We have been doing a lot of traveling lately, and I feel like I’m starting to master the art of traveling with kids.
My biggest piece of advice is to not let the anxiety of the plane rides hold you back from taking trips with your kids. While the flights may be tough, they are usually short. The memories you will make with your family are so incredibly worth it!
That being said, listen to your gut. If your baby is just weeks old and you know you’re not in a place to be traveling and you may spend the entire trip a complete mess, don’t do it. Wait until you feel mentally ready!
Below are some of my best tips, along with a packing list! If you have any specific questions or requests for recommendations, send them my way!
TIPS:
*Do your research on family friendly locations that cater to kids. You don’t want to spend your vacation getting dirty looks from annoyed old people or adults that are trying to vacation in peace and quiet.
*Find a location that has things you need very close by, or within walking distance! You don’t want to have to travel 30 minutes if one of the kids gets a fever and needs some medicine that you might have forgotten.
*Resorts/hotels can be really nice in terms of having a restaurant/staff at your fingertips, but consider your options with renting a house as well. I will say it was SO nice to be in a house this past trip because it made meal times and nap times so much easier with three little kids. When you’re in a hotel, the sleeping situation can be tough. A lot of times your baby has to sleep in a hotel crib right next to your bed, which can make for a restless night’s sleep. In a house, you can put them in a spare bedroom (or even a big closet or bathroom)! Also, when it’s nap time or bedtime in a house, one of the adults doesn’t necessarily have to go sit in a dark room all alone for hours. You can put them down and enjoy a cocktail on the porch, watch TV, etc. (all depending on the setup of your house of course).
*Look into renting the basic travel necessities like a stroller, high chair, carseat, and crib once you get there. Most vacation destinations have companies that will rent these items to you and have them at your house or hotel upon your arrival so you don’t have to travel with them! I have used BABYQUIP twice now and they are incredible. They have so many different items to choose from, and will deliver your items before you get there (or even meet you at the airport if you’d like)! Car rental companies can always rent you car seats as well. We have found this to be so worth the money. When you have suitcases, diaper bags, and CHILDREN to worry about and carry already, all the extras can be so overwhelming. **You can use code CORATOLACO for 10% off your first rental with BabyQuip!
*If you’re going to a beach destination, I’d recommend finding somewhere that also has a pool option, just in case. The beach can be a freaking pain in the ass with little kids. The sand can really bother them (Benji tries to eat it, Peter gets freaked out by the way it feels) and can make for serious temper tantrums! Tip for sand: bring some baby powder to help get it off easily!
*MAKE A LIST ahead of time of everything you need to pack. I know this seems obvious, but it’s ridiculous how easy it is to forget important things when you’re stressed out and packing so much for so many people.
*Only pack the things you really need. For example, you probably don’t need to pack a week’s worth of diapers and wipes to bring on the plane or in your suitcase. Just plan on getting those types of items once you get there to make the process of traveling and packing easier on you.
*Go to Target or your local drug store and stock up on travel-size toiletries! This helps so much with freeing up room in your suitcase, and it’s so nice to be able to just throw them away at the end of the week. This also might free up some room to bring a few things back that you might purchase during your trip! You can also purchase the little travel-size containers like these if there are specific items you can’t live without, like your favorite skincare or shampoo.
*If you’re nursing, plan to feed your baby during takeoff and landing. Their swallowing will help ease any discomfort from their ears popping when the pressure changes.
*In terms of clothing: try to pack within the same color palette/style so that you can mix/match different items throughout the week! This will give you more options to work with and will help you pack a little lighter. You can do this for the kids too!
*Think through your kids’ bedtime routine and make sure you do everything you can to recreate it wherever you’re going. Because we all know, if no one is sleeping on vacation, it will NOT feel like a vacation 🙂 For example, Benji always sleeps with a blanket, plus his noise machine. That is something I ALWAYS bring with us!
*Roll your clothes in your suitcase to help prevent wrinkles!
*On the way back, put all the dirty clothes in one suitcase. This will make the laundry process upon returning home so much easier on you!
*If you’re staying at a hotel, call ahead and ask them if they have cribs or pack n’ plays they can put in your room. Almost every hotel we have ever stayed in has provided this for us!
*Download movies or games for the kids on the plane ahead of time. The Netflix app allows you to download movies ahead of time (you’ll need WiFi to download), and then you can watch them on the plane without needing internet!
*Snacks, snacks, snacks. You can never have too many snacks for the kids on the plane!
*Bring your own water bottles for the flight, just make sure they’re empty when you’re going through security. Then fill them in a drinking fountain once you get through. This will save you some time and money.
*If you don’t want to pack a big bulky beach bag, just bring a big reusable bag from TJ Maxx or your grocery store. They work perfectly and will most likely get gross from the sand anyway! You can just throw it away at the end of the trip.
*Try to make a loose game plan for your trip so that you don’t end up stressed out about plans and what you need. Research kid friendly restaurants (and make reservations), kid friendly shopping/boardwalks, splash pads/parks, etc.
*Take the day AFTER you get back off of work if you can! Take one full day to recover, unpack, catch up on house tasks and anything else you missed while you were gone.
PACKING LIST:
For the plane:
- Empty water bottles to fill once you’re through security.
- Diapers/wipes.
- Sanitizing wipes or hand sanitizer.
- Change of clothes.
- Pacifier if needed.
- Empty bottle or sippy cup for milk if needed (I always just ask Starbucks for some milk, or go to one of the little travel shops and buy it)
- If your baby is little and you’re nursing, TSA lets you bring your breast milk/pump through! Just tell them what it is and they’ll take care of you. Also, if you plan to pump while on your trip and bring back any milk, make sure you pack yourself a little cooler bag and ice pack!
- If your baby is formula fed, bring the little packets of powder formula to make it easier on yourself.
- Snacks, toys, coloring book and crayons, and iPad/charger with movies or games downloaded that don’t require internet to work!
- Birth certificates: some airlines require you to bring this to validate your kids’ identity/age. If you don’t have one, don’t panic. Most airlines are okay with you bringing any type of “official” document that proves their age (like a vaccine record or something from your doctor’s office). Just call your airline ahead of time and make sure you know what you need!
- A couple of disposable gallon-size bags in case you have soiled clothes (hopefully not, but you want to be prepared for things like this to happen)!
- If you have a small baby, I always liked to bring my carrier to make walking around the airport a little easier.
- Stroller. You’ll be walking around a lot in the airport to get to your gate. If you have a little one, you’ll definitely want a stroller (plus it can help hold some of your belongings). They will let you check it right at the gate so that it’s waiting for you when you get off the plane! You can bring a smaller umbrella stroller if your normal one is super big and bulky.
OTHER THINGS TO PACK IN SUITCASE:
- If you have a little baby, bringing a little sun tent is great for the beach. This one folds up and can lay flat in your suitcase, and is anti-UV so you don’t have to worry about them getting burnt! You’re not really supposed to apply sunscreen to babies until they are 6 months, so keeping them out of the sun is key when they are really little.
- Anything that you need for bedtime: pajamas, blanket, sound machine, crib sheet, etc. Try to recreate their nighttime routine as closely as you can!
- Obviously you need outfits, PJs, shoes, underwear, socks, jackets– all the clothing items they’ll need depending on where you’re going!
- You may want to bring some disposable placemats for restaurants if you’ll be eating out during your trip.
- Sleepsuit/sleep sack/swaddle if needed.
- Toothbrushes and toothpaste.
- Washable or disposable bibs.
- Small spoons/forks if you’re at a hotel or resort– they don’t usually have these.
- Bathing suit, sun hat, sunscreen.
- Beach shoes– we have these from Amazon and love them!
- Silicone cup covers are nice to bring for toddlers– they fit on any type of cup to prevent spills.
- Small trash bag for dirty clothes.
- Baby powder to help remove sand from skin easily.
- You may want to bring a small first-aid kit and some medication in case your kids need it (or just plan to buy these once you get there as-needed if you don’t want to travel with them).
- Extra bottle/pump parts/breastmilk bags/cooler with ice pack if needed.
I hope this is helpful for any of you planning a family vacation this spring/summer! Travel can be exhausting sometimes, but your kids will remember these trips for the rest of their lives 🙂
