Tips, tricks and everything in between.
Traveling with kids can look so different at each age of your child. If one trip didn't go as planned it doesn't mean your next trip will be the same! One experience cannot set the tone for your future travels, kids grow and change and you learn from your mistakes or perhaps, lack of planning. Here is what I have to offer you to make your travels a bit smoother with littles.
Note- the tips are geared towards traveling via flight but most of the tips can be used even if there is no flight involved.
Some General Tips:
Let your child be active before boarding. If your baby walks, don't use a stroller. Let them walk and get their energy out! If your baby isn't walking yet, lay a blanket before boarding and let them move around on that or do tummy time. Remember, they are going to be sitting for a long while, it's best for their self regulation to get moving when possible prior to take off.
Make sure to change your child's diaper or go potty right before its time to board.
I prefer to board last so we are not sitting in the plane for too long, that causes the kids to get restless and begin nagging.
I like to take with me a carry on size spray bottle and my own wipes to spray down our seating area on the flight. I like to use Force of Nature or Clean Smart. Since kids touch everything and put their hands in their mouth I like our area to be safely sanitized. I also pack our BLDG hand sanitizer which is 100% safe for the kids. For cleaning hands and face wipes, I love using Handzies wipes. They are individually packed castile soap wipes for times where water and soap are not available.
Always make sure to book travel time as close as possible to nap or bedtime, the noise from the plane is the best sound machine!
My Travel must Haves:
Dress your kids in clothes that cover them up, no shorts or dresses. You don’t want their body parts touching the seats, as little exposure as possible is best. I also like to pack extra socks because my kids always love taking their shoes off.
SNACKS! Take lots and lots of age appropriate snacks with you. I like to take "safe" foods for travels and not "new" things. Make sure to pack each thing in a separate small ziplock or reusable bag so your child has more to look forward to as you bring things out. some of my favorites:
Cut up veggies and fruit.
Homemade veggie muffins or pancakes. You can also try the Simple Mills brand.
Hard boiled eggs.
Avocados.
Bars like Skout Organic or Dino Bars for babies I like the grain free puffs from Serenity kids.
Milk- Bring enough formula or extra breastmilk and minimum 2 bottles with you depending on the length of your flight. Breastfeed or have 2 bottles ready for take off and landing. Sucking helps babies with the pressure on their ears so a pacifier can work as well with an older child. You can also try a pacifier if your child takes one.
If you’re breastfeeding, bring some extra milk in a bottle. TSA should not give you an issue. They will just take usual procedures to inspect the bottle.
If you are taking a longer flight, make sure to take your pump with you on your flight if you are a pumping mom. A Haakaa pump is also a great idea.
Plan to baby wear. It is especially helpful when you go on and off the plane so you are hands free. I like this one from Moby.
Bring a travel stroller (double or single), I like the zoe trip stroller that goes overhead on the plane and for a double the Zoe double Luxe. You can shop them here and get 15% off your order.
To keep the little ones entertained- Stickers, window stick, cars, play dough, wow color books, knitting toys and books. You can also fill up this little box with small toys and I love that it’s magnetic so you can add small magnetic items. You can find more items to put in the box that will keep your child busy here (you can also do a pinterest search to find more ideas with this box). For older kids this plus plus set is very fun.
Load up on diapers and extra clothes in your diaper bag, 1 diaper for every hour of traveling (for a 6 hour flight you need 6 diapers. Bring Disposable bags or doggy bags for dirty items/diapers. Make sure to bring some medicine, supplements or home remedies just in case (allergy meds as well).
Let’s talk about sun protection:
No sunscreen for babies 0-6 months old and no direct sun exposure
6 months +Use a sunscreen that has zinc oxide and is child safe and make sure to re-apply every 2 hours. I like using GoThink sunscreen or Babo botanical spray (this is the safest spray option out there that I love). I really like the gothink face stick or simply using a makeup brush to apply sunscreen on your child's face. They magically stop moving when you use that haha.
Make sure to load up on fluids, water or milk for your little human. Babies and toddlers need about double their usually amount when are in the sun. Pay attention to overheating signs like red cheeks for instance and if YOU are hot, they are most definitely hot.
Carry a little fan with you that can easily hang on your stroller.
Get UV protecting clothes/bathing suits and hats for your kids.
Don’t forget the shades!! I love the sunglasses by Glambaby. We started using these when my kids were just a few months old so now as toddlers they enjoy wearing them when out. Tip- Start young for just a few minutes a day.
I love using these towels for the beach because they stay on even when they want to freely walk around.
Make sure to get “US Coast Guard-approved personal flotation device” for your kids.
Check out this post explaining the ideal sleep environment for your child. I highly suggest to follow these during your travels, as much as possible, while still being flexible, to ensure a good night sleep for your little ones.
View the Slumberpod here and use code:MAMAGUIDE10 for $20 off your purchase.
Lastly, when packing your luggage, I love using these or these packing cubes. We have 2 sets of these. In the medium one I usually can pack each child's clothing and their personal items. It makes it so easy to find all of our items and there is zero mess in our hotel room. I love using the file folding method to make it easier to grab each outfit without having to unpack during our stay. It also allows me to pack smart and I am able to fit a lot more in each bag and therefore pack less bags/luggage.
You can find my folding video here and I do pretty much the same folding technique when packing.
Wishing you safe travels!
XOXO Hila
Checkout my amazon travel essentials list here.
** Some of the links above may be affiliate links, which means Mamaguide will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. When purchasing from these links you are supporting my work and allowing me to keep producing free content.