Safety apps ease parents’ minds while traveling
Traveling with kids comes with its own sort of magic. Their little eyes find magic in unexpected places, and they’ll never turn down ice cream for dinner. Parents, though, need to think about the practical side of travel — packing, sleeping arrangements and safety. Safety apps can make some of the uncertainties of traveling with kids a little easier.
An app to help you pack smarter, not heavier
Traipsing through the airport with kids in tow is tough. Doing it with overpacked bags is even tougher. Even if you had packing down to a science before having kids, it’s tempting to pack more than you need once you start bringing little ones with you on your travels. Use the PackPoint Packing List Travel Companion to pare your list down to your essentials (iTunes, free). With lighter bags, you can keep one hand free for holding your child’s — and it will be easier to catch up when he starts running to see the planes through the window.
Keep kids’ sleep schedules on track while traveling
Well-rested kids make better travelers. Keeping kids on a nap or sleep schedule isn’t impossible when on vacation. Entrain can help travelers better understand their sleep and awake rhythms and help come up with a sleep plan that works with a new location and time zone (iTunes, free). A bit of planning to adjust sleep rhythms can mean less wobbly legs and overtired stumbles for little ones.
Peace of mind for parents avoiding food allergens
Traveling with a child with food allergies is harrowing for parents. Finding allergy-friendly restaurants is key to enjoying vacations without packing all of your own meals. AllergyEats.com helps parents find safe places for their little ones to eat, and the Allergy Eats app will be invaluable on your next vacation (iTunes, free). Users can search restaurants based on specific allergens and read reviews from other users to make a choice about whether or not a restaurant will have the necessary dining options to accommodate a child with food allergies.
An app to help parents if the unthinkable happens
A disappearing child is every parent’s nightmare. Finding missing children depends on quick responses, and the FBI Child ID app can help (iTunes, free). In addition to giving parents a place to store vital information like height and weight, along with a current photo, the app has a checklist for parents and the ability to instantly email or call authorities. There are tips about keeping your children safe, which can be especially important for families to review together before traveling to a new place.
Stay safe and organized while traveling
Traveling with a sheaf of reservation confirmations and identification cards means shuffling through papers and emails whenever you need a crucial document. Travelers — especially frequent travelers — will be obsessed with the Docady Paperwork and Document Organizer (iTunes, free). Scan documents into the app with your camera, upload from files or import from Google Drive or Dropbox. Not only does Docady store and organize documents, from passports to insurance cards, it can alert users to expiration and renewal dates, so travelers are never blindsided by an expired travel document days before leaving for a vacation. Keep all of your family information in one place — you won’t believe you traveled without it!
What’s your favorite travel or safety app?
Comments
One more interesting app for kids is Spyglass. it is a perfect tool to teach kids safely explore outdoors, train the sense of direction and make sure that they will find their way wherever they are. It’s a favourite “toy” of my kids that keeps them occupied outdoors rather than in front of TV or computer. https://itunes.apple.com/app/spyglass/id332639548?mt=8&at=11lLc7&ct=c