Prior to having kids, my husband and I went on 3-4 vacations a year, with at least one being a “big” vacation abroad. When I was pregnant with my first daughter, Kora, I had expectations that my husband and I would continue our traveling with our little one alongside us. Once she entered the world, my mindset completely shifted. We were going nowhere, for a very long time because we couldn’t fathom traveling with a baby; it sounded horrible and stressful.
Eventually we eased in to the idea of traveling again once we got parenthood under control. At 4 months old, we traveled via car to New Hampshire, which was about a 5 hour drive. We then flew to Arizona when Kora was about 9 months old (we moved there for 6 months). Ultimately, we felt more comfortable traveling, so we did it more often. I think the most important thing to remember is that what you will need for a 4 month old is different than what a 3 year old will need, so with that said, your child’s traveling needs with change as they grow. These suggestions and ideas have worked personally for my kids, but please do whatever you think is best for your own.
For babies (0-7 months old), I found they don’t need much entertainment for traveling. Mine slept most of the trip. I think maybe bringing a book, along with plenty of whatever milk or formula they are drinking is really all they need to stay content. When they get a little older, they need more things to keep them occupied.
Driving Tips
To start, when my kids were really little, I tried to center a flight or drive around nap time, or at least as close to it as possible. I still try and center trips around my youngest’s nap schedule (currently 18 months old), but I am not as crazy about it. If you’re driving, take a few short breaks during the trip. Do diaper changes each break too, even if the diaper isn’t full; it will keep baby content. Also, if you have a child who is potty trained, grab yourself a car potty if you don’t have one already. Here is the one we use https://amzn.to/3tzTqb9and you can get these (https://amzn.to/3QlHeDB) off brand bag inserts from amazon that are cheaper than the OXO brand bags. For car rides, we also make sure we have plenty of snacks (always pack more than anticipated), charge the iPads and bring an activity (water wow, habitats sticker book, draw board). Our favorite snacks are apples, cheese sticks, cheddar bunnies, bananas, etc. I also find it helpful to have these little cup holder inserts for the girls car seats that snacks can have a place to go. Also have a little garbage like this handy and a basket of random toys (I keep this in the backseat when I need to bring in reinforcements. I also bought these straps to hook on to the girls’ iPad cases so I can loop the iPads on to the back of headrests.. my little one always messes with the iPad and ends up turning her show off and gets upset – this prevents that.
Also, hot tip for driving: if you can, get lots of outdoor time before starting the drive. If your kids can walk or crawl, let them. Get all of their energy out. Some may argue that this makes them overtired and then they will cry the whole time, I haven’t experience this though.
Flying Tips
Flying I always found more daunting because I have heard horror stories about people being rude when a baby cries. I thankfully have never encountered this and honestly, I don’t think I would even care at this point. My kids crying on the plane are going to happen sometimes and I will always try my best to help them, but sometimes it doesn’t stop for a while, no matter how much you are doing to try and get them to stop. With that said, I hope I can empower at least one person to not care what a random person on the plane thinks about you if your baby or child cries. I think it’s good to be aware that people may be annoyed by a crying child, but you don’t need to avoid flying because of this, just do your best, which you likely already are <3.
My tips for flying now look completely different than they did the first flight I took with a child.
First things first, get TSA pre-check. So many credit card companies pay for this, so look in to it and get it! It’s good for 5 years and helps you get through security faster. You can also do CLEAR, but I don’t have this. I *think* it’s just verifying your identity via your eye, so you get to speed up the process of getting to the gate. This is more expensive and only good for a year, but a lot of credit card companies pay for this too. You don’t need to get pre-check or CLEAR for kids under 18, just adults. These things will get you through the airport a lot faster, which is key with kiddos.
Ok, next.. car seats. Car seats are so annoying to travel with, but obviously necessary. I don’t really trust rental company car seats because who knows what kind of shape they are in. I have this travel car seatfor my youngest because our regular car seats are not approved for in flight use and I want her contained lol. It is always confusing for me how to get the car seat set up on the plane, so watch a few videos beforehand. I check my oldest daughters car seat and I use this bag for it to protect it. My oldest daughter is 3 and she will sit in a seat, so I don’t worry so much about her staying put during a flight.
I grabbed this cheap double stroller because my main stroller is heavy and I didn’t want it to get banged up. I try not to carry on too much because it becomes a lot to manage, but there are some things you have to.
Diaper bags are free to bring on most airlines – I pack just enough diapers for the plane and the rest of the day and then I buy a pack of diapers when I get to our destination. Diapers take up so much room, so buying them when you get to your location frees up a decent amount of space. I pack a ton of snacks and toys in the diaper bag and also pack two water bottles for the girls. I love these mini traveler toys packs because it’s such random toys that keep the kids occupied and it’s available for different age groups. I also always bring the iPads because I know this will captivate them for a little bit.
For kids sleep, I use this pack n play for my youngest and this blow up toddler bed for my 3 year old. Both sleep spaces are pretty compact – some airlines check the pack n play for free, some don’t. I check this regardless though. I have heard you can also use the website BabyQuip for baby things, but I can’t vouch for them because I have never used them. The blow up toddler bed is small enough to throw in a bag that is being checked and it comes with the electric pump to blow it up.
When flying, I always felt it was important to get on the plane first and get everything set up, but if you are able to, have your partner or family member or even you, go on first, set up everything you need, and then whoever is with the kids, bring them on last. This lets the kids have more time to move about and be comfortable and when it is their time to board, the plane is a new and exciting thing for them and that alone will keep them occupied for a bit.
All in all, traveling is a bit stressful with kids, but don’t let it stop you from experiencing fun times with your family. The first time traveling (especially flying) is always the most stressful, but the buildup is always worse than the actual flight. I am sure your kiddos will surprise you.
Everything I mentioned was individually linked throughout the blog, but I also have everything linked on my LTK @beautyandthemamablog. Be sure to follow my Instagram page @beautyandthemamablog where I share reels and stories!
Where are you traveling to next and what are your own favorite travel tips when traveling with kids? Leave a comment below!
Until next time,
Lauryn xo
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Tags: Traveling with kids, Family travel tips, Traveling with babies, Air travel with children, Car travel with toddlers, Travel essentials for kids, TSA Pre-Check, Child-friendly air travel, Stress-free family vacations, Family adventure planning, Traveling tips for parents
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