Every parent wants to travel and explore the world with their child. They want to expose them to new cultural experiences, go sightseeing, and enjoy what the world has to offer. From taking their first flight abroad, children get to experience a whole new world, a cultural crescendo, beyond their imaginations. This experience can be extremely rewarding, though quite challenging as well. From beach vacations to hiking up the mountains, travelling with your toddler is ultimately most fun when you’re well-prepared for tantrums and meltdowns. But there’s no need to fear, because in this article we show you how you can maximise enjoyment and lower stress for yourself and your loved one while travelling. Here are some absolute must-haves to keep your toddler happy and satisfied while travelling.
How To Make Travel Fun and Safe For Toddlers?
The reality is, that travelling with kids is a lot. Travelling with a toddler is very different and much more challenging than travelling with a newborn or an older child. It’s not always fun, especially when there are delays and meltdowns. Travelling with a toddler can be a lot even for the most experienced parents. Every parent wants to create everlasting memories with their kid, while exposing them to new places and cultures. Like everything in life, practice makes perfect. The more you travel with your toddler, the more you gather hacks on how to be a better travelling mom for them. There’s plenty of planning you can do to make travelling more enjoyable and less stressful for both you and your toddler. When traveling with toddlers, let them dive into every experience, whether it’s discovering nature, spotting animals, or having the time of their lives at an amusement park. The real highlight of the trip is a happy, exhausted little explorer at the end of the day.
Travelling Toddler Tips: A Checklist for Travel With Toddler
When travelling with a toddler, you want to make sure you want everything you might need without overpacking. You don’t want yourself lugging around a huge set of suitcases and strollers that you might never end up using. A toddler checklist will be more aligned to your needs and help you out in every situation. There are many factors to consider before creating a toddler travelling checklist. Where are you travelling? Is your destination kid friendly? Toddlers have unique needs and requirements that can’t be ignored. Here’s a list of top recommended items when travelling with your toddler to simplify your preparation. This list will help reduce tantrums and keep your toddler happy throughout the trip.
1. Overnight bag for your toddler:
An overnight bag should carry a standard set of clothes for lounging, a diaper bag, and anything else to keep you prepared for all situations. If your toddler has a special toy or stuffed animal that comforts them, add that to your overnight bag. An overnight bag can also substitute an in-flight bag, if you’re travelling by plane. Also don’t forget to include your toddler’s favourite blanket or pillow in the overnight bag. Items to sooth your baby during sleep as well as comfy sleepwear is a must for travelling.
2. Toiletries:
Make sure to include things like toothpaste, toothbrush, sunscreen, and soap in our bag of toiletries. Shampoo, hair accessories, hand sanitizer and baby wipes will also come in handy when you travel with toddler. While this may seem like a lot of preparation, your toddler’s hygiene is essential, and it’s better to be safe rather than sorry.
3. Be prepared for a flight:
Travelling with a toddler is difficult enough, it’s important they don’t roam around the plane. So book an aisle seat for the comfort of you and your child. Be prepared to fight jet lag. Slowly begin to accommodate your child to a new timezone. Carry sleep masks, ear plugs or noise-cancelling headphones for your toddler’s comfort. Carry lots of snacks and water for when your toddler feels like munching. Instead of choosing long flights, choosing familiar destinations is the best choice for you and your toddler.
4. Entertainment on the Go:
You don’t want a bored or wailing toddler on the journey to your destination. Carry a range of entertainment options such as sticker books, toys or the classic- an iPad to keep your toddler engrossed in their favorite game or TV show. This will also give you a much-needed break from caring for your toddler while travelling, and allows them to have fun in the process. Sometimes screens can be a lifesaver. Slime, fidget toys or a new book will also help keep your toddler occupied during travel.
5. Go-to Items for Travel:
Don’t forget to carry a stroller and a car seat for when you’re travelling with your toddler. Carry a lightweight, compact stroller that folds down easily and fits in tight spaces. A compact stroller can be easy for both city walks and airport runs. There are special Travel Car Seats that you can purchase to make travelling easy on your toddler.
There are many kid-friendly travel groups that you can join as a mother, and with this checklist, you can successfully tackle travelling with your toddler. Remember that you’re never alone-d don’t hesitate to ask for help from fellow travelers when you’re going through a tough time on your trip.
Formulated by the Director of Mother’s Pride, Ms. Sheena Singh Gupta, at Mom&I we expose your young one to new environments, cultures and experiences, and help you bond with your toddler as a parent. Visits to the city zoo and nature walks are an integral part of our curriculum to help your little explorer learn more about the world around us.
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