Toddler Travel Tips
Tips for Traveling with a Toddler:
We recently took a trip to Acadia National Park with our son Graham, our great friends and their two little ones. It was an amazing trip and we fell in love with Maine: the lobster, the chowder & the beautiful shore. This trip definitely took some planning because it would be the first major trip where Graham was on the go! In total we had four adults, a four-year old, and two one-year-olds! We learned that traveling with toddlers is a whole new ballgame! We learned so many things about how to make our time enjoyable! Having a flexible plan, lots of snacks and finding activities that will keep the little ones entertained are a must!
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In this post, you’ll find:
Choosing a destination
Picking the perfect Accommodations
Getting some Sleep
What to Pack
Our best tips for Making on-the-go a little Easier.
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Tips for Traveling with a Toddler
Your Destination
Find a Kid-Friendly Location with Plenty of Fun Family Activities! We have found that scoping out the area first to make sure that there are plenty of things that will keep the kids entertained is a must-do. I like to check out Pinterest for blog posts from other families who have traveled to the area. National Park trips have been really great for our travels with Graham! We find that hiking, biking and exploring are some of our favorite things to do with him.
Our Favorite Family-Friendly Destinations (so far!)
Your Stay
We look for the following things when choosing Accommodations:
Stairs: On our first big trip with Graham we spent a few nights on Catalina Island. The island was awesome- what was not so great? Climbing the 4 flights of stairs with our stroller!! At the time, he was four months old & we needed a stroller everywhere we went. Because I was a first time mom, when I booked our place this wasn’t even a thought! The VRBO we stayed in was great, but the stairs really made getting out and about quite the task each time. He was napping quite a bit at this point, so we were returning back there quite frequently and this goes to the top of the list for things to look for when I book a place!
Outside Area to Play: Now that Graham’s a toddler he has so much energy to run out! This is a major bonus for us when looking at where to stay!
Naptime/After Bedtime Hangout: A place that you can hang out while the little ones are sleeping is so important, or otherwise you might be miserable on your trip! For us, Graham still goes to sleep pretty early (like 7 p.m.) We don’t want to be locked inside a hotel room all evening! We always make sure we book a place that has an area we can hang out once he’s sleeping, like a separate room, a whole house & bonus is an outside area where the monitor will reach! If you have to stay in a hotel, try to book adjoining rooms!
Sleeping Arrangements: We always try to find accommodations that already have a pack n play or crib & then we just pack our own sheet! If you’re driving, this is a great travel crib that doesn’t take up much space!
A fridge or Mini-Fridge: Put this on the checklist for your accommodation search. When traveling with milk & lots of snacks, this is something you’ll need easy access to!
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Your Suitcase
Wondering what to pack? This is our favorite gear when traveling with a toddler:
A great Stroller is necessary when getting around with your little one! We love our Chico Bravo. When Graham was little we used the Chicco Keyfit 30 with it! If you’re looking for a smaller travel stroller, we have this too. Usually we prefer the bigger stroller because it has more storage underneath & he naps pretty good in it! Remember that you can check a stroller for free at the gate when you fly!
Carseat Carrier/Storage Bag-This makes the car seat easier to get through the airport, protects it a little more and extra bonus, lets us pack more things! We add in extra diapers, Ergo Carrier, and other small things in the bag with the carseat when we gate check it for free!
Hiking Carrier & Ergo Baby: The Ergo baby goes with us everywhere! It’s great for getting on and off the plane to let us be hands-free, and also is great for a quick walk somewhere. If we plan on doing longer hikes, we use the Osprey Poco and love it!
Having some new toys and something to entertain your toddler on the plane, in the car, or at a restaurant is clutch. These are some of our favorite travel activities:
Suction Cup Spinner Toy-*Pro Tip* Pack something new they’ve never played with before! Graham stayed busy for a very long time with this on a flight & then later in the car on our trip to Acadia National Park!
Travel Magnetic Blocks & Travel Tin
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Your Sleep
To try and create the same atmosphere at home & have a great night’s sleep, we bring some essentials with us. I think the more that our little one travels, the more he’s used to it! Having the right gear really helps when you’re away from home:
Sleep Space: Our favorites are a simple pack n play or travel crib!
Pack n Play Sheet-if you’re lucky enough to have accommodations that provide a crib or pack n play, it’s nice to have your own sheet!
Sound Machine-We don’t go anywhere without this! It helps create a calming ambiance anywhere we are: on the plane, in the car or at our accommodations. We love this brand because the battery life is great!
Baby Monitor-An easy-to set up, non-wifi monitor is a must when traveling. We also find that it’s great to have a long range. This V-Tech Travel Monitor has been great for us! It’s super easy to set up, keeps its charge for a long time and has a pretty good image as well!
Sleep Sack/Comfy Pajamas: Once again, try to recreate your home atmosphere & using the same things you use at home are a must. For us, it’s the Zipadee Zip! This keeps him from climbing the crib & also keeps him nice & cozy.
Your Travel
These are our other on-the-go tips for car & airplane travel:
At the Airport, we make sure to let Graham get his energy out. Running Around plenty usually puts him in a good place before flying & he usually falls asleep. He loves pushing around our carry-on rolling suitcases at the airport!
While this isn’t always possible, try to book morning flights, they’re usually in a better mood then! Also, don’t try to stretch wake windows or keep them up so they will sleep on the plane. This usually backfires and an overtired toddler is no fun for anyone.
Snacks, Snacks & More Snacks. Snacks are usually a lifesaver. Hangry is an attitude that is no good for anyone!
Save new toys for on the airplane or car ride
Pack a good attitude! If you stay positive & know that it’s not going to be perfect, this goes such a long way! Tantrums will happen, things won’t go as planned, but I promise traveling with your toddler will be so worth it! These are memories that you (and your little one) will have forever!
We learned so much about traveling with a toddler on this trip! We know that it’s sometimes scary to travel with little ones, but we have learned that it is always worth it! We have created so many amazing memories with Graham already on our travels and hope he gains so many experiences in the years to come!
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Related Posts:
10 Baby Carry-On Essentials
Baby Camping Essentials
A National Parks Travel-Themed Nursery
Tips for Traveling with a Lap Infant (Solo)
