Keep Your Sanity When Traveling With a Toddler

Get Prepared for a Great Trip

If you are traveling with a toddler, you know just how difficult it can be, and it is even more challenging since you won’t be able to stop for breaks. You will have to go with the schedule of your flight, and that may be hard for your little one. The trick to a trip that is somewhat enjoyable, or at least where you won’t want to pull your hair out, is possible if you are prepared.

An airport is a busy place. If you are planning on flying, you will want to make your experience as easy and stress-free as possible. The parking lot alone can be a nightmare. You want to find the cheapest airport parking, as well as the closest, and off-site parking is the perfect combination of both.

When traveling with a toddler, and especially when you are going to be taking a long trip on a plane, you need to take some time to pack a fun activity kit to keep your little one occupied for the trip. There are plenty of activities that you can buy or make to make the trip more fun for everyone. Be sure to bring coloring books, traveling games, and a deck of cards such as Hearts or a matching game. You can also play games like eye spy.

Since you are likely to have a bit of luggage to tote around and you will most likely have a lot of walking to do, it is a great idea to invest in a trunk that your toddler can sit on, such as a Trunki. You can even pull your child along if they get tired with the handy strap.

A fun activity you can do is to wrap up a bunch of dollar store toys in colorful wrapping paper, and for every half hour or 45 minutes of sitting quietly, you can let your toddler open up a “gift” as a reward.

Ease Your Child’s Fears

Remember that your toddler may be afraid of flying. You may need to reassure your child that everything will be alright. There are books that you can get that are written specifically for making children feel good about flying. If your child is a little adamant about flying, it is a good idea to keep them occupied to get their mind off of flying. Don’t forget to pack the snacks. There are plenty of options to choose from such as fruit snacks, trail mix, and granola bars.

Lean a Little on Technology

You can also bring a tablet that is loaded with kid-friendly and even educational apps to keep your little one busy for hours. Bubbles, Toddler Cars, and Peppa Pig Happy Mrs. Chicken are a few that will keep your little one engaged for hours. Stickers are also a fun and quiet activity that can be entertaining in many different ways. You can bring paper and have them create sticker scenes or play matching games with them. There is a seemingly limitless variety of stickers, and they are also very inexpensive.

Keep Your Toddler Comfy and Cozy

You want to plan for a nap in case your toddler gets tired. Pack a little pillow and a favorite blanket. You can even bring a stuffed animal to remind your little one of their bed at home. You could even bring a pair of headphones and play some lullabies or a story while they settle down for their nap.

Get Prepared for a Fun Trip

If you take some extra time to get everything ready for the trip, it will go much more smoothly, and it can actually be fun rather than stressful and annoying. You don’t need to pack a bunch of things to keep your toddler occupied, but you need to pack a few essentials. Bring at least one coloring book, crayons or pencil crayons, a good picture book or two, and a favorite toy. You can also tailor your activity kit for a specific child. If they really like doing mazes, you can pack more mazes over other items that they don’t care about as much. The key is to bring things that will keep them engaged and occupied. – Travel Feeder