Rollaboard Travel - Tips on Traveling Light

A Checklist to Stay Sane – Air Travel with Toddlers

Author: Alexine

Traveling with toddlers is one of the most challenging adventures a parent can take. With a low attention span and lots of mobility toddlers give you a run for your money. Once your child no longer takes multiple naps in a day or struggles sleeping out of their own bed you run into problems. Dealing with over-tired toddlers who are becoming independent and are still learning how to communicate makes life with a toddler challenging difficult. Combine that with being confined in small quarters on a airplane for hours is enough to try any parent’s patience.

After several long trips with my toddler I have become more aware of activities that keep him busy and what is a waste to bring along. Keeping your toddler distracted and preoccupied helps the long hours of flying go by quickly. To help you pack the right items for your day of travel here is my recommended checklist for traveling with toddlers.

• Umbrella Stroller: This type of stroller is compact, light and great for travel. You can take your stroller to the gate and gate check it so you can use it in the airports. This is great for long distances between gates, sleepy toddlers and keeping them contained.
• Car Seat: The airlines will check the car seat under the plane for free when you check in or you can bring it on the airplane if your toddler has their own seat. If they are under two then you do not need another seat.
• DVD Player: This is one of the best distractions for a toddler since they need entertainment all the time. Having a DVD playing allows you to have a bit of down time on the airplane without walking up and down the aisles. Make sure you charge the DVD player the night before you leave.
• DVDs: A small CD case of their favorite DVDs is compact and perfect for travel. Most toddlers have some exposure to television so you can bring DVDs of their favorite show or character.
• Organic Lollypops: These are the perfect distraction in moments of total dissatisfaction. Try getting your toddler to lick them instead of bite the candy so the lollypops last longer.
• Books: See and say, first word, I spy and pictures are the best books for long days of travel. This way you can read the books and play games with them to keep your toddler happy. You will want to pack at least three or four good books for the trip. If you can fit more then you may want to pack a few more because they come in very handy.
• Flash Cards: ABC and number flash cards are great for traveling. Make sure you punch holes in them and put them on a ring so they do not get lost. It is easy to lose flash cards on the plane when your toddler gets through with them.
• Sippy Cups: Two sippy cups is ideal so you can have one with water or juice and another with milk. When your toddler finishes their drink you can have the flight attendant refill the cup. The nice thing about sippy cups is when the cup goes flying you do not have to worry about spills.
• Snack Cup: The snack cups are perfect for travel since little ones tend to snack throughout the day. The nice things about the snack cup is that it keeps their food contained and if the cup is dropped the snack stays inside.
• Snack Bars: There are several companies that make delicious snack bars for toddlers. Snack bars are great for the plane because they are not messy and easy to pack in your carryon.
• Disposable Diapers or Training Pants: If your toddler is still in diapers than you will want to bring at least five or six diapers on board with you. However, if your toddler is potty training or newly potty trained than you will want to pack some disposable training pants. This avoids the occasional accident from ending up in their seat.
• Wipes: These are great for cleaning up messes, washing faces and of course changing diapers. Make sure you have nice size soft pack of wipes in your carryon that will cover you for the whole day of travel.
• Blanket: While some airlines supply blankets to all their passengers others are limited so it is important to pack your own. Airplanes tend to be cooler so having a blanket along will keep your toddler comfortable.
• Extra Outfit: Most toddlers are not very tidy eaters and are prone to spilling things on themselves. Whether they accidently grab your drink or get a tummy bug it is nice to have extra clothes to change them into.
• Pajamas: I highly recommend having your toddler travel in pajamas or bring a pair along for the flights. They are very comfortable for them to travel in and are easy to pack in your carryon.
• Comfort Item(s): If your toddler has a favorite stuffed animal or blanket you will want to bring those along. Also if they use a pacifier still then you will want to bring that along as well with a holder. These items will save you hours of crying so do not leave them behind.
• Extra Shirts for Parents: You will want to pack each parent traveling with the toddler an extra shirt in case of an accident. It is not very fun to spend the rest of the flight covered in food, drink or vomit.

With much consideration on the comfort of both the parents and the toddler this list covers all the must have items. Long days of traveling are difficult and this age group is the most challenging. While babies sleep more than toddlers you may have traveled just fine with your child before but things change. Do not be discouraged. Just pack your bags accordingly and be prepared for the melt downs. As long as you are prepared you will do just fine.