Traveling with kids is a whole different adventure. There are strollers to pack, naps to plan around, enough snacks to feed a small army, and the occasional airport meltdown. But St. Louis mom Amanda Reyna believes having little ones along for the ride shouldn’t mean putting your travel dreams on hold.
With her new Kids Who Travel ClubReyna hopes to bring together St. Louis families who love exploring the world, or are ready to give it a try. Through travel-inspired activities, shared experiences, and advice from fellow parents, the club aims to make family adventures feel a little less overwhelming and a lot more fun.
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Reyna, a local travel agent and founder of Sustain the Day Travel Co.came up with the concept after welcoming her son, who turns 3 in January. Before becoming parents, she and her husband traveled frequently. But once a baby entered the picture, even familiar trips required a new level of planning.
She joined online groups for parents who travel with young children, but found herself wishing for something closer to home.
“I started searching around for travel-themed things, or just kind of local meetups, and didn’t see anything locally,” Reyna says. “I figured, if it’s something that I’m looking for, maybe other people are looking for it, too.”
The goal isn’t simply to help families plan their next vacation. It’s to build a community where parents can swap recommendations, troubleshoot travel challenges, and introduce their children to different places and cultures, even when they’re not leaving St. Louis.
Little explorers, big adventures
Kids Who Travel Club will kick off with a free, travel-themed happy hour at TotSpot Social in DeMun on Friday, October 16, from 5–7 p.m.
The event combines two hours of open play with hands-on activities inspired by destinations around the world. Children can practice packing a suitcase for different climates, create travel-themed crafts, and explore activities inspired by countries such as England, China, and Greece.
Meanwhile, parents can meet other families, share travel stories, and exchange ideas for making adventures with kids a little easier.
Reyna hopes to host events quarterly, rotating between indoor play spaces and outdoor locations such as local parks. Future gatherings could explore different cultures through food, music, dance, and other activities.
Although the launch event is geared toward younger children, Reyna wants the club to welcome families with kids of all ages.
“I don’t want them to be excluded from being part of the group,” she says of families with older children.
There is currently no membership fee, although individual activities may have associated costs.
Eventually, group trips could become part of the experience. Reyna envisions starting with a local road trip or long weekend before potentially organizing larger adventures, such as cruises or international travel.
For parents who feel intimidated by the idea of traveling with young children, she hopes having other families along for the ride could make the experience more approachable.
“Sometimes it’s not as hard or as scary if you’re doing it with others together,” she says.
Why you don’t have to wait until the kids are older
As both a mom and a travel agent, Reyna frequently hears the same hesitation from parents: They’d love to travel, but maybe they’ll wait until their children are older.
Her own family has taken a different approach.
Her son has been flying regularly since he was about 6 months old, often visiting family in Texas. Earlier this year, they took their first international family vacation, spending 10 days exploring Portugal.
The trip required plenty of preparation, but it also reinforced Reyna’s belief that traveling with toddlers can be rewarding, even if the itinerary looks nothing like a pre-kid vacation.
Instead of packing each day with sightseeing, the family planned around naps, playground breaks, and activities their son would enjoy. They visited museums and an aquarium, explored local neighborhoods, and made time for the simple pleasures of traveling with a toddler, including watching pigeons, playing at parks, and enjoying ice cream.
Reyna says some of her favorite memories came from watching her son interact with children and families in another country.
“It was really nice to just see him be a kid in another place,” she says.
She also found that familiar activities helped make new destinations feel less intimidating. Visits to St. Louis museums and the aquarium, for example, gave her son some experience with what to expect when visiting similar attractions abroad.
For families planning their first big trip, Reyna recommends considering both the destination and the child’s interests. A toddler who loves animals might enjoy an aquarium or wildlife experience, while an older child might be ready for longer hikes or more adventurous excursions.
She also encourages parents to leave breathing room in the schedule.
Rather than trying to squeeze in every attraction, her family typically plans one major activity each day, leaving time for naps, unexpected discoveries, and the occasional change of plans.
Beyond destination recommendations, Reyna hopes the club will help parents navigate the practical challenges that can make traveling with children feel overwhelming.
Airport security, long flights, unfamiliar routines, and the sheer amount of gear required for young children are all topics she hopes families can discuss during future gatherings.
She also wants parents to share the little tricks that have worked for them, whether that’s preparing children for airport security, finding kid-friendly activities during a layover, or choosing a destination that suits their family’s interests.
For Reyna, some of those strategies can be simple. Her son has a special airplane shirt that helps him get excited for travel days, and she involves him in packing his own suitcase. On flights, sticker books and familiar snacks help keep him occupied.
As the club grows, Reyna plans to collect feedback from families about the destinations, activities, and travel questions they’re most interested in exploring.
She’s also considering future meetups focused on specific topics, such as navigating airports with young children or introducing kids to different cultures through food.
Ultimately, she hopes Kids Who Travel Club becomes a place where families can find both practical advice and the confidence to keep exploring.
And for parents worried that their toddler won’t remember a big vacation years from now, Reyna has a reminder: The experience can still be meaningful in the moment.
Her son, for example, still talks about touching a live crab during their trip to Portugal, a small encounter that became one of his favorite travel memories.
It’s moments like those that keep her planning the next adventure, despite the logistical complications. “I think the experience of travel as a family is a really big bonding experience,” she says. “And at the end of the day, these years are short.”
Want to join the club? The free Kids Who Travel Club launch event takes place Friday, October 16, from 5–7 p.m. at TotSpot Social in DeMun. Families can register for the TOT TOAST playtime through TotSpot Social using the code SUSTAIN-THE-DAY. Snacks and drinks will be available for purchase, and families may bring dinner.
For future events and club updates, follow Sustain the Day Travel Co. on Instagram or visit sustaintheday.com.
Source: www.stlmag.com
