Family vacations can and should be great fun. Quality family time and the adventures and excitement shared by your family will create memories that will last a lifetime. One way to be sure those memories are pleasant memories, is to plan ahead for safety. Use these 4 vacation safety tips for safety guidelines.

Tip #1 -- Check the Safety of Your Hotel Room

You keep your home safe but that doesn’t mean that every hotel you stay at will be as safe as your home. Check for:

1. Faulty wiring
2. Unsafe stairways and railing
3. Poisonous substances mistakenly left in the room

Tip #2 -- Travel First Aid Kit

Be prepared for anything because when travelling with children, anything can and probably will happen. Keep your travel first aid kit small, but include a small sampling of everything you would keep at home such as:

1. Assorted bandages
2. Antiseptic ointment
3. Allergy and cold medicines
4. Motion sickness medication
5. Anti-diarrheal medicine
6. Syrup of ipecac - for poisoning
7. Cough medicine
8. Insect repellant
9. Sun screen
10. Thermometer
11. Pain relief medication

It is also helpful to keep emergency contact numbers in your travel first aid kit. These numbers should include family members who should be contacted in the event of an emergency. Your family physician and a list of family medical conditions and allergies to medicine.

Tip #3 -- Food and Water

Food and water related illnesses are common when traveling. Before leaving home, talk to your children about being careful when it comes to eating and drinking. Instruct them to only drink bottled water and not to eat anything without asking you first.

Also instruct your children to wash their hands frequently while traveling especially before eating.

Remember to use bottled water when it comes time to brush teeth. Even though your children don’t drink the water while brushing, if the water is contaminated, it will still get into your child’s system.

Be wary of seafood, undercooked meats, fresh, raw fruits and vegetables and unpasteurized dairy products. All of these have to potential to carry bacteria that is fine for the people living in that area, but that your child’s digestive system can’t handle.

Tip #4 -- Vaccinations

Before leaving on your trip, make sure your children’s vaccinations are up to date. You never know what you may come in contact with or when your child will step on a rusty nail. Be prepared and make sure they are protected by the proper vaccinations.

By being prepared and discussing these safety issues with your children, you can be sure you family will not only have a great vacation, but a safe one. Be sure to remember some of these vacation safety tips ;)