Traveling with Toddler

Traveling with a toddler can be very stressful, particularly longer trips that require spending several hours on a plane. While every child is different, I thought I would share a few things that worked (or didn't work) for us when we have taken a trip with our very active little one.

1.     Leave most things behind.

I have seen several friends make the mistake of thinking that they need to bring things like pack-n-plays, car-seats and strollers with them on vacation. Most of the time this is unnecessary and it is SO much easier to travel lighter when you have a little person with you. Call ahead to your rental car company and hotel; often they will provide or have available car-seats and cribs/cots respectively.

Many tourist destinations will also have companies that will rent you things like cribs, high-chairs and strollers if you are staying in a house or Airbnb situation. These companies will also rent you things like baby bathtubs, toys, and more.

2.     Bring the (small) comforts of home.

Always bring your toddler’s favorite toy or lovely and a familiar blanket for their crib or cot. Sleeping in a new place is hard for everyone, so having some familiar elements can really help with bedtime. We also brought a few favorite books, Babyganics sunscreen and bug spray. In retrospect one things we wish we had brought was a hiking backpack. Even though our vacations are not usually ‘hiking trips’ we do like to get out and in nature no matter where we are and having the option of loading the baby in the backpack is always nice.

3.     Be flexible.

It turned out that my daughter’s favorite activity on the plane was to try to steal my glasses; that and playing with cups of ice.

While scheduling is very important for toddlers, being a little more relaxed about timing and schedules can actually make things go smoother. Chances are, when you are in a travel situation, something will go wrong and it will be a lot less stressful if you can roll with the punches a little.

Being prepared helps with this; I always have a ton of snacks and some little toys stashed in the diaper bag in case of emergencies. I would recommend having enough food that you could make a meal out of it if necessary. Having a pacifier or something else to chew or suck on for take-off and landing can really help your little one deal with the change in cabin pressure when traveling by airplane.

I also leave our cloth diapers at home when we travel. Cloth diapers can be bulkier and more prone to leaks, which can make traveling even more stressful than it already is. There are many organic disposable diaper brands that can be a good travel compromise and make life a little bit easier for parents.

While screen time is very limited at home, my husband and I made the decision to bring an ipad for plane distractions. Toddlers can be very disruptive, particularly for the other passengers and having age-appropriate shows and games downloaded on an ipad can really make a world of difference.