motherhood: all about traveling with a toddler

sharing my best tips, tricks & advice for traveling with a toddler

I don’t consider us super big travelers, but over the course of his 2 years, Owen has taken his fair share of trips! I remember how nervous I was for our first plane ride and figured it could be useful to put together a post all about my tips, tricks & advice for traveling with toddlers!

MY BEST QUICK TIPS:

• Bring entertainment. We pack a couple of Owen’s favorite books, an iPad with a few downloaded shows we know he’s into, crayons and paper as well as a couple small toys.

• Pack snacks. You never know when and if hunger is going to strike for your toddler (or you!) so I find it best to pack a few different snack options that Owen can have access to throughout the trip. We’ll do some crackers or cereal, sliced fruit like strawberries or a fruit pouch and a frozen yogurt pouch (they’re pretty good about letting that stuff go through security when they see you’re with a kid, they usually just ask you to take it out and put it in a bin – same goes for bottles/formula!).

• Pack a water bottle. I pack Owen’s water bottle empty and fill it up right before we get on the plane. Flying can be dehydrating experience and he always asks for water. Sometimes service doesn’t come through due to turbulence, he’s sleeping when they come or he’s thirsty before they make their rounds, so I find it’s easiest just to keep one with me.

• Always pack an extra outfit. If you’re a parent, you know the necessity of at least one extra outfit! I always put one in my carry-on or the bag closest to me in the car because you can just never predict when you’ll need one!

• Bring a blanket. Nothing huge, just a little travel blanket. I find this especially helpful on planes when he’s sitting on my lap. They can’t be buckled in with you so I fold the blanket up then place it between his back and the buckle to help make it more comfortable for him.

• Do a diaper change RIGHT before you leave. When Owen and I are flying, we’ll go to the family restroom and do a diaper change about 10 minutes before boarding. That way I’m not trying to deal with doing it in an airplane bathroom. We do the same right before we get in the car for a long road trip.

• Pack chargers! It can be either a plug-in charger or a portable charger, but either way – make sure you have one! There’s nothing worse than being delayed and all your devices are dying but the only thing that keeps your little one happy is watching a show.

OUR GO-TO PRODUCTS FOR CAR TRIPS:

1. Sea-bands – Owen and I both get motion sickness (though his seems much improved now that we turned his car seat around) and these bands seriously work wonders. We went through a long stretch of not being able to drive more than 40 minutes without him vomiting everywhere. We finally turned him around once he hit safety regulations and that, coupled with these bands have been the trick for us!
2. Tablet Holder – Having the tablet stationary versus moving around also helps a lot with his car sickness. Every time we’ve allowed him to hold the phone or the tablet and watch something, he’s gotten sick. Whereas he’s never gotten sick when it’s in the holder (also comes in handy for the jogging stroller!). This also ensures he’s not constantly pressing buttons and accidentally turning it off then throwing a fit about it while we drive!
3. Snack cups – These snack cups are great for ensuring that snacks don’t get all over the car and that Ollie is not gobbling up Owen’s snacks when we can’t see!
4. Water bottle – Of all the water bottles we’ve tried – these have consistently been the most leak-proof. There was a recall a while back of a certain version of these due to a piece coming off, but I assume those are no longer being sold. That said, make sure to check the version you’re buying!
5. iPad Mini – Any tablet will obviously do, but this is our favorite when it comes to car travel because it fits perfectly on the back of the headrest and doesn’t obstruct the driver’s view.

OUR GO-TO PRODUCTS FOR PLANE TRIPS:

1. Diaper Bag – This diaper bag is amazing. It fits so much and secures everything well so that even if it dumps over under the seat in front of you, you won’t be losing anything. It’s my go-to when traveling because I can get all my carry-on stuff (including my laptop and my favorite crossbody bag!) plus all of Owen’s stuff into it.
2. iPad Mini – Any tablet will obviously do, but this is our favorite when it comes to air travel because it fits perfectly on the tray table along with a snack and a toy and doesn’t take up too much space in the bag.
3. Water bottle – Of all the water bottles we’ve tried – these have consistently been the most leak-proof. There was a recall a while back of a certain version of these due to a piece coming off, but I assume those are no longer being sold. That said, make sure to check the version you’re buying!

And that’s about it! What other questions do you have? I’m always happy to answer!

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