14 Tips for Traveling with a Toddler on a Plane
We just took our third trip with Mackenzie, but this was the first since she’s been super mobile so we knew it would be tougher to keep her in her seat. We definitely had a lot to travel with, but somehow we made it work! Below I’m sharing all my tips to make traveling with a toddler hopefully just a little bit easier:
- Flying with kids is all about survival mode in my opinion. Whatever keeps them happy, as long as they are still being respectful of other travelers around you. This doesn’t mean crying because I’m sorry all kids cry & have meltdowns.
- It’s very different flying with a baby who’s not yet mobile so if possible baby wear to make life easier.
- If possible, buy a seat for your child even if they are under two. It’s safest to bring their car seat on the plane & you’ll always have a safe place to put them down.
- Get a lightweight car seat! This was our first trip without our Doona stroller/car seat so we were a little nervous about having to travel with both a car seat & stroller. Both sets of grandparents have this lightweight car seat when they take Mackenzie so it’s perfect for air travel as well. It’s so lightweight & we were able to attach it to our stroller.
- A lightweight travel stroller is also key! We have this Uppababy Minu stroller & I’ll link my previous blog post where I share all about our travel stroller. We also made sure to get the Uppababy Minu stroller travel bag so we could gate check it. We’ve heard great things about Uppababy customer service when you have an issue with broken strollers as long as it’s in their carry bag! (Check with your manufacturer about using their bag and what kind of warranty they have).
- Set low expectations! If you’re traveling during nap or nighttime, do not expect them to sleep when they normally would. I know it’s tough, but don’t expect them to sleep because when they don’t you won’t be disappointed (just take it from someone who’s been there!)
- Give them something to drink or suck on (lollipop) for take off and landing to help with pressure in the ears!
- Snack (lots & lots of them)! We love this stainless steel snack cup with a lid & this fun spinner snack container.
- For us the iPad is a must (she won’t wear the headphones we have for more than a couple of minutes, but we leave them plugged in so if she wants to hear she has to wear them). We have two different types & she definitely prefers the regular ones over the headband style.
- If your child needs to get energy out have them walk around the terminal before boarding the plane. You can also walk them up & down the aisle when the seatbelt sign is off!
- If you’re traveling with more than 1 adult, have 1 person board early to put the car seat in & try to keep your little one off the plane for as long as possible because once you’re on the plane you’re stuck there! I can’t stress this one enough!!!
- New toys! Have new & exciting things for the airplane ride. This doesn’t mean expensive, just something new that they maybe haven’t seen before. Sharing a couple ideas below:
- Also small, compact toys can be great. I stuffed her backpack with a bunch of different toys (some old, some new).
- EXTRA CLOTHES: we’ve had that puke incident where you’re covered in puke on a plane with no change of clothes. You probably have a change of clothes for your kids in the diaper bag, but make sure you also pack a change of clothes for yourself incase you get puked on!
What are your tips for traveling with a toddler by plane? Let me know below.