You can do big cities with school aged children. We’ve been to Chicago, New York, London, and we’re on our way to Rome. Every trip has been fantastic, and we are learning tips along the way.  The key is simple: Don’t overdo

How Long is Too Long? Three days in major urban center enough for the under-thirteen set. If you want more time, alternate big city fun with countryside idyll. On our trip to England were 3 days in busy London, 3 in quiet Bath, then one more in London to see a few last bits before we headed home. It was perfect.  

Don’t Forget Food. Kids burn energy like furnaces. While you might be okay skipping breakfast, your children are not going to tolerate that blood sugar loss. Try booking a hotel that offers breakfast. Carry dense snacks like trail mix, granola bars, and dried fruit. Packing a ziploc bag full of ziploc bags will help you squirrel away that roll your child didn’t want at lunch for the 3pm hunger that’s bound to come up. One small plastic container will let you pack more delicate snacks so they don’t crumble or bruise in your backpack. (More than that will be too bulky.) Remember that your kid’s body clocks will be on home time, so plan you meals accordingly. Start looking for a place to eat 45 minutes before your kids will be hungry so you can be served before everyone melts down.  

How to Manage Museums. It really is possible to visit world class art museums with school-age kids. Make use of family tours, especially the ones that come on hand-held recording devices, which kids adore. Alternate the painting galleries with historic artifacts your kids might enjoy more -- or highlight art forms your children are drawn to. (My little oneloves sculpture!) Don't forget to limit your stay to three hours, remember to break for snack…and a little ice cream bribe at the end of the day may work marvels at getting you through that one last gallery.  

Little Explorers. Children are natural explorers, which you can use to your advantage. Let them get involved in trip planning by teaching them to follow the stops on along the metro or tube route. Show them the path from your hotel to your daily destination on a map. Older kids can play tour guide by reading aloud from a walking tour guide. (Rick Steve’s Europe through the Back Door has some good walking tours, and there are lots of books that let you walk through Harry Potter's London or Eloise's New York.) Showing your kids the daily plan in advance is especially helpful for children who are nervous travelers, or for highly sensitive kids who need advance information before changes come their way.  

Take Breaks. Some kids need run-around breaks in public parks or piazzas. Others need the quiet calm of an hour in the children’s library, or drawing the stain glassed windows in a stately cathedral. Know what your child needs to decompress and plan it into your day. In NYC we broke up our day at the MOMA with a trip across the street to the public library, where we saw the original stuffed pooh bear and the umbrella that inspired Mary Poppins. In London we stopped for a scone each afternoon in a museum café, or went back to our in our hotel room for a kettle of chamomile tea and a couple of ginger biscuits. These breaks will allow your kids to get the wiggles out, or to recharge for more fun and excitement.  

Rachelle Mee-Chapman blogs about living and traveling overseas with children (among other topics) at Magpie Girl. For updates about where she's writing on line, follow her at Twitter.