We just got back from a one-week trip to Punta Cana with my family of five, and wow, what an experience! From sandcastles to poolside fun, it was a week full of excitement, moments of relaxation, and a few challenges thrown in for good measure. Traveling with young kids is never smooth but with some careful planning and a bit of flexibility, we managed to make amazing memories.
We were a little bit nervous about what sleep would look like while sharing a room as a family of five. Here’s how we navigated sleep (or the lack of it) on our family vacation and what I learned along the way.
Our Punta Cana Adventure
Our trip to Punta Cana was packed with fun and chaos in equal measure. The highlights included:
Hours of playing in the sand
Ocean and pool swims
Arts & crafts (thank you, kids' club!)
Fruit loops and Nutella pancakes for breakfast (and for some reason, jello—whyyyy were they serving jello at breakfast?!)
Ice cream every night
Late nights, dance parties, bowling, and making new friends
Two sick kids at different times, meltdowns, crying, whining, and exhaustion!
To sum it up: the kids had a blast, and we made unforgettable memories. But traveling with young kids is no joke. The highs are high and the lows are low. We don’t travel with our kids often because they are still young and we know how demanding it can be. However, every year, things seems to get a little bit easier.
Luckily, we had the support of my parents and my brother, so there were plenty of hands on deck. Still, it’s a constant mental game as a parent—you’re always “on.”
Prepping for the Flights: Surviving Long Travel Days
We flew early in the morning (6:00 AM) out of Ottawa and had to connect through Toronto. On the way home, we landed at midnight. Both flight schedules were far from ideal, so we had to prep for the challenges.
We don’t usually let the kids have much screen time, but traveling = survival mode! We made sure to download plenty of TV shows, movies, and games on their tablets. Each kid also got a pair of Bluetooth headphones. We packed tons of snacks and PB&J sandwiches were a lifesaver, especially for the early morning flight.
Our youngest had the hardest time staying settled on the flight to Punta Cana. She was overstimulated by the constant swiping on her tablet, never able to focus on one show for long. As expected, she had a bit of a meltdown. The older two were easier to manage—they were happily occupied with their tablets so we didn’t hear from them too much with the exception of snack requests.
Once we arrived in Punta Cana, we took away the tablets and told the kids they could use them again on our way home.
The Resort Life: Kids Club, Food, and Flexibility
The resort we stayed at was amazing—our suite was just a 2-minute walk to the beach, pool, and restaurants. It also had a fantastic kids club for young kids. This was our first time staying at an all-inclusive resort with kids, and I’d definitely recommend it. Not having to worry about food or grocery shopping is a huge plus, and the kids loved the freedom of choosing what they wanted to eat.
However, we quickly realized that the all-you-can-eat lifestyle comes with its own challenges. The kids devoured waffles, French toast, and cakes for breakfast every morning, and yes, one of my kids once had three pieces of jello for breakfast. The sugar overload was real. By the end of the trip, they were almost sick of sweets, which was totally okay with me!
Sleep Struggles: How We Managed Bedtime (and Naps) on Vacation
When it came to sleep, we knew things wouldn’t be perfect, and we embraced the chaos. Bedtimes were late due to the activities—dinner, dance parties, bowling, movie nights—and the kids often woke up earlier than we hoped (but usually after 7 AM, so we weren’t complaining too much). Naps were also tricky. Our oldest two don’t nap anymore so on some days, we skipped naps altogether for our youngest. Or she would take a quick nap at the beach under a cabana instead of in her crib.
We shared a room as a family of five, which was actually fine. My older two kids shared a pull-out couch, and our 2.5-year-old slept in a crib. The kids were so tired by bedtime that they generally fell asleep without much fuss. The first night was the hardest, with our youngest protesting bedtime a bit. But by the second and third nights, she was used to her surroundings.
We would all go to bed together most nights. Instead of reading books, we’d do an audio story on our phone and all of us would fall asleep to that!
Tips for Parents Traveling with Kids: Navigating Sleep on Vacation
Let Go of Rigid Schedules
We knew we couldn’t maintain our usual sleep routines while on vacation, so we tried to be flexible. Bedtimes were later than normal, but as long as they were getting enough sleep overall, we didn’t stress too much. We knew we'd get back on track at home.
Create a Familiar Sleep Environment
We brought along familiar sleep essentials, like their favourite blankets and stuffed animals. I also brought the Hatch Baby Go and a sleepsack and crib sheet for my youngest (the hotel provided a crib). These little comforts helped the kids feel more at home in an unfamiliar space.
Embrace Naps Anywhere Some days we would make it to a crib nap, other days we let them rest wherever they could—whether it was on a lounge chair by the pool or in the cabana on the beach. Sometimes, just lying down for a little while was enough to recharge their batteries. Also – we borrowed the. Uppababy G-Link double stroller from our friend and it was AMAZING!! Highly recommend a side-by-side.
Prepare for the Worst (But Hope for the Best)
Traveling with kids is unpredictable. We had moments of meltdowns, sickness, and crankiness, but we also had moments of pure joy. Flexibility and patience and accepting the lack of routine helped.
What to Do When Sleep Doesn’t Go as Planned
As is often the case with family vacations, things didn’t always go according to plan. On the fourth night, we woke up to the sound of one of our kids throwing up. It was a “one and done” situation, and miraculously, the other kids stayed asleep while my husband and I handled the cleanup. We even moved our one of our kids into our bed without waking them up!
On the last night of the trip, our youngest got sick, and we were up multiple times changing sheets and comforting her. Fortunately, she still wanted to sleep in her crib, and once we’d given her some love and cuddles, she settled back down. Again, this didn’t wake the older two, which felt like a small victory.
PSA: For any parents dealing with sleep training a baby with a toddler at home: take comfort in knowing our kids can sleep through a lot of chaos, including cleaning up puke at 2 AM!
Final Thoughts: Would We Do It Again?
Despite the sleep disruptions, the long flights, and the sugar overload, this trip to Punta Cana was absolutely worth it. The kids had the time of their lives, and we made memories that will last a lifetime. Sure, it wasn’t a perfectly relaxing vacation, but that’s the reality of traveling with young kids. You take the good with the bad, and in the end, it’s all worth it.
So, would we do it again? Absolutely. But next time, we might book a flight that lands before midnight
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Have you traveled with young kids? Any sleep tips or challenges you’d like to share? Let me know in the comments below!
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