Whether you're traveling far or staying close to home this summer, these tips will ease the way for trips with your kids.

Bring along what's familiar and stick to your children's normal sleep schedule as closely as possible, says pediatric sleep expert Jodi Mindell.

To make bedtime at a hotel seem more like home, bring along much-loved blankets, dolls or stuffed animals and pillows.

Stop early enough so your kids can check out the surroundings, then slow down the pace after dinner. Return to the room at least one hour before bedtime for a better shot at peace.

It also helps if children are tired -- say, from a round of swimming in the hotel pool -- but not overtired.

When kids get way off schedule, late-night activity fueled by adrenaline makes a child appear as if he's not tired, Mindell says. When a child gets overtired, it's harder for him to relax and fall asleep. And he wakes up more often during the night.

Other tips for summer travel

Don't expect too much of your little kids or pack too much into one day. Overscheduling will meet with whining.

If possible, book a suite. A family sleeping in the same room does not make for a relaxing vacation. Ask for a quiet zone away from elevators, ice-makers and party rooms.

Work out your budgets and other expectations such as swapping off child-care duty for the trip. If dad is golfing for a day, plan time off for mom. If anyone becomes a martyr, the trip will be a bummer.

If your child is susceptible to seasonal allergies that trigger asthma, check with your health care provider before a trip. Some parents say their kids benefit from taking an antihistamine for a week before staying in a new environment where, for example, unfamiliar molds can trigger coldlike symptoms.

To avoid surprises upon hotel arrival, ask specific questions about the services available for children. Is there in-room or group baby-sitting? Does a crib or cot cost extra? If your little one can't tolerate showers, you'll be glad you asked whether your room has a tub. Pay attention to balconies and dangling curtain cords on hotel window treatments, which can present strangling hazards. Believe it or not, you will not want to find out at the hotel pool that your toddler's big plastic dinosaur is not a welcome guest.

At the beach or pool, take turns being the designated "water watcher," suggests the National Safe Kids Campaign. Be the person who can always see and hear the child and stays close. There's no time to be "back in a minute." Napping and chatting on your cellphone are out if you're the family's lifeguard.

Pay attention to each day's color-coded ozone forecast, and limit outdoor activities as needed to prevent such problems as shortness of breath, coughing, and eye, nose and throat irritation. Orange days represent unhealthy air quality for sensitive groups, including children and adults with asthma; red zone conditions are considered unhealthy for everyone. But even more moderate yellow-zone days irritate some children. Some kids are more susceptible than others to ozone irritation. Avoid drive-through lanes at restaurants and go inside. Idling wastes fuel and adds to ozone levels.

Online tip

One resource for new ideas for family trips is familyfun.go.com/family-travel, the Web site of Family Fun magazine.

Betsy Flagler, a journalist based in Davidson, N.C., teaches preschool and is the mother of a teenage son. If you have tips or questions, please e-mail us at p2ptips@att.net or call Parent to Parent at (704) 236-9510.