Popular Items to Buy :
Clear Zippered Pouches - I bought these pouches for a trip for my family of five. I like to plan in advance to make sure no one forgets anything! These were a life saver packing for three kids! I was able to create a carry-on, toiletries, wires/chargers, and snacks pouch for everyone! I used clear sticker paper to create name labels, and it all worked perfectly! Would definitely recommend if you need to travel with family and need to set things out and pack.
Yoto Player - screen free stories
Ikea Mala - traveling art desk
1. Check as much as you can. I prefer to check my luggage, carseat and pack-n-play when traveling. Most airlines allow you to check kids stuff for free. If you bought your baby a seat (usually under 2 travels free in lap) you might want to bring your carseat for them to sit in on the plane.
2. Bring all the snacks. Travel days are kind of snack free-for-all for us. I try to keep it healthy, but keep a stash of lollipops for big kids for desperate times.
3. Don't worry about rushing through the security check. Just take your time. People can wait and you won't feel frantic.
4. Pack an extra outfit for kids in a wet bag or ziploc. I always put an extra outfit in a wet bag in my carry-on backpack. This way if a kid needs a change I have a backup outfit and have a place to store the dirty clothes for the rest of the flight. If it was long overseas flight I'd bring 2 extra outfits (like pjs) for each kid and an extra outfit for myself.
5. Wear a comfortable outfit with pockets. My personal favorite is a t-shirt, linen pants and a light jacket or cardigan with pockets. I like to have pockets in my jacket that snap or zip close and pants that have deep pockets for my phone, wallet and random things.
6. Have a variety of things for them to do. I like to pack books, audio stories, snacks (of course), coloring activities and imaginary play with cars, figurines, etc. for the over 2 year old. I try to pack things they haven't seen in awhile. For under 2, I mostly pack snacks, books and 1 or 2 small toys. They usually end up playing with things like the cup my beverage came in or other random in-flight things.
7. Nurse/bottle or suck on something at take-off. I usually nurse my kids during take off and landing to help with their ears. For bigger kids a lollipop can do the trick or drinking a few sips of water during those times helps.
8. I don't stress about our routine or screen time. Travel days are survival days and that may mean extra screen time, poor naps and snack foods. I let travel days just be what we need to get us from point A to point B and not worry about it.
9. Book a house or apartment instead of hotel. Sometimes price can be the same or cheaper to rent a place vs hotel. I try to find a place with 2 separate rooms and a kitchen. Makes more breakfast, naptimes and bedtimes easier. We did hotel rooms with Harriet when she was little and it was okay but always made sure there was a balcony or small separate space we could hang at during naps or after bedtime for adults.
10. Plan one activity a day. I limit our activities to only one a day. This makes travel less stressful and slower paced. I like to have one day without anything planned incase a previous day didn't happen as planned and we can try again on the free day.
Try This on Public Transit: We made a few trips with our kids during spring break and spent time on public transit and in airport trams, and it reminded me to share this tip we have been doing for years with you - it will work anytime you've got at least two adults with a kid or kids. When my husband, kids, and I enter or exit any sort of train/subway/tram, we always have one adult go first, then the kids, then the other adult. Inspired by a few friends with stressful stories of being separated from kids or getting injured with a last-minute yank of someone's arm to stay together, this approach ensures that the kids are never alone (whether on the train or the platform) in case the doors close more quickly than you expect or someone gets distracted. This has been especially helpful when traveling in places where we're not fully fluent in the local language - it's much easier to ensure we are together and a kid isn't accidentally left behind or sent zooming away on a train alone.
