(The Travel Mom, Emily Kaufman and Family)

Summer travel may almost be over. But that doesn’t mean that traveling comes to an end. Oh , no. There’s Labor Day weekend. Fall long weekends. Holidays vacations. And spring break upon us.

Traveling with kids isn’t always the easiest thing to do. Especially when you’re flying to a destination.

Emily Kaufman, The Travel Mom, recently answered some questions for us in making travel with the entire family a little less daunting.

1. Many of us pack too much for our children. Could you pack us a “virtual suitcase” for a 4-8 year old. One week. Warm weather. Is it really necessary to bring an outfit for each day?

My first rule is to make sure that the kids are comfortable, both on the road and when we arrive at our destination. Tagless tees and super soft underwear and socks like those from Hanes keep my kids comfy and happy so there is less complaining and more smiles. Also, don’t over do it. From camp grounds to cruise ships, there are laundry facilities where ever you travel and now airlines charge for checked bags. Kids usually stay in the same outfit the entire day so don’t think they will change several times.

2. Airline travel has become an adventure in itself. Can you pass along any tips for us to keep kids entertained in airline terminals.

Create “Boredom Bags!” Take a plastic travel cosmetic case and fill each pocket with age appropriate activities, toys and snacks. If you’re on a car, plane or train, just hook the bag so it hangs on the back of the seat in front of them for easy access. If you’re stuck in the airport it’s the perfect distraction. Things like electronic hand held games, comic strips, self contained craft kits and playing cards all fit easily into the pockets. The important thing to remember is that if you get frustrated and cranky in the terminal, your kids will as well.

3. Can you recommend any book series or websites that prepare children for travel… or prepare children with information about their exciting destination.

Almost any place you plan to visit has a website loaded with information about family friendly activities that are available at each destination. If you Google search using the key words of the place you plan to travel and “visit” there will be loads of info for kids. When do you have your final destination confirmed do a little research on activities happening in the area, such as carnivals and food festivals, movie listings, bike tours, etc. Getting your children involved in this type of research not only helps you plan for your trip, but it gets the whole family excited. I also like to include themed goodies in their boredom bags that tie back to our destination, so a colorful lei for the beach or new mittens for the mountains.

4. What are three of your recommendations for the most kid friendly destinations? And why?

I love lots of places for many reasons - Orlando is a family friendly mecca with tons of theme parks, Wisconsin Dells is one of the most simple yet wonderful places for families and Hawaii is loaded with added value for family travel right now and a once in a lifetime experience everyone should have.

5. Give us the lowdown on easy to pack snacks. Easy to pack. Easy to store. Easily accessible.

First, let me tell you what I don’t suggest. When it comes to road trips, I am not a fan of juice boxes because once an unfinished box is punctured; the liquid creates a big sticky mess everywhere. Some healthy snacks that I do like to carry with us are string-cheese, individual packages of animal crackers, apple slices and trail mix. The trail mix is a particular hit because the kids get a mix of sweetness with the chocolate chips and saltiness with the nuts. Also, make sure you pack a plastic bag for garbage as well as wipes and napkins.