Recently, my travels took me to the following places: CHA-ORD-FRA-JNB-FRA-ORD-CHA-ATL-LAX-ORD-CHA. If you can decode that, then you too may be a frequent flier. Basically, I’ve done a lot of traveling recently — most of it with my family.
My child is not new to travel. He got his first passport at three months, flew for the first time shortly after, and has been going non-stop ever since. Now that he’s four, those days of flying with a baby seem forever ago. In a lot of ways it’s easier now that he’s out of diapers, can walk by himself and keep himself somewhat entertained. However, there are still tips and tricks I like to keep in my proverbial carry-on, if you will. I gave a lot of travel advice in a previous post: Travel Tips with a Tot in Tow.
Now that my son is older, I have some mama must haves for air travel with a toddler/preschooler.
1. Their own backpack
I do have a handbag addiction, but even when traveling with a baby still in diapers, I tried to keep the carry-on size to a minimum. Now that my son is older, he is perfectly capable of hauling his own junk through an airport. Find a cute backpack your little one will love to carry around and stash it full of snacks, toys and surprises. Have him help you ‘pack’ and he’ll get even more excited about the trip. Deuter kikki backpacks are well worth the cost. I chose ours because it had great reviews for durability, it was the perfect size and it also has the chest clip, which is pretty essential in my book if you don’t want your child flinging his backpack off while you’re racing down the jetway. It’s also a great backpack if you’re introducing your child to hiking and you don’t want schlep around his stuff in addition to yours. My son is on the tall side for his age, so he was able to carry the bag without any issue. If your tot is a bit smaller, these mini backpacks by Bungalow 360 are also great for stashing a small amount of stuff.
2. A water bottle
It’s perfectly okay to travel through security with an empty water bottle. Plenty of airports have water bottle refill stations once you’re past security. Some flights dole out water bottles, others just give you horrible plastic cups that even adults spill easily. Bring a water bottle for your child and you can just ask the flight attendant to fill ‘er up.
3. Snacks or a meal
Domestic flights have a shoddy amount of snacks available onboard and limited food for purchase these days. Be sure to fill your child up before boarding, or hit the food court for something to bring on the plane before you take off.
If you’re flying internationally, be sure to request either a special diet or child’s meal at least 24 hours in advance. The child’s meal may look suspiciously similar to the regular dinner they serve on a plane, but generally it will come earlier which is always more convenient in my book.
4. A change of clothing and/or pajamas
Your kid might be out of diapers, but spills still happen. Keep a backup change of clothes in a bag — preferably your child’s. Pajamas are great for long-haul and overnight flights since they might help remind your child that they’ll actually need to sleep on the plane.
5. Slip-on shoes
Your child may or may not get a pat down by TSA, but they will probably have to take off their shoes through security. Even if they can keep them on, your child may want to kick off his shoes for a longer flight. Slip-ons make it easy for those quick bathroom breaks on the plane.
6. A tablet or some sort of device
You may be screen free at home, but travel might break you without an iPad or some sort of device for your child. Load it up with age appropriate games or movies before you leave home — then you won’t have to worry about accessing WiFi 10,000 feet in the air. Never rely on the tiny screen in the seat back in front of you for entertainment on a long-haul or international flight. While kids’ programming is always a bonus on those flights, sometimes there is nothing appropriate on, or the TV doesn’t even work.
7. An item that reminds your child of home
My son has never really been attached to a blanket or stuffed lovey, yet he seems enamored by the fact that ‘Blue Cow’ travels with us. Blue Cow has been with us since the beginning, and even though I’ve only caught my child snuggling with him a handful of times at home, when we’re away he seems to like the fact Blue Cow comes along for the ride in his backpack.
8. A few surprises
We do travel a lot, and I don’t want our son to expect a new gadget every time he sets foot on a plane, but a well-timed new plastic gizmo saves us a lot of sanity during a 30-hour trip. I nabbed this In the Sky TOOB at half price at Michael’s before we left for our most recent trip, and I kept doling out one or two throughout the duration of the trip until my son had all 12. On the plane, he was only allowed to play with two or three at a time, mainly because mama here didn’t want to keep track of all 12 when he dropped them.
9. And last but not least, courtesy and manners
I feel like this is easily overlooked. Kids pick up on a ton, and tempers, including mine, can often be short when traveling. Remember that your child is watching you and learning about the world through your actions. When you’re polite to TSA and the flight attendants, they notice. When you’re stressed, they pick up on it. My son may or may not continue to travel when he’s an adult, but I hope that above all, he is learning to be kind, polite and courteous to everyone he meets — life skills that are essential no matter where your travels take you.
