Travelling with toddlers can be both exciting and challenging. This guide provides practical solutions for common issues like unpredictable behavior, managing meals, and maintaining hygiene to ensure a smoother travel experience.
1. Unpredictable Behaviour
Challenge: Toddlers can be unpredictable, which can make travelling stressful and sometimes embarrassing.
Solution: Prepare for unpredictability by bringing a variety of toys, snacks, and comfort items. Maintain a flexible schedule to accommodate the toddler’s needs and moods. Practice calming techniques such as deep breathing and distraction. Some parents try to get their children to burn as much energy at the airport before the flight so they fall asleep fast on the plane, this might not be such a bad idea to try out.
Examples:
Toys: Bring a mix of familiar and new toys to keep your toddler engaged. Examples include interactive books, small puzzles, and soft toys. Bring an iPad to use with pre-downloaded clips for the kids when all else fails.
Snacks: Pack a variety of healthy snacks such as fruit pouches, crackers, and small sandwiches. Consider using snack containers like the Spill-proof Gyro Bowl to prevent spills.
Comfort Items: Bring your toddler’s favourite blanket, stuffed animal, or dummy to provide a sense of security and comfort.
Busy Bags: Pre-packed with small toys and activities to keep toddlers entertained.
2. Sleep Disruptions
Challenge: Maintaining a toddler’s sleep routine while travelling is difficult. Especially when there's turbulence, which can be scary even for adults.
Solution: Try to maintain the toddler’s usual sleep routine as much as possible. This can be a challenge for some, but don't worry, you can use familiar bedding and sleep accessories to create a comfortable sleeping environment on the flight. Consider a seat hammock (or an air pillow) and earmuffs to help your toddler sleep.
Challenge: Ensuring your toddler eats healthy meals and snacks while travelling and is hydrated.
Solution: Pack a variety of healthy snacks and easy-to-prepare meals. Research restaurants and food options at your destination that cater to children. Bring a portable high chair or booster seat for mealtime convenience. Keep in mind that planes and cars can be bumpy, so opt for leak-proof food containers.
Muffins: Easy, low-mess, and energy-dense. Favourites include Sweet Spinach Muffins or Power Packed Fruit and Veggie Muffins.
Granola Bars: Healthy and kid-friendly, such as Grab-and-Go Granola Bars
Energy Bites: Nutritious and satisfying, with various recipes available.
Homemade Cookies: Prefer oatmeal cookies for better blood sugar stabilisation.
Hard-boiled Eggs: Pre-peeled for convenience.
Fruit: Less juicy options like grapes, apples, and bananas.
Raw Veggies: Baby carrots, sugar snap peas, and bell pepper strips.
Roasted Chickpeas
Celery Sticks with Peanut Butter
Mini Wraps: Made with deli meat or veggies.
Apple Slices
Packaged Snack Ideas
Fruit Pouches: Allowed on planes under the “baby food” category.
Dried Fruit: Options like raisins, yogurt-covered raisins, dried apricots, and banana chips.
Cheese Sticks: Individually wrapped for convenience.
Fruit Bars: Look for those without added sugars or artificial ingredients.
Veggie Chips: Made from dried vegetables like sweet potatoes, beets, or kale.
On-the-go Trail Mix Packs
Individual Popcorn Packs
Crackers with Cheese
Pita Chips with Hummus Pack
Yogurt-covered Pretzels
Seaweed Snacks
Rice Cakes: Available in different flavours.
Squeezable Yogurt: Single-serve pouches are mess-free.
Baby Food and Finger Foods: Variety packs of puffs, yogurt melts, and crunchy snacks.
Granola Bites: Flavours like strawberry/cookies and cream, mixed berry/chocolate chip.
Crunchy Dried Fruit Packs
Suckers: Helpful during takeoff and landing to prevent ear pain.
Snack-Packing Tips:
Stick to foods you know your child doesn't have an allergic reaction to.
Use zip-lock plastic bags for snacks to simplify handling and disposal.
Pack empty water bottles to fill after security.
Bring wet-wipes for spills and freshening up.
Provide kids with a small backpack containing snacks, water, and a few favourite items.
For breast-fed infants, nurse confidently to keep the baby calm and relieve ear pressure.
For bottle-fed infants, pre-measure formula or use single-serving packets and avoid using bathroom tap water for preparing bottles.
4. Navigating Transportation
Challenge: Managing different modes of transportation with a toddler.
Solution: Use a lightweight, easily foldable pram and a comfortable baby carrier. Plan your route and transportation options in advance, and allow extra time for transitions. Don’t forget to pre-book a rental car with baby seats to ensure your child’s safety and comfort.
Travel Pillow: If you want to get any sleep on the flight, this will help.
Packing Cubes: When you've got a lot of clothes and you need more space.
Vacuum Bags: Here's another way to save space in your luggage.
Car Rental Companies:
Hertz: Offers a range of family-friendly rental options, including cars equipped with baby seats.
Avis: Provides the option to rent vehicles with pre-installed child seats.
Europcar: Known for their family-friendly service, including the availability of baby seats upon request.
Budget: A more affordable option with baby seats available for an additional premium.
5. Dealing with Boredom
Challenge: Keeping your toddler entertained during the trip.
Solution: Bring a variety of entertainment options, including toys, books, and digital devices loaded with toddler-friendly content. Engage your toddler with interactive games and activities.
Challenge: Managing toddler tantrums in public places.
Solution:
Be Prepared: Anticipate potential tantrum triggers and pack distractions like sensory toys and snacks. Mentally prepare to stay calm and focus on your child's needs, not others' judgments.
Give Them a Job: Turn tasks like grocery shopping into fun activities by assigning simple jobs or creating a scavenger hunt to keep your toddler engaged and involved.
Control Your Reaction: Recognise the type of tantrum (manipulative or meltdown) and respond appropriately. Stay calm, avoid overreacting, and provide support as needed.
Change the Scenery: If a tantrum escalates, move to a quieter, more private location to help your child calm down without the pressure of an audience.
Examples:
Distraction: Bring out a favourite toy or snack, or play their favourite song on your phone to divert your toddler’s attention.
Soothing Techniques: Use a calm, reassuring voice and offer a comforting item like a stuffed animal or blanket.
Calming Techniques: Teach your toddler deep breathing exercises or engage them in a simple game to shift their focus.
Recommended Tips:
Deep Breathing: Teach your toddler deep breathing exercises.
Quiet Corner: Find a quiet spot to calm your toddler away from crowds.
Challenge: Keeping your toddler clean and healthy while travelling.
Solution: Carry a hygiene kit with hand sanitizers, disinfectant wipes, and extra clothes. Pack a first-aid kit with essential medications and healthcare items.
Challenge: Helping your toddler adjust to new environments.
Solution: Bring familiar items from home to provide comfort. Gradually introduce your toddler to new surroundings and give these five steps a try:
Maintain Daily Routine: Aim to keep your toddler's daily routine as close to normal as possible, including meal and nap times.
Replicate Bedtime Wind Down: Follow the same bedtime routine you use at home to help signal to your child that it's time to sleep.
Recreate the Sleep Environment: Bring familiar items like blankets or stuffed animals to recreate your child's usual sleep setting.
Settling and Resettling: Be prepared to help your child settle and resettle in the new environment.
Be Consistent: Consistency is key. Stick to your routines to help your child feel secure and adjusted.
Examples:
Familiar Items: Pack your toddler’s favourite blanket, pillow, or toy to provide a sense of familiarity.
Routine: Stick to familiar routines such as meal times and bedtime to help your toddler feel secure in new environments when travelling.
9. Balancing Adult and Toddler Needs
Challenge: Balancing the needs of both parents and toddlers during travel.
Solution: Plan activities that are enjoyable for both adults and toddlers. Look for family-friendly attractions and accommodations that cater to all ages. Check if your resort or accommodation offers daycare services to give parents some relaxation time.
Recommended Services:
TripAdvisor Family-Friendly Filter: Helps find activities suitable for all ages.
Airbnb Experiences: Offers family-friendly activities hosted by locals.
Daycare Services: Look into whether your resort or accommodation offers daycare or kids' clubs to provide some downtime for parents.
10. Budget Constraints
Challenge: Managing travel expenses while meeting the needs of a toddler.
Solution: Plan a detailed budget that includes all potential expenses. Look for deals and discounts on travel, accommodations, and activities.
Recommended Services:
Booking.com: Great deals on accommodation.
Skyscanner: Find flight deals and discounts.
Travelling with a toddler comes with its challenges, but with the right preparation and tools, you can make the experience enjoyable and memorable. By addressing these common frustrations and challenges with practical solutions and recommended products, parents can ensure a smoother journey for both themselves and their little ones. Preparation, flexibility, and patience are key to overcoming these obstacles and creating wonderful travel memories with your toddler.
FAQs
1. How can I keep my toddler entertained on a long flight? Bring a variety of toys, books, and digital devices loaded with toddler-friendly content. Noise-canceling headphones can also help make the flight more enjoyable.
2. What are some must-have items for travelling with a toddler? Essential items include a lightweight travel pram, portable travel eating seat and table, first-aid kit, and a variety of snacks and entertainment options.
3. How can I maintain my toddler’s sleep schedule while travelling? Try to stick to your toddler’s usual sleep routine as much as possible. Use familiar bedding and sleep accessories to create a comfortable environment, and consider blackout shades and white noise machines to help your toddler sleep.
4. What should I do if my toddler has a tantrum in public? Stay calm and composed, and use distraction or soothing techniques to calm your toddler. Have a plan in place for managing tantrums and practice these strategies at home before your trip. For more detailed strategies, refer to the MensLine article on handling public tantrums.
5. How can I ensure my toddler eats healthy while travelling? Pack a variety of healthy snacks and easy-to-prepare meals. Research restaurants and food options at your destination that cater to children, and bring a portable high chair or booster seat for mealtime convenience.
What are your top travel tips as a parent? Share in the comments below!
Thank you for your feedback!
Your comment will be posted soon.
As an Amazon Associate, we earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. This does NOT impact our recommendations as we only recommend products we believe to be useful. Thank you for supporting The Best.
What are your top travel tips as a parent? Share in the comments below!