10 Tips + Essentials for Traveling with a Toddler

March 17, 2017

TGIF! As promised, I’m sharing everything I learned while traveling with a toddler to Hawaii (catch the whole trip recap HERE). In case you’re wondering, that’s 11 hours of travel time from Chicago to the Big Island. And yes, I do consider myself a badass after enduring that. 🙂 I have to say though, Olivia could not have been more of an angel. I’m pretty sure I had more meltdowns on that flight than she did. Sure, she got a little antsy and just wanted to climb all over the seats, but can ya blame her? Although, I do think we traumatized her a bit, because every time we got on a train, bus, car, or when we got back on an airplane to come home, she would say, “No Mommy, no Mommy, no Mommy!” Haha!

Essentials:

Kid Backpack. I knew I wanted to get Olivia her own backpack to keep things like her Elmo, lovey, and some toys. It accomplishes two things: it starts to teach your little one some responsibility and more importantly, I don’t have to carry as much stuff in my own bag. I wanted something small and cute and I found the most darling Etsy shop and got her the backpack she’s wearing above. I also love this adorable heart print backpack.
Stroller Bag/Car Seat Bag. I’ve talked about these bags before and seriously, every parent needs them. You just throw your stroller and/or car seat in the bag before you check them so that your stuff doesn’t get all dirty or wet.
Toys/iPad. Bring toys and/or activities for them to do. Stickers and a sticker book are a good way for them to quietly pass the time. I bought Olivia this play makeup set and surprised her with it on the plane and it entertained her for literally hours. And if you’re against screen time for your kids then now is the time to reconsider. One of our favorite learning apps is Smart Baby Shapes.
Blanket/Pillow. Airplanes are cold and uncomfortable, make them a little cozier for your little one by bringing a small blanket and pillow.
Snacks. Remember when you could take a 3 hour flight and the airline would feed you a meal? Now you can’t even fly 8 hours without paying for one. #ripoff So bring lots of snacks for your kiddo. And maybe even some MnMs in case you need to bribe them. 😉

Tips:

Give them a new toy every hour or so. That may sound like a lot of toys but when you’re faced with an 8 hour flight, you need all the help you can get. Hit up the Target Dollar Spot and buy a bunch of small things that will entertain them. Just don’t give it to them all at once. We all know a toddler’s attention span is approximately 2.5 seconds so try to space out the toys.
If possible, plan a flight with a layover. Direct flights may seem like the obvious choice but when you’re talking 8+ hours to go to Hawaii or Europe, a layoff is a godsend. Everyone gets antsy and it helps to get some of that energy out in between connecting flights.
Don’t bank on wifi working. Please learn from our mistake and don’t count on the WiFi working. Our WiFi was out for most of the flight so we couldn’t count on the iPad for child entertainment for a while. Make sure you download movies and games prior to your flight.
Walk the plane. We probably walked around the plane 10 times during our flight just so that Olivia could stretch, get some different scenery, and not go crazy. And everyone on the plane was super sweet and waved at Olivia as we passed by.
Have them drink something during takeoff and landing. Whether it’s some water or a pouch, making sure they’re sucking/swallowing something will help with the pressure in their ears.

In the end, give yourself (and your toddler) a little grace when traveling. Everyone is exhausted and ready to get to their destination. I think this pic says it all…