Traveling with Little Ones Made Simple: Discover the Essential Items for Stress-Free Family Trips
Traveling with little ones can be challenging, but it can also be a fun and memorable experience with the right items. Using these tips, you'll be better prepared to handle any situation and can focus on enjoying your time with your family. Also, remember that what will be will be, and try not to stress, as kids generally do way better than we think they will.
Sound machine
This is something that for little babies is a must-have item, even now with my 3yr old we still take his Hatch light on trips with us.
Snack Cups
Snack cups are a great item to bring when traveling with little ones. They allow you to easily pack snacks and keep them within reach, without having to worry about spills. Plus, they use them as toy trying to open/close them so win/win!
Reusable Water Bottles
Reusable water bottles are a must-have when traveling with little ones. They allow you to keep your little one hydrated, without having to constantly buy bottled water.
Toys/Games
Depending on the age of your child, you can go to the local dollar store/target/walmart and buy things like post-it notes - kids love to stick them on windows, and food trays (just make sure you sanitize beforehand!). I’ve used these amazing curated travel bags with both of my kids from 6 months upward, and as they get older, you change out the products. This doubles to entertain them while traveling and when you get to your destination. I always also hold back some of the toys or buy extra so that you can give them one or two new toys for the return journey.
Sanitiser
In the post covid era this is a must to try and keep your family free from germs and therefore illness as much as possible. I always keep in my hand bag spray sanitizer and wipes to wipe down everyones touch-points on a plane and don’t forget the food tray and windows as these are what kids love the most. (insert link
Hand luggage tip
Make sure you pack everything critical for your child first night in a new place so that if your cases don’t make it you can still put your tired babies to bed. With little ones, I put a crib sheet on their bed at home a day before we travel and take that sheet in my hand luggage so it is familiar and has their home smells. Always pack their bed friends in my hand luggage but each child is limited to one friend each they choose which. If they have a special night light/turtle that goes in our hand luggage.
Baby Proofing
Check with your hotel/rental before you leave to see if they have things like monitors which you can use to save on your luggage. If they can set up cabanas by the pool with pack’n’play for your baby. Some hotels like the Four Seasons provide swim diapers, bath toys and baby shampoo which all saves on your luggage.
Phone/ipads
Depending on your family’s choices you can preload your favorite movies/tv/educational programs onto your phone or iPad. The preloading is really important, as I have walked on a plane to be told that there is no entertainment system working - it was a 13 hour flight from California to UK with a 2yr old and 4yr old you can imagine how happy I was that I had loaded my kids iPads.