Traveling with kids is about to get easier, thanks to Google Maps

Traveling with young kids can be difficult, even for experienced parents and travelers.

Moving through large crowds with strollers, baby carriers, diaper bags, wagons, and everything else your tiny human needs can be challenging, even if you know where you’re going. And if you don’t? It’s easy to get overwhelmed.

That’s why we love this new feature from Google Maps. It’s called Live View and it uses augmented reality to help you navigate busy places. It uses graphics like arrows, directions and icons on your smartphone to help you virtually walk through places like malls, airports, stadiums and train stations.

A good map gets you where you’re going. A great map pushes the boundaries of what a map can do.

From eco-friendly… https://t.co/ZR79CiCcDf

— Google Maps (@googlemaps)
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If you’re a planner, you can use the app in the days or weeks leading up to a trip to make sure you know how to find bathrooms, exits, nursing stations and more. You can virtually walk through your airport, making note of where terminals, baggage claims, and restaurants are. Visiting a mall? You can use the app to figure out where to park so that you’re closest to your kid’s favorite store.

Not a planner? Not a problem! If you’re traveling and desperately need to find a bathroom in a train station but don’t want to have your kids walk aimlessly, just pull out your phone. Live View will help you locate that bathroom without having to leave your seat.

It’s available for Android and iOS users. Right now, you can use Live View to check out some malls in Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose, Long Island, Seattle, and Newark, New Jersey. Google has plans to roll out more cities and locations soon.

Google says they also plan to roll out new features with information about air quality, grocery store curbside pickup and eco-friendly driving routes.

The app will be able to help us corral our kids through busy areas AND help us find curbside pickup? Sign us up.

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