Last updated : Friday, August 5, 2011

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Tips for Traveling with Toddlers

Traveling can be stressful while you’re on your own … add babies and toddlers to the mix and you might be in for a bumpy ride. From extra bags to snacks, strollers and security, there’s a lot to juggle when traveling with little ones. But some parents have it down to a science: Meet Caitlin Wilson, an interior designer and world traveler. She and her husband, along with their two-year-old daughter, have lived in London, Dubai and Hong Kong and have been to countless other destinations together. If anyone knows how to travel right with a child, it’s Caitlin Wilson.

So, what kind of carry-on luggage do you bring with you on flights?
I have a large bag that I keep all of Olivia’s stuff in, and then I have a smaller bag that I’ll put inside it. I like to keep my stuff separate so I can find things more easily. For a large bag, I love the “Pliage” Longchamp bag. It’s nylon, so it’s easy to clean. I once had red wine spilled on it during a flight – I just wiped it off and didn’t feel guilty about it.

And what’s in this bag?
There’s a lot of stuff in there! I keep:
-an extra bag for trash
-extra diapers
-pencils, paper, sticker books, small toys
-snacks (almonds, dried fruit)
-Cup of Noodles (They always have hot water on planes and I find that my daughter likes noodles and broth more than she likes plane food.)
-water bottles (I always bring bottles of water. If you ask for water on the plane, it always ends up spilling).
-Colgate Wisps for myself
-Ponds facial cleansing wipes
-EmergenC
-An extra pair of socks for me and the baby
-iPod touch for the game apps (I recommend ShapeBuilder, Xena the Talking Giraffe and Doodle Buddy)
-Tylenol and Motrin

What about before you get on the flight? Do you have a stroller?
If you have an infant, I like the ErgoBaby carrier, it’s like a Baby Bjorn, but it’s better for your back because it buckles at the hips.

If you have a stroller, go with a smaller one. I like the McLaren Triumph, which you can collapse in one hand. It also reclines a little bit in case your baby wants to nap.

How can you help to avoid inevitable meltdowns?
Bring things they’ve never seen before – it can be something really simple. Distraction is the best tool. So don’t take all the toys out at once. Save a few for later in the flight and they’ll be excited by something new.

How do you help your daughter get over jet lag?
I have found that going East is always worse than going West for whatever reason. So when she wakes up in the middle of the night, we’ll keep the lights off and play a little movie on the iPad or something. I’ll keep a banana and crackers and a refill of a bottle next to my bed and I’ll give her that. We’ll sit there in the dark eating our snack and watching a movie, and she’ll be off to sleep pretty quickly.

For more family travel tips, click here.

 

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