Traveling with a toddler – what to pack

So we recently took a trip back home to South Africa and it was amazing. Traveling to South Africa from Seattle takes a long time so I had to really step up the planning of packing our carry on bags especially traveling with a toddler. Taking a trip anywhere whether on a road trip or on a plane can be really daunting and unpredictable. However I feel like if you are well prepared and ready ahead of time it is easier. 

We’ve traveled twice internationally with our daughter. Once when she was a baby and on this trip as a toddler. Each trip being totally different. Let me know if I should do a blog post about traveling with a newborn/ baby. 

In this blog post I’m focusing on what to pack in a carryon for a long haul flight and tips on traveling with a toddler. 

What to pack in your carry on

Backpack

it is super easy to access, spot and use when u need something and can be placed in the leg area of the plane. I just used a simple backpack my daughter already had but if you do go out and buy one then I recommend one that has some pockets and somewhere to insert a water bottle.

Tablet

The plane entertainment doesn’t always have a huge selection or variety of things to watch for kids. So I would suggest downloading your kiddos favorite show and movies to watch. Some educational games are highly suggested too. 

Headphones

I suggest wired and wireless. Wired so that they can use it on the plane if they decide to watch from the planes selection and wireless if they will be watching on their own device.

Change of clothes

Accidents and spills always happen so changes of clothes is always a must. I keep a change of clothes in my daughters bag and a change of clothes in my own carry on bag. Include underwear, socks and a warm sweater or jacket. One thing to mention for parents traveling for the first time and might be feeling overwhelmed about not knowing where to change your kids. The airport is filled with family rooms that are extremely spacious and has a space for diaper changes, a basin with hot/cold water.

If your kid is potty training then add some pull ups to your list.  At the time my daughter was in the process of night time training so I would have her wear underwear when we were in the airport and change into her pull up for our night flight. 

Activities for the plane and airport.

I’ve linked some of the activities below so go ahead and click on it to find them.

Coloring books 

Fidget toys some of these toys might be a choking hazard so take the ones that are age appropriate. The toys in the pack might also contain liquids so check they meet TSA requirements.  

Triangular crayons to prevent rolling or ordinary markers. 

Pop it’s 

color wow water I’ve linked this activity. However, I bought my pack from TJ Maxx.

Sticker books the reusable ones are great.

Snacks 

When I pack in snacks I try to stay away from snacks that contains a lot of sugar. Since I wanted my daughter to be calm and sleep for most of the flight. So I packed in things like pretzels, pringles, smart sweets and lollipops, granola bars without nuts. I try to stay away from bringing nuts on the plane as they often make announcements that there’s someone allergic to nuts. Also make sure your kids like the snacks you pack in. 

Tips for traveling

1.  
   1. Book a night flight. This helps to keep your kids routines and they will sleep for most of the flight.
   2. Make sure you have some kind of pain relief medicine such as Tylenol. Despite kids getting sick. My daughter had terrible pain in her ears when landing dispite doing everything we are advised such as sucking or chewing on candy / lollipops. So I gave her some Tylenol 30 minutes before landing and that seemed to help. 
   3. Pack enough snacks, activities and entertainment to keep them busy especially if they don’t end up sleeping on the plane. 
   4. Bring along an inflatable foot rest to help your kids sleep with their legs stretched. Make sure your airline approves of it first. You can check the airlines website to make sure the inflatable is allowed.
   5. Speak to your kids about being safe and that they need to be close to you at all times. I used one of those anti lost wrist links which attached to my arm and my daughter. Toddlers don’t want to hold your hand all the time so this was a great item to have.  
   6. Start packing a week to a week and a half before your trip so that you can make sure you pack everything you can think of. 

Traveling with your kids can feel overwhelming but at the same time it’s an amazing time to create new experiences and memories. The key for smooth traveling is to plan ahead and to have enough activities and snacks. I hope this post will help you feel more at ease since you know more of what to pack for your next trip. Happy traveling.