Travelin’ Toddlers: our 5 airplane travel essentials

ev's luggage she totes as we talk about travel

Where you go, how you travel, how long you stay and what you will do certainly effect how you pack for your summer travels with toddlers. We have a 24 hr journey mainly in flight. Perhaps our tips will be helpful to your travels this summer. Here are my 5 bring-withs that I cannot leave behind:

 

• Backpack-  My trusty Jansport is broken in. I take it on every flight. It’s not fashionable; I don’t even like the color, but it is the most practical way to stuff it all in and keep your hands free. You really need your hands with kids and airports.
• Sanitizers-  Wipes, sprays, gels, you name it. I wipe down the arm rests, media controls and any other washable surface I can find that my toddler will handle in her seat on the plane. It’s also handy to have wipes and sanitizer spray for quick hand washes when you can’t make it to the bathroom.
• Travel potty seat– this is obvious! Check it out. It folds and comes in a bag!
• A novelty-  I keep in mind that the biggest novelty is the new environment. As antsy as I may be to break out the goodies, I hold back. By the time ev checks out her new space, it’s probably time to munch. Then we have the potty run, aisle walks, the media control (again), another munch, maybe a nap. When the novelty of the plane FULLY wears off, I dig into my backpack. Stickers, paper, scissors, small clothespins or anything to manipulate with their little hands, should keep them engaged. It can be a good opportunity to learn a new skill like cutting or pinching those pins open. New books are a good idea, especially interactive ones (see my upcoming blog post). Again, how much you need depends on the journey time.
• Food- When ev was younger, I brought all of her food on journeys in my favorite thermal bag. Now, we grab the quick croissant and juice from the cafe or the soup and rolls from the deli. Even so, not all airports offer great fare and plane food is what it is. Since we will pass 3 meal times on our long trip, I like to complement with our favorite snacks. We munch trail mixes (nuts, raisins & bits of chocolate), granola bars, apples, crackers… Bring your favorites.

I look forward to traveling. With a bit of adventurous spirit, even a journey as long as ours is a great opportunity for the little sweeties to see and to learn new things.