With a two year old that’s logged more miles than I ever did in my entire childhood, I feel like I’m officially ready to share my tips and tricks to help YOU travel with a toddler. We live in Chicago, so between visiting the grandparents (my parents live in Florida and my in-laws are in Boston) and work obligations, my little nugget has had a lot of experience over the last year! And boy have I learned a lot. We’ve had many tantrums and multiple successes, so I thought it would be helpful to share all the things I’ve learned so that your experience can be much easier!
Plus, I’m writing this blog post (and shooting all the photos) while on an airplane with my toddler. That should be proof enough that these tips work!
Here are my 10 tips:
1) Make a BIG deal about flying and get your kids pumped up for it. A few days before we travel, I tell Elia that “Airplane Day” is coming up! We talk about all the food she is going to eat, the tv shows or movies she is going to watch and ultimately, where she is going to end up when we land! We talk about it every day and have a little count down. This way, when the day actually comes, she wakes up excited and ready to fly. I think the biggest mistake you can make is not keeping your kids in the loop and then ripping them out of their daily routine without warning.
2) Save certain tv shows, movies and snacks for airplanes ONLY. Once Elia turned 18 months, we decided to let her have a little bit of screen time and we mostly save it for travel. Now when my daughter travels, she knows she’s going to get to watch on her iPad (this case is a must) and eat lots of yummy snacks. We make it a point to have certain movies and snacks that she only gets when she’s on a plane. That way she really looks forward to it. The day before a flight, all she talks about is how she’s going to get to watch Frozen and eat Pirates Booty on the airplane. Oh, and if they are going to watch on an iPad or Phone, I suggest these wireless headphones.
3) Pack a LOT of food/drink and use these Yumbox lunchboxes. Whenever we travel, I come stocked with EVERYTHING Elia could possible ever want (and what she really needs). We usually pack her YumBox with fruit (like blueberries), cheese, hard boiled egg and a vegetable of some sort.
Then we take cereal, crackers and a few other “special” airplane snacks like I had just mentioned! If you’re worried about traveling with liquids through TSA, don’t be! You can take any liquids you want. Just pull them out BEFORE you put your stuff through the security belt and notify a TSA agent that you’d like to take them on for your kid. They will run a quick separate scan and then you’re good to go. We’ve brought gallons of milk, massive bottles of water and more! As long as it is for your little one, you’re good to go!
4) Bring a change of clothes and dress them in comfy layers. As much as I’d like to think my child will be able to keep her entire outfit clean, the truth is, accidents happen! I always pack a change of clothes in case the turbulence makes her sick or she spills something on her self. It’s not fun to be stuck on a plane, with a few hours to go and a naked toddler. Also, I dress my daughter in layers because you can never predict how hot or cold the plane will be!
5) Have them drink water (or anything) on the way up and down. To prevent their little ears from popping, have them guzzle down some liquid during take off and landing. If they refuse, tell them they can have a piece of candy (or something special) once they do it. This has always worked for us and we’ve never had ear problems post-flight (knock on wood).
6) Buy a few new toys/games for the flight and surprise them. Whenever we fly, Elia knows she’s bound to get a few surprises along the way. Whether it’s a new sticker book or doll, it’s an easy way to keep them occupied if they get bored. I also let Elia pick out a few of her favorite toys to put in her carry-on. She loves having that responsibility and you also know they will be excited for what they pick!
7) Have their lovie/blankets available in your carry on. Whenever Elia starts to get whiney or sleepy, it’s SO helpful to have her favorite comforts. We usually save them for emergency circumstances, but they really work every single time. It’s rare she will fall asleep, but every once in a while, these help her do just that!
8) Try to schedule your flight times to avoid missing their nap/bedtime. I know it’s hard to pick flight times if you’re flying from/to somewhere more remote, but if at all possible, try to avoid nap/bed time. I know it seems ideal to fly when they are supposed to be sleeping, but I’ve learned, after about a year old, it’s harder to get them to sleep on planes. Now we try to fly out around 9-10am (so we can go to the airport right when she wakes up in the morning) or at like 4pm (after her afternoon nap). Never EVER take a red eye. We learned that the hard way.
9) Consider a lounge membership! If you travel even just a few times a year, this is TOTALLY worth it. Not only do they have a special kids room with toys, games and computers, but they have tons of free food/drinks. Every time we go to the airport, my husband and I would find ourselves spending so much money on food and drinks. For just $500 per year (for the American Airlines Admirals Club Lounge), we have full access for my entire family (and any friends I”m traveling with). NOTE* The cost will depend on your status level. Almost every major airline has a lounge, so pick the one you travel most on! You could also consider Priority Pass if you travel more internationally or don’t want to pick a specific airline lounge (and those start at $99 a year). And if you rarely travel, you can usually buy a day pass for less than $40.
10) Remember, they are still toddlers. Even if you do every single thing I mentioned in this article, you are bound to have a few tough moments. Know that everything will be okay and they are most likely just a little uncomfortable to be outside of their normal routine. I find if I’m more empathetic and compassionate (vs overwhelmed and frustrated), my daughter tends to calm down much quicker.
I really hope these 10 tips will help you travel with your toddlers! They are all things that have helped me along the way!
Love always,
Erica
Thank you thank you for posting the links to the headphones and iPad holder! We just got back from a trip to Hawaii last week and we discovered we need a better setup.