As you know, we are a family on the move! We are a family that likes to stay busy and travel as much as we can, whether that means a trip to Disneyland, a weekend away, or a long vacation! We love watching our kids learn through experiences and we have learned a thing or two about how to travel lightly and also how to travel with important essentials for small children!
Here is my list of my top 10 travel essentials for toddlers and babies!
- DockATot – I don’t know what I’d do without one. It is very normal for children to get scared in a new environment. Even the best through the night sleepers at home will behave differently in a new environment when traveling. In that case, having them sleep with you in your bed while traveling is a safe alternative when using a DockATot. Plus, during the day it is a great place for your children to read, play, or nap if needed! I also love that they are so easy to travel with and come with a carrying handle. You can easily fit them in your car for a road trip or check them on a plane in its plastic carrier!
- Pack n Play – Most hotels come with one and if you are traveling by plane I’d call ahead and reserve one, but if you are traveling by car or are not staying at a hotel but someone’s home, it is a definite must!! We bring our own pack n play sheet so our child can smell a familiar scent when sleeping and it fits the mattress perfectly to keep him safe as he sleeps. Most hotel rooms will fold up a queen or king sized sheet to fit in the pack n play that some small children can easily remove or get stuck under.
- Stroller – We have an everyday stroller for local use and a stroller specifically for traveling. Investing in a travel stroller is definitely worth the extra money but make sure you pick a stroller that folds compactly and one that is light to carry. And remember that you can take a stroller (and car seat) on an airplane with you for free when you check it in at the gate!
- Noise Machine – I cannot stress how important this one is and we love our noise machine for many reasons when traveling. One reason is because it blocks out noise from crowded hotel hallways, elevator noise, and noisy air conditioning in the room. Another reason is because hotel rooms are small and us parents stay up hours later than our children and it helps them sleep while we stay up and talk or watch a movie on low volume without waking them up!
- Dark Sheet – Yep! This one is good to put up a private barrier that divides your hotel room into two spaces; one for the kids and one for you! Unless you are staying in a suite, you will all be in one small space together. Having this makeshift curtain between you will help give everyone a little space and privacy and also help them sleep better without additional noise or distraction from anything else going on in the room. As I mentioned, my husband and I go to bed much later than our children and they need it dark and quiet to fall and stay asleep. Any light, noise, or distraction will keep them awake. They won’t be able to see through the dark sheet but don’t forget thumb tacks to hang up the sheet on the wall!
- Baby Carrier – Remember the ol saying, “Don’t leave home without it?” Well keep that in mind when it comes to your baby carrier. You won’t regret it! They can easily fold into a suitcase, the back of a car or under a seat on a plane. You can wear your baby or toddler through security and even wear them on a plane (except during take off and landing). Honestly it was the only way my daughter would nap on an airplane when she was younger. Wearing your baby or toddler instead of using a stroller will get you where you need to go quicker and easier in most cases. Plus, if you are breastfeeding its a great way to feed your baby on the go! And keep in mind that when you are traveling, your young child will be in unfamiliar environments and often with unknown people, which can raise their fear and anxiety, even if they are too young to accurately articulate that to you. Having them close to you in a carrier will ease their worries and give them a sense of security.
- Monitor – Obviously these are so easy to pack and when you are staying the in the same room you may not think you need it but think again! We like to use it to make sure we know the exact temperature in the room and or to see what is happening behind that curtain! And if you are staying in a suite or have your child sleeping in a different part of the room, it will allow you to watch or listen for them to make sure they are safe! When we stay at a friend’s house, our children often go to bed in the guest room while we visit with our fiends after they fall asleep for a few hours before we go to bed. We are assured that they are sleeping and safe in the other room while we are in a different part of the house. This is the same if you are staying in a hotel suite.
- Safety Gate – We love our North States PlayYard. We take it with us every single time we travel, especially to hotel rooms! They are so easy to fold, carry, and fit into our car and keeps a safe space for our children to play while we unload luggage, baby proof the room, or when we are getting ready for the day! Plus you can go in their with them for play time and get some snuggles, too!
- Travel Potty – Even if your child has been potty trained, keep a training toilet in your car for emergency trips! I can’t tell you how many times this has come in handy for us! You may be on a road that doesn’t have a close rest stop and or you might want to avoid a rest stop or gas station for cleanliness or safety reasons if you are unfamiliar with the area. Having a travel potty allows you to make a brief stop on the side of the road so you can keep moving and also keep your family safe and clean!
- Portable Highchair – If you stop along the way on a road trip or are eating in at the hotel, a portable high chair will come in so handy! They can be easily folded and carried and will give your child a safe place to eat while being contained, giving you a free hand or lap to also eat at the same time!
P.S. Your diaper bag is probably packed with everything you need. Just make sure to have extra diapers and wipes, antibacterial spray to wipe down the seats and windows around you, an extra change of clothes, and items to keep your little one busy. We generally take coloring books , crayons, books (small paperbacks so they don’t take up much room and don’t weigh down your bag), bubbles, and a tablet to play games and even watch a favorite show (gasp!). Yes, when you travel with a little one, a little extra TV watching is OK! If you have an infant, hopefully they will just sleep most of the time, but you can always bring some favorite, colorful, musical toys to keep their attention when they are awake! If your child has a favorite toy, stuffed animal or blanket, make sure to bring it with you to comfort your child. And make sure to bring pacifiers or something for your child to suck on during take off and landing to help their ears on an airplane! To make your child feel like traveling is special for them, buy a new book or download a new app just for the flight or roadtrip. If you are traveling by plane, bring an empty bottle or sippy cup so once you pass through security you can fill it with water since airplanes tend to dehydrate you and liquids still are not allowed through security. And don’t forget the plug covers for the electrical outlets in a hotel or at a guest’s home!
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