Travelling with Babies and Toddlers

Are you travelling with babies and/ or toddlers this summer? Then hopefully this week’s post will help you make the most of it, and offer solutions to potential issues. Read on to find out my top three tips for travel with kids this summer.

Be prepared!

This one is essential!! Toddlers get bored very easily, so don’t even think about leaving home without a whole host of entertainment ideas up your sleeve. Make sure you have plenty of activities that are easy to rotate in a car, or on a plane or a boat. And don’t forget baby! Chances are feeding and sleeping are going to be high on younger baby’s agendas, so make sure you have everything you need for this too.

And preparation extends into other aspects of your trip. Make sure you’re prepared fro you journey with everything you need within easy access. And plan for naps too. So if you can leave at around nap time so they children sleep as you travel, then fab. If not, bear in mind that things may become fraught if you’re travelling well past nap time.

Lastly, make sure you have planned at least your first day on holiday- and make it a slow day. After all that travelling, kids (and parents) are going to be tired, so it makes sense to take it easy at first. This is especially important if you’re moving through time zones as you’ll need to adjust sleep timings a little too.

Pack wisely

Babies and toddlers require a lot of luggage! Make sure you don’t forget anything by making a checklist that you can keep with you as you pack. There’s nothing worse than arriving at your destination to find you’ve forgotten lots of essentials! Here’s a quick list of those things you definitely don’t want to forget, and some that are rather clever indeed.

• Nappies and wipes.
• Changing mat for impromptu nappy changes
• Feeding essentials and sterilising equipment just in case
• Blankets, comforters and loveys that your little ones rely on for comfort and sleep
• Plastic bags- for dirty clothes, nappies and anything else that needs to be stored separately
• Hand sanitiser
• Spare clothes
• Disposable bibs
• Tissues
• Pacifiers
• Toys
• Sun hat
• Feeding utensils
• Snacks
• First aid kit
• Night light
• Sling/ baby carrier
• Travel crib

Anything else to add?

Go with the flow…

… to a certain extent! What I mean by this is to allow yourself to relax while you’re away. You’re on holiday after all! So while it is important to stick as much as you can to your usual routine, don’t stress if its not always possible. As long as you watch for sleep cues, stay out a little longer if you want to. Try new things, new foods and new experiences. Above all, have fun. Any changes or disruptions to routine can be sorted out once you get home again.