on. You never know what delays you may encounter during air travel.  Flight delays not only eat up your day but drain your devices of power. Pack your chargers and power cords in your carry on bags so you can charge while using them.  If you forget, your alternative is to beg and borrow and fellow passenger’s cable or to purchase an overpriced one in the airport. 

Give your devices a home in the Kangaroom Personal Media Pouch

Keep your devices organized.  Worried about forgetting something?  Having a place for personal devices makes it harder to leave them on the plane or in a hotel room.  Kangaroom’s Personal Media Pouch keeps everything nicely organized thanks to 6 pockets that are just the right size for your MP3 player, compact video camera, and all their associated chargers. If you have a hard time telling which cords are which, label them.  I love Mabel’s Labels Cord Control label pack (giveaway below!) because they’re specifically designed to organize your devices.

I never leave home without my Belkin!

Bring along a mini plugging strip.  With all these devices for a family trip, the possibility of not having enough outlets is real!  Solve the problem of too many devices and not enough outlets with the Belkin Mini Surge 3 Outlet Wall Mount with USB Charger that features 3 outlets and 2 USB ports which allows me to charge my laptop, phone, tablet, and camera battery simultaneously while leaving room for still more plugs.  Traveling internationally? Bring along Travelon’s Universal 3-in-1 Adapter, Converter, and USB Charger.

Download some apps to travel like a local. Read my recommendations for 4 Apps for Stress Free Travel on my Tech Savvy Parents column on Parents.com!  

Mabel’s Labels Cord Control Labels

GIVEAWAY: Mabel’s Labels- my all time favorite label company- has provided 2 sets of the Cord Control label packs as giveaways to 2 lucky readers! 

• Visit Mabel’s Label’s to let me know what other labels you would want and why. (1 entry)
• Tweet this daily: @TechSavvyMama is giving away a Cord Control label pack from @Mabelhood to keep your tech organized. www.TechSavvyMama.com (1 entry/day)

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Original post by Tech Savvy Mama
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