Traveling with Toddlers – Useful Tips

Ask any mother about traveling with infants and you are bound to get stories about it being a horrifying ordeal. Relax! It doesn’t have to be all that bad. For correct planning can always turn a bad trip around and you can actually enjoy the experience. Here are a few tips for mothers planning to take their infants along on a trip.

Passport, Visa and Immunization: - If you are planning to travel to a foreign destination, then it is best to apply for a passport for your child well in advance in addition to a visa (if required). This helps avoid last minute hassles and unnecessary delays.

Have a health check done in order to make sure your toddler is fit for travel and if needed administer necessary vaccines and immunizations if the country you are visiting requires it.

Choose the best time for travel: - It is best recommended that you book day flights and if possible, during midweek. A best time to travel would also be during off peak seasons as your toddler may get alarmed by huge crowds. Try your best to book a nonstop flight to the destination and if that’s not possible, minimize the number of stops in between.

Seating options:- Either opt for a seat at the front where there is more leg room or book a separate seat for your infant at an affordable price. You can also opt to use a car seat which some airlines allow with extra baggage. Alternatively, bring along a portable stroller if you have connecting flights and in the case of endless waiting periods in customs and boarding.

Food items:- When booking a flight for a toddler, it is necessary to check the onboard meal options and choose the appropriate meal. Most flights supply child meals which can be suitable for your child. However, in the case that you need to take along your own food, here are a few quick tips on what to carry.

Bring along a water bottle and disposable cups. This enables you and your child to drink water in between travel. The cups also help you to pour out soft drinks to your little one in case he/she is wants some. A sippy cup is preferred for toddlers.

Carry an extra bottle of milk or prepared formula for sudden hunger pangs. Snacks are also recommended and you can carry along biscuits, raisins, fruits, cookies or even something that your infant really likes to munch on. This tends to relieve you in case they start to throw a tantrum on board.

Extra Clothing and Amenities:- It is good to keep at least two separate sets of clothing for your toddler in handy bags as you never know when you might need them. If you are still nursing, then keep an extra shirt for yourself in case the one you are wearing is dirtied.

Keep a handful number of wipes to clean messy hands, faces and other little accidental areas. Diapers are also required and it is recommended that you carry an entire day’s worth of diapers even for a small haul flight.

If you tend to carry a baby blanket, then carry an extra as well. If the original one becomes soiled or messy with spills, you can always use the second one.

In case you need to get rid of messy wipes or soiled diapers in addition to other stuff, keep some zipper storage bags in hand. Plastic bags are more affordable and act as good containers as well.

Keep them occupied:- More often than not, your toddler may feel a bit overwhelmed by the surroundings and start acting up. In such cases, carry along something that will keep him/her occupied. Surprises like stuffed animals, little trinkets, colorful band aids, or even some bottles of bubbles to have some fun at rest areas.

You can also carry inflatable dolls that can be inflated and deflated when required. If your child likes a particular story book, do take it along with you so that you can read it out softly until he/she goes to sleep.

Don’t lose your temper:- With correct planning, you can enjoy the trip with your infant. However, do keep in mind that there are room for mistakes and unforeseen incidents. At any point of time, do not act up or lose your cool as this tends to only increase their tantrums instead of quieting them.