If you have ever traveled with small children, you know how nerve-racking it can be. The stress level kicks up a notch when you are flying. Even short trips can be exasperating with an inconsolable toddler or multiple children. Maintenance delays and aircraft issues, traffic jams and construction, and many other unanticipated issues often extend an already exhausting experience. Luckily, with a little bit of pre-planning there are some easy ways to keep the kids occupied and happy while traveling, even on long trips.

Here are five tips for maintaining your sanity while traveling with small children.

Pack a "travel kit" and include some new toys: The dollar bins at large retailers or other discount stores provide an inexpensive way to load up on new toys and activities. Stock up on crayons and coloring books, small dry-erase boards, flash cards, books, etc. To make this even more fun and exciting, individually wrap each item and mark it for the order in which it should be opened. Start with the least exciting (which will still be exciting to them because it's a present). As they get bored with an item, progress through the "presents." As a side note, be sure you do not tell the children in advance that you have packed a bag full of presents, or they may just be interested in getting to the next one.

Carry on the car seat and "boppy" pillow: If you are flying with small children, consider carrying their car seat onto the plane. Sitting in their own car seat provides a sense of safety and familiarity to a toddler, and it also keeps them better restrained than the seat belt in the airplane seat. From experience, it does not take a toddler long to figure out that they can escape from the belt by simply lifting the latch. If you are traveling with an infant, the "boppy" pillow can be used to support the baby in your arms, which is much more comfortable during the flight.

Invest in portable technology: If you do not already have a portable DVD player, a tablet, Leapsters, or other similar forms of entertainment, these are invaluable for a trip. Download some new games and pack some new movies prior to traveling.

Pack plenty of snacks: Fatigue and hunger are usually the culprit behind many meltdowns (even for adults.) Be proactive by packing a variety of snacks to keep your child occupied while warding off a hunger induced tantrum. Carrying your own snacks will also save you a ton of money.

Plan to make frequent stops: If traveling a long distance by car, try to travel at night or early in the morning, when the children will likely sleep. For daytime travel, plan some stops at attractions along the route to break the trip into smaller chunks. If that is not an option, pack a ball or Frisbee and burn off some energy while running around for a little while at a rest area. The trip may take a little longer this way, but it will be more enjoyable for everyone.

The most important element of traveling with small children is to have realistic expectations for the trip. The children may be overly excited, perhaps nervous, and after the excitement wears off, bored. Make the trip fun for everyone by playing with the kids. With a little bit of pre-planning, you can make the trip into an adventure for everyone rather than a stressful and unpleasant experience.

Alexa Bigwarfe is the mother of three children under seven. She and her husband frequently travel long distances with the children and put these tips to use often.

You and your spouse finally agree on a movie you want to see. You find a free weekend night on your calendar. You call up your qualified, reliable, affordable babysitter. Wait…what? Qualified and reliable and affordable? If you’re anything like Lori Huffman, a mother of four, you know “it’s hard to find a good, experienced babysitter who’s old enough to trust and not too expensive.” If, like Lori, the headache of finding a good sitter keeps you from getting out more often, maybe your family could benefit from one of these four types of babysitting exchanges.

The One-on-One Exchange

Trading babysitting with another parent is the simplest type of exchange. You ask a neighbor if your kids can come play while you run to an appointment and then reciprocate when she’s in need. Two stay-at-home moms might take turns watching each other’s kids on Tuesdays so each gets a morning to herself. Scheduling date nights becomes easy when you switch babysitting with another couple twice a month. Jill Savage, the CEO of Hearts at Home (www.hearts-at-home.org), knows two single moms who trade babysitting once a month. One mom keeps the other’s kids from Friday evening to Saturday afternoon, and the next month she takes her break. With a one-on-one exchange, the options are limitless.

The Four-Family Date Swap

Kristen O’Quinn, a mother of three boys, borrowed this idea of a four-family babysitting exchange from a friend at her church. Once a year, four families sit down together and schedule one babysitting night a month in their calendars. The families rotate houses, and two couples stay with the children while the other two enjoy their night of free babysitting. The rules are straightforward: the kids have to be fed before they come, and the parents have to be prompt in picking them up. They follow a simple schedule so that the kids (and parents) know what to expect each time: free play, craft, make a snack, and popcorn and a movie. Without relatives in town, Kristen feels the four families in her exchange are especially committed to the project. This swap could easily be adapted for fewer families or for a group of stay-at-home moms who need babysitting but also want to benefit from time with friends.

The Three-Week Group Exchange

Stephanie Trenaman and her husband, Mason, organized a three-week babysitting exchange for 15 young families at their church last summer. A co-op like the Trenamans’ works best for large groups who prefer using a central location instead of individual homes. Each couple works one week as sitters and, in exchange, they can use the free babysitting the other two weeks. To organize a similar program, pick three dates and recruit families by email or through an announcement in an organization newsletter. Divide the group into three and ask each committed couple to babysit one of the dates. If you choose to feed the children, get a head count and keep it simple with chicken nuggets or pizza, fruit, and a cookie. Break the time into 30-minute segments and pick fun activities for each block of time: games, free play, storybook time, music, dinner, a short movie, or a craft. Stephanie suggests beginning your evening with high-energy activities and moving into slower-paced activities as bedtime gets closer. A three-week exchange is a great way for a big group of parents to get to know each other and to enjoy some stress-free babysitting.

The Ongoing Babysitting Co-op

Being new to town and having a husband who traveled frequently, Janie Werner feels blessed by the quality, affordable childcare she received during the years she participated in a babysitting co-op. In a co-op, parents earn points based on the hours they watch other members’ children, and they redeem points when others babysit for them. Some groups appoint a secretary who keeps track of each member’s hours while others trade co-op coupons or poker chips. Janie feels like geography is a key to success for co-ops: if members live within a well-defined area, they are more likely to use each other’s services. She also suggests capping the babysitting hours that a person can use before working them off so that no one takes advantage of the system. If you are interested in starting your own co-op, visit www.sittingaround.com, a website that helps parents set up and organize their own groups.

Why not ask your friends if they’re also looking for alternatives to traditional babysitting? When you swap babysitting with another parent, it’s a win-win situation: your children get to play with their friends, you can have confidence that they are in good hands, and it’s free. With these four types of exchanges in your toolbox, you are well on your way to finding truly reliable and affordable babysitters.

Sandi Haustein is a freelance writer and a mom of four children. When she and her husband don’t want to pay big bucks for a sitter, they beg their friends to trade babysitting.

TAP Sidebox:

Mara Luna has been a member of the Mothers' Center of Greater Toledo for the past three years. This year, as the coordinator for the Babysitting Co-op, a subgroup of the Mothers' Center that started last spring based on a member's suggestion, she is helping moms find a reasonable and reliable means for babysitting.

“A member suggested the idea & gauged the interest of our members,” said Luna. “Since many moms were excited by the idea, we created our babysitting co-op based on how other Mother Centers' operated a similar babysitting exchange program.”

About 20 members at the Mother’s Center have joined the babysitting program and, based on a point system, accumulate and lose credits as they provide and use babysitting services. Moms start with 10 tokens and earn more by responding to babysitter requests posted on the group’s Facebook page or hosting “drop-off nights,” which last for four hours and maintain a 4 to 1 child to adult ratio. Members are required to host or co-host a babysitting session once a season (fall, winter, spring) held on the first Wednesday and third Friday of every month from 8am-noon or 5-9pm.

"It's incredibly reliable and such a relief because I know all the moms through the Mother's Center and the kids all know each other also,” said Luna. “We're placing them in trustworthy homes. It's a nice way to run to a meeting or enjoy a date night with our spouses."

www.motherscenter.net, www.facebook.com/MotherCtrToledo.