Baby/Toddler Travel Essentials and Tips

Even people who travel with their kids all of the time can't prepare you for what it is really like to travel with a child. My son is 17 months now and very high energy! We just got back from a week long trip to Disney World with my family. It was an unforgettable trip which makes the travel there worth it. Comparing this plane ride to how he was when he was 6 months old, then 10 months old, I can't even decide which time was more challenging. Every child is different... mine has a lot of energy (I'm pretty sure that's my karma from when I was a kid), but no matter what at some point as a parent you will deal with crying, diaper changes, and tantrums...to name a few. When it's over you will look back and think "how did I do that?" and feel like a super-parent. Not every second is awful. You will have the nice moments when everyone wants to wave and say hi to your baby, try to make them laugh, then ask how old they are and their name. I just want to let you know my experience to try and help in any way I can. I find that I get my best advice from other parents who are in the trenches going through the same thing.

The trip from Los Angeles to Orlando is about 4 1/2 hours and about 5 1/2 hours on the way back. It can be hard to entertain your child that entire time. We were lucky that he slept for a little bit on the way there and back. Here were some of my essentials for the trip.

Hand Sanitizer; With diaper changes and picking up toys off the floor you can never have enough hand sanitizer. I like this one from The Honest Company because it doesn't dry out your hands.

Hand/Face/Baby Wipes; I love these wipes from Babyganics. I use them for wiping my sons nose, hands, and bottom. I also use them to wipe down the tray table and seat... or anything else you need to clean on the plane.

iPad case; The iPad was extremely helpful on the plane. It gave my son games to play and movies to watch. Be sure to have everything downloaded and charged ahead of time. I like having a foam case over it because my son is in a throwing phase.... when does that end?

Their "Lovey"; A lot of children have a "lovey" or something that they snuggle with that is their cue to be calm. My son has a couple cute little blankets that have a small stuffed animal attached to it. These are important to have on the plane if you want them to sleep.

Pacifiers; Depending on how old your child is pacifiers are a good idea to help their ears for the takeoff and landing of the plane. If they sleep with a pacifier it's also helpful to calm them if you are trying to get them to sleep.

Organic Cereal Bars; I make a lot of homemade food for my son, but these bars are great for traveling.

Food Pouch; These baby food pouches are brilliant. It's a way to give them healthy food that doesn't require you pulling out a spoon and getting messy. I packed a bunch of these for our trip.

Organic Crackers; Why are kids so obsessed with crackers? It's like baby crack! Anyways... my son loves them so it's a good way to entertain him (aka keep him quiet) on the plane.

Books; I started reading to my son the day he came home from the hospital and he loves books. It's smart to bring a few light weight ones with you. It's part of our sleeping routine so it helped to calm him a bit.

Children, Organization, TravelMariaMarch 9, 2015Comment