Tips for Traveling With Toddlers!

I love to travel with my kids. I truly do. But there is nothing like being stuck on a plane or in a car for hours with a restless child. It’s definitely a right of passage as a parent. And while the days where you just pack a bag and go are gone (at least for now), seeing your child’s face when they see or do something for the first time is truly amazing and worth the semi sh*@t show that ensues while traveling to said destination. It doesn’t have to be a complete s*@t show though. You can do a lot to mitigate this if you do a little planning before you leave.

First thing is getting them set up and comfortable. Making sure you pack their favorite snuggy, blankie, or stuffed animal is always a good start. Having something familiar and from home is always comforting! If you are traveling by car, a back of the seat car organizer is great to store all of their things from their snacks, to crayons, to games, toys, and more. You can also get a lap tray which is great for holding stuff plus perfect for them to use as a table to draw on or watch their tablet on. They also have this great back of the seat organizer that is a tray and a tablet holder all in one! All of these things will help lessen the number of times they call your name because they need their coloring books, their games, their crayons, their toys, etc. since now they can easily reach them by themselves (for the most part)! Below are some good options for getting your car ready for a road trip. Click on the picture to shop these items!

If you are flying to your destination you can still use the above lap trays or maybe even the organizer and hanging tray. These can work well on planes too, as long as the person in front of you is ok with you attaching the straps to their headrest. Which if it equals a quiet, happy kid behind them, I am sure they would not mind! Another cool option to keep your kid comfortable on a long flight, or even a short one for that matter, are these options to turn their seat into a mini bed. There are two price point options that I have seen. There is the simple blow up foot rest that would fit into the space in front of your seat, essentially giving your child that extra space to be able to lay down and curl up for a nap or to prop their feet up on. Then there is this cool, but much more expensive (around $200 vs around $17, which is the cost of the inflatable foot rest mentioned above), little travel bed/case by Stokke. This case helps turn your child’s airplane seat into a comfy, little bed for them with a mattress and side cushions. It also has room for storage and they can sit on it and be pulled or pull it along themselves.

Once you are on the road or in the air you want to make sure you have games, activities, and plenty of snacks to keep them occupied and happy! Below are some fun tips and items to have for your next trip!

Hand Sanitizer and Disinfecting Wipes– Maybe it’s the germaphobe in me but I always wipe down the airplane seats, arm rests, and trays before we sit down. I have read too many articles about how dirty those things are! I love these Babyganice Alcohol-Free Hand Sanitizing Wipes, but if you are looking for something stronger, these Lysol wipes are great too! I also keep bottles of this travel Babyganics Alcohol-Free Foaming Hand Sanitizer on hand at all times too, especially when traveling.

Tablets– If you allow your kids to have tablets make sure they are fully charged and loaded with videos and movies (just in case you cannot get WiFi).Bring a back up travel charger as well! Having their tablet run out of battery mid-show or movie will surely lead to a fun, little, melt down.

Kid Headphones– We love these headphones for our kids, for watching their tablets or for the TV on the airplane, since they have limited volume, they’re lightweight, have soft, comfortable ear pads, and come in fun colors! Plus they are under $20!

Plenty of snacks– Convenience stores and in-flight food offerings don’t really have the healthiest or best snack options for you little ones. I like to stock up on plenty of snacks ahead of time so I know it is stuff that they like and will actually eat and that it is semi-healthy. Below are a few reusable snack bag and cup options that I love and are perfect for travel!

Games and travel coloring/craft sets– Having games to play like this car trip bingo (below) is a great way to pass the time and keep your kids occupied.

If your child loves to color then make sure you have a travel coloring set on hand, like this Crayola Washable Marker and Paper Set. It is perfect for little kids, keeping their markers and papers organized and it will keep them occupied for at least 5 mins. LOL.

I also love these WikkiStix things. They don’t make a mess and my kids love squishing them and building things with them, again keeping them occupied for at least a few minutes! When traveling I will take anything I can get to distract them for a few and keep the “are we there yet?” questions and sibling fights to a minimum!

Hopefully these tips and items help make traveling with your kiddies a little easier. Good luck! And just remember it will be well worth it once you get there!

What are you favorite travel tips? Leave a comment below as I am sure any parent would agree, the more tips the better!!!!

Happy Travels!

xoxo