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10 Sanity-Saving Tips On Taking Road Trip With 6 Month Old Baby

Over the years I've gathered many fond road trip memories. Whether its jamming out to my favorite music (a little Backstreet Boys, anyone?) or philosophical chats with some of my closest friends, road trips have always represented youthful freedom at its best. 

Like so many other things, road trips take on a whole new meaning when little ones come along. It's not necessarily bad, it's just  different. 

The first road trip with my daughter was a harrowing experience. There was screaming, crying and enough spit up to fill a small bucket. Gone were the days of a leisurely trip on the open road. 

Thankfully, after much practice (and gray hair), I’ve kinda got this baby road trip thing down.

Today I'll share with you my 10 sanity-saving tips on taking a road trip with 6-month old baby. Not all of these tips will necessarily work for you, but try to mix-and-match to figure out what works with your little one. 

Road Trip with 6-Month Old Baby: The Tips

#1: plan your departure carefully.

According to sleep consultant Lauren Engler , getting in  at least one nap at home  before you take off can set the tone for a much happier baby as the day goes on.

In short, let your baby take a morning nap, then get on the road shortly after.

Alternatively, depending on how long your trip is and how long your little one is sleeping at night, you could also leave right around bedtime and try to make it further without stopping.

If you do plan on leaving at night, just make sure you are on plenty of rest and are fully alert. The last thing you want to do is travel while tired which can jeopardize you and your baby's safety. 

#2: Take a Friend (Four-Legged Friends Work Also!) 

I totally understand that for some trips, you’re on your own. But whenever possible, have a road trip buddy! This way you have someone who can entertain the baby in the back, share the driving responsibilities, and trade off diaper duty.

My mom did this regularly - she would ask an older friend who was retired or a friend with no kids of her own to join us on road trips, which gave her someone to talk to and helped make sure that the kids had what they needed.

If you can't convince a friend to join you, maybe you can convince your pet! It may seem crazy to add a furry-friend to the mix, but  dogs have a way of calming your nerves even in the most stressful times. 

#3: Break Up the Trip 

In college, I traveled 6 hours between my parents house and my school on the regular. I would load up on snacks and could usually make it home with just one stop.

I found out (rather painfully) that this get-there-at-all-costs technique does not work so well for a road trip with a 6 month old baby.

Try to stop for at least one full meal where you and your little one can get out of the car and stretch for a while.

For bathroom and feeding breaks, plan to stop for at least 20-30 minutes to get your baby out of his/her carseat for a diaper change and some tummy time. 

Always leave yourself with plenty of time so you aren't in a rush - remember, you aren't traveling alone anymore! 

#4: Overpacking Isn’t Bad

Make sure you take plenty of supplies in case you hit traffic or can’t find a place to stop right when your little one decides it’s lunch time.

This might mean you pack a thermos with hot water for warming up bottles. If your baby is eating solids, bring along some applesauce pouches in a cooler.

Don’t forget about your own needs - water and granola bars can go a long way between rest stops. And a blanket on the side of the road works for tummy time just like a giant play mat at home.

#5: Invest in Some Window Shades 

You want your little one to be as comfortable as possible on your big trip. Something as simple as having the sun in their eyes can make for a very cranky baby.

Buying window shades, like these , for your side windows is a proactive way to protect your little one’s eyes and hopefully cut down on some fussiness.

#6: Use a Baby Car Mirror

For your own piece of mind, make sure you can check on your little one without having to stop the car.

A simple invention that has given me huge peace of mind is a baby car mirror . This helps you see what your little one is doing with just a quick glimpse in the rearview mirror.

#7: Take Plenty of Dangly Toys 

Elizabeth Pantley of the Childhood Development Institute recommends hanging a ribbon or tape to hang dangly toys from the ceiling.

Babies at this age love having lots of things to look at, and they’re starting to reach for and kick at things near them.

Your baby also may be teething, so textured toys are a great road trip hack to keep a baby entertained.

You can also tape high-contrast images (search online for ideas) to the seat or the window the baby will be looking at to give him a more interesting view while you drive.

Whatmomslove observes that babies love to look at face. Hang pictures of family members for baby to study.

#8: Take Advantage of Your Baby’s Favorites

You know your little one and their likes and dislikes better than anyone. What entertains her when you’re not traveling? Since my daughter’s earliest days, the thing that relaxes her the most is music.

She can be fussy, but as soon as we turned on some music (at that point, we were listening to a lot of Hamilton ), she would calm down immediately.

Think about what helps keep your child content. Favorite toy they like to snuggle? A teething ring that they chew on? A song that makes them light up? White noise? Whatever it is, make sure that you pack it and it’s easily accessible.

If it’s a teether or pacifier, use a paci clip to make sure your child can’t throw it where you can’t reach it.

#9: Keep Supplies Handy

While most of your big items can be safely stored in the trunk, think about what you may need for your road trip. 

Formula/milk and bottles, as well as anything you need to change diapers, plus at least a couple outfits. Several hours in a car with my daughter, and she went through 4 outfits in 8 hours!

Try packing anything you’ll need en route in a smaller bag that can be stored between the seats for quick access. This would also include extra toys, books, and small trash bags.

#10: Find Ways to Make It Fun For Yourself

Road trips with 6 month old babies can be stressful and exhausting for even the most seasoned parent. Don’t forget to take some time to think about what will make YOU (and your driving buddy) more comfortable as you go.

Stop at your favorite coffee shop on route, download an audiobook to listen to while baby naps, and give yourself extra time.

Robyn Correll at  Trip Savvy suggests finding ways to laugh about the good and the bad by making your own “Road Trip Bingo” cards.

Fill it out with successes (baby napped for an hour straight!) and potential pitfalls (baby fills her diaper right AFTER leaving a rest stop). Maybe that extra diaper stop will push you to Bingo victory!

Road Trip with 6-Month Old Baby: Conclusion

At the end of the day, even if you have to make extra stops or change a blow out diaper on the front seat of your car, a road trip with 6 month old baby is doable!

It will be different than a trip by yourself, but can still be a fun experience for you and your baby.

Plan ahead, be patient with yourself and your baby, and go with the flow- the memories will be worth it!

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International Travel with a 6-Month Old Baby Tips and Tricks

Once my son turned six months old, we decided to do two big trips with him – one to Mexico and one to Japan . The destinations couldn’t have been more different, nor could the trip experiences. For one we mostly lounged on the beach, and for the other we hit 4 different cities traveling on public transportation the whole way.

We learned a lot from those experiences. Here’s everything you should know before traveling internationally with your six month old:

Table of Contents

Get a Passport and Potentially Global Entry

No matter how young they are, yes, your baby does need their own passport . If you have Global Entry and want to use the expedited line, you will also need take to get your baby their own Global Entry prior to the trip! Although TSA pre-check extends to children, everybody has to have their own global entry regardless of age. Keep in mind these are US rules. Your country may have different ones depending on where you’re from.

To get the passport, I recommend taking your own passport photos , then making an appointment either at a post office or an expedited passport agency, filling out all of the paperwork, and then waiting for the passport to arrive. Keep in mind you will need the birth certificate first. Depending on which state you live in, there could be a delay in obtaining a copy.

Since we wanted to travel by the time my son was 5 1/2 months, we made sure to pay extra to expedite the passport. If your trip takes place even sooner, consider using a passport agency for a quick turnaround. Unfortunately they only exist in major cities. Find out more about passports here and Global Entry here .

Leave Extra Time for Everything

We arrive at the airport much earlier now than we ever did before having a baby. The first step is ordering an Uber and quickly installing the car seat before we go and taking it out once we get to the airport. From there, check in usually takes a bit longer because babies are required to have a printed boarding pass , and we usually have baggage to check.

Unless your baby is exclusively breast-fed, chances are you will have some baby food along with you whether you’re traveling with formula , expressed milk, or any combination of the two. Your baby might also already be on solids, in which case you might have baby food. All of this is allowed by TSA, but you’ll need to leave extra time as they’ll perform extra checks on the liquids over 3oz. Read more about TSA with a baby here .

Once at the airport, you’ll probably need time to change the baby and potentially do a feed before boarding. Look for a family bathroom to easily take care of everyone’s needs at once. Most US airports also have Mamava lactation pods for breastfeeding or pumping, or nurseries.

If you’re mainly pumping like I was, I highly recommend bringing portable/wearable pumps along. I can’t imagine exclusively pumping without them! Here’s the pump I used.

What to Bring (and How to Pack Light)

It seems like the younger the baby is, the more things they need. Still, when we traveled to Japan , we had to pack light and could only bring what the two of us could feasibly carry through Japan’s train and metro stations. That meant one large bag, a couple of backpacks, and a large purse for the three of us to share.

This is my minimalist packing list . No matter what, I’d bring:

• Plenty of very absorbent diapers. There’s really no contest when it comes to the best brand to prevent leaks – Coterie .
• Multiple changes of clothes for the carry on.
• A comfortable carrier for the airport. This is the one I tend to use and this is my partner’s favorite.
• More than enough food for baby.
• Small toys. We love the ones from our Lovevery subscription .
• A nice, big diaper bag that will fit everything.

Most airlines will allow you to check a stroller and car seat as hold luggage at no cost. Diaper bags usually do not count against carry-on allowance, either. You can also gate check your car seat and stroller, though be prepared for extra checks at security.

How to Survive the Flight

Flying can be the most nerve-racking part of international travel for a lot of parents. Nobody wants to be the one with the screaming baby on board. Plus, how do you keep them entertained for 13+ hours? Thankfully I’ve found that at 6 months, babies are pretty easy to travel with. They’re usually not crawling yet, so lap sitting is less of a big deal. Here’s what to consider:

• Babies usually do not fly free internationally, even if they are sitting on your lap! They usually cost 10% of the adult fare.
• If you’re able to get in the front row, you can sometimes reserve a bassinet ahead of time. Call your airline to inquire.
• We usually fly coach with our little one, but we have flown business class our baby as well. If you have the miles or funds, this makes tummy time and sleep easier.
• Breast, bottle or binkie at takeoff and landing to help with their ears. This is key for a happy baby!
• Try to maintain nap times and wake windows as usual.
• Bring small toys or books to keep baby engaged during wake times. So far we have completely avoided screen time.
• Airplane bathrooms have changing tables. Bring a portable changing mat for airport and airplane changes.

Also, if your baby cries, it’s OK. It bothered me the first time it happened, but then I stopped caring. Sometimes babies cry, and they are a part of society. They’re allowed to fly like the rest of us! Plus, I’m never going to see any of those strangers again.

Dealing with Jet Lag

One of my biggest fears about traveling internationally with my baby was dealing with jet lag. To be honest, baby sleep on vacation is rarely as good as at home. When traveling to Mexico, we were two time zones ahead, so we just kept my baby’s normal schedule and shifted everything two hours later – I didn’t mind sleeping in! But Japan was 16 hours ahead, so we had no choice but to adjust.

Our flight out took place in the afternoon, so we kept our usual nap time and by the time we landed, it was nighttime in Japan so we went straight to bed. When our baby woke up early or in the middle of the night, we just kept things quiet, dark, and fed and rocked him back to sleep. For the most part, he adjusted better than I usually do! Within a few days, we were on Japan time.

Back at home was a little rougher. I traveled to over 60 countries before having my son, and I have always struggled more with going east than west. The same was true for our baby. Our flight back home was an overnight flight, so we slept on board, but since we landed at night due to the time change, it was tougher to get to sleep and adjust back to Pacific time. Still, he did better than I did and was back on his normal sleep schedule within four days.

Baby Sleep Abroad

How can you practice safe sleep abroad and how should you handle naps and bedtime? Every baby is different. Some of them will nap just fine in a baby carrier or stroller , others need darkness and to be kept to a schedule. Some are somewhere in between.

For our trip to San Pancho, Mexico, we decided to stay in the same vacation rental for the week with our only transit being to and from the airport. It had two bedrooms and its own the kitchen and living room, which made eating, sleeping, and nap time easy. We didn’t have any set schedule or goals other than to chill out and enjoy ourselves. Maintaining nap time and bedtime was easy in this scenario.

We brought along his portable bassinet since the rental didn’t have one. If you’ll all be in one room, consider bringing a Slumberpod as well to create a dark sleep space without having to go lights out at 7pm for everyone.

Our trip to Japan was a different story. We didn’t have space to bring a bassinet. He mostly had his naps in the baby carrier and would sleep on the floor beds offered by our accommodation at night. We only found one hotel crib for him out of the four places we stayed. He certainly did not sleep as well that trip as he normally would, but it was worth it to travel together as a family.

You can also consider using local baby gear rental companies abroad to cut down on luggage, or booking accommodation that has baby bedding.

Baby Products Abroad

Depending on how long you’ll be gone, you might want to re-up your baby products abroad. I would Google your destination and see what the options are for baby food, formula (if you’re using a specialized kind, travel with formula from home), diapers, and whatever else you may need. Depending on how small the town is that you are visiting, you may need to make a stop before you get there to get provisions. Since we only went to Mexico for a week, we brought enough with us, but I did see baby food and formula in both large and small grocery stores.

In Japan, we ended up buying diapers locally except for the Coteries we bring from home for overnights. They also had formula and baby food, which I would have happily tried had we run out. Since we do baby-led weaning , we mostly bought his food at grocery stores and fed him in the room or shared what we had at restaurants as long as it didn’t seem salted. Candidly we didn’t worry too much about solids and mostly did breast milk and formula since he was only six months old.

Cleaning and Sanitizing Abroad

Unless you exclusively breastfeed, you’re going to need to wash baby bottles and potentially pacifiers and teethers abroad. I always bring our portable bottle washing station as well as these microwave steam clean bags. They are tiny and can be used up to 20 times. It feels like the ultimate parenting hack, though it does require a microwave.

In Japan the tap water is potable and rooms almost always come with hot water kettles. In Mexico, our rental had a home water filter and UV system. If you’re worried about the cleanliness of the water, boil it first if you can. You can also bring your own water filtration system to clean the water before using. I prefer this to using bottled whenever possible to reduce plastic waste, though we did use bottled water for his formula in Mexico.

Adjusting Schedules and Expectations

When I traveled without a baby previously, I could pack so much into my day. I would often wake up for sunrise or photograph the stars. These are two of my passions but I have yet to do either one on a trip with my baby. Traveling with a six month old is different.

Adjust your expectations for how many things you are going to do in a day. You are probably not going to cross as much off of your bucket list. Your baby is going to need to sleep, it’s going to take more time to get out the door because you need to make sure the baby is fed, the diaper bag is packed, the diapers changed, etc. This is something that was hard for me to adjust to at first.

But with the right understanding of the difference of traveling with a baby – putting their needs first – it’s a rewarding experience. I loved how people interacted with our son in Japan, and it was so beautiful going to the beach with him for the first time in Mexico. You’re not losing out on experiences, you are exchanging them for new ones.

All of that said, it’s easier to plan and take a trip where you have just one destination and aren’t going to be moving. But although our Japan trip with major transit days was a lot more involved, I still enjoyed it immensely.

Ground Transportation

Research what type of transportation you’ll be using ahead of time and discern whether you need to bring a car seat or can travel without one .

Can you rent at your destination? Are you mostly taking public transport and won’t need one? We brought one to Mexico for the ride to and from the airport, but did not bring one to Japan, and I am so glad that we did it that way each time! It all comes down to what you’ll encounter abroad, and that’s location-dependent.

When it comes down to it, traveling with your baby is going to be different than traveling without. But we found traveling with a six month old to be the perfect age. They are alert enough to take in their surroundings, usually aren’t yet crawling and are therefore easier to contain, can be interactive with people but don’t usually have stranger danger yet, and since they are only beginning solids, feeding is a bit easier.

I’m so thankful for the family trips we took and I’m glad that nobody scared us out of traveling internationally with our six month old. Enjoy your journey – you got this!

*Some links in this post are affiliate links that support our site at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products that we use and love ourselves.

Kristin is the founder of Parenthood Adventures, combining her love of travel and newfound joy of motherhood. She's the creator of one of the most-read women's travel blogs in the world, bemytravelmuse.com, with a readership in the millions each year.

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Flying with Baby: Travel Tips for Flying with an Infant 6-12mos.

Planning on flying with an infant 6-12 month-old? We’ve flown with our kids during this stage more than any other. And just how many pictures do we have of us on board the aircraft?

Flying with an infant of this age means one thing for mom and dad and anyone else in your traveling party…

You’re. VERY. Busy.

And if you’ve got an early walker on your hands (lap)?

Even. Busier.

But this does not mean that flying has to be unpleasant. Unlike newborns and younger babies , infants of this age are even more interactive than their younger selves. They are usually well-established into a sleeping and eating routine (that will not be blown away permanently by a few disruptions due to travel. Promise!).

And, while you may be starting the exciting but nerve-wracking (and messy!) process of starting solids, you can now (or soon!) take advantage of the calming and distracting power of SNACKS.

Our Experiences Flying with a Baby 6-12 Months Old…

For us, this was a very busy but still fairly easy time to travel with baby. Ours were not yet mobile, thankfully. And they were solid eaters on a very well-established routine of eat and sleep times. In terms of getting around, although they were getting kinda heavy, they were easily carted in an infant carrier, pretty content to ride in a stroller, but sadly no longer in the super convenient  infant carrier car seat used with or without the base .

We needed to buy an FAA-approved car seat .

Flying with an Infant 6-12 Months: Biggest Concerns

Seeing as this was the age (11mos.) of our very first flight with our daughter , I had so many concerns. Would she scream the entire time? How would it be feeding her? What if she put everything in her mouth?

It was preparing for that trip that provided the inspiration for this site. I am a worrywart and control freak who frets over all the details. My issues were compounded by the fact that our charter airline, the now-defunct Skyservice , had the most miniscule seat pitch I have ever encountered. My knees dug into the seat in front of us. My husband (very tall at 6’7″) could not unfold himself at all.

Later flights with our son at this stage were worrisome to me simply because he was (and still is) SO. BUSY. Even a seasoned flyer such as myself got pangs thinking about those upcoming flights.

Flying with an Infant 6-12 Months: The Reality

As a first-timer, in spite of the ridiculously tight seating, our daughter flew well. Well enough, in fact, for us to be encouraged to create this site and hopefully inspire, motivate, and help other families to do the same. It was based on this trip that I wrote the 5 Ts to Happy Travel with Tots , which outlines in a nutshell pretty much everything we did and do when flying with an infant.

Our carry-on was full of food and toys and distractions. While it was certainly more than the magazine and bottle of water in my pre-baby flights, it really was not unmanageable. On our flights with our son at this age, I was much busier. In spite of it being nap time, on one flight home from Cuba my arms got quite the workout as I was a human jolly jumper for pretty much the entire duration. But he was cheerful and relatively quiet, save for some happy squeals, so I was grateful for small mercies.

We always used the change of clothes we’d bring with us. Diaper fails are a standard especially when it was most inconvenient. I always brought a few extras of their favourite foods and, in the case of my daughter, some extra formula in case of delays. Nursing my son on all of our journeys could not have been easier or more convenient. I’m pleased to state that we received nary a stink-eye from anyone due to nursing while traveling . For take-off and landings I usually nursed him, or he drank from a sippy of water or used his pacifier. Pain from ear pressure is a common concern when flying with an infant, but neither of my kids seemed troubled by their ears while flying (knock on wood!).

Flying with an Infant 6-12 Months: Extra Consideration

As with all of our flights, I did bring on board anti-bacterial wipes. I used them on armrests and the tray tables, as well as a quick swipe over the laminated safety card that both my kids seem to enjoy so much.  And, because I’m paranoid, I then went over those with our usual wipes because I was afraid of the anti-bacterial residue.

And also as with flying with a newborn or flying with a younger baby , changes of clothes are recommended for baby and you, as well as plastic bags to put them in. Again, your carry-on bag will be quite full of diapers (and possibly bottles) and also toys or snacks. If you’re well into solids, the foil pouches of food are so much easier to travel with than jars. If baby is bottle-fed , the weight of the pre-made formula may outweigh the convenience of not having to mix it. Personally I’d travel with the can of formula powder (easier going through security as well) and mix it with bottled water once you’re at the gate.

You’re now in or getting close to the stage of the dried cereal finger foods. Those little Os work wonders as both distraction and nourishment!

And now that your baby is bigger, for long-haul flights you may be close to the end of being able to use an airplane bassinet . You may want to consider purchasing a seat on the plane and investing in a travel car seat . This is entirely at your discretion since flying with car seats is a lot of work but worth it for obvious safety reasons.

Useful Tips for Flying with an Infant 6-12 Months:

• Get baby used to room temperature bottles and food, so you don’t have the additional hassle of heating en route.
• Now baby can likely bear weight on her legs, so consider purchasing slip-on diapers. Not all airplane bathrooms have change tables, or if they do they are only big enough to change a baby kitten on.
• A cloth carrier or sling doesn’t take up much room in your carry-on and is useful to keep your hands free – especially if you’re flying solo. Keep in mind you’ll have to take baby out for taxi, take-off, and landing.
• Get yourself up to speed with the 5 Ts of Happy Travel with Your Tots . This info now applies to you in its entirety and for the next couple of years.

You’ll be busy.

You will have your hands full.

You will be very tired at the end of your journey.

But you will have such wonderful memories of your travels with baby that the fear of flying with an infant will seem inconsequential. Take lots and lots of pictures and write down some of the more memorable stories.

Your baby will not remember these journeys, but you will never forget them. Trust me on that.

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• Flying with Baby: Travel Tips for Flying with a Newborn
• Flying with Baby: Travel Tips for Flying with a Toddler
• Traveling with a Baby? It Gets Harder…
• Traveling with a Baby? It Gets Easier…
• Infant Travel: Planning Your First Trip with Baby
• Baby Travel Gear Essentials
• 10 Dos & Don’ts for Flying with Babies & Toddlers
• Flying with a Baby: The Ultimate Tip List
• Tips for Flying with a Baby or Toddler at Every Age & Stage
• The Mother of all Packing Lists
• Beware the Aircraft Armrests When Flying with an Infant

flying with an infant , Preferred Family , Tagged Flying with Baby

67 Responses to Flying with Baby: Travel Tips for Flying with an Infant 6-12mos.

Wow! Thanks for all these great tips! I don’t usually leave comments but these tips are just so useful for me, a first time flyer with an 11-month-old! I am especially inspired by the part where you use the usual wipes after the anti-bacterial wipes. So smart! I am always worried about the anti-bacterial residue too, but never thought of wiping it again with usual wipes. Thanks again for sharing these great tips!

Thanks for the awesome advice!

Nice article! We want to travel to France (7 hours flight) but are hesitating to take a seat for my baby boy that is 4 minths. So you said that you had your baby on your lap the all trip, how long was the flight? Was it confortable for you and your baby?

By the way, do you live in New York?

For a 7 hour flight I would definitely consider getting a seat for your son and bringing on board his car seat. It is definitely the safest option and possibly the sanest for you as well. The longest I have done with a lap infant is 3 hours, and after a couple of those flights I would have paid anything to have an extra seat! Another option for you is to see if you can reserve the bulkhead and if they have a bassinet for infants. It is not as safe as his own seat with a car seat, but you will both likely be much more comfortable!

Not in New York. Toronto 🙂

Hi ..m flying with my 9 month old baby for almost 22 hours flight ..and then 5 hours drive . My baby is very active and he don’t like solids too. He don’t like too many people and small places . I am travelling alone and this is my first experience . Any suggestions please …

Hi Minika! You will be very very busy, so definitely be organized and prepared. Try some bringing some snacks that you know he will enjoy as well as some new finger foods he can try. Magazines with pages he can rip might be fun for him. Good luck!

Thanks for the useful tips Corinne! Very much appreciated. My wife and I are planning a 6 month adventure to South America from Vancouver, so I can sure see your tips coming in handy. All the best, Paul.

Have a great trip, Paul – let us know how it goes!

Thank u very much. We are flying.out tomorrow n the snack tips helped. I was afraid of bringing too much on board i.e. food wipes changing clothes etc. But i have a feel now for what to include. Thanks again!!!

Have a great flight, Lucy–let us know how it goes!

I should have done more research. I will be flying over 7 hours one way & over 9 hours back with my 8 month old on lap. As far as snacks, would the Gerber puffs be suitable/cleared to take on flight? I am a first time flier my self as well.

*Nervous Mommy of Two*

You’ll be fine! You will also be busy 🙂 The Gerber puffs are a great idea, and any kind of cracker and/or cold toast soldiers would be great for your eight-month-old. When is your fight?

Hi Corrine, thank you for the advice I’m traveling with my 10 month old soon at midnight and have a stop over for 5 hours, I’m so nervous as I’m flying solo and going to be exhausted, have you got any extra tips please? Thank you, Samantha from Australia 🙂

Samantha! How did it go? I hope you both got some rest!

Thank you for the great advice! We will be flying with our 10 month old and I’m a little nervous.

Hi there! Thanks for sharing. I’m considering a long 18 hour flight with one transit halfway. Worried that my 7 month old baby will not be able to take such a long journey. would such a long flight be advisable?

We will be flying to St. Thomas in 2 weeks! What is your advice on strollers? My stroller is the new Chicco Tre which folds very compact for an all terrain stroller. I really want to take it but recently read US Airways rules and it states any stroller over 20 lbs must be checked at the ticket counter. I called US Airways costumer service and the lady said I would be fine to check it at the gate, that check in at the ticket counter is only recommended. I have heard a lot of airports will let it slide but that smaller island airports will make you check it with baggage. I don’t want it checked with baggage for fear of it getting broke in the many transfers. I would rather buy a small stroller than have my good stroller broken. But want my good stroller so my baby will have shade from the sun as he’s only 7 months old.

What are your thoughts on this? And are all terrain strollers really that great in sand?

How much does your stroller weigh? So long as it folds down compactly, I’m sure you would be ok. I’ve yet to see a gate agent weigh a stroller before approving the gate check. If you’re close to the 20lb limit I’d say go for it. If you’re too worried, the G-Luxe by Uppababy has a great sunshade. Maybe not the best for traversing sand, but certainly easy to transport and use for a nap.

I’m traveling from fl to ny solo with my 4yr old and 9 month old any tips

We have a 3 hr layover as well I’ve never flown before can I do this lol

You can do it, Danielle! Lots and lots of distractions and snacks for your 4yo. Enlist him or her to be your “co-pilot” for your journey. 9mo will be busy, but hopefully big sibling can help entertain as well!

Are you alloeed to take dry formula and water on the plane. Also baby food. Daughter is flying to Texas from Calufornia

Hi Marti! Yes, you can take food and liquids on board for baby, just make sure you’ve separated it all together to make it easier to present for inspection. It might be easier (and lighter) to just bring the powder and mix with purchased bottled water once through security (if baby is past three months). Have a great flight!

Hi Corinne My daughter is coming out to South Africa from new York in Dec with a 9month old. Do the airlines allow the removable car-seat on board? Can she reserve a bassinet ahead of time? Would the car-seat be placed on the airline seat, or on the floor alongside? All these questions … Many thanks regards anne

If your daughter books the baby a seat, she will be able to bring on board her (FAA approved) car seat. For a very long flight, it might be worth the investment. If she doesn’t book a seat for the baby, she will have to gate-check the car seat. I don’t recommend checking it as luggage. Depending on the airline, she may be able to book a bulkhead/bassinet. Hope this helps!

I’ll be traveling with a 10 month old for a 5 day trip. I’m concerned about the baggage the fees. Any advice

If you’re really concerned you could pack a small bottle of laundry detergent and wash while you’re there. Or get really good at compacting your stuff so you can fit it all. Luckily 10-month-old clothes are still pretty small 🙂

I will be travelling with my 9 month old by myself. Would you recommend a window or aisle seat for a 3 hour flight?

Many Thanks

Thank you for this very useful post. I will be on a 12 hr flight with my 8 month old baby. I have booked a bassinet on Emirates so will be gate checking his car seat and stroller. Do you recommend getting those gate check car seat bags? Are they useful or can I use a regular large plasic or cloth bag?

One more question was regarding putting my baby to sleep. He is habituated to me holding him on my shoulder and I rock or bounce him to sleep. I have nt sleep trained him yet and was wondering if that would be a problem on the flight? We have booked the bulk head seat with bassinet so m hoping I might have some space for this

Hi Snehal! Please consider purchasing a padded bag for your car seat if you are going to gate check it. Your stroller should be fine. You should be able to get your baby to sleep on your shoulder on the flight, although it might be a little awkward while you’re seated. Do you transfer to the crib at home? If you’re good with that, hopefully it will work for the airline bassinet as well.

Best of luck and have a great flight!

Hi we will be travelling this month going to Philippines for 14 hours non-stop we have 10 months old baby boy and me and my husband is very nervous thinking about it… Please any tips ??? Thank you

Try not to be nervous but try to be prepared. The more you have on hand to distract and soothe your baby, the better. Some babies don’t have any pain issues in their ears at all, but if you are worried be ready with something for baby to eat or drink, or even a pacifier would do. It’s the act of swallowing (not sucking) that helps keep ear tubes clear. Good luck!

Hi one more question, when the plane is taking off anything I can do to help my baby if he cry , im a bit worried with the pressure when plane is taking off… Thank you

Hello. Thanks for all these wonderful tips. I am planning a very long haul flight to Europe when my bub is 15mths. He is a formula drinker too. Any tips for the longer haul flights? Thanks, A.

Hi Angelica! Bring extra formula powder and see if baby will drink it at room temperature. That way you can just mix it with bottled water with no need to heat. Make sure you have LOTS of distractions, and don’t shy away from toddler-appropriate technology if it will save your sanity. Good lucK!

Hi! Thanks for all the great advice. I’ll be traveling on a month long sabbatical to Costa Rica next spring. Do you have any packing recommendations? Have you ever used the services that drop off rental bib baby items to the airport?

I just wrote about why I’m headed to Costa Rica in my blog!

I have never been to Costa Rica but if you’ll be there for seven months it might be worth it to bring along your baby gear or purchase inexpensive items once you arrive. Rentals for seven months will be very costly. Good luck!

Great tips!! I’ll be traveling from India to Turkey and from Turkey to Miami with a 9 month spoiled baby!!! Wish me luck

Have a wonderful trip–good luck!

We will be traveling soon with 5 month old and 3.5years old it will be 15hrs of flight time we have booked bassinet for the baby please tell me what could you recommend taking along with us! We are only going for 2 weeks can I take the Gerber baby formula water gallons like 2 of them in plane for me to use there one gallon last me little over week so I want to take 2 if they allow it?

Hi Maira! Take what you think you will need. You may need to pay to check the baggage, and a gallon of water will weigh a lot. Can you get the water (or similar) where you are going?

these tips are beyond helpful! we have our first family trip to Disney for 2 weeks coming up. we have an almost 3yr old and an 8m old….. one question….we use distilled water for our baby girls formula bottles, did you have to deal with security bothering you about bottles pre-filed with 6-8oz of distilled? thats what I’m worried about!! i can’t have them taking the bottles lol

Hi Alyssa! With that much distilled water, your best bet is to pack it in your checked luggage. Or bring what you need for the flight and have what you’ll need delivered to your hotel once you’re there. Have a great trip!

Hi v r travelling from india to Phuket next week.. My baby is on formula and I feed her 8 oz per bottle.. Will they allow me to carry 2 bottles of pre filled water and similac advanced tin in cabin luggage? Thanks a lot, this article is wonderful !!!

Hi Neah! So long as you keep your baby’s food and formula separate, they should be fine with bringing along her pre-filled bottles. If your baby is past four months you are ok to mix the formula with bottled water, in a pinch. Have a great trip!

Hi I’m traveling with my going to be 6 month old at time of travel from New Mexico to Germany, that is where my husband will be stationed I was wondering if you have any tips or advice being that it’ll be the first on a plain for myself and I’ll be alone with my daughter.

Hi Elena! You will do great. You might consider purchasing your baby a seat and traveling with an FAA-approved car seat . It will certainly give you a break having your baby safely secured during the flight(s). Depending on your airline, you may be able to reserve a bassinet instead. When you make your travel arrangements, be sure to connect with your airline directly to make sure you’re familiar with their lap-infant policies (if you choose not to purchase a seat) and what additional assistance (if any) they can provide for traveling with an infant. Good luck!

Thanks for your article. I am planning to travel in couple of weeks with my daughter who is 2.5 years old and my son who is 12 month solo, so i am already nervous. We have traveled as family before but never done it all by myself. I have to change flights as well. Any tips for traveling with two kids? Greatly appreciate any suggestions

Hi Inna! I would highly recommend a lightweight double stroller, as you may find yourself needing to but both kiddos in baby jail. Failing that, a single stroller would work for your toddler if your baby is cool with being worn. If you can swing it, a lightweight double combined with a lightweight carrier might be your best bet, because if you’re wearing your baby you can put your carry-on bag in the spare stroller seat. A backpack might be your easiest choice for a carry-on, and make sure you have enough diapers and food for both kiddos. Be UBER organized; it will help going through security and you may want to introduce your toddler to the magic known as an iPad, in case she isn’t already 😉 Good luck!

So I have a 12 month old and I am super lost on how the whole seating works! Do I bring a car seat? Does he just sit in the plane seats? Does the plane provide a seat?? HELP lol im so clueless when it comes to this and me and my baba get on the plane in 2 days!

Hi Amaris! If you purchase a seat for your son, he will need a car seat on board. If you bring him along as a lap baby, I recommend bringing his car seat and gate checking it in a padded bag, if you will need a car seat at your destination. Have a great trip!

HI, my husband and I have twins (9mo) and are flying from Germany to Taiwan. How do you recommend that we eat? The idea of trying to keep those little hands off of our food… and our food on our trays sounds very daunting to me. I enjoyed your article… It took the edge off of my worries!

Hi Bre–good luck! Maybe try to eat in shifts and when it’s mealtime for you see if there’s some finger foods that they enjoy that you can give them to work on while you’re eating. My guys liked those Mum Mum crackers and little puffs that basically melt in their mouth.

Love these tips. Such an amazing blog.

I will be travelling with my 6 month old – 9 hr flight followed by 1.5 hr flight. I have already postponed my travels. I was planning on flying with him when he was 3 months old but felt overwhelmed and too nervous and cancelled the flight. Now I am again losing sleep and thinking whether I should postpone when he is even older – 9 months. I worry I exhaust him, he might catch something, cry a lot and get disturbed. Any tips, please? If I fly now when he is 6 months I am thinking I dont start solid just yet so he gets the most immunity from me and we deal with introduring solid once we arrive at our destination where I am planning on staying for 3 months. Any thoughts or recommendations?

Hi Lena! Don’t postpone out of fear or worry. You can do this! Hope for the best but prepare for the worst and you will be ok. A few small solids would be good to start so you have some to try to distract for interest. You may both feel a bit out of sorts for a day or two after your journeys but all eventually balances out, I promise!

Hi there, I stumbled on your blog. I’m going very last minute with my six month old from New York to Europe for a family emergency and feeling very flustered. I was able to book a bassinet seat – being unfamiliar with these, do you have any tips on sanitizing them? I was going to bring a muslin swaddle to put underneath the baby but also want to be mindful of SIDs guidelines. Thanks in advance.

Hi Victoria–I’m so sorry about your family emergency. I would give the bassinet a quick once over with a disinfecting wipe and an extra muslin to use as a liner might be a good idea. Hopefully you can find some other tips here: https://havebabywilltravel.com/a-complete-guide-to-booking-and-using-an-airplane-bassinet/ Best of luck with your travels.

Hello! i just came across your blog because i am SUPER nervous! this September i will be flying with my 13 month old eeeeeekkkk and before i bought the ticket i should have done more research too! she will be sitting on my lap and i will be on a 9-10 hour flight DOUBLE EEEK! Great advice i will be hopefully calm on your flight along with baby too

You both will do great–you have lots of time to prepare!

Such a useful and detailed post for those having a baby and traveling from the flight, thank you so much for sharing your tips.

Hi, so the stroller can be put on the plane, or it has to go under?

They almost always have to go under the plane, but you can usually gate check it so you can bring it right up to the plane and it’s waiting for you when you land.

Such a helpful and itemized post for those having a child and going from the flight, much thanks for sharing your tips.

Very Such a helpful and itemized post for those having a child and going from the flight, much thanks for sharing your tips.

Thanks for the article. We traveled with a 3 month old in a longish flight and it went okish. Now we have a 7 month old baby and flying again. I am torn between a direct flight ( 4 hours) vs an indirect flight (1 hour then 4 hours with a 2.5 hours stop over in between) – since the total travel time increases by almost 3-4 hours in the direct vs indirect flight. The costs are double – so not sure if we should choose convenience over money. (The direct flight also takes off and lands at decent times but the indirect flight is red eye flight! What would you do? – baby is not crawling or walking yet but is active and eats solids.

Ooh that’s a toughie. Does double the cost affect the trip or your overall finances? If money was object I would choose convenience all the time. But money is NOT no object so in the order of fiscal responsibility I would need to weigh what I would need to manage in order to justify the extra cost. The saving grace is the stopover is long enough to feed, change, and walk a bit without rushing onto another flight and the first flight is very short.

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• Parenting Babymoon & Travel

30 Tips to Keep in Mind When Traveling With an Infant

Sure, going away is exciting—but when you’ve got little ones to account for, getting ready for a trip can feel more like work than vacation. Traveling with baby is intimidating, but it’s certainly not impossible. In fact, family travel expert Corinne McDermott believes traveling with an infant is often easier than traveling with an older toddler. “They’re not mobile, they’re not wiggling and they’re eating and sleeping around the clock,” she says. “It doesn’t really matter where you are!”

That said, whether you’re getting to your destination by plane, train or automobile, you’ll still want to prepare to ensure your journey goes as smoothly as possible. Below, experts break down all the travel-with-baby tips to know before you depart.

When Can You Travel With a Baby?

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), both premature and full-term babies shouldn’t fly for the first few months of life unless it’s absolutely necessary. Flying can increase baby’s exposure to infectious diseases, so it may be best to wait until their immune system is a little more developed, or until they’ve received some of their initial immunizations , which are generally given at the 2 month visit, but can be given after 6 weeks old. Traveling by train poses the same risk. Road trips are usually the safest option for newborns and infants. Just make sure to have a properly installed infant car seat and take breaks every few hours, per the AAP . Of course, it’s always best to check in with your pediatrician before planning any kind of vacation with baby.

General Tips for Traveling With an Infant

Traveling with an infant can seem like a daunting task, but there are several ways to make it go a bit smoother. Whether you’re hitting the road, taking a train or flying, consider the following travel-with-baby tips:

Stick to baby’s schedule

Odds are baby has a naptime , bedtime and feeding schedule they’re used to. Children tend to behave better when they have a predictable sense of order, so try to plan your travel—as well as events on the trip—around that schedule (i.e. after baby’s nap or meal) if you can, advises parenting coach Tammy Gold . They’ll likely be less cranky if they’re well-rested and fed.

Keep baby’s meals handy

On a similar note, while traveling with an infant, pack plenty of formula, bottles, water (for babies older than 6 months) and other solids . Pack more than you think you’ll need in case of delays—and don’t forget to take all the essentials you’ll need for pumping while traveling .

Bring extra clothes and lots of diapers

When traveling with an infant, you’ll want anything and everything that can help clean up a messy emergency. Pack extra wipes in your carry-on diaper bag , as well as multiple changes of clothes for baby . “Bring more diapers and wipes than you think you’ll need,” suggests McDermott. Accidents happen. Stash plastic bags to hold trash until you have the opportunity to dispose of it properly. While you’re at it, keep a change of clothes for yourself handy in case of spit up or a blowout. If baby makes a mess, you might take the brunt of it. Plus, don’t forget the essentials, like travel-sized diaper cream , baby shampoo , body wash, moisturizer and other staples in baby’s daily routine, suggests McDermott. (This checklist is a great tool for packing all the baby essentials you’ll need in your diaper bag.) Gold also suggests trying overnight diapers for long travel days to prevent baby from getting uncomfortably wet.

Bring baby-safe medication

Consider also packing a first-aid travel kit in case of unexpected incidents, like if baby has an allergic reaction on the plane. It can also come in handy once you’ve landed, since you won’t want to hunt for a pharmacy in a strange place at an odd hour. You’ll also want to bring nasal aspirators , nasal saline drops, and infant Tylenol in case baby gets sick while traveling . Check in with your pediatrician for their recommendations on what medications to pack. Plus do some research before leaving on local pediatricians and pediatric hospitals in case of emergencies.

Pack baby’s toys

Whether you’re traveling with an infant or a toddler, packing books and toys to keep them entertained is key. Bring a mix of baby’s favorites, including items that offer comfort, like their favorite stuffed animal or lovey . Having that small comfort from home when baby’s in a new place can go a long way to making them feel happy and safe, Gold says. Bringing new toys or options that baby doesn’t usually play with can be a game changer too. “New situations also offer new perspectives, so that book your child loves for hours at home may not be of interest to them at all on a flight. But that other one they’ve never picked up will suddenly occupy them for hours,” Lund says. “Books, wooden puzzles, busy-boards and coloring books are great for flights because they pack pretty easily and don’t require movement to be used.” Wondering if you should consolidate baby’s books onto one device to make your bag lighter? McDermott says to do this only as a last resort: “Once you pull that tech out, it’s hard to go back.”

Go over the logistics beforehand

If you’re flying with a baby internationally, do some research beforehand to see if there are any special passport or visa requirements, or immunizations baby will need . Also investigate if getting travel insurance is a good idea. Finally, call your lodgings beforehand to see what kind of travel gear they offer. This can help save you the effort of packing baby gear .

Arrive early

Whether you’re flying with baby or traveling by train, give yourself ample time. Get to the airport or train station a little earlier than you normally would to check in, request any assistance and board when you can. The last thing any parent traveling with little ones wants is the additional stress of missing their departure time.

Don’t worry about other passengers

When traveling with an infant, one of the primary anxieties parents have is disrupting other passengers. While it can be really hard, try not to worry about what others think. “No one wants to be the stereotypical ‘bad parent’ on a plane with a screaming kid, but there’s a reason it’s so prevalent,” says Tyler Lund, founder and lead contributor at Dad on the Run . “Parents need to do what they need to do and what’s best for their children, regardless of whether it interrupts another passenger’s enjoyment of their in-flight movie.” Instead of worrying about other passengers, spend your time and energy making baby comfortable.

Be patient with yourself and baby

Another important tip for traveling with baby? Show yourself grace. Even with extra time and tons of planning, it can be challenging—with or without a child in tow. Despite all of your planning, baby may have a fit , or things may not go as smoothly as you had hoped. Accept the situation at hand and roll with it, Lund says. “Even the most epic meltdown won’t ruin the rest of your vacation.” It’s also okay not to be as strict about rules as you might be at home to make things easier on yourself and your little one. Be patient with yourself and your kiddo and know you’re both doing the best you can.

Tips For Flying With a Baby

Anxious about an upcoming flight? Check out the following tips for flying with baby to ensure you both have a stress-free and enjoyable time.

Figure out what time to fly

Chaos is inevitable around peak travel periods, like the holidays, spring break and the summer months, but you can avoid some of it by traveling early. Generally, airports are less crowded earlier in the morning, and early flights are less likely to have travel delays. “Given the choice between an early flight or mid-afternoon, I’ll take early every time,” McDermott says. “Some kids might actually go back to sleep for the ride to the airport.” As for booking the cheapest tickets, “steering clear of the weekends usually offers the best opportunity for reasonable airfare,” she adds.

Know TSA rules for breast milk and formula

Wondering what the deal is with packing formula or breast milk when flying with baby? According to TSA , when traveling with an infant, you can take breast milk, formula and baby food (like puree pouches) in quantities greater than 3.4 ounces for your carry-on; cooling accessories like freezer packs and gel packs are also allowed. These items are subject to additional screening though, so have them grouped together in a separate bag to make the check-in process go smoother. “It’s just easier to show security when you have all of baby’s food and drinks together,” McDermott says, adding that, while a clear bag may speed up the screening, it’s not necessary.

Gate check your stroller

Not to worry if you don’t have one of those cool micro travel strollers that folds up to fit in the overhead compartment. As you’re checking your luggage, tell the attendant at the counter that you’d like to gate check the stroller. They’ll give you a tag to attach to it, which is all the gate attendant needs to see as you’re boarding. The only stipulation: The stroller needs to be able to fold in half. With most airlines, it’ll be waiting for you on the ramp as you deplane.

Prepare baby for takeoff and landing

One of the most important tips for flying with baby? Be sure to soothe them during takeoff and landing. “Babies and toddlers tend to feel the most pain from the pressure, since the Eustachian tubes in their ears are much smaller,” explains McDermott. “The act of swallowing helps to clear them, so nursing or sucking on a bottle or pacifier can help. However, don’t be afraid to administer a dose of baby pain reliever if your child really seems to be in pain.” (Get the green light from your pediatrician first.) For older kids, swallowing snacks or drinks should help with the ear pain from the change in air pressure. Plus, while pain relievers may be okay, experts don’t recommend offering little ones medicines like Benadryl to help them “sleep better” on the flight, as it can cause adverse side effects.

Think carefully about your seats

One of the most valuable tips for flying with baby? If you have the flexibility, choose seats that work best for your family. Lund recommends the bulkhead seats toward the front. These are the rows without seats in front of them, and they often have more leg room. Some airlines may also have a pull-out bassinet in the bulkhead area too. Call your airline ahead of time and see if they’ll let you reserve the bulkhead seats, suggests Lund.

McDermott, on the other hand, prefers the back of the plane, where you can nab a spot closer to the bathroom and the service galley. “It’s easier to catch the flight attendant’s attention should you require assistance with anything,” she explains. A window seat is also usually better for baby to protect them from the service carts and any items that may fall out of overhead bins.

Consider getting baby their own seat

While the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) allows babies and toddlers under 2 years old to sit on your lap, the AAP suggests getting baby their own seat with a car seat that’s certified for airplane use. Check in with your airline on whether baby’s gear will count as luggage and whether there are any rules and regulations to keep in mind.

Accept help from anyone you can

Many passengers or crew members will be willing to help a family traveling with an infant. Particularly at the airport, you might be surprised at how friendly and helpful TSA agents, airline employees and flight attendants can be when you ask for assistance.

Figure out if pre-boarding is right for your family

One of the biggest questions parents have when flying with baby: To preboard or not to preboard? It’s really a matter of preference and your child’s temperament . Is an extra 30 minutes of sitting on the plane a recipe for disaster—or is that additional time going to help everyone get settled? “Personally, if I let my kids run wild until the last minute, it takes them a long time to settle down,” McDermott says. “I prefer pre-boarding because it gives me the opportunity to get organized and settle the kids in their seats. You want to make sure you have access to a close overhead bin, as well as have time to install a car seat if you brought one.”

Find the airport’s play areas

Most major airports will have at least one play area for children—and this can be a great place for them to get all their energy out before boarding a flight. “It also helps to keep them from falling asleep in a stroller or on seats at the gate right before boarding,” Lund says. While it’s unavoidable at times, waking up little ones right before boarding a plane may quickly cause a meltdown.

Keep baby entertained mid-flight

“Most toddlers don’t like being restrained for lengths of time and just want to get up and explore the plane,” Lund says. Along with toys, keeping baby entertained may involve walking up and down the aisle with them when the seatbelt sign is off. Pay no mind to other passengers—as long as baby is safe and happy, that’s really all that matters.

Use bedtime as a tool for international flights

For international flights, consider overnight options, and book flights around baby’s normal bedtime. “[This] gives them a chance to calm down, get used to the setting and fall asleep. It also helps in the case of a minor delay,” Lund says. “Our boys refused to sleep on our first flight until two hours after their bedtime… Once they fell asleep though, they were out for the rest of the flight and gave us time to ourselves.”

Car Travels With Baby Tips

Keeping your little one happy while they’re strapped into a car seat for hours can be a challenge. As you gear up for a road trip with baby, keep the following travel-with-baby tips in mind:

Check the car seat

Baby will be spending the entire ride in their car seat, so it’s crucial to make sure they’re safe and secure in a properly installed car seat . While babies shouldn’t sleep in car seats for long stretches of time or overnight, the AAP notes that babies can doze off in a properly installed car seat while your vehicle is in transit.

Plan your route

Know where the gas stations and rest stops are located. Moreover, take note of any hotels along the way in case you need one, and call ahead to see if they provide a safe sleep space for baby. If not, bring a bassinet or a travel crib . Also, don’t be super-strict about arrival time. “You can’t plan around unexpected diaper changes or needing to nurse,” McDermott says. “If you go with the expectation that things will take a lot longer than usual, you’ll be fine.”

Time your departure

If you’re going to be in the car for a few hours, try timing it with baby’s nap schedule or earlier in the morning when they’re still sleeping. For longer trips, consider driving at night during baby’s normal bedtime .

Make sure everything you need is handy

Before you pull out of the driveway, make sure you have everything you and baby will need within arm’s reach. This includes extra clothes, diapers , wipes, meals and toys for baby, as well as water, hand sanitizer , sunglasses and a phone for you.

Sit in the backseat with baby

If possible, it’s smart to have a caregiver sit in the back to help with baby’s needs throughout the ride. It’ll also help keep them entertained. Whether you’re reading board books or singing a song, interaction is key when traveling with baby. “When they’re small and rear-facing, it gets awfully boring in that back seat,” McDermott says. “An engaged, safe and comfortable baby is usually a happy baby.”

Take breaks every few hours

Not only will this help you stretch your legs, but it may also keep baby from getting too restless. The AAP recommends taking a break every two to three hours during day trips and four to six hours at night. Use this time to change baby’s diapers and feed them. (The AAP also cautions parents to never breastfeed baby in a moving car.)

Pull over when you need to

Maybe baby just won’t stop crying because they threw their toy and now it’s stuck somewhere between the seat and the door, or maybe you need to use the restroom. Whatever the reason, if there’s anything distracting you from the road, pull over and take the time to deal with it. If you’re traveling with baby alone and need to leave the car, take them with you. Otherwise, work with your traveling companions to ensure everyone’s needs are met before getting back on the road.

Train Travels With Baby Tips

The train seems ideal for traveling with baby, right? You’re free to move around, baby always has a view and you don’t have to keep your eyes on the road. “For older toddlers, you can’t beat it,” McDermott says. Plus, Amtrak also offers great discounts for kids: Infants 0 to 2 travel for free, and children ages 2 to 12 ride at half price. However, there are some things to keep in mind to have a smooth ride—and many of these will be similar to our tips for flying with baby.

Tag team finding seats

If you’re traveling with your partner or someone else, have them scout out seats while you tend to baby. Many cars have four seats facing each other toward one end, and these typically have more room. Try to snag those seats if they’re available. Also, ask the conductor which doors will open at your stop so you won’t have to scramble to switch cars.

Sit by a window

If you’re able, try to grab baby a window seat. Similar to flights, it’s safer than the aisle. Plus, the view outside may keep baby engaged and entertained while you take a few minutes to yourself.

Above all else, when traveling with baby, remember to have patience. “Tantrums and breakdowns aren’t malicious; they’re a sign of frustration,” Lund says. “Remembering this might be the difference between a bad [experience] that’s a side note to an otherwise great vacation, and a bad [experience] causing a bad vacation.”

Please note: The Bump and the materials and information it contains are not intended to, and do not constitute, medical or other health advice or diagnosis and should not be used as such. You should always consult with a qualified physician or health professional about your specific circumstances.

Tammy Gold , LCSW, MSW, CEC, is a licensed therapist, certified parent coach, author and the founder of the Tammy Gold Nanny Agency. She has over 20 years of experience and received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania and her master’s degree from Columbia University.

Corinne McDermott is a TICO-certified family travel expert with over 15 years of experience and the founder of the blog Have Baby Will Travel . She received her bachelor’s degree from Toronto Metropolitan University.

Tyler Lund is the founder and lead contributor to Dad on the Run , a blog dedicated to fatherhood. He’s also a software development manager, tech nerd, home-brewer, three-time marathoner and rescue dog owner. He loves traveling to new and unique places a bit off the beaten path and sharing stories from these adventures.

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HealthyChildren.org, Is it Safe for My Baby to Travel in a Car Seat a Few Hours at a Time? , December 2022

Head Start Early Childhood Learning & Knowledge Center, The Importance of Schedules and Routines , September 2023

Cleveland Clinic, Why Can’t Babies Drink Water? , September 2023

Transportation Security Administration, Traveling With Children

Pediatrics Child Health, Air Travel and Children , January 2007

Federal Aviation Administration, Flying With Children , September 2023

HealthyChildren.org, Travel Safety Tips , August 2018

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Tips for Road Tripping with a Baby ( 0 – 12 Months) – A Complete Guide for First-Time Parents

Who says you cannot travel with a baby? Yes, it is different, but it is totally doable! One of the best ways to start traveling as a new family is by going on a road trip with a baby.

After one year of road trips with our son, we have learned a lot. From short 2-hour road trips to a 2-week long road trip – we have experienced the best and the worst parts of road tripping with a baby. 

Through personal tried and true experience, I have created this guide of “How to Road Trip with a Baby” to help new parents navigate their way as easily as possible. My guide includes product recommendations, expectations at different months of age, and 12 essential tips for road tripping with a baby.  

Full disclaimer: I am not a children’s practitioner, nurse, or expert. This guide and tips are purely from personal experience and fellow traveling parents. If you have any medical or health concerns, please seek advice from your pediatrician. 

Furthermore, This post may contain affiliate links. When you click on the link you will have the option to purchase a product at no extra cost to you, but I would receive a small commission. I want to thank everyone for following and supporting us on all of “Our Sweet Adventures.” 

Table of Contents

12 Essential Tips for Road Tripping with a Baby

First and foremost, EVERY BABY IS DIFFERENT!

Yes, I believe my guide can help first-time parents navigate their way to a successful road trip with a baby. However, what has worked for other parents and us, may not always work for you. Some tips may work, some may not – you will not know until you hit the road and go through trial and error.

We have found these 12 essential tips to be the most helpful during our road trips with a baby. Whether you are taking a road trip with a newborn, a 12-month-old, or any age in between – these tips can be helpful for any stage.

The Trifecta Checklist

Of all the tips for road tripping with a baby, this one is KEY! We call it the “trifecta checklist.” So what does that mean? Sleep, diaper, food.

If our son was crying, the first thing that helped us was to check for a diaper, see if he was hungry, and find out the last time he slept.

Nine times out of ten (especially before our son was 6-months-old), he would cry for one of those three reasons. He would immediately stop crying once we figured out if he needed a diaper change, a bottle, or sleep.

Moreover, the “trifecta checklist” is a great tip for traveling with a baby , period.

Plan For Several Stops

This brings me to my next tip – you will need to plan for several stops when road tripping with a baby. This is important and inevitable. Depending on your baby and their stage in life, you may need to plan a stop every 1 -3 hours.

Why? Because you need to give your baby breaks. The best way to take breaks is by incorporating fun activities, tours, or stops at cute little towns. As a family who loves to hike, we plan our stops around hiking places.

You also want to be prepared to carve out a couple of hours on your road trip for diaper changes, breastfeeding, and walks. Honestly, these stops are so healthy because a nice break is beneficial for both the parents and child when the baby gets fussy.

Plan for Itinerary Changes

With that said, you can also expect to change your itinerary. Going on a road trip with a baby is not always easy. You may get behind schedule. That is OKAY!

I recommend setting a goal for Plan A, knowing you most likely will end up with Plan B. This could mean taking an activity (or two) out of the day, going to a drive-thru instead of dining inside, taking the highway instead of a more scenic route, etc.

If planning road trips is daunting for you. Do not worry! There are awesome apps for road tripping planning that can help you.

Find Patience!

I am probably one of the most impatient people in the universe, but I had to find the patience to succeed when road tripping with a baby.

As you may have already gathered from my previous tips, a typical 2-hour road trip may take up to 4 hours. So take deep breaths, and remember it’s about the journey and the memories you create with your family. It is not a race to the finish line or, in this case, the destination.

Once you can find patience, your road trip with a baby will be so much more enjoyable.

Plan Driving Around Naps

If possible, plan the driving around your baby’s sleep schedule. We always try our best to drive 30 minutes before our son’s scheduled nap.

If you do not already keep track of your baby’s sleep schedule, now would be the time to start. Our favorite baby app is Huckleberry because it keeps track of sleep, feedings, medicine, and more.

Another tip for road tripping with a baby and their naps – pack a swaddle blanket with patterns and keep it in the car. We use swaddle blankets for three things. Of course, we use it to wrap our son, but we also use it for two road trip tips.

We place the swaddle blanket over the car seat to help provide more shade and a quiet space for our son to sleep while on the road. We also use it to keep our son calm and engaged by looking at the patterns. He would always stare and try to touch the patterns on the swaddle blanket.

Be Prepared to Pack MORE Than Ever!

My goodness, I think we had a full-sized suitcase packed to the top just for our son. From the 2 – 3 clothes per day to diapers, baby wipes, towels, and everything else – our son had more stuff than the two of us combined.

Not to mention, the car seat, the stroller, the pack-n-play… everything will quickly add up. So if you are renting a vehicle for the road trip, I suggest an SUV.

Pack the Car with Easy Access 

What is a road trip without snacks, right? I think this tip works for any road trip – make the snack bag easily accessible. More importantly, when road tripping with a baby, you want to make sure all the essentials are also easily accessible.

Whether that means a cooler with baby bottles, a bag of toys, or a diaper bag, you want to make sure you can easily reach these items.

Pack Extra Batteries

Today, so many of the best ways to keep a baby happy and calm require batteries. Therefore, you do not want to forget to pack extra batteries.

Before your road trip, check all electronics that require batteries and either replace them with new batteries or pack extra batteries for them.

Stretch and Massage Baby

Just like adults, a baby’s body and muscles will get stiff and sore after sitting in a car seat for long periods of time. So it is recommended to massage and stretch your baby when you take breaks or at night in your accommodations.

The benefits of massaging and stretching your baby are significant. It can help calm a fussy baby, ease tummy troubles, boost muscle development, and most importantly, soothe babies to sleep.

Baby Wipes are like Gold 

One of the most important things I have learned as a parent is that baby wipes are gold! We use baby wipes for EVERYTHING!

We use baby wipes to change diapers, clean spills in the car, wipe dirty hands, clean hard surfaces or utensils, and more. With that said, at least two stacks of baby wipes are essential when road tripping with a baby.

New Toys or Rotate Toys

Something we learned from the Montesorri Method is rotating toys. We do this at home and find it useful for road tripping with a baby.

Before a road trip, we will remove a few of our son’s favorite toys. Then when we are on the road trip, we reintroduce the toys (one at a time) so that the toys are “new,” exciting, and engaging. Of course, you can also buy new toys for a road trip.

It is essential to give the baby only one toy to focus on at a time. This way, when they get bored with one toy, there is a new one to play with because, let’s be honest, babies LOVE NEW things!

Music Matters!

Okay, this tip is from personal experience. I am not sure of any scientific research to prove this works, but it does for us – and I hope it does for you too.

During my pregnancy, I listened to this one trance album that I found calming and peaceful while I worked. Adam read that the music I listened to during pregnancy is what the baby would find relaxing after birth. It turns out it worked at least 80% of the time for us.

On our road trips, we would listen to this one trance album on repeat until our son was fast asleep. I swear it made our son calm and fall asleep almost every time.

Now, fast forward to when our son was 9 – 12 months old – things changed. Children’s music that we listened to at home helped our son stay calm during road trips. It was not music to our ears like our favorite trance album, but it kept our son happy, relaxed, and quiet – and that IS music to our ears.

So , music that is familiar with the baby at home will most certainly help put the baby at ease during road trips. You can also use a portable sound machine or play white noise from the car speakers.

How to Feed a Baby on a Road Trip

Whether you breastfeed your baby, bottle feed your baby, or are in the stage of providing snacks/solid foods – here are a few simple tips for feeding a baby on a road trip.

Breastfeeding a Baby on a Road Trip

First and foremost, do not breastfeed your baby in a moving car. This is very dangerous in the event of a car accident. Therefore, allow extra time to stop the vehicle and breastfeed your baby. If possible, utilize this time for restroom breaks, to get gas, food, etc.

If you pump, pack a breast pump car charger , breastmilk storage bags , spare parts, and a cooler to store pumped breastmilk. Moreover, continue to practice good nursing hygiene and habits as if you were at home.

Bottle Feeding a Baby on a Road Trip

Whether it’s breastmilk or formula, you want to pack a cooler to bottle feed your baby on the road.

Make sure you pack enough bottled water and formula powder (if you use formula). To help with space, I recommend pouring a small amount of water into the baby bottles and adding the formula when needed.

Furthermore, a formula dispenser can come in handy in the car. Then store a large container of formula in a suitcase.

Feeding Snacks to a Baby on a Road Trip

Once your baby can eat solid foods and/or pureed food, it can make feeding on the road a lot easier. I recommend packing snacks/food that your baby is familiar with, will enjoy, and is easy to eat on the go.

A few snacks that are easy to eat on the road are the squeezable veggie and fruit pouches , yogurt pouches , and Cheerios.

How to Change a Baby on a Road Trip

Honestly, sometimes there is no easy or right way to change a baby on the road. Through trial and error, find what works best for you!

For us, we have stopped at gas stations, rest stops, and have even needed to pull over on the side of the road to change our son. If a changing table in a bathroom is not available, we utilize our car. Moreover, a travel changing mat has been the key to our success because we can use it on any hard surface.

What to Pack for a Road Trip with a Baby

Believe me when I say you will probably pack your entire nursery when you road trip with a baby. Babies need soooo much! So do not feel like you packed “too much” because you will probably use everything.

Here are a few essential items to pack when road tripping with a baby.

• A car seat, obviously
• Pack n Play for sleeping
• Stroller (if you find you will need/use it)
• Plenty of diapers (if you run out, you can always buy more at a store)
• Plenty of baby wipes (again, if you run out, you can always buy more at a store)
• Portable changing mat
• First aid kit
• Baby Tyenol and Benadryl (approved by your pediatrician)
• 3 sets of clothes per day
• Swaddle blankets and/or sleep sacks
• Batteries for any toys
• Portable white noise machine
• Baby bottles
• Travel sterlizing bags for bottles
• Bottle soap and brushes
• Travel high chair

How Long Can You Go on a Road Trip with a Baby?

There is no exact number of hours that you can road trip with a baby, but it is highly recommended to give your baby plenty of breaks. Just like adults, our bodies can only take sitting in a car for so long. So imagine how a baby feels.

From personal experience, when our son was 2 – 4 months old, we could only go on 3-hour road trips. From 5 to 12 months old, we have only been able to drive up 8 hours a day. When we would drive 8 hours, the day would get divided into several stops at different cities. So really, it was two, 4-hour drives in one day and even then we had to break that up at times.

To figure out what is best for you and your family, I would practice around your city first, especially if you have been nesting for the first few weeks/months. Start with a short 30 minute to one-hour drive.

Then gradually work towards a 2 – 3 hour day trip. Eventually, you will learn your baby’s road trip habits to plan for a weekend getaway with a 4-5 hour road trip.

Road Trip with a Baby ( 1 – 4 Months)

The first few months of going on a road trip with a baby are the easiest and the toughest because everyone is still learning their roles. On one hand, a baby sleeps the most at this stage, so driving through naps is easier. On the other hand, this might be the most challenging stage because, as first-time parents, we are all just trying to survive, right?

Moreover, I recommend waiting at least two weeks before going on a road trip with a baby because the first few weeks as a parent are the hardest!

Additionally, I went with my pediatrician’s recommendation and waited for our son to receive his vaccines at 2 months before we traveled outside of our city. I would always consult with your pediatrician and do what is best for you and your family.

After we figured out the amount of time we could drive without stopping, this was the easiest and best time to road trip with a baby. Our son would sleep for the majority of the time. We would engage him with black and white toys and books when he wasn’t sleeping.

Here are a few products that I highly recommend for road tripping with a baby between 1 – 4 months old.

Road Trip with a Baby ( 5 – 8 Months)

At this stage in life, if your baby is becoming mobile, independent, and napping less – road tripping with a baby might become a little more complicated. Mainly because you may need to help entertain your baby.

In our experience, once our son became mobile and napped less, we had to entertain him more on road trips. It would require one person to always sit in the backseat to play with him. It also meant stopping more frequently to keep him active and happy.

Furthermore, rotating toys will become essential during this stage because of the developmental leaps. A baby will want to be constantly engaged and challenged. At 5 months, a baby should also start seeing colors well.

Therefore, I recommend these colorful toys for road tripping with a baby between 5 – 8 months old.

Road Trip with a Baby ( 9 – 12 Months)

Road tripping with a baby at 9 – 12 months old may or may not be the most challenging time. It could be the hardest if your baby is mobile, enjoys being active, and just doesn’t like car rides – period. If you’ve been road tripping with your baby for several months, it might just go as smoothly as one could hope.

For us, it was hard, but not that bad. Our son had grown used to traveling and taking road trips. So he would be okay for 3 – 4 hours at a time. Granted, we made an epic 2-week road trip through West Texas and New Mexico. Therefore, we had plenty of overnight stays in fun towns such as Fort Davis and San Angelo with fun activities to keep everyone entertained.

The best way to road trip with a baby between 9 – 12 months old is to keep the baby active and entertained by exciting roadside attractions and pit stop destinations. Let your baby be mobile, and your road trip just might be the most enjoyable family vacation you could ever imagine!

We mostly entertained our son with activities at different destinations along our journey, but here are a few products that I also recommend for road tripping with a baby between 9 – 12 months old.

And that’s a wrap! I hope you have found my guide on road tripping with a baby helpful and insightful. Like all parents, I wish I had all the answers, but my knowledge and experience are all I have. I hope it is enough to help you and your family have successful road trips for many years to come!

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Friday 15th of December 2023

Mind blowing article! I have a 1+ years old baby boy.So this blog will be very helpful for us and every guide is very important for newly parents. Thanks for sharing.

oursweetadventures

Tuesday 26th of December 2023

Aww thank you so much for your kind words. I'm glad to hear you found my guide helpful! :)

Katherine Hurt

Sunday 19th of March 2023

Since my baby is 8 months old and we live in San Diego, I appreciate all of your advice. We are preparing to drive to San Francisco so that our baby can meet the family. Many people advised us to travel after the baby has gone to sleep. Then I came across your essay, which has been a huge assistance to us with all of our issues. Many thanks

Aww thank you. I’m glad my post has been helpful to you. I know some say to drive at night when the baby is sleeping, but that never appealed to us. And every baby is different! If you can, I would try a day trip to get some experience. We now have twin babies and the same has applied with them. We drive an hourish before nap and they are out for at least 2 hrs. And have learned that they really can’t do more than 5 hours without getting out of the car for a break. If you have questions, feel free to ask.

Tuesday 7th of June 2022

Thank you for all the tips; my baby is 9 months we live in San Diego and are planning to drive to San Francisco so our baby can meet the family. A lot of people told us drive at night when the baby is sleeping. Then I found your article and help us a lot with all our concerns. Thank you

Wednesday 8th of June 2022

Hi Emma, thank you for your comment. That makes me so happy to hear you found my guide helpful. I hope my tips help you for your family road trip!

The best travel hacks for travelling with a Baby

By: Author Char Taylor

Categories Family Travel , Travel Hacks , Travel Tips

Travelling with a baby is a whole new adventure in every way possible. Navigating the airport, let alone a new destination, is an experience and with each new trip comes a whole host of learning for future ones.

Before my baby came along, travelling to and from a destination could be tricky anyway! It’s taken me years of adventures to learn that it’s so much easier to travel with a wheeled suitcase, a backpack for my day bag and to dress in my comfies.

In an effort to remember my tips for future trips and in the hope of encouraging other mums and dads to hold off retiring their love of travel, here are 10 of our favourite travel hacks for travelling with a baby…

Tips for flying with a baby

#1 small bags.

Group items and pack them in small bags before packing into your main bag. So you might have a bag of spare clothes, a bag for your changing stuff and a bag of medicines.

It’s cramped on a plane and when you’re trying to juggle a baby and a million other things, it’s so much easier to grab one little bag rather than having to empty the contents of your bag to find one thing.

It also means that you can just take one small bag with you when you need to change your baby. Those cubicles are tight at the best of times, so you don’t want to end up trying to squeeze a bulky bag in with you.

I have a Paca Pod Changing Bag so it comes with two ‘pods’. Alternatively, you could use big freezer bags and as they’re clear you’ll easily be able to grab the right one.

#2 Label Up

Chances are your baby won’t be impressed at having to hang around at the luggage carousel. Use a white marker pen to write your surname on your travel cot/buggy etc bag.

It’s so much better than using a luggage tag that you fix to your bag, as it can’t fall off and you don’t have to faff about trying to find or read the tag. You’ll be able to spot your item a mile off and it also means someone else is less likely to accidentally walk off with your stuff.

Note from Monica: When I went to Portugal there were four other families on the plane with the same pushchair as us (the Maclaren Triumph Stroller ). It’s a great stroller for travel but I’d second this and tie something memorable to it!

#3 Premium Economy

Check the price difference of travelling in the next class or at the very least, premium economy. This is especially worthwhile if you’re breastfeeding.

It can feel quite pokey when you have a baby on your lap, especially if you have a big baby like me! If the price difference isn’t that much and your flight is longer than an hour, it’s worth paying a bit more for comfort.

Babies fly for free up until the age of two, but sitting for hours with an almost two year old on your lap gets tiring very quickly so the bigger seat makes things so much easier.

Check out our travel hacking blog posts  so you can get that upgrade for free!

#4 Check it in

Check-in staff sometimes offer you the option to check in an extra bag into the hold that you were planning to take on as hand luggage. This is free of charge and usually happens on busy budget airlines where very few people pay for checked luggage. Chances are you’ll be grateful of the opportunity to rid yourself of a bag. To save you making the same mistake we did, use a marker pen on your bags of liquids so that you remember which ones need to go on the flight with you – that way you can easily whip that bag out before it gets checked in. We lost our precious bottle of Capol by not doing this and we couldn’t buy a replacement in the duty free shops. *Cue panic-stricken parents*

#5 Meet & Greet Parking

It’s worth paying for convenience. Who wants to stand waiting 20 minutes for a crowded and cold bus to a car park? Not a mummy or daddy that’s for sure! Pay the extra few pounds to park as close to the airport as possible. Book early to get the best prices and search online for discount codes. You can often find a 10% promo code.

General travel tips when travelling with a baby

#6 travel light.

Strip your luggage down to the bare essentials. There’s no point being weighed down by your own luggage when you need to cart your little ones’ belongings around, as well as carrying your baby.

Think strategically and allow enough time before your trip to pack your bags. If you leave it to the last minute you’ll probably just end up panic packing.

Monica’s Tip:  When I fly with my baby, I take nothing but my purse, phone, passport, Kindle and headphones in my hand luggage. I can even fit these things in my pockets if I need to.

Read more: My ultimate baby and toddler holiday packing list!

#7 Teething Granules

If your little one is teething or you think that might be able to start, you might want to pack a box of teething granules. They come in little sachets and offer pretty much instant relief from teething pain.

If you’ve seen (or heard!) a baby suffering with teething pain you’ll understand why these are such a good buy (especially for an upcoming plane journey!). They’re a homeopathic remedy, so they stimulate the body’s own natural healing processes. Teething granules are deemed as a safe and side-effect free treatment.

#8 Giant Muslin

Invest in a supersized muslin for your travels. Similar to the regular sized ones you can mop up any mess, but with a bigger size you can use it as a swaddle, sun shield, pillow and a cover-up if you’re breastfeeding (ideal for flights). These stylish muslins are ideal.

#9 Don’t over-do it

You may be used to packing in as much as possible when travelling without a baby. Daily itineraries begin at 8am and don’t stop until midnight and you’ll see and do as much as you can. Things are about to change.

When you’re travelling with your little one you’ll need to take things much slower. Opt for either a morning or an afternoon activity (depending on when your baby is at their best) and plan to chill out for the rest of the day.

Getting around

#10 sling or stroller.

In line with #6 (travelling light), you’ll need to carry your baby around the airport and wherever you’re going with ease and minimal effort. Slings and carriers such as the Pao Papoose baby carrier are great as it means you can use both of your hands. If you’re travelling with a bigger baby then consider a carrier like the Little Life All Terrain carrier .  This is great for when you reach your destination but you will have to put it in the hold of the plane once you reach the plane doors.

If you’d rather have a set of wheels then try to get something super lightweight and compact such as the Maclaren Globetrotter   or the Maclaren Mark II . Although you can usually take your stroller right to the plane, you need to consider that you might need to transport it in a taxi, on a bus/coach or your hire car.

The Doona  is a worthwhile buy. It’s both a car seat and stroller in one, so solves two problems with ease.

#11 Silicone Bibs

Consider using silicone bibs  rather than material ones. That way when they get grubby with food or dribble you can simply clean them with a wipe or under the tap, and reuse. If you use material bibs you’ll take up precious luggage space and end up with a big pile of dirty washing (to add to your even bigger pile of dirty clothes!).

The silicone ones also roll up really easily, so you can carry them in your hand luggage.

#12 Eat Early

Just because you’re travelling with a baby doesn’t mean you need to miss out on fancy meals – just make sure you get to restaurants as early as possible. The restaurant will be much quieter, you’ll be served much faster, it’s less likely you’ll be sat next to a couple trying to enjoy a romantic meal and it’s less likely your baby will have a tired meltdown.

Where to stay when travelling with a baby

#13 choose apart’hotels.

If you want the convenience that comes with a centrally located hotel with daily cleaning, great facilities and check-in staff, but you also want the extra space and a small kitchen that comes with an apartment then opt for an apart’hotel. These are really popular in European cities and make travelling with a baby a breeze as you can prepare meals and bottles and have a separate area to relax in the evening without disturbing Baby. They also often come with washing machines so you don’t need to pack too many clothes.

So, there you have it’ the first edition of travel hacks for baby travel. Do you have any tips to add to this list?

Pin for later…

Read More…

Tips for flying long haul with a baby

The Travel Hack’s Ultimate Travel Tips

Pregnancy Travel Tips: London with a Bump

Pregnancy Travel Tips: Coping with the Heat

What to pack for a flight with a toddler

Thursday 21st of September 2017

A few more tips here, if you'd like some more ideas: http://www.thislifeisbelle.com/home/2017/9/5/11-tips-for-making-travel-with-your-kid-easier

What it’s really like to travel with a baby: The good, the bad and the ugly

Tuesday 2nd of August 2016

[…] The best travel hacks for travelling with a baby […]

Tuesday 21st of June 2016

Yes, Yes, and Yes on the apart'hotels. As we learned with our little one on a trip to New York, a hotel room means when baby sleeps, so do you. Since then we've rented apart'hotels on every trip, preferably two rooms, that way when he sleeps we can enjoy ourselves without the fear of waking him up.

TheTravelHack

Yes, that was our problem too! I hear about some parents being able to just carry on as normal while their baby is sleeping but mine would never stay asleep!

Monday 16th of May 2016

Great tips! I'm not a parent but hope to one day travel with my children. These are really great things to keep in mind for those future-future travels

• Family Travel

14 Must-Try Travel Hacks for Trips with Babies

Repeat after me: Getaways with young kids are not a vacation, they’re a trip. Now that you’ve set the right expectations, check out these baby travel hacks that will make your trip a little less work and a lot more enjoyable for you and everyone else involved. Whether you’re flying with a baby to an all-inclusive or taking a road trip, these are the keys to a good getaway.

photo: iStock

1. Plan activities. For older babies who are active and stay up for longer stretches, plan simple activities to pass the time and keep them engaged. One idea: Bring a water bottle filled with pom-poms for your little one to take out and put back in. You can also bring interactive books to hold your babe’s attention.

2. Ship diapers and wipes to your destination. You have enough stuff to squeeze into suitcases. Use a service like Amazon to send diapers and wipes ahead of time to your destination, whether it’s grandma’s for the holidays or somewhere tropical. If you’re staying at a hotel, ask them if they’ll accept deliveries prior to your arrival.

3. Nurse or feed your baby during takeoff. This is an important one. To help your little one deal with pressure changes in the cabin during takeoff (and landing!) that could make them uncomfortable, nurse or give your baby a bottle at that time. The sucking distracts your child and alleviates much of the discomfort.

4. Request a portable crib in your hotel reservation. Most hotels will offer a portable crib at no extra cost. Request it in your reservation, so you can make other arrangements if the hotel informs you they can’t provide it. Pro tip: Bring your own crib sheets with you. They won’t take up much space in your luggage and will be soft and smell familiar to help your child drift off to sleep in their new location.

5. Baby-wear to keep hands free. Definitely bring your baby carrier or wrap . This frees up your hands for carrying luggage and other important items, like handing your ID and boarding pass to TSA. Plus, being close to you will likely keep your baby calm and happy in unfamiliar, sometimes stressful, environments. If you’re traveling by car, keep your wrap on or your carrier easily accessible, like on the floor right by your baby’s car seat, so it’s quick and easy to put on at every stop.

6. Wear a badge to hold your ID, ticket, and baby’s birth certificate. You know those clear name-card badge holders they distribute at conferences, with a lanyard? Use one of those to hold your license, boarding pass, and baby’s birth certificate. No digging through your purse or running the risk of it falling out of your pocket. Simple, accessible, and no fuss.

7. Simplify the car seat situation. If you’re flying, you can usually check your car seat at the ticketing desk for no charge (call ahead to confirm with your airline). Make sure they put a plastic bag over it (you can also purchase a sturdy bag for your car seat online). Or, if you want to eliminate the hassle of bringing it with you, arrange to include a car seat in your rental car. If you’re taking ride-sharing services, check their app to see if they offer cars with car seats in that area.

8. Pack odor-blocking diaper sacks. A blow-out at 30,000 feet or in the middle of the desert with no trashcan in sight doesn’t have to be a total disaster. Pack Arm & Hammer diaper dispenser bags or even just plastic grocery bags to mask the smell of the dirty diaper. Nobody wants to lug a stinky diaper around or assault others’ noses, but at least this will make it a little more pleasant.

9. Pack a baby essentials kit. Keep a pacifier, wipes, sanitizing wipes, and other essentials easily accessible, in your purse or diaper bag. This goes for flights and road trips. When there’s a mess or a howling baby, you’ll want to access these items as quickly as possible.

10. Bring snacks—for baby and you. Pack simple, low-mess snacks for your baby, like puffs or pouches. And it’s important for you to stay fed as well. Pack protein-filled snacks to keep you energized during your travels and a decadent treat as well. If drama ensues, you’re going to want the good stuff to help you through it.

11. Keep extra clothes in your carry-on bag. Keep an extra outfit for baby and a shirt for you in your carry-on or diaper bag for air and car travel. The goal is to keep it easily accessible so when a blowout, spit-up, or other potentially outfit-ruining scenarios happen, you can solve it without having to wait for landing and checked baggage retrieval.

12. Think location, location, location for the hotel room. When you book your hotel room, ask for it to be away from the elevators, pool, and vending/ice machines. While you can’t control if the hotel room is perfectly noise-free, choosing your room carefully will help make it a quiet space.

13. Pack a sound machine to help baby sleep. Increase the quiet factor in your room by bringing a small, portable sound machine with you to mask noise from other rooms. Don’t want to haul something else with you? Download free white noise or wave sounds to play from your phone or tablet.

14. Do a thorough check of the hotel and car before leaving. This is one of those tips for traveling with a baby that you’ll thank us for later. Before checking out or returning the rental car, look under beds, under seats, the trunk, and glove compartment, because something will likely be left there. And always double-check that your baby’s favorite lovey and stuffie is with you at every transition and location change.

Make sure to capture all the travel moments—and share them with your family and friends near and far—with the Tinybeans app . The secure platform puts parents in total control of who sees and interacts with photos and videos of their kids.

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11 tips for making traveling with a baby easier

When my daughter was six months old, we took her to Chicago for a family get together. It was her first time on a plane and our first time with a baby on a plane. It was only a two-hour flight from New York to Chicago and yet, I frantically packed and repacked the diaper bag with multiple changes of clothing, dozens of diapers, and four meals worth of food. She slept the entire time.

Traveling and vacationing with a baby is not as bad as people make it out to be. Just prepare ahead of time, without going overboard of course, adjust your mindset, and keep your expectations low.

Here are 11 hacks to help make the unpredictable part of baby travel slightly easier.

Pack lots of snacks.

Now, I'm no seasoned vet when it comes to this mom thing — I've only been doing it for about four years. But if there's one thing I've learned on all the family trips we've taken with our two kids, it's snacks are our friends. Under normal circumstances, we obviously don't allow our kids to eat too many snacks before breakfast, but when you're traveling, especially if it's during weird hours, and your kid starts to lose it, having an arsenal of snacks ready to shove in their little face will save you. I've learned this hard way.

Bring lots of diapers and extra clothes.

Extra clothes and diapers go a long one, but don't go overboard. Pack your diaper bag like you normally do for the day plus one extra outfit and three to five extra diapers, depending on the length of your trip. That is more than enough supplies for at least two major diaper explosions.

Pack your baby's “sleep” toy or blanket, if they have one.

If your baby is not good at sleeping in other places besides their crib, this may help. My son was this exact same way and it led to some very long and exhausting nights away from home. Then a friend suggested I bring his blanket the next time we go away so that he at least recognizes something, and it actually worked. Now, whenever we travel anywhere overnight, I always pack the blue and white blanket he's had since birth and he manages to fall asleep a little bit easier.

Buy a few new toys and wrap them.

This is a great idea if you have a long plane or car ride. Buy a few small, cheap toys, wrap them up, and whip them out as you notice your child starting to get antsy. Wrapping up the toy turns it into a whole activity. This way they spend time unwrapping and then playing with it. You could probably kill at least a half hour per toy.  

Pack lots of stickers.

Besides for all the obviously art supplies of crayons and coloring books. Older babies and toddlers love stickers. I've entertained my kids on countless flights with just a plain sheet of paper and a sticker book.

My son, who's a year and a half now, is literally enamored by stickers. He loves putting them on paper, rolling them in his hand, or playing with the sticky part on his fingers. I really don't know what it is, but kids love them.

Bring some type of technology that's fully charged.

The iPad is like my hidden gem on long flights. I try to use it as a last resort after I've exhausted all of my other activities. Firstly, I'm usually energized when we first get on the plane anyway, so why not just play with the kids before starting something that I will inevitably have to stop?

Secondly, depending on what show or app they're playing with my kids can entertain themselves on an iPad for a while, which is why I'd rather have a dead iPad at the end of a trip, than a dead iPad with four more hours of flying to go.

Book a seat at the front of the plane.

The closer to the front the better. Besides for the easier boarding and getting off, there is usually some space near the front where you can let your baby explore a bit if they get too antsy in the seat. It's also good to be close to the flight attendants if something comes up. As far as which seat to sit in, I prefer the window when traveling with a baby, but it's up to you.

It's worth paying for the bassinet seat for longer flights.

If you're traveling on a long flight with an infant, it's definitely worth booking a seat with a bassinet hookup. This means your baby will have their own space and place to sleep during the flight. The bassinets do have a weight limit though, usually around 25 lbs, so make sure to confirm with the airline ahead of time.

Gate check your stroller.

Most airlines will take your stroller and car seat for free at the gate, which is a great perk you should take advantage of. This means you can push your baby around the entire airport basically up until you board the plane. This also means that when you land, your stroller will be brought back to you at the gate, so you'll have it as soon as you de-plane.

Give yourself lots of extra time.

Since having kids, I've realized everything takes longer and flying is no different. Even if it's just 15 minutes, always leave yourself extra time. Something inevitably will happen, so why stress more?

Ignore the dirty looks— you don't need to apologize for your baby being a baby.

This is the most important travel hack of all. When you're traveling with a baby on a long flight or a short flight, or a train, or bus, there is bound to be at least one grumpy person out there who's going to try and make you feel bad for your child's behavior. Ignore it. Your baby will cry because that is what babies do and people need to just accept that. No parent should feel like they have to apologize for their kids' behavior.

Obviously, if your baby is having a tantrum in a restaurant, take them outside as not to disturb others. And obviously, on a plane, you do what you can to keep them calm and quiet. But, at the end of the day, babies will cry and people will just have to deal, and that is that. Thank God for noise-canceling headphones.

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16 Tips for Flying With Toddlers and Young Kids

Traveling with toddlers can be hard, at least if you're not properly prepared. Here, experienced flight attendants share their secrets for flying with young kids.

FLY VIEW PRODUCTIONS/GETTY IMAGES

With long security lines, cramped airplane seating, and busy waiting areas, flying isn't the most pleasant experience—and all of the frustration increases exponentially when you add a toddler into the mix. Some young children simply don't have the patience for airport security. They might despise sitting quietly for hours on end, and they might be uneasy during turbulence or get upset with the ear-popping changes in air pressure.

Thankfully, though, you can have a worry-free travel day with proper preparation and planning. Whether you're jetting off to your relative's house or Disney World, check out these stress-reducing strategies for flying (and traveling) with toddlers—some of which came straight from flight attendants.

Book an Early Morning Departure

If you're traveling with toddlers or young children, you should book an early morning departure. These give you the best chance of avoiding delays at takeoff and landing, a flight attendant named Patrick explains. "They are usually less crowded, too," he says. "Plus, everyone is tired and just wants to nap—kids especially."

Save Your Upgrades for Toddler-Free Travel

Traveling in first class with kids can be more stressful than it's worth. Mom Joanna recounts the story of traveling with her loud, lively toddler and incurring the vocal wrath of her first-class seatmates for the entirety of the flight. "It's not fair, but you're just going to get more empathy and support with kids in economy," says a flight attendant.

Talk to Your Kids About What to Expect

"My experience is kids do so much better when they know what to expect," says Shireen, a mom of three from Australia who's traveled to the U.S. several times with her kids. She recommends watching a Let's Go Play video on YouTube , which goes over the entire flight experience, from baggage check-in and ticketing to onboard etiquette and safety.

Dress in Layers and Skip Shoes With Laces

Whether you are changing climates or simply dealing with in-flight heat and/or air conditioning, you can and should be ready for drastically changing temperatures when traveling with a toddler. Wendy, a flight attendant and mom, suggests you dress your kids in comfortable layers—preferably without buttons, zippers, or anything that could prevent them from getting to the bathroom in time.

The same principle applies to shoes: Avoid laces and opt for slip-ons. "There's the added benefit of getting through airport screening that much faster," she says.

Bring Surprises

When flying with a toddler, a wrapped new plaything has two advantages: Kids love to unwrap stuff, and a new toy has more attention-grabbing pull.

Consider Using a Smaller Stroller

Getting through an airport without a stroller is unthinkable for some parents, so consider switching out your regular-size stroller for a small, compact umbrella stroller or travel stroller. Also, check your stroller at the gate before boarding; the crew will have it waiting for you when you get off the plane.

If you've got more than one little traveler with you, consider a kid harness (aka leash), Wendy suggests. "I was so against them until I saw a woman with three young boys using them in baggage claim. It made so much sense," she says, "with the exit doors to outside right there. Look, flying is stressful enough. Do what you need to do to protect your kids and your sanity."

Pack Just Enough

Flight attendants urge parents to pack enough essentials for the flight. "Unfortunately, you can expect there to be zero food on a plane that would interest a kid," says Lynn. "And we are so limited in what we can offer in terms of comfort items as well."

On the flip side, parents will struggle if they zealously overpack. "Usually, when it's one parent traveling with one or more kids, they'll bring way too much stuff in an attempt to keep their kids happy," Wendy says. "They forget they have to carry all that stuff off the plane with them, along with their kids."

Plan Your Packing List

To guard against over-packing while ensuring you don't forget anything critical, consider writing out a full packing list. Star or highlight those items that will need to be packed last minute (like the lovey your kiddo sleeps with or the tablet that's currently charging) so you have a checklist to consult one last time before heading out the door.

Sample Airplane Packing List for Toddlers

When packing your carry-on for the plane ride, use this list as a starting point:

• Comfort item: Consider packing one of your toddler's favorite comfort items in your carry-on for mid-flight snuggles. If the comfort item is a pacifier, be sure to pack more than one, lest it gets flung down the aisle or on the floor.
• Sanitizer, wipes, pull-ups, and diapers: You'll want these critical items within reach at all times during your travels. Not sure how many diapers to throw in the carry-on? One diaper per hour of travel is recommended.
• Electronic devices: If there is any time to let up on strict screen time rules, it's when you're traveling. Make sure that whatever device you're bringing is fully charged and ready to go—and don't forget the chargers for the flight back. Consider pre-loading the tablet or phone with your kids' favorite movies or shows for offline viewing.
• Kid-size headphones: Be sure to follow the basic rules of travel etiquette and pack comfy headphones your little one can wear while enjoying their favorite games or shows. Have more than one kid in tow? Consider investing in a splitter so both can enjoy the show with their own set of headphones.
• Art supplies: A small box of crayons and blank paper can go a long way when it comes to entertaining your toddler on a plane. Mix things up and pack some fun stickers or even plain sticky notes to add to the excitement.
• Plastic bags: You never know when you'll need an extra bag for wet clothes, a dirty diaper, or even just for trash, so pack a few extras.
• Water bottle: Toss an empty clean water bottle into your bag to fill after you get through security. Just make sure that it's leakproof!
• Healthy and fun mess-free snacks: While you don't necessarily want to load your kid up with sugar just before take-off, consider packing a mix of healthy and fun snacks that are relatively mess-free to keep their bellies full and happy. Cheerios, pretzels, crackers, string cheese, and granola bars are good options.

Be Prepared for Security

When you pack, make sure items that need to be removed during security are easily reached. Keep in mind that traveling with snacks may mean extra scrutiny during the screening process.

Prepare for Air Pressure Changes

If your child has recently had an ear infection or a cold, get your doctor's approval before flying. The change in cabin air pressure may cause pain for your toddler. After passing through security, stock up on enough water for everyone to get through a possible delay and have enough left for the descent, which is often the most bothersome time for ear pressure discomfort. Have your kids drink some right after takeoff and during the last 30 to 45 minutes of the descent. The swallowing helps with the pressure changes and gives an added hydrating benefit.

By All Means, Use Pull-Ups

Your little one may have moved beyond Pull-Ups into big kid underwear, but pull-up diapers are a great resource when flying with a recently potty-trained toddler or young child. "I even use them on my 6-year-old," says Wendy, who adds that it's much less stressful than having to race to the bathroom or deal with an in-seat accident.

Show Some Appreciation

Flight attendants love to receive a certain gratuity for dealing with toddlers. "Any kind of chocolate found in an airport, handed over at boarding, does wonders," says Patrick. Of course, it will have zero effect on the random bad-tempered, unprofessional cabin crew member. But it's a nice gesture nonetheless, particularly when flying during the holidays when most flight attendants will be working and away from their families.

"It will be so appreciated," he says. "And we will remember you and look out for you. And not only that, you'll probably score a free drink out of it."

Seat Kids Away From the Aisle

Aisle seats can be dangerous for toddlers and potentially give them a little too much freedom of movement. For example, little hands and feet can be bumped as people walk by and hot coffee and water may be just within reach as the food and beverage cart passes by. If you can, consider the window seat, which offers the benefit of a view and puts you between your toddler and any other passengers in your row.

Beware of Germs

Toddlers tend to get sit a lot, but you can try to avoid any travel-related illness by keeping your little one's hands clean. When flying with a toddler, wipe everything from hands to tray tables down with sanitizing wipes when you're getting settled in your seats—and above all else, do not send your kids to the bathroom without shoes. "The floor is a Petri dish," a flight attendant confides. "You're in the air, things jostle. That's not just water on the bathroom floor."

Keep Your Composure

There's not much you can do to assuage that passenger who complains the moment your child sneezes or giggles. Here's what you need to remember: As long as you're trying (and what parent isn't?), you've got almost everyone on your side. "An adult having an issue with a screaming child is acting like a child as well," offers a flight attendant and mother named Patience. "Don't engage. Just worry about your own child."

Choose an Airline With Kid-Friendly Perks

There's nothing a family-friendly airline wants more than happy, occupied kiddos. As such, many leading carriers have all kinds of kid perks to offer their littlest travelers from a wide array of their favorite TV shows and movies to kid-approved headphones and snacks.

Before boarding, be sure to check in with the gate agent about whether the airline offers priority boarding for families with young children. Often airlines call special boarding for families so they can board a little early so you'll have time to settle in. Other great perks to look for are family lounges or airports with areas for kids to burn off some steam during layovers or before boarding.

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57 hacks for traveling with a baby/toddler on long-haul flights

You want to travel on a long haul flight of about 6.5hr for business or to go see some relatives.

Hey! By the way… any links on this page that lead to products on Amazon are affiliate links and I earn a commission if you make a purchase. Thanks in advance – I really appreciate it! .

You have a baby or a toddler you need to take along.

You are worried. You don’t know how your little one will behave on the flight.

You’ve witnessed some scenarios where kids cried on planes and the embarrassment and dirty looks moms of such kids received.

You just don’t want to be in that situation.

I understand your fears.

Traveling with a baby/toddler on long-haul flights can be a daunting task. Just thinking about the journey can make your heart race. This is because it is difficult to control babies and toddlers on a flight. But if your family is international, it means flying is a large part of keeping in touch with family members or if your job involves a lot of traveling, you may need to go with your baby. But you don’t have to panic, especially when some people are not warm to screaming kids on a plane.

Whether you are planning to take your 10-month-old baby, a 1 year or two-year-old toddler on long-haul flights, you can make it enjoyable and memorable. Below are 100 hacks for traveling with a baby to help you out.

But before then, let’s take a look at “ when can babies fly long-distances “. Because a lot of parents are not sure when to take their babies on a long haul flight.

How soon can you travel with a newborn?

Many people want to know when the right time to travel with a newborn child is. The truth is, if the baby is healthy, you can travel at two days old. However, some airlines stipulate two weeks old, which is also good, especially for first time moms.  So check with your doctor and your airline to make sure you can travel with your baby.

If your baby is born prematurely, count from the date the baby was supposed to be born to know when to travel. For instance, if you gave birth to the baby at 8 months old. Ensure that the baby is at least 1 month+ before you travel.

If you deliver your baby through the caesarian section, it will take you about a month and two weeks to travel. You can also check with your doctor to ensure everything is okay before you travel.

It is good to wait for a few weeks before flying to ensure that you understand your baby before you fly together.

Can a 2-month-old baby travel on a plane?

Like it is discussed above, you can fly with your babies, however, it is not fun. Especially for a 2-month-old on a plane. But some parents have cogent reasons to travel. This stage of their lives is laden with unpredictable sleeping and nap schedules. They can be fussy or colic at any time and it is hard on parents and other passengers alike, especially if it a long haul flight.

If you are a first time mom, it is likely that you become stressed and you may still be recovering from childbirth. But not to worry, the hacks below will help to make the trip less tiring, endurable and enjoyable. Lol.

Flying with a newborn before vaccinations

You need to take precautions while flying with a newborn before vaccinations. In fact, you may need to avoid going to the part of the world where they can be exposed to diseases they are too young to get vaccinations for. For instance, babies younger than 2 months cannot take anti-malaria tablets and babies less than 6 months cannot receive vaccination against yellow fever.

So if you are concerned with traveling with a newborn before vaccinations, it is better you delay your trip after the first round of vaccines the baby will take when it is two months old. The baby will be vaccinated against diseases such as Tetanus, Pertussis, diphtheria, Pneumococcus, Polio, etc.

After you take the first round of the vaccines for your baby at two months old, it will take about 2 weeks for the baby’s body to produce all the antibodies in response to the vaccinations to create the protection.

So, ideally, you would want to wait until the baby is around 3 months before you can fly if you are concerned about the baby’s vaccinations and health.

Let’ get started with the hacks for traveling with a baby. I will start with the things you need to pack for the long haul flight for you and the baby.

What to pack for a long haul flight with baby

Now you know what to pack for long-haul flights. Let’s look at the things you need to do before the flight.

• Pack some bottles of freshly pumped breast milk or formula
• Pack two shirts for yourself, you will need it.
• Take along a copy of your baby’s birth certificate. Some airlines request for it to prove your infant is yours.
• Pack your baby carrier. It is easy to walk through the security wearing your baby. It will help you skip most security checks like the x-ray machine, metal detector and the rest of it.
• Get a luggage dolly. It will help you get your car seat through the airport.
• Get a wine bag to help you organize the stuff you want to easily access on the plane.
• Get spill -proof travel mugs for drinks on the flight. Because of the baby, your drinks may spill during the flight, you don’t want that to happen.
• Get a pacifier for your child. It will be useful during the flight.
• Get a separate diaper purse to make it easy to change your baby’s diaper on the plane.
• Get a travel bassinet to use on the airplane or check with the airport if there is one available for kids.
• Get a car seat like the CARES harness because it is easy to carry and your baby can settle easily in it and even sleep through the flight.
• Get a Snap and go strollers for travel lightweight if your child is not old enough to sit still with you.
• Get a kid iPad to keep your toddler busy loaded with educational apps and movies your kids enjoy
• Pack a diaper bag filled with diapers, disinfectant wipes, diaper cream, breast milk, a change of dress for the baby, socks, baby bottle, disposable baby bottle liners,
• Pack a few children’s books to entertain your toddler through the flight
• Get a personal handbag where you can put your belongings like mobile chargers, passports, tickets, pens, etc.
• Pack a Ziploc with crackers and chips for the baby.
• Load your mobile phone or tablet with your baby’s favorite rhymes, videos, and apps.
• If your child is under the age of 2, take two changes of clothing for you and the baby, and a few towels.
• Get a new toy that will fascinate your baby. Also, pick one or two old toys along.
• Get a flashlight to help in overnight/late flights
• Take earplugs for yourself and an extra for the next passenger in case your child is screaming.
• Get extra Ziploc bags for used disposable diapers and soiled clothing for later laundry.
• Pack band-aids
• Get a disposable changing pad you can lie on any surface in the bathroom to change your baby diaper.
• Get a blanket or duvet. The airplane air conditioner can be cold on the long-haul flights.

Hacks for traveling with a baby: Things to do before the flight

• Call and check with the airport to know what you can check for free and what items will be charged.
• Book an airplane seat by the window if you are nursing a newborn, but the aisle if you have an active infant. You can choose the bulkhead which is the most forward part of the plane. It is much more private for breastfeeding and quieter with a lot of legroom.
• If your baby is close to 2 years, buy a seat for them. It will help the baby in case of rough turbulence in the air.
• Before leaving for the airport, dress your baby in a simple onesie that will make it easy to change the diaper . Add baby leg warmers and a layer of a sleeveless dress.
• Pack twice the number of diapers and wipes you use at home for the time between leaving the home to the airport, flying and arriving at your destination.
• Take children’s Tylenol or Motrin or whatever drugs you use for fevers, gas pills, a thermometer, etc.
• Buy travel insurance
• Pack snacks for yourself to eat during the flight.
• If you have an active toddler who wouldn’t like to sleep during the day, it is better to take a day flight when everyone is awake. But if your child loves to sleep well at night even in a strange environment, it is better to take a night flight.
• Don’t let the baby sleep for a few hours before flying. It will be easy to sleep on the flight.

Next is the list of things you need to do when you get to the airport.

Hacks for traveling with a baby: Things to do at the airport

• Arrive at the airport very early to get through the processes
• Ask for help if you need it. The TSA agents can help with your stuff while you juggle with your baby as you pass through the security.
• Search for the family bathroom in the airport to help you change your baby’s diaper as you get set for the flight.
• Use early boarding, it takes time to get everyone situated
• Use a baby carrier during the security checks to keep your hands free to carry luggage and keep the baby in control
• Most airports have a play area for children. Ask for it so your child can play and expend some energy before flying.

Next is the list of things to do during the long haul flight.

Hacks for traveling with a baby: Things to do during the flight

• Nurse during take-off and landing to relieve pressure in the baby’s ears. Flight pressure causes earache. If you are not breastfeeding, encourage your toddler to keep eating and drinking to release the pressure.        
• Take a nap when your baby is sleeping on the plane
• Be prepared for a throw up during the fight. Many parents have experienced this. So you need to keep towels handy
• Be prepared for diaper blowouts, get disposable gloves and Ziploc bags.
• Get your pacifiers handy during the ascent and descent of flight to avoid ear pain for the baby
• Order a special meal if you are flying along with your baby. You will eat while everyone else is yet to eat so that if you need your neighbor to help hold the baby, they can help.
• Be prepared to change the baby on your lap because not all planes have a diaper changing table in the bathroom.
• Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. Most people understand what it means to be a parent.
• If you are breastfeeding your baby , wear a nursing top, bra, and scarf for easy feeding on the plane. If you are not, prepare the baby’s in-flight bottle as much as you need before you board the flight.
• Don’t sweat the small stuff. If your kid is yelling, don’t be alarmed. Most people will understand.
• Take the baby for a walk along the aisle and say hi to people. Talk to flight attendants and show the baby the window to lookout.
• Don’t change the diapers in your seat, use the bathroom to do it.
• Follow the normal schedule for feeding and sleeping during the flight.
• If your baby is eating porridge or baby food – take along a bib, spoon, baby food, wipes, a thermos with hot water, and fruits.

Lastly, you made it through. Below is the last thing to do after the long haul flight.

Hacks for traveling with a baby: Things to do after the flight

• Don’t rush to disembark unless you want to join a connecting flight. Take your time.

Toddler airplane activities and how to entertain them on a flight

• You can keep your toddler busy with activities such as giving them an empty notebook and pen to write or draw.
• Some airlines have a kid’s park. Check with your airline to find out if they have activity pack on board for children
• Entertain your kids with new toys or most loved toys. Useful travel toy ideas include My Busy books, Buckle toy whale, farm in a Tin, Imaginetics magnet board, etc
• Use toddler travel games such as i-spy.scavenger hunt printable game.
• Download fun apps such as Peekaboo Barn, ACN Toddler, Mouse Maze on your tablet to keep them busy.

Download the Baby Travel checklist

• Registry checklist
• Must have baby items
• Hospital bag checklist
• Baby travel checklists

The truth about traveling with Babies

Traveling with a baby is hard work. There’s no doubt about that.

But you can make it harder when you travel with no prior preparations as enumerated above.

Prepare by getting the needful baby essentials that will make the journey easier for you and the baby.

Imagine you follow all the tips above.

You boarded the flight and your baby behave perfectly well.

Sure, you will love it.

Traveling with kids can be fun when you have the right things at hand.

It is time to enjoy long haul flights with your baby using the hacks for traveling with a baby.

Click here to download the Baby Travel Checkist in PDF

About The Author

Hephzy Asaolu

Posted on Last updated: April 1, 2024 Categories Family Travel Advice

By: Author Kate

The Best Age to Travel with a Baby

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“What is the best age to travel with a baby?”

I’ve been asked this question countless times by friends and family who know I’ve been brave (read: crazy) enough to travel with my young babies multiple times. 3 months? 6 months? 12 months? When is the best time to travel with a baby? Or REALLY, Is there any best time to travel with baby ? Is it CRAZY to even bother traveling with a baby? Am I going to feel like I am ‘just parenting’ in a tropical destination?! Will it be any fun??

We’ve traveled with our young ones at a variety of ages and I’m here to report back on the best age for baby to travel.  I’ve summarized the pros and cons of each age group based on our experience of traveling with young kids.  Of course, each baby is different, some babies ‘just sleep’ for the first three months and some (like mine) ‘just screams’ for the first three months. You never know when teething, developmental leaps or other (disastrous) baby phases are going to strike. So what age is best to travel with a baby? I do have a favorite age, so make sure to read through to the end to find out!

What is the best age for a baby to travel?

I have to say that we haven’t traveled much at the infant stage. The first three months with both my kids were a foggy blur that I mostly want to forget! The earliest we have traveled with our youngest son was 2.5 months and I was basically counting that as 3 months by then.  For those with limited maternity leaves, this may be the best age to travel with baby simply because it may be the only time you have off! If you’re wondering when is the best time to travel with a newborn, I would recommend pushing it to as close to 10-12 weeks as possible!

Pros: 0-3 months

• The baby will sleep a lot. Usually not when you want the baby to sleep, but nevertheless, he will be sleeping for most of the hours of the day.
• Baby is completely immobile. Wherever you put the baby down is likely where they are going to stay. Put the baby in a beach tent with a mobile or play gym and enjoy the LUXURY of reading a book, or drinking a coffee while it’s hot!
• This is the best age to fly with a baby.  Forget about needing complicated busy bags, coloring books, stickers or other tricks to keep kids entertained on a plane . All a baby needs at this age is formula or breastmilk and a comfy spot to snooze. Flying at this age is almost as easy as when your kids learn to watch movies for 4 hours straight!

Cons: 0-3 months

• You are still recovering from a baby exiting your body. Your life is one padsicle after another. I could barely manage a 5-minute walk let alone a beach vacation for a good 6 weeks after the birth of my first (c-section) and second (VBAC) babies.
• Sleep deprivation. Although this got better with my second, the initial shock of sleep deprivation with my first was the worst. I remember people telling me ‘this too shall pass’ and I clearly remember wanting to punch those people in the face! Sleep deprivation sucks and being on vacation doesn’t help.
• Potential illness. For us, this is the biggest reason we don’t travel much before three months. it’s not good when babies under 3 months get sick, their little immune system is not yet mature. I like to have at least the first set of immunizations done before we leave the country, especially if it’s a country with fewer healthcare resources. Since I live in Canada, where temperatures are pretty frigid for much of the year, I tend to want to leave the country when I travel!

 The best age to vacation with baby?

We have traveled the most at this age with our littles. We have been to Costa Rica , Bahamas, and Mexico . Our friends over at Sailing Chance have even been to Italy with a baby this age – and the people of Italy were SO accomodating ! There are lots of different trips you can take at this age, all with their own set of pros and cons.

Pros: 3-6 months

• Bring your breasts only. If your baby is exclusively breastfed, it’s super easy to travel at this age. No need to worry about food contamination or washing and sterilizing bottles. All you need are your breastst and you are good to go! My youngest also got formula supplementation and although washing bottles was a pain, it was still easier than when eating solids became an issue. I would bring the prepared formula bottles or the travel packs and use bottled water. I would use these microwave sterilizer bags or a sterilizer rented from the hotel or resort to keep the bottles sterilized.
• Mostly immobile. Although some babies are rolling pretty well or even starting to crawl towards 6 months most are still pretty immobile. I definitely think the best time to travel with an infant is before they become mobile! My little ones were pretty happy to be parked in their stroller at a restaurant or at the beach. The sights and sounds and people were enough entertainment! If I try keeping my now 14-month-old in a stroller for more than 35 seconds and I’m doomed.
• (Still) sleeps a lot . 3-6 months tends to be the time when (most) babies start consolidating their night sleep (thank YOU) and being more awake during the day. Check out my post on how to get your baby to sleep on vacation to hear the crazy stuff we’ve done to keep our precious ‘sleep routine’ intact on vacation. Well-rested parents = much higher chance of actually enjoying your vacation.

Cons: 3-6 months.

• They won’t enjoy anything. At this age, babies don’t really care if they are in a tropical paradise or not. They aren’t going to particularly enjoy the pool or the ocean more than they would enjoy the bath. Putting their toes in the sand is probably just going to make them cry. The picture is NOT going to turn out as cute as you wanted it to. Or if it does, it will take 105,678 attempts to do it. This vacation is for you. Not them. If you’re wondering what is the best age for a baby to travel AND actually enjoy it meaningfully, skip ahead a few months!

 When is a good time to travel with a baby?

6-9 months:.

Ok so, in my opinion, this is the worst age to travel with a baby so I have to admit I struggled to come up with ANY pros for this age. Despite this, I have actually traveled with a baby at this age quite a bit. Maybe I’m still scarred from those trips! We stayed at the Empress Hotel in Victoria BC and we went on a Disney Cruise when my youngest was between 6-9 months. We still had fun, but it was a hard age for both of our kids.

Pros: 6-9 months

• Everything is exciting.   Clearly, I wasn’t up to my usual Pinterest standards on my recent trip to Victoria BC with my then 6-month-old.  For the plane trip, I literally brought NOTHING. I did not bring a single thing to entertain my child for a four-hour plane ride. At this age, EVERYTHING is exciting. Cups are exciting. Napkins are exciting. The seat tray is SUPER exciting. We made it through the flight using only the items already on the plane without causing any sort of ‘scene’. Take that, Pinterest! In general, I find the bes age to fly with baby is any time before they learn to walk!
• High Chairs are still fun.  Once my babies started really walking or crawling there was no chance they were going to be staying in their high chairs longer than 5-10 minutes. No matter how many delicious treats I was bribing them with. At 6-9 months, most babies are pretty content to sit in a high chair and enjoy the excitement of a meal with their family. Since solids are still a pretty new and exciting thing, it’s easy for that to take up some serious entertainment. I even brought my 6-month-old to the high tea at the Fairmont Empress in Victoria (and he was reasonably well behaved!)

Cons: 6-9 months

• Eating sand.  If you are planning a beach trip with kids , FORGET IT at this age. Especially if your baby is already crawling, this is a sure disaster. Babies love eating sand, and I’ve tried those Pinterest hacks with the mattress cover on the beach and let me tell you there is NO HACK that will keep sand away from an 8-month-old baby who is determined to eat sand. So what age can I take my baby to the beach? If you want it to be enjoyable, I would say before they are mobile and then after they stop putting everything in their mouth! Certainly a sightseeing or city trip is a better bet at this age.
• Eating everything.   6-9 months is the peak of the ‘put everything in your mouth stage’. If you are a germaphobe it’s probably not a good idea to travel with your baby at this age. Even myself, with a dog that basically french kissed my babies every day since birth, draw the line at some point. I tend to use a lot of the stroller or the baby carrier at this age to keep those little exploring hands out of every disgusting thing they can find.
• Eating real food.  When babies start to eat real food, they start to demand real food on schedule. Which means you have to be prepared with REAL FOOD on demand. No joke. We opted to do a mix of purees and baby-led weaning with both of our littles simply because it afforded us the flexibility to be a bit lazy in this regard. Depending on the type of trip, having separate meals made for baby may be a hassle, or hard to find!

 The best age to take baby on holiday?

9-12 months.

9-12 months has been very hit or miss for us.  Babies can be so different at this age! Some are walking and some are just starting to crawl. Those developmental leaps (complete with cranky periods) are so unpredictable.

Pros: 9-12 months

• They might start to actually like some stuff . Splashing in the pool and dipping their toes in the ocean might genuinely be the greatest moment of their little lives. Warning, also possible they will REALLY hate it. My sons have loved splashing in the pool, dancing to music and exploring new activities at this age. They have so much curiosity (and no fear) which makes everything awesome. all. the. time.
• Feeding and naps will be well established . Although both of my kids seemed to strongly resist any sort of schedule I imposed on them, by 9-12 months they had a somewhat predictable routine. They reliably had two naps and both MOSTLY slept through the night. At this point, they were both eating mostly ‘table food’ which made them much better travel buddies.

Cons: 9-12 months

• Might be too mobile. One of our worst trips with a baby was Jamaica when our son was exactly 12 months. He had JUST learned to walk and when we arrived at our destination with slippery floors and lots of bumps and stairs, he latched on to daddy and basically didn’t let go of him for 7 days straight. Although he could ‘walk’ it sure didn’t seem like it for the 7 days he was there.
• Sleep regression. For both of our kids, the 9-12 month sleep regression was KILLER. On the same trip as above, our son woke up at 4 am every single night. I didn’t think our hotel room neighbors would appreciate any renewed attempts at sleep training so the only thing that kept him quiet was to bounce him UP AND DOWN UP AND DOWN in a baby carrier for an hour straight until he fell back asleep. Not fun.
• Separation anxiety. Thankfully, my hubby is a PROSTAR DAD who is quite popular with both my kiddos. In fact, until recently, he was definitely both boys ‘favorite’. As such, when we go on vacation, the kids typically need to ensure they have some sort of body part touching him at all times. Or ELSE. Sorry, Daddy! I’ll just be over here sipping my strawberry daiquiri…

 The worst age to travel with toddler?

12-18 months.

Pros: 12-18 months

• They won’t eat sand! Ok, they might put a little in their mouth at first. Usually, one taste will be enough to make them realize their mistake fast! Not eating sand = not having to be constantly hovering over them on the beach. Win!
• They may only take one nap . This is likely closer to the 18-month mark, but having only one nap a day allowed for a lot of flexibility when traveling. When our kids are napping two naps a day having a separate bedroom is a MUST for us. I am NOT going on vacation to sit in a dark room for hours on end.

Cons: 12-18 months

• They know what they want, but don’t know how to tell you! Ok, this is pretty much the trend for the next 2.5 years, but I’ve found it all starts after 12 months. In fact, as I’m currently writing this post, my 14-month old’s favorite method of getting my attention is screaming at the top of his lungs. I have to admit, it’s quite effective. Until they are speaking in sentences, expressing what they want, and understanding why they sometimes can’t have it, is a constant battle. This is where choosing the right trip with kids is so important! Don’t pick a trip where you are going to be constantly saying ‘NO’ or no one will have any fun!
• This is the WORST age to fly with a baby. Plane trips are especially hard at this age. 12-18-month-olds don’t like to be restrained and have NO IDEA why being on a plane would require them to stay in the same place for HOURS. AND unlike 18month+ babies who can be entertained with iPad apps on the plane , they aren’t too enthralled with the iPad either. I keep my plane trips <4 hours at this age and try to plan at least a short nap on the plane to pass the time.

SOOOOOO…What is the best age for a baby to travel?

I think the best age to take a baby on holiday is definitely 3-6 months. We have now done 3 trips at this age with our two kids and each one has been a success. Ah, the blissful long stroller walks! Casually enjoying lunch while baby naps in the stroller or carrier.  Not needing to think about food and not needing to worry about illness it’s a perfect age to travel with a baby. After 3-6 months it’s all downhill until age 3.5 when you can start to actually reason with your kids.

What do you think? What is a good age to travel with baby? Drop me a line in the comments below to let me know your favorite age to travel with baby! 

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12 Genius Travel Hacks for Toddlers

Eep, you’re boarding a plane, train or automobile with a toddler and your anxiety level is at a ten. How will you entertain her? What if there’s a delay? How do you even get a car seat onto an airplane? That’s why we rounded up the best and most genius travel hacks from real moms who have made the trek and lived to tell the tale.

Bring A Box (or Handful) Of Ziploc Bags

“We used them for everything from wet bathing suits to impromptu snack bags. I was so glad I tucked a handful in my carry-on at the last minute.” — Alyssa, California

Separate Essentials Into Pouches

“For example, I had a pouch for easy plane activities (I included the iPad, a couple of favorite books and reusable stickers in here), a pouch for medical needs (things like Band-Aids and Tylenol and hand-sanitizing wipes) and a pouch for quickie diaper changes in the airplane bathroom (this had A&D ointment, a single diaper, a changing pad and wipes—so much easier than carrying in the whole diaper bag).” — Sarah, Massachusetts

If You’re In A Different Time Zone, Split The Difference

“Instead of stressing about bedtimes and nap schedules when you’ve got, say, a six-hour time change, divide it in half. This means your toddler’s bedtime will be three hours later (or earlier) versus six, making it easier to adjust and easier to come home.”— Katherine, New York

Never Hit The Road Without Distraction Snacks

“For a plane flight—or road trip, for that matter—all bets are off, meaning as a parent, it’s OK to relax the rules a bit. I arm myself with all their favorite foods for the drive. This might mean that they skip real meals because they’re stuffing themselves full of Goldfish, but if it distracts from a meltdown, I’m all in. We’ll recalibrate tomorrow.” — Stephanie, New York

Invest In A Plane-friendly Car Seat

“Past two, your toddler requires their own seat on a flight—but they’re still so wiggly and little. To save our arm strength, we swear by the Cosco car seat. It’s inexpensive, but more importantly a fraction of the weight of a typical booster seat. We strap it to the seat as though we’re in a car and it gives our arms a break while feeling comfortable that they’re safe and secure. Better yet, you can use it in the taxi or rental car when you deboard.” — Ana, Connecticut

And A Portable Noise Machine

“On longer travel days when I need my son to nap, I just tuck it behind the car seat. The goal is finding one you can either charge—like this one from LectroFan —or one you can queue up on your phone (any white noise app will do) so that you can create a bit of sleep-friendly ambiance, even if your toddler is in an over-stimulating space.” — Lucy, Florida

Don’t Leave Home Without An Ipad Holder

“We love our iPad—cued up with Sesame Street —for lengthy flights, car trips and more. But it becomes a job propping it up. That’s why we bought a holder for our iPad that hooks onto the back of the headrest on the seat. It changed our lives.” — Katie, Massachusetts

Pack A Change Of Clothes Not Just For Your Kids, But For You, Too

“Poopslosions happen. And while you’re usually prepared with an extra outfit (or two) for your child, it’s never a bad idea to stash one for you or your spouse, too. My daughter got motion sick and puked all over me on takeoff, but I didn’t have a change of clothes and had to borrow my husband’s pullover for the duration of the flight. Next time, I’ll be more prepared.” — Dani, Illinois

A New Toy Is A Great Tantrum-diffuser

“It doesn’t have to be expensive—just something that is new to them, like a sticker pack or a stacking set. It helps give a bit of novelty to a car trip or flight.” — Sarah, New Jersey

Or You Could Just Bring Painter’s Tape

“The tape can stick anywhere and they love to stick it down, then remove it, stick it down, then remove it.” — Dabee, New York

For Plane Flights, Be Strategic About Boarding

“We’ve done it where my husband boards first with the early boarding and installs the car seat, then I board later with our daughter so that she’s not captive on the plane forever. It’s a sanity-saver.” — Rachel, New York

Put Them In Their Jammies For Night Drives

“After years of planning our drives so we’d arrive before bedtime, we learned an amazing secret: If we feed our kids dinner, put them in their pajamas and take off after the sun goes down, they’ll fall right to sleep by eight or nine. And then it’s podcast listening time for mom and dad!  — Jillian, New York

How to Go on Vacation with Your Kids (and Not Feel Like You Need a Vacation When You Get Back)

Royal family expert, a cappella alum, mom

22 Tips For Surviving Long Flights With Kids

Senior Reporter, HuffPost Life

Flying with kids is generally not an easy, breezy experience ― especially now. But there are ways to alleviate the stress.

We asked the HuffPost Parents Facebook community to share travel tips and hacks that have made long flights with kids more bearable.

Naturally, many parents offered some funny joke responses like “Put your children on a different flight”; “Buy the middle seat between two strangers” and “Vodka!” But others shared their real kid-tested wisdom.

Here are 22 travel hacks that have helped parents survive long flights with their children.

1. Get The Kids Involved In The Process

“Treat it as an adventure and get them involved and excited. Brainstorm on fun things they would like to do on the flight and then have them pack their backpacks accordingly.” ― Marie Nicole Feanny

“We had our daughter pick out her own activities. ... I truly think if the child is old enough to participate in the preparation, that gives them ownership and buy-in of the process.” ― Patty Bucklin

2. Use A Foldable Wagon Or Travelmate

“Get a foldable wagon for the airport. You can check it at the gate. It’s awesome for carrying all the stuff and the kids.” ― Colleen Turner

“ Go-Go Babyz so their carseat doubles as a stroller to get through airports easier.” ― Courtney Mae Klaus

3. Choose Your Seats Wisely

“When flying on Southwest or another airline where you get to choose your seat as you board, I try to sit next to a ‘grandma’ who makes eye contact and smiles when she sees my kids. They are usually a lot more likely to not mind if your kids cry at all, and are often even willing to lend a hand with helping (which is especially useful when flying solo with your kids).” ― Amanda Couture

“Try for the front row, so your kid doesn’t kick the seat and can sit on the floor and play.” ― Lauren Elizabeth Metzel

4. Take Care Of Their Ears

“Make sure they are suckling, drinking or chewing something during takeoffs and landing, to avoid ears hurting.” ― Isa Yosoyesa

“Depending on age, a pacifier, bottle for taking off/landing, lollipop, throat lozenges or gum can help relieve pressure.” ― Beth Spiegel

“For babies, have bottles and pacifiers for take off and landings (or nurse).” ― Marc Strawderman

5. Carry On Extra Clothes

“Always have an extra change of clothes for everyone, yourself included.” ― Victoria Acosta DeFelice

“When my daughter was younger we used to pack changes of clothes in Ziploc bags. In each bag was a nappy, a change of clothes and socks. Then, if there was an accident I could take out the Ziploc, change her and put the dirty clothes straight in the Ziploc and seal. It was also easier to grab hold of when in a hurry or in a confined space like an airplane.” ― Ellie Henry

6. Don’t Board Early

“We find it’s harder to keep them entertained on long flights when you sit for an additional 30 minutes while others board, so we wait towards the end of boarding to get on.” ― Heather Heavlin

7. Pack All Of The Snacks

“You can never have enough snacks.” ― Victoria Acosta DeFelice

“We pack a lunch box (minus the drink) so she has an actual ‘meal’ ― sandwich, chips, fruit. A few treats are also good.” ― Patty Bucklin

“For toddlers, bring plenty of snacks such as puffs.” ― Marc Strawderman

8. Engage In A Little Bribery

“Bribe them for good behavior. Granted this doesn’t necessarily work for babies. With that, just pack what you need, cross your fingers and hope for the best.” ― Marie Nicole Feanny

“Buy a new special small toy and tell them you have a surprise for them, but they only get it halfway through the trip, and only if they behave.” ― Jessica Kohoutek Behzad

9. Pick Up New Toys And Books

“I liked to pick up fun things, like small toys/games, stickers, books, etc., leading up to the trip. I would pack my son’s favorite stuffed animal and a blanket in his travel backpack, along with all the new things he had never seen before. We usually had enough fun things in there to keep him happy and occupied both to and from our destination.” ― Julie Turnbull Syers

“For my toddler, I always make a trip to the dollar store and buy $15-$20 worth of throw-away toys that she’s never seen before. Each time she’s getting restless, I pull out something new. I almost never make it through the whole stash.” ― Erin McDaniel

“Save prizes from Happy Meals or pick up some silly cheap ones from the dollar store.” ― Erin Columbare

“Activities and toys that haven’t been seen before or in a while are good.” ― Lisa White Polakowski

10. Try The Raisin Trick

“We use lots of little things in plastic boxes or wrapped up in wrapping paper. One of our favorite things has been a small pot of raisins ― it can be a shaker as long as lid is secure, you can use it to count the raisins, you can give a few at a time to last longer, and smaller children will have fun taking the lid off and putting it back on again. We had this as the only entertainment for our 2-year-old on a very delayed flight which was only supposed to be a 79-minute flight and it kept her busy for hours!” ― Lorraine Calvert

11. Find Toys That Interact With The Plane

“ Window clings are great to play with on the windows.” ― Erin McDaniel

“ Toys that have to do with the airplane itself are great.” ― Colleen Turner

12. Invest In Mess-Free Coloring Books

“ Melissa & Doug’s Water Wow books are great for travel.” ― Lisa White Polakowski

“ Crayola Color Wonder is great as it doesn’t mark on anything but the special paper.” ― Molly Kilkenny

13. Break Your Screen Time Rules

“Let them watch the video screens or tablets. It’s fine.” ― Jamie Martin

“Download movies on their tablet and bring their own headphones.” ― Victoria Acosta DeFelice

“Make sure your electronics are fully charged! Otherwise, you risk having an exhausted, whiny kid in a 3-hour customs line! ― Tatyana Fisher

14. Bring Simple Yet Dynamic Toys

“ Pipe cleaners are good for at least an hour of fun ― making sculptures, inventions, and jewelry.” ― Cindy Rathgeber

“Fan favorites with our kiddos are painter’s tape and dollar spot Band-Aids ― fun to play with and they don’t damage anything when it’s time to clean up!” ― Julie Eberhart Morrow

“My son loves tape and string and things to attach. It keeps him busy and creative and within his seat.” ― Beth Spiegel

“Toys with buckles and clips are awesome.” ― Colleen Turner

15. Buy Sticker Books

“I bring sticker books (wrapped as presents).” ― Claudia De Alba-Larios

“ Melissa & Doug has reusable sticker books.” ― Jamie Martin

16. Use Pacifier Clips To Avoid Losing Toys

“ Paci clips for all toys for babies and toddlers.” ― Sarah Samad Callton

17. Give Your Kids Small Backpacks

“Let each kid carry a small backpack with the things they would want most so they can easily access their stuff ― books, stuffed animal, blanket, snacks, etc.” ― Victoria Acosta DeFelice

“Each kid should have in their own backpack a change of clothes, snacks, headphones and toys.” ― Aruna Radhakrishna

18. Forgo The Lap Seat If Possible

“No lap children. Transatlantic and transpacific flights have turbulence that’s hard to predict and prepare for. Don’t let your baby’s head hit the ceiling and risk injury. Arrange for them to have a carseat and their own seat.” ― Rachel Mace

19. Don’t Forget About Sleep Schedules

“Try to get them to the airport well rested, so they don’t get overtired and wired up during the boarding process. Then protect their ears during take off and hopefully they fall asleep quickly.” ― Isa Yosoyesa

“Try not to skip or delay naps because that’s when babies and toddlers are most likely to have meltdowns.” ― Erin McDaniel

“If your kids don’t sleep on planes, try to fly in their normal waking hours, and pay more for flights that are more convenient, with less stops.” ― Aruna Radhakrishna

20. Make A Peace Offering To Your Neighbors

“Funny little gifts for your neighbors on the flight, like a pair of ear plugs and some chocolate.” ― Colleen Turner

“I bought the lady in front of me a drink!” ― Tracy Deakin

21. Manage Expectations

“I feel like you need to prepare as much as possible and then go into it with the right attitude. Go into it thinking that it very well may be an exhausting rough day, and since you know that you are going to keep your attitude and mood positive and steady no matter what. And then if all little ones do well, you will be pleasantly surprised.” ― Jessica Kohoutek Behzad

“Don’t ever expect them to sleep on a plane, even if it’s a red eye or their normal nap time. If they fall asleep, FANTASTIC, but you don’t want to be unprepared on a super long flight because you thought they’d be sleeping most of the time. Make plans for what you’re going to do if they stay awake the whole time. That goes for babies too.” ― Tina Schumacher Gess

22. Breathe

“Relax. Know that other parents have done it and survived. ... And even though you want to be aware of the other passengers, your child has as much right to his seat (and space) as any other passenger. Staying calm is essential.” ― Claudia De Alba-Larios

Quotes have been edited and condensed for clarity.

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41 Must-Have Tips for Cruising With Babies, Toddlers, or Small Kids (From Someone That’s Done It)

When it comes to a family vacation with babies, toddlers, or small kids, there’s not much that’s better than taking a cruise.

Cruising offers a chance for the entire family to sail together, with something they will enjoy doing no matter their ages. So whether you’re traveling with a one-year-old, a ten-year-old, or something in between, everyone will have a chance to make the most of their vacation.

Of course, if you’re a parent then you know that even the simplest of tasks takes planning when you have kids. A cruise is no different. While it’s an easy vacation with the kiddos, there is still plenty for you to know and lots you can do to make the cruise go even smoother.

That’s why we’ve put together a list of some of the most useful tips for cruising with babies, toddlers or small kids from our own experience in having sailed several times with our own son.

From how to keep them entertained on the ship to making sure they stay healthy, these tips run the gamut of what to think about before you take a cruise.

Know How The Kids Clubs Work

The large cruise lines cater to families, and perhaps the biggest draw for both children and adults in the dedicated kids area. Here, parents can drop off their kids for free while the kids get to play games and hang out with others their age. Parents get some time to enjoy the cruise while knowing that the kids are being supervised and also having a lot of fun. 

Kids clubs run from ages 2-17 and groups are broken down by age so that kids will always be able to find someone to play with. You simply drop kids off when you want (hours will be listed in the daily planner) and then pick them up when you’re ready. Parents of small kids will be given a shipboard phone in case you need to be contacted.

Older kids (usually 12+) can check themselves in and out without a parent so they can come and go as they please. 

Most Kids Clubs Are Only For Kids 2-3 Years or Older

One drawback of the kids areas? These spots are only for children that are a little older. For example, kids must be two years old before they can join in Carnival’s kids activities on their own; Royal Caribbean requires kids be at least three years old. There are still things for them to do in the area under those ages, but you must supervise them or pay an extra fee for them to be watched.

In other words, if you’re the parent of a small child and plan to bring them, you’re still going to have lots of time watching them.

You May Be Able to Leave Your Kids While You Go to Port

We’re not sure of every cruise line’s policy, but we know at least Carnival — one of the most popular cruise lines for families — allows you to drop your kids in the play area and head off the ship when in port.

That means the kids can stay and play while parents go explore ashore. If you are on an excursion from the cruise line, then the ship can contact you if you’re needed. If you’re exploring on your own, you’ll want to leave instructions on how reach you.

Personally, we find it a little weird to leave the kids on the ship, but it is something you can do if you like.

Yes, You Can Pack Food and Snacks

Given all the strict rules around bringing drinks on board a cruise, it might seem like you wouldn’t be able to bring food either. In fact, bringing pre-packaged, sealed food is perfectly fine . Feel free to bring baby food (including those pouches that kids love), as well as your kid’s favorite snacks to keep them happy on the trip.

Just make sure that you don’t bring any homemade food . It’s not allowed on ships due to health concerns and issues with customs in other countries.

Don’t Be Afraid to Overpack for a Baby

In general, we recommend packing less than what you need . No one needs four different swimsuits or six pairs of shoes on a cruise. However, being a parent, we are more than willing to overpack when it comes to our kid.

The reason being, with so many people on the ship, it’s nice to do your best to keep the kid happy (especially young ones that can throw tantrums) during the cruise. The last thing you want is a baby who is grumpy and crying — and bothering other passengers — because you forgot something at home. It’s also not easy to run out and grab things like diapers or formula.

Pack Plenty of Over-the-Counter Medicine

Kids — especially small kids — seem like they constantly get sick. The only thing worse than a sick kid is not being able to provide them any relief. There is a doctor on board every cruise ship, but it’s still a good idea to pack over-the-counter items like Benadryl and Tylenol for them to take should they come down with a bug.

Only a Few Ships Allow Kids in Diapers to Swim

Is your little one still in diapers? If so, then you should pick your ship carefully. Most ships don’t allow kids that aren’t toilet-trained into any pools due to health regulations. There are a few ships that we know that have special areas for smaller kids still in swim diapers. It’s usually a section of a larger play area, but better than no water time at all.

Even better is to find a ship that offers a splashpad-type park, like what’s shown above. These spots often allow kids of all ages.

Bottom line: If you still have a kid in diapers, then don’t expect to spend a ton of time playing in the pools on the ship. You can, of course, find a beach in a port to get their time in the water.

Get the Balcony Cabin if You Have a Kid That Naps

At home, those mid-afternoon naps are amazing. You can get so much done around the house while the kids get his/her rest. On a ship? They are kind of boring. When the kid takes a nap, you are stuck in the cabin keeping an eye on them… instead of hanging out poolside or playing in the casino.

That’s why we suggest a balcony cabin for parents with napping kids. This way, there is a space you can go out, talk in a normal voice, and get some fresh air. It’s much nicer watching the waves go by on the balcony than sitting in a dark cabin.

Prepare For Dirty Diapers

Have a ‘Diaper Genie’ at home? They are great for keeping dirty diapers from stinking up the house. But what about in a small cabin? What do you do with those soiled diapers?

If you have a balcony room, you can set the dirty diapers in the room trash can and set it outside to keep the air in your cabin clear. If you don’t have a balcony, we suggest bringing some Ziploc bags to seal up those dirty diapers, along with some air freshener. The room steward will empty the trash when they clean, but that can be several hours.

Cribs Are Available for Cruise Cabins (Free)

Does your kiddo still sleep in a crib? No need to bring the Pack-and-Play, cruise lines have cribs that they can put in your room. They won’t be overly fancy, but it is a dedicated spot for your little one to sleep while on vacation. Best of all, there is no charge for this service.

Just call the cruise line before you sail or let the room steward know when you get on the ship.

Arcades Are Great For Entertaining Bigger Kids

Modern cruise ships all have an arcade tucked away that’s perfect for the kids to have some fun on their own — or with mom and dad. The arcades can be pricey, but it’s worth it to let the kids go play get some alone time during your cruise… or to see the smiles on your kid’s face.

Instead of quarters, the arcades use your room’s keycard to access your onboard account. For that reason, you’ll want to make sure that your kids understand a budget before you let them loose on their own. It’s extremely easy to run up a high bill.

HDMI Inputs Don’t Work on the TV

Do your kids love to play video games or watch DVDs? There is some bad news — the inputs on cruise ship television sets are typically disabled. That means you can’t switch over the watch a DVD player hooked up to an HDMI port.

Instead, your best bet is to bring a console that includes its own monitor. If you want to watch movies, try bringing a laptop. The good news is that Nintendo Switch is popular with the younger kids and features its own screen.

You Can Stream Shows and Movies for Kids… Usually (Downloading Is Safer)

We all know that a movie or a show is a lifesaver for a parent. When you just need some peace and quiet, nothing does it quite like putting on a favorite show. In general, we suggest downloading programs ahead of time so they are for sure available. But in most cases you can stream on a cruise ship.

Just be warned that you have to purchase an Internet package, which can be pricey — up to $30 per day on some cruise lines.

As well, internet at sea isn’t perfect. Sometimes streamed shows can be pixelated instead of perfect HD quality due to the connection. Downloading before you get on the ship means you don’t even need an internet connection.

Umbrella Strollers Are the Best Idea for Cruising

If your child isn’t quite big enough to walk all day, then you’re likely bringing a stroller. But leave that big bulky jogging stroller at home. Space is tight in a cabin, so smaller umbrella strollers — which also fold up to fit in a closet — are ideal. When it comes time to use, these small strollers are also easily maneuverable down the ship’s narrow halls and can easily turn to navigate a crowd.

Place Mats Are a Must for Little Eaters

Cruise ships have high chairs for your little one to sit in, but we also suggest bringing a silicone place mat for them to use while they eat. These mats stick to almost any surface and are easily washable. This way, not only do you keep the table or high chair from getting dirty, but you also keep food from sitting on a potentially unclean surface. It’s just a better solution all around for when it’s time to eat.

Don’t Forget to Pack a Nighlight

Chances are you still get up at least once or twice to soothe your kid while they sleep. Or even if your kid sleeps all the way through the night, you might get up to use the restroom. In an unfamiliar cabin with lots of heavy furniture, that can be a disaster for your shins and feet.

Be sure to pack a small nightlight to provide a little extra light to see by if you have to get up in the middle of the night. This is especially important for dark interior cabins.

Mealtimes Are Easiest in the Buffet

Most people envision eating in the main dining room, cracking into a lobster or slicing a steak. Truth is that parents with small kids — the sort that won’t sit still to eat for more than five minutes at a time — might prefer to dine in the buffet during the evenings.

At night, the less formal buffet is also less crowded, meaning you won’t be as stressed if someone doesn’t want to sit down and eat their dinner or throws a fit because they are tired.

Plan on the Heat and Humidity Zapping Kid Energy

It’s not often mentioned, but the heat and humidity of the Caribbean can zap the energy of even the most energetic kids. If you have an especially small kid or toddler, expect them to be able to stay up only half as long before they need to nap and recharge.

If you are planning a long excursion without many points to take a break, then you might want to reconsider your plan. If you have a kid with a lot of energy, then you will be happy to know they should sleep very well after a long day in the heat.

Keep Excursions Simple

Some excursions have a ton of elements — taxi rides to adventure parks to beach breaks to boat rides. The smaller your kids, the smarter it is to keep things simple.

Just heading out to the beach is more than enough for babies and toddlers. Don’t stress yourself out trying to handle a kid on a wild excursion; you’ll just make your trip less enjoyable for both you and your kids.

There Are Only Showers…No Tubs

If your kid is used to taking baths, then they (and you) need to be prepared for the showers in the cabin . The showers come with a detachable spray handle, and are pretty small. It’s easiest just to have them stand while you give them a quick bath. If they like playing with a water hose, then showers with the spray handle are a lot of fun for them.

Pack a Passport… or Birth Certificate

What sort of documents do you need to travel with a child? A passport is always the best idea as it offers the most flexibility. Should something happen and you need to fly back home, a passport is vital.

However, on most cruises (those that begin and end at the same port), kids can travel with an official birth certificate. Frankly, this is much easier and less expensive than getting a passport and works in most cases. Older kids and adults (those 16 years or older) also need to have a photo ID.

Plan Your Day Around Naps

In addition to realizing that the heat can take a toll on kids, you should also be sure to plan your day around naps. There’s nothing worse than being out and about when your kid decides it’s time to crash. It puts everything on hold.

Be sure to plan on being somewhere that the kiddo can nap — whether it’s hanging out on the beach under an umbrella with a lounger or making it back to the cabin in time for naptime.

Babies Must Be Six Months Old to Cruise

If you have a newborn, don’t plan your cruise just yet. In most cases a child needs to be at least six months old before they are allowed to board the ship. There are some trips where a child must be at least one year old before they can sail. This includes sailings over long distances with more than two consecutive days at sea.

The cruise lines don’t want to have a small child on the ship and be too far from any possible medical help should an issue arise.

Have Enough Diaper and Formula? Bring More

The thing about cruising is that if you run out of something, you can’t just easily run to the store for more. So when you are packing consumables like diapers, wipes, and the like, go ahead and pack even more than you normally would.

Worst case scenario is that you don’t use them on the ship. Best case is that you have an issue and end up being covered until you can get back to home.

If You Need More of Something, Pharmacies in Port Are Lifesavers

Say you do run out of diapers…or wipes…or formula, or anything else that a kid might need. Don’t worry, while you might not be able to get some right away, most ports of call have a small pharmacy or store within them that sell these types of items.

It’s best to simply pack everything you need, but if you do get in a bind, it’s nice to know there is a place where you can pick up the basics.

Sleeping Can Be Difficult With a Baby/Toddler in the Room

Are you used to sleeping in your room while your child sleeps in another? If so, be prepared for some rougher nights. It’s one thing to hear your kid cry through a baby monitor set at low volume. It’s another thing altogether to have the baby making noise in their crib that’s just a few feet from your bed. In the middle of the night, it’s especially loud.

Be ready and expect that you might not get the greatest night’s sleep while your little one is sharing the cabin.

Sunscreen is a Must, but Shirts and Hats Are Better

Yes, you likely already know that sunscreen is a must. At the lower latitudes the sun is stronger and can burn sensitive skin quickly. But let’s face it, putting on sunscreen every hour is a greasy affair — and not much fun when you’re trying to do it to a wiggly two-year-old.

Instead, look for a swim shirt that covers up most of a kid’s torso, leaving just face and arms to sunscreen. A wide-brimmed hat is also a smart idea. Not only is it easier than having to lotion everywhere, it’s also more foolproof and quicker.

Make Sure You Get a Kid’s Life Jacket in Your Cabin

In your cabin closet, you’ll find life jackets for use in case of emergency. Be sure to check that there is also a kid’s life jacket if you are traveling with child. If not, just ask your cabin steward, and they can get you one. Chances are slim that you’ll use it, but you should have it just in case.

Order Bottled Water to the Room if Your Kid Uses Formula

Yes, you can arrange to bring water onto the ship if you have a kid that needs it to mix formula. Or you can also fill up some water bottles at the buffet and bring it back to the cabin to mix.

Instead, it’s easier just to order some bottled water delivered to your room. Carnival, for instance, has it for about $10 for a 12-pack and it keeps you from having to lug on heavy water bottles when you board the ship. 

You can also get water out of the bathroom sink, but to us that just seems wrong for some reason.

Have the Length of Your Cruise Correspond With Your Kid’s Age

Have a one-year-old going on his or her first cruise? Don’t try to do a week-long trip. The younger your kid, the better it is to do shorter cruises. As your kid gets older, however, then the length of the trip can increase.

With small kids, you’re never sure how they might react to something new — even if it’s supposed to be fun. As well, older kids are also better able to take advantage of all the things to do on the cruise and are less likely to be bored.

Most importantly of all, parents don’t have to be stuck in a tiny cabin with a young child for hours on end, and if your kid were to get sick or have a bad time, it’s a lot nicer knowing it’s only a few days until you are back home instead of it being a week or more.

Magnetic Hooks Are Ideal for Drying Swimsuits

Kids love to swim, and there is only so much space in the cabin to hang wet clothes. Instead, bring a few magnetic hooks with you . You can stick these hooks on the metal ceiling, and use them to hang up wet swimsuits.

There is also a retractable drying line that runs across the shower, but we find it usually gets in the way to hang clothes here. As well, the swimsuits don’t dry as well in the damp bathroom.

Expect Your Toddler to Find the Dirty Spots in the Cabin

Every person should expect a clean cabin when taking a cruise, but just like any hotel, there are still spots that don’t get much cleaning attention. Behind and under beds, and tucked away corners may still be dirty.

If you have a baby or a toddler, expect them to find these spots when they are crawling around the room. It’s a bit gross, but it’s a fact of life. That’s what wet wipes are for!

Life Jackets & Lifeguards Are There, But Keep an Eye on Kids

Have a kid that’s not a great swimmer? One nice thing is that cruise lines have life jackets for kids to use and there are lifeguards on duty. 

Head to the pool and you’ll see the guards keeping an eye on things. And nearby you’ll find racks of different sized life jackets. They are free to use; just find one that fits and put it on. Even if your kid thinks he is a good swimmer, a life jacket — and keeping watch — isn’t a bad idea. Cruise pools usually don’t have a shallow end and if the ship is moving, the water can surge back and forth making it more difficult for smaller kids to swim.

Get Snacks for Kids in Port of Call… Don’t Bring Food From the Ship

Any parent knows that the most important word to a kid is “snack.” That’s why it’s tempting to grab a couple of items from the buffet or to bring some snacks from home onto the ship. But, just know that you can’t bring food with you into ports of call. Due to customs, authorities are fairly serious about not bringing things from the ship onto land. 

Instead, if you need something for your kids to eat, you’ll want to make a stop at a store or restaurant to get something while visiting. 

Going Off-the-Beaten Path Means Fewer Facilities for Kids

If you are cruising with kids, then you’ll want to stay in the more touristy spots near the ship and popular attractions. As a rule of thumb, the more off-the-path your destination is, the less likely it is to cater to families. So, for instance, it’s less likely to have changing tables or places to entertain kids. Stick with the more touristy spots and you’ll likely have all the comforts you would expect of back home.

Understand the Muster Situation with Kids

Before your cruise, you’ll have the muster drill, where you learn about the procedures in case of emergency. This includes finding your muster station — the assigned spot to meet. But what if you and your kid are separated (such as at the kids club) when a call to muster takes place?

When you cruise, small children are given a wristband with their assigned muster station. They will wear this at all times. If you are not with your child, then the staff will ensure that kids are escorted to the correct muster area based on this wristband to be reunited.

Bring an Outlet Adapter for Gadgets

These days even kids have lots of devices that need to plug in. For babies and toddlers, this can include sound machines and nightlights, as well as chargers for tablets and more. But many older ships have one or maybe two outlets. 

The lack of outlet space is frustrating. No worry, just pack a cheap outlet adapter . They can be found for about $5-7 and plug in to give you multiple outlets where there was only one.

Newer ships are better about having more outlet space.

Prepare for Seasickness… Just in Case

Seasickness isn’t a huge deal on a cruise, but it does happen for some people. If you’re traveling with your little one on a ship for the first time, then you should be prepared for the possibility. Be sure to pack some seasickness remedies and don’t hesitate to use them if your kid complains of feeling queasy.

The good news is that cruise ships are pretty stable. It’s most likely you won’t even notice you’re on the water.

Don’t Feel Guilty About Having Your Own Vacation

When you cruise with a child — especially a baby or a toddler — it can feel like anything but a vacation. Children are a lot of work, and you deserve to take some time to yourself. Don’t feel guilty about dropping the kids off and enjoying some pool time, the casino, dinner, or the evening show with your spouse. Remember, it’s your vacation too.

Make Sure Kids Understand the Danger of the Ship’s Railing

Every year there are stories of people falling overboard due to climbing on the ship’s railing and losing their balance. NEVER let your kids climb on the railing , and make it clear right from the start how dangerous it is to even think about sitting on the rail. Unfortunately, it’s literally a matter of life and death in some cases.

Pack a Couple of New Toys for the Trip

One pro-tip: Try packing a couple of new toys with you to surprise your kid in the middle of the trip. We’ve found that this is a great way to keep smaller kids entertained if they get bored while at sea and can’t run around like they would at home. It’s also smart as a technique to use when they start to get fussy at an inopportune time. When you feel a tantrum coming up, pull out the new toy and watch their mood change instantly.

Think of it as a cheap insurance policy to keep them entertained and happy.

For more on cruising with babies and toddlers, read our complete guide here .

Have more tips on cruising with your baby, toddler, or small child? Let us know in the comments below.

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Did you feel that there was enough room to move around with the crib in the room? I know they typically put it beside the couch and it looks like it would leave little to no room to maneuver around.

There’s not a ton, no. Cribs are kinda bulky in general and then put it in a relatively small cabin and you don’t get a lot of options.

thanks a lot for wonderful suggestions, Just want to know will my one year old boy be able to eat from any buffet items, is there any food items suitable for them.

Sure. There are plenty of food options, including lots of fruit and cut veggies at the salad bar. You can also bring on foods like pouches if you want.

thanks a ton

Definitely a few tips and tricks we never would have thought of! Taking our kids on their first cruise soon, they’re so excited!

You’ll have a blast!

Are 2 yr old require to sleep in a crib? I would rather him sleep on his own bed.

No, they don’t have to sleep in a crib. One is just provided if needed.

Taking our 1yo on a cruise in 1 month. Great article and advice. Thank you.

Hope you have a great time!

One of the most helpful packing lists I’ve read! Thank you!

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Cruising with a Baby: What to Know From Someone Who’s Done It

Worth it complete norwegian cruise line (ncl) drink package guide, hotels with cruise shuttles for every major port in america, 107 best cruise tips, tricks, secrets, and freebies, 39 useful things to pack for your cruise (including 17 you’d never think of).

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31 Genius Hacks for Traveling with Kids

By Ryan Foy

When my son was born, getting out the door with him (and with everything we needed for him) seemed like an insurmountable task at times. Since then we’ve become total pros at it and have gone on to not just getting out the door, but taking him with us on adventures up and down the state. Traveling with kiddos is rewarding—watching them discover new things is just about the best thing ever. One thing is certain: you’ve got to be prepared for a whole new world of travel scenarios once kids come into the picture. Be bold, and adventure onward! Here’s a roundup of a few of my favorite travel hacks for kids that make things on the road or on a trip a whole lot easier.

Check them out in the slideshow.

41 Genius Hacks for Traveling with Kids

Press 'n' seal travel cup.

Turn any glass into a travel-safe kid's cup by sealing it with Press'n Seal and sticking a straw in it. 

See the hack at Glad.com .

Road Trip Goodie Bags

Reward good behavior on road trips by preparing some goodie bags. When the kids reach a milestone without any disruptions, they get a bag of toys and sweets to fill the time in the car.

See the hack at We Have Aars .

DVD Coloring Case

Turn an old DVD case into an awesome little travel art center. There's a place to store all of your colored pencils and a stack of paper.

See the hack at Handmade by Stacy Vaughn .

Kid Safety Temporary Tattoos

Out on a trip with little ones and worried they might wander off? Write your phone number on their arm and cover it with liquid skin. Ta-da! Waterproof temporary tattoos so your lost ones can always be found.

See the hack at The Paper Mama .

DIY Magnetic Travel Games

Turn a cookie sheet into a travel game center by making some DIY magnetic games. Puzzles out of pictures and popsicle sticks look like a ton of fun!

See the hack at Life Through My Eyes .

Airplane Seat Back Hanging Screen

Tired of getting a sore neck while watching your phone on an airline with no built in TVs? Try this hack to mount your phone to the back of the seat in front of you.

See the hack at Light in the Box .

Pacifier To-Go Cups

Keep those pacis clean in your purse by sticking them in some sauce to-go cups. The salsa bar at Baja Fresh is where I usually snag them from.

See the hack at Buzzfeed .

Baby Powder at the Beach

A little known secret of removing sand from your skin at the beach is baby powder. Bring along a bottle, sprinkle it on your feet and legs, and keep the sand out of your shoes, your car, and anywhere your feet land all summer long.

See the hack at Frugal Coupon Living .

Packing Shoes

The best way to keep your dirty shoes off of your clean clothes in your suitcase is to wrap the soles in a shower cap.

See the hack at Lifehack .

A great way to occupy little hands is to give them an "I spy" game to play with. Fill a bag with little trinkets and beads, and let the kids hunt for items for hours.

See the hack at Six Sisters' Stuff .

DIY Seatbelt Pillow

Make your own seatbelt pillow wrap to make napping in the car much easier. 

See the hack at Good Ideas for You .

DIY Sparkle Bottles

A great way to keep track of time-outs is to hand your kid one of these and say they have to be silent until the glitter all settles to the bottom. Plus, they are fascinating to watch.

See the hack at While He Was Napping .

Phone Number Bracelets

Want your kids to have your phone number and you don't want to tattoo it to their skin? How about making them a bracelet with your number as the beads?

See the hack at Danya Banya .

Road Trip Snack Necklaces

A clever way to keep your kids fed on a road trip while reducing the mess of a bowl full of snacks. Make some snack necklaces as a fun activity, and then take them on the road!

See the hack at And This Is How the Story Goes .

Sippy Cup Lasso

Keep from having to reach around to the backseat floor to retrieve dropped toys and bottles by attaching them to your kid's carseat. 

Road Trip Pillow Cases

Make some customized DIY travel pillows for your kids. They will be more comfortable in the car and have some fun activities built in too.

See the hack at Amazing Mae .

DIY Magnetic Board Games

Turn all of your favorite old board games into magnetic travel versions. 

See the hack at Choose to Thrive .

Bagged Outfits

Make packing and getting ready each morning easier by pre-planning your little ones' outfits and packing them in Ziploc bags.

See the hack at All Things Simple .

DIY Kid Travel Lap Tray

Make a great looking carry-all for your kid's road trip travel toys that includes a tray to play with them on. 

See the hack at Pretty Prudent .

Travel Dollhouse

A bit of an involved sewing project, but a great travel toy nonetheless. Make your little one a fully functional travel dollhouse out of fabric.

See the hack at Country Kitty .

Not-Ugly Car Trash Bag

Put your sewing skills to work again and make a not-ugly trash can for behind your car seats.

See the hack at Pink Chalk Studio .

Portable Lego Kit

Make your kid a portable Lego lunch box where they can store their pieces and have a building platform for constructing on the go.

See the hack at Mama Papa Bubba .

Sealed Travel Toiletries

Keep your gels and liquids from exploding in your bag by sealing the tops with Saran Wrap before you leave.

See the hack at Alexa Travels .

Waterproof Your Phone

Stick your electronic goods in a Ziploc bag to keep them dry while at the beach or pool.

See the hack at One Good Thing by Jillee .

Frozen Juice Boxes

Freeze some juice boxes before you leave, and they will serve multiple purposes on your trip. Keep your cooler cold, and they hydrate the kids when they thaw!

See the hack at Kids Activities Blog .

Dryer Sheets

Toss a dryer sheet in your suitcase to keep odors away while traveling.

See the hack at Popsugar .

Silicone Cupcake Liners

Put some of these in the bottom of your cup holders to keep crumbs and sticky stuff out of there.

Car Seat Buckle Protector

Keep your kids from unbuckling their own safety belts with this nifty DIY trick.

See the hack at Frugal Freebies .

Reuse Wipes Container

You always need plastic bags when you are traveling, whether for trash or to hold wet swimsuits. Pack some extra ones by reusing an old wipes container.

See the hack at Infarrantly Creative .

Sheets Under Car Seats

Keep your car clean on a long trip by putting a sheet underneath your kid's car seat to collect their crumbs and trash.

Recycled Snack Containers

A great way to travel with snacks is in some old coffee creamer jars. The flip-top lid is a great way to dispense them for the kiddos.

See the hack at Stockpiling Moms .

Ryan Foy is a web designer, actor, tech nerd, and all around cool dude. His web design firm, Roundhouse Designs , focuses on creating unique websites for actors, artists, and all around creative people. He lives in California with his wife Chelsea Foy of Lovely Indeed , where they spend their time thrift shopping for cool stuff, eating delicious food, and making beautiful things. They have an awesome little boy named Henry. You can follow him on Facebook , Twitter , Instagram , and Pinterest

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11 Little-Known Road Trip Organization Hacks with Kids (Keep Parents Sane)

By: Author Amanda L. Grossman

Posted on Last updated: February 29, 2024

Steal these genius road trip hacks for kids we’ve figured out after logging almost 70 hours in the car with a preschooler.

How important is organization to your road trip with kids?

Between stops to see stuff, pit stops at convenience stores, and just needing to get to things during the road trip itself – I'd say organization for your family's road trip is essential .

Since moving to a location that’s a great jumping-off point for road trips – think the Rockies, the beach, the Grand Canyon, all within 3-8 hours from us – we’ve been on the road a lot in the last two years.

Which means, we’ve had to figure out some pretty genius road trip organization hacks for kids.

Keep reading to pick up some serious road trip organization hacks, gained from hours upon hours of experience.  

Genius Road Trip Organization Hacks for Kids

There are soooo many opportunities to make your next road trip a raving success! Or, at the very least, much less obnoxious than they’ve been in the past.

Keep your kids happy, organized, and (can I just say) out of your hair on your next road trip with these genius hacks for kids.

1. Use a Shower Toy Organizer in Genius Ways

I got this genius idea last summer about how to increase the use of space in our car: by using a mesh bath toy organizer .

This is the one we use, and its suction cups are very strong.

We’ve used it as a grab-n-go sun station for when we stop for hikes (with sunscreen, hats, etc.). Like when we recently went straight to Big Bend National Park and stopped off for a hike before checking into our hotel – we simply opened up the back hatch, got our sunscreen and hats, and were off.

And as someone who once took a 9-month-old on a 9-hour car trip, I can confidently say that I wish I had thought to use it as a diaper-changing station. Instead, we had to stop every few hours and use the gas station bathrooms, after lugging my diaper bag inside with me – yuck!).  

Other uses include:

• Pet Clean-Up Station : again, this would’ve been really helpful after our cat peed in his pet carrier on our 12-hour trip between Houston and El Paso. Also helpful for doggie stops.
• Grab-n-Go Hotel Bag : on some of our really long trips, we’ve gotten in really late at night, and being able to grab just the essentials (like toothbrushes, covers/blankies, stuffed animal, etc.) and get to sleep was about all the energy we had.
• Play Station : You could put this near your child’s window, and include things you want them to have easy access to (including sanitizing hand wipes, to use before a snack!).

Use your imagination – this one is a game-changer.

2. Do Timed Bursts of Clean-Up

Things can get messy or cluttered really easily on long car rides, especially with multiple kids.

Let everyone know that the family will be doing timed clean-up bursts each hour (or whenever it suits you).

This means you set your phone alarm, and when it goes off, everyone cleans up the area around them – toys get put back into bins, pencils/crayons/etc. back into containers, window paint cleaned up (just pour a little water onto a paper towel and hand it back), trash sent to the trash bag person, etc.

It’s like a clean slate ( which feels really, really good 4 hours into a road trip… )!

3. Add a Cloth Bin Next to Each Child

Putting a bin next to our kid’s child seat? Was such a game-changer.

I am able to stock it with books, a few toys, and even this shark toothbrush holder (which is where I have him keep any crayons/pencils/small items that would otherwise get lost in the bottom of the bin).  

4. Stop Less Often with this Bucket Pulley System

Look at this woman’s genius road trip hack – a bucket pulley system ! She and her family can now easily get things back to kids ( allll the way to the back of their van) without having to stop.

And the kids? Well, they seem to think it’s pretty cool, too (bonus: that means it’s part of their entertainment!).

5. Have Everyone Wear Flip Flops for Easy Pit Stops (and Comfortable Riding)

I don’t know about you, but I find long road trips infinitely more comfortable if I can do them in my bare feet (not as a driver, but as a passenger).

So do many kids! But putting socks and shoes back on for pit stops is a disaster – particularly if your kids are young. Instead, have everyone wear flip-flops for the car ride. That way, they can pop them on and off easily.

Psst: Don't forget to have some fun, yourselves! Here's my article on 17 things to do in a long car ride for adults .

6. Give One Family Member Trash Collector Status

I say “status”, because you’re going to give this person an extra reward for doing such a good job!

Make sure they’re sitting next to the car’s trash bin, or that they have grocery bags/a garbage bag.

The reward to doing this job – making sure everyone’s trash gets into the car’s trash bag throughout the ride – could be as simple as giving them first pick on their bed at the hotel, or choice over what you all listen to, or some other privilege.

7. Prep for Your Pit Stops

Use this RV app to map your route out with a few interesting side notes and places to stretch the kiddos’ legs.

Even better, put a bin in the truck (as the last thing you pack), that you can quickly access when you stop at parks or any area. Include things like bubbles, a frisbee, and anything else to encourage your kiddos to let loose and run around.  

8. Use the Try-Something-New Mantra Leading Up to Your Trip

In the weeks leading up to road trips and trips of any kind, we let our picky (with eating) 5-year-old that on trips, we do things differently.

This opens him up to do something that he normally wouldn’t do at home – try new foods much quicker. Which is fantastic!

He started eating bacon in Michigan. He picked up a Honey Nut Cheerios snacking habit from our trip to Pennsylvania. Which is also where he tried French toast for the first time.

For someone who eats far fewer types of food than other kids his age, this has been huge for us. It could be huge for your kids, too.

You just need to prep everyone ahead of time.

9. Use a Toddler Clock for Young Kids

For young kids who cannot tell the time yet, a road trip can seem even more agonizing.

Bring or buy a toddler clock for them (it changes colors when it’s time), and then set their alarm for specific times when they get to change out to a new activity, or each hour, or when the next pit stop will be, or some other meaningful time (even snack time).

It helps kids to feel more in control, plus they get to be in charge of something.  

10. Keep a Grocery Bag Holder Nearby

I can’t tell you the number of times that I’ve needed more grocery store bags to hold trash, wet items, and anything else (and didn’t have them).

Use your household grocery bag holder , and hook it to the pocket behind the passenger seat for easy access.

11. Don’t Forget the Play Tray, Play Bin, and Clipboards

Ever wondered how to keep your kids busy on a road trip? I wrote a whole article on car activities for 4-year-olds (that is also very relevant to other ages).

I’d also like to add how helpful it is to take a clipboard and play bin or play tray on the trip. You can then print out activities for them to work on. Not only that, but the play bin/play tray will help them to be able to play with something without dropping smaller pieces.

Hint: I like for these to be deeper than a play tray so that it’s less likely that the toy/activity will fall out.

Keep coming back, as we've got more road trips planned and I'll continue to experiment and add more ideas here. In the meantime, tell me which of these road trip hacks with kids worked the best for your family!

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Amanda L. Grossman

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20 Simple Travel Hacks for Kids That Will Make Your Trip Enjoyable

May 7, 2021

These travel hacks for kids are going to make everyone’s life easier and the trip so much more enjoyable. The kids will not constantly be asking the age-old question, “Are we there yet?” Instead, they will like the moments spent traveling to their destination. This post is all about travel hacks for kids.

When you travel alone, you sometimes look around at airports, and think how is it even possible to take kids anywhere? They have so much stuff! They never seem to sit still. Plus, they are always asking for something. Then, when you become a parent, you seem to just go with the flow of it all or at least try to roll with all the craziness. After all, our kids are everything!

Furthermore, as someone who loves traveling, I will take advice from anyone who wants to offer it regarding traveling with my kids. If everyone’s life can be even slightly easier when making a trip, I am all ears.

Now that I am a mom of two crazy little ladies, I have used these travel hacks to simplify the traveling process and eliminate chaos any way I can.

Let’s be honest, traveling with kids can be rather hectic as you never know what they are going to do. Hopefully, with this list of travel hacks, they will be more even keel. Moreover, they may even enjoy the travel time.

This post is all about travel hacks for kids.

Table of Contents

Travel Hacks for Kids

Travel hacks for kids – the essentials, sea band nausea relief bracelets.

Even before we took any major car rides, Sadie used these just to go to daycare each day. They have been unbelievable, and she no longer feels car sick. Before I found these amazing bracelets, Sadie dreaded the car!

Travel Potty

To eliminate all of those moments of potty panic, this travel potty will keep you stress free when your little one says, “I need to go NOW!”

Travel Potty Liners

Of course, these are required and a complete must have for the travel potty. The potty and liners are always in the car no matter what.

Neck Pillow

So I am not sure if you have this same problem, but we have gigantic heads. I mean my head alone could have a zip code, so because of genetics, this neck pillow is a must for my four-year-old. It saves me from having to lift her head when she takes a snooze in the car.

Travel Blanket

No matter what, there is always someone in the car who gets a little chilly, so this is just great to have in the trunk or hanging from the back of the seat.

Pacifier Clip

There is just nothing worse than a pacifier stuck in the seats during rush hour traffic. If thinking about it just gives you the chills, this clip is going to save you from those scary situations.

Car Organizer Travel Hacks for Kids

Doesn’t it just feel good when these little items have a place? This car organizer is just so amazing for more reasons than one. Your kids are going to see all of their items and so will you.

Organizing Clips – Travel Hacks for Kids

From hanging water bottles to shoes to hair ties, these clips are great for all of those miscellaneous items.

Snack Containers for Younger Kids

Since you may not want an entire pack of goldfish spilled between your seats, this is the snack cup for you. It is just great that the kids can’t just tip this over. Of course, they will try every which way, but you won’t have the mess you once did.

Snack Containers for Older Kids

This stackable containers are great for older kids and for adults too. Who doesn’t love snacks in the car?

Water Bottle for Kids

The Contigo water bottle for kids is great, and this works well with the organizer clips too.

Backpack for Kids

So quick story about why I have one of these backpacks. When Sadie was two, I took her to Nashville to meet my husband for a little weekend getaway. Before I had this backpack, she literally ran away from me, ran up to a random toddler, kissed him, then headed to the sliding doors almost getting her hands stuck. So, because of this completely ridiculous scene, I did it; I purchased a bag with a leash. Yes, I once judged parents that leashed their children, and then, I learned oh so quickly!

Suitcase for Kids

To be honest, I just purchased this because of the unicorns. In our house, every single thing practically has a unicorn. Nonetheless, I do actually think this is quite the perfect budget-friendly suitcase for kids. It has enough pockets to keep their toiletries, shoes, diapers, undies, socks, and clothes. Plus, they will love carting it around.

Travel Hacks for Kids – The Entertainment

Wireless headphones that fold.

These headphones are a great deal, and they fold. They are just perfect for saving space!

Color Wonder Markers

Thank you to the kind soul who purchased these markers for my daughters. They are perfect!

Color Wonder Paper

Of course, you can’t have markers without the special paper. You will just love this, and it is especially useful when on the go.

Magnetic Drawing Board

If you are trying to eliminate the whole marker/paper concept, this board is great for travel. Your kids will be entertained and can even take notes on how well the trip is going.

Squigz Travel Hacks for Kids

When in Heyday in Jacksonville , I found these outstanding little plastic wonders. They stick to everything and are great for travel. Just imagine how colorful your car windows will be with these Squigz!

Mini Magnetic Travel Blocks

For a more creative twist, try out these magnetic travel blocks. Play a game to see who can make the most items within a certain time frame. Let the fun begin!

Wikki Stix Travel Hacks for Kids

These little stix are great for those who get a little fidgety in the car. Pull out a few of these stix and let the entertainment begin.

Smooth Sailing with these Travel Hacks for Kids

With these travel tips for kids, your next trip will be smooth sailing.

Enjoy and safe travels!

For more packing tips for vacation, check out this post too.

& Remember Start with the Bed, Juliet

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