There is a moment on every trip with a toddler when you ask yourself why you did not just stay home. Maybe it is when your child has a meltdown in the security line. Maybe it is when they dump a cup of juice all over themselves in the rental car. But then there is also the moment when they see the ocean for the first time, or fall asleep on your lap on the plane. Those moments make it worth it.
Before You Leave: Planning Makes Everything Easier
Book around their schedule, not yours. If your toddler naps at 1 PM every day, try to avoid flights or long drives during that window unless you are confident they will sleep in transit.
Pack twice as many snacks as you think you need. Snacks are the single most powerful tool in your travel arsenal.
Pack a variety: pouches, crackers, dried fruit, cheese sticks, cereal bars.
Bring one more change of clothes than seems reasonable. If you think two outfits are enough for a three-hour flight, bring three. Pack the extra clothes in your carry-on, not your checked bag.
Download entertainment ahead of time. Tablets are a lifesaver on long flights. Download their favorite shows and a few new apps before you leave.
Flying with a Toddler
Gate check the stroller. Most airlines let you use your stroller all the way to the gate and then check it for free.
Bring new, small toys. Dollar store toys, sticker books, play dough.
Novelty buys you time. Wrap a few small items so that unwrapping them becomes part of the entertainment.
Use a pacifier, bottle, or sippy cup during takeoff and landing. The sucking and swallowing motion helps equalize ear pressure.
Aisle seat is usually better than window. You are going to be getting up. A lot.
Road Trips with a Toddler
Drive during nap time or bedtime when possible. Starting a road trip right before nap time means your toddler might sleep through the first hour or two.
Stop every two hours. Toddlers cannot sit still for long. Plan stops at parks or rest areas with grassy areas. Even 15 minutes of running around resets their tolerance.
Keep a bag of car-only toys. Rotate toys that only come out in the car. Magna tiles, travel aqua doodle pads, and window cling stickers are all mess-free.
At the Destination
Keep bedtime as normal as possible. Bring their sleep sack, white noise machine, and a few familiar items from home.
Lower your expectations for the first day. Toddlers need time to adjust.
Plan a low-key first day. Save big activities for day two.
Toddler-proof the room. Spend five minutes when you arrive checking for hazards. Put breakable items up high, check that the balcony door is locked.
Plan one activity per day, not five. You are not going to see everything. Accept that now and you will enjoy the trip so much more.
When Things Go Wrong
They will.
Your toddler will have a meltdown in public. None of this is a failure. It is just what traveling with a toddler looks like. The most important thing you can do is stay calm. Toddlers feed off your energy. Take turns with your partner if you have one. Other parents around you have been there.
Packing Checklist for Toddler Travel
- Diapers and wipes (bring way more than you think)
- Three to four changes of clothes in your carry-on
- Snacks in resealable bags
- Sippy cup or water bottle
- Tablet with downloaded content and headphones
- Two to three new small toys or activity books
- Blanket or lovey from home
- White noise machine or white noise app
- First aid basics: baby Tylenol, band-aids, thermometer
- Stroller (gate check for flights)
It Gets Easier
Every trip with a toddler teaches you something.
You figure out what works, what does not, and what to pack differently next time. By the third or fourth trip, you have a system. And the moments that make travel magical keep getting better as your child grows and starts remembering the places you take them.