Traveling with Littles
Does the thought of traveling with littles paralyze you with fears of “what ifs?” PLEASE don’t let it! If you’ve considered it, chances are you’ve asked all your friends with kids how to keep your littles entertained while on the road or in the skies!
We’ve traveled with Rocker since he was 2 months old. We’ve flown with our boys to Indiana and Florida (numerous times). Rocker went on his first flight at 2 months old and his first cruise to the Bahamas when he was 12 months old. We’ve traveled with car seats, strollers, frozen and thawed breast milk, you name it… we’ve probably done it! Recently, we took our first 6 hour road trip with both kiddos and it was fab minus a little throw up!
Here are my top 10 suggestions for traveling with your littles and holding on to your sanity at the same time.
- Whether you are flying or driving, pack a backpack or tote with new coloring books/crayons and other fun hands on activities your kids haven’t played with before (Hello Target dollar section!)
Here are a of my favorites- - If you’re flying, I recommend giving your littles a drink during take off and landing since that’s mostly when their little ears will adjust and pop. Nurse your baby during this time if you are breast feeding, and it’ll help their ears adjust too. Don’t forget the snacks, everyone likes snacks! (Bonus: If your little can be fussy in new situations and you’ve got time on your hands before your trip (time? ha!), make the cute little baggies you’ve seen on pinterest for passengers around you as gifts!)
- Make a reservation for a room with a balcony! When your littles go to bed, you and your honey can enjoy a peaceful evening on the balcony. Grab a glass of wine or a bottle of wine and enjoy an adult conversation without interruption!
- Take your stroller through the airport! They can drop it under the plane once you board.
- Car seats and pack-n-plays can be checked for free at the airport.
- Pack a “just in case someone gets sick bag.” On our road trip Rocker blew chunks and I instantly wished I had packed a zipper bag with clean up stuff and clean clothes.
- Download movies/shows on Netflix or Amazon Prime in advance so that they can watch them when they aren’t connected to wifi.
- Bring something familiar that will make your little comfortable. We have awesome blankets from Highway 3 with the boys names on them. They’re easy to keep up with and the boys love them. (I also bought the beach towels! Just a little obsessed)
- Research documentation needed before you get on the road to drive or head to the airport! Sometimes they need birth certificates or passports for verification…just check before you go!
- Request a pack-n-play or portable crib for your hotel room or cruise and bring a crib sheet with you to use. On our last trip we requested a room with a king bed, pull out couch, and a pack-n-play for our room. Rocker loved getting his own “cool” bed and Jagger was comfortable sleeping in a familiar environment on his own sheet.
I am a huge fan of traveling with my boys! We’ve done stay-cations close to home, cruises, family road trips, and have even braved Disney World. Growing up, my family drove to Michigan (from Texas) many times and I will forever remember moments from each drive up North. One year, my mom bought us the movie 16 Candles to watch and the opening scene is a locker room scene… she turned it off quick. Another year, my two brothers stood on the side of the road to relieve themselves and stood in an ant hill. Other favorites are fighting over who got to sit in the captains chairs, when we swapped out the VCR for the DVD players, and so many more. Travel with your kids… you won’t regret it!
