Traveling with Toddlers
BY : HANNAH HUTTON
Traveling is something I hope I never stop doing. I’ve been to 11 countries so far, and each place I experience feels like it unlocks a deeper part of me. When my husband and I started having kids, we knew we wanted to keep traveling, but also recognized traveling with kids, especially littles, makes things a bit different. We are big advocates that kids don’t end your life – they become a part of it, and they are so capable of joining alongside you in the things you love!
My family of four recently traveled to East Africa for me to do some photo work for a non-profit there. Packing for all four of us and making sure to not go over weight limits or bag limits, while also being mindful that we only have so many hands was quite the challenge. I compiled a few of my top tips after this trip that will hopefully be helpful for you in your own family travels!
I wholeheartedly believe keeping a list on my phone saved my sanity while packing for such a huge trip. I started this list months before the trip began and would quickly jot down things that popped in my mind. Things like bandaids, a sun hat for my daughter, rain suits for the kids, and a portable fan seemed to come to mind at the most random times. Knowing I could move the mental load to a list and add to it overtime freed my mind while also helping ensure we did our best to not forget anything.
Okay first, packing cubes! I feel like that is probably enough said, but these were a game changer. Everything had a place, and it made keeping our things organized so much easier. We had three different sets and each set was a different color. One set for my husband, one for the kids, and one for me! These cubes made it so much easier to find what we needed and made living out of a suitcase feel less messy. Here are the ones we used!
Next, there is nothing quite like gearing up mentally for a flight with a toddler. On our recent trip to Africa, we had two 7+ hour flights each way. I was feeling pretty nervous about keeping my buddy occupied for so long, especially since he’s such a social guy. I knew sleeping with people around who he’d rather be talking to was going to be challenging!
I really wanted to try other tricks before pulling my ipad out, so I grabbed a handful of other items to try before screen time. They were actually a hit! We did use the ipad at times, but mostly when I really needed to sleep! These other items really helped him stay engaged and happy for longer than I expected!
I crowd sourced some ideas, dug through blog posts and landed on these! I ordered all of them from Amazon which was easy and pretty affordable.
My boy is obsessed with all things tractors, trucks, & construction right now. He loved sticking these on the window, tray table, & any other surface he could reach!
Honestly, such a staple. I picked a simple one that also doubled as a little teaching time. I bought one that just had one word (car, crayon, shoe, etc) and a simple picture on each page. He learned a handful of new words just from coloring! Also a little tip – get triangular crayons so they don’t roll up to first class when your toddler drops them!
This is so affordable & so fun! We would tell stories through photos, taking turns drawing and hitting the magic button to start over! I drew probably 100 tractors per his request…
There are so many options for this type of thing! Imagine 12 scenes and 500+ stickers. That is the magic that is this book! You get to place the stickers where you want on the background, and it was so much fun to let his imagination go wild as he placed the stickers where he wanted!
Educational jackpot. There are lots of options for this too! We grabbed one geared towards two year olds. It had pages to match colors with a cut out and velcro, a little puzzle, match the shapes, etc.
Next, give yourself ample time – more than you think you need – to navigate the airport. There is nothing like feeling stressed and rushed with bags and kids in tow. I definitely encourage you to get to the airport and your gate a little early, just to be safe!
Lastly, enjoy it! This sounds a little counterintuitive to “preparing for a trip”, but I promise it’s important. Start a note on your phone to document moments that make you smile. Your little boy running down the automatic walkway. Your girl helping a little one who dropped a toy. Your baby giggling at all the people in the airport. One of my favorite parts about traveling with our kids is seeing everything through their eyes. I’ve seen it all many times, but they haven’t. The airport is a wonderland, and the airplane is “the best thing ever”! The magic they feel is contagious if you let it be.
Will there be stressful moments? 100%. Will you want to pull your hair out at times or go hide in the bathroom? Also 100%. Will you get this exact trip with your kids at their exact age again? 100% not. Savor it and look for the good. Start a gratitude challenge with your kids. Fight for it to be a core memory they hold onto with overflowing joy and one you and your spouse look back and can say, “goodness, we were a killer team.” I’ve always said “Attitude is the difference between an ordeal and an adventure”, and I fully stand by it. 🤍
