Traveling (and co-parenting!) through the Smokies — plus baby must-haves

Hi everyone!

Thanks for being a part of our Traveling with Tots community!

We’ve been savoring our newborn bubble at home, but recently ventured out for a road trip with all four of our kids (aged 6 and under). While traveling as a bigger family still takes a lot of effort, it’s starting to feel more manageable. One of the biggest lessons for us is that as your family grows, “divide and conquer” becomes essential—both when you’re traveling and in daily life. During our trip, for example, my husband took the older two to the arcade while I headed back to the hotel with the younger ones for milk and naps. This approach worked for us: he enjoyed special bonding time with the older kids, and I had a chance to recharge with the littles.

When my older two kids were younger, I wrote a post on co-parenting while traveling - and even though our family has grown, the tips remain the same.

Gatlinburg, Tennessee in the fall is absolutely beautiful. It is one of the main gateway towns to the Smoky Mountains, and has several family-friendly activities. It is about a four-hour drive from Atlanta, so felt like a good first trip as a family of 6. We did a low effort itinerary, and our kids still wanted to return the following weekend. Here were our favorite parts of our Gatlinburg visit.

A family favorite in our household are sticker books. My kids LOVE these National Geographic sticker books that include stickers, activities, and end up being a “book” they can read upon completion. I love that they are educational too! The kids also have become a big fan of these magnet block cubes and mini Magnetiles. All of these also make great gifts for your own kids and others. For other ideas on family travel products, feel free to check out my Amazon Shop.

One of my favorite sights in the world is a swaddled baby. I love my babies to be either in swaddles or sleep sacks for the first couple of months of their lives. I find that they help them sleep longer and deeper stretches. I even took our favorite sleep sacks with us on our trip, so that the baby could nap snuggly in her bassinet as we strolled around. After four kids, it is safe to say I have my favorite swaddle brands, that I compiled in a post here.

I am strategically planning future trips that make the most sense logistically and financially. As I plan it out, I’m also working on a few products to help others strategically plan their family travels as well! Stay tuned 🙂

Follow along on Instagram for daily tips, real-life stories, and how we manage the chaos (and fun!) of family and travel.

We’re here to share what works, what doesn’t, and to answer your questions. Got a destination you want us to cover? Need advice for your next trip? Hit reply and let us know!

Happy Travels!

— Shaina