10 Practical Tips For Travelling With a Small Child

I’m no parenting expert but I think having a child who’s done 30 or so flights across 7 countries gives me some street cred on the topic of traveling with kids. I’ve compiled my top tips.

1. Hype it up. Talk frequently and excitedly about the trip, show them photos, describe the activities you will do, give them a brief history of the place, what type of food they will eat, what animals they might see and encourage questions.

2. Pack light. Really, kids don’t actually need that much when traveling, it’s parents who do. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen other parents struggle to get a jogger stroller, playpen & car seat through airport security- heck- I’ve even been that parent! It’s much less hectic with less things. Think baby carrier, wear travel backpacks and if you must, a small umbrella stroller or one of those car seat/stroller combos. If you have a partner, designate one as luggage/ gear carrier and the other as the keeper of the child(ren). You might have to flip a coin! 

3. Keep a simple and flexible itinerary. This is particularly challenging for me because I’m one of those hyperactive travelers who will try to jam pack an itinerary to see as much as possible, even sleep on a mode of transportation to save time. My husband is the opposite and likes a very relaxed pace while traveling so we balance each other out. Our daughter, on the other hand, can overthrow an entire itinerary based on her mood so we adjust accordingly. We tend to keep our days to 1-2 major planned activities in the morning and the rest of the day to just wing it. We also don’t plan major activities on the same day as flights. 

4. SNACKS! I can’t stress this enough, these little kids are eating machines and I’m convinced that changes in ear pressure stimulates appetite, which I guess has some truth.. for infants and one year olds provide bottle, boob or binky to alleviate ear pressure. For 2 year olds and up just keep feeding them, that will keep them quiet. We usually do Cheerios, animal crackers, goldfish, fruits, boiled eggs, veggie pouches(check size for carry-on). For emergency- hidden lollipops and m&ms. Snacks for an international return flight can be challenging because your usual snacks may not be available in that country. We usually find convenience stores during the trip and with trial and error figure out what she likes.. then stock up for the return flight or buy snacks at the airport. 

5. Health. Follow the CDC guidelines for the specific area you are traveling to and work with your health care provider for travel vaccines and medication. Bring a thermometer and children’s Tylenol. Research the health care access points ahead of time, write them down or take screen shots so you can show a taxi driver if language is a barrier. We once had to visit a Thai hospital due to Addie’s high fever and suspected infection. Turned out to be tonsillitis and the doctor prescribed antibiotics which cleared it in a few days. 

6. In flight entertainment. My favorites are: Magic marker coloring sets- markers will only work on special paper so I don’t have to worry about her coloring the table and seats. Sticky hands or other sticky critters, they can put them on the window. Small container of play-dough it doesn't stick to airplane carpet, promise! Small new toys- depends on what your child likes. Our daughter loves “blind bags” so we’ll get a few of those for her to open on the flight. Lastly, whatever your stance on screen time at young ages, I think most will agree to make exceptions for long flights. Luckily most flights lasting >10hrs come equipped with personal screens and child friendly films. Or, your know, bring your own tablet with a season or two of Mickey Mouse clubhouse. 

7. Book child friendly accommodations. Read what amenities they provide, read reviews, check if there are age minimums for pools, etc. We are big fans of boutique hotels and Airbnb. We like the vibe of boutique hotels: staff is usually more personable, warm and inviting. Sometimes there are quirky features like hammocks on your porch or a water slide in the lobby. We also like booking through Airbnb to have your own kitchen and save on a few meals out. Also, you can get much closer to local life with these options. In my experience hotel chains and resorts are so removed from a city’s heart making it more challenging to truly immerse but they are nice once in a while if your plans are to just stay put.

8. Be in the moment. Enjoy new experiences through their eyes, that innocent excitement over the simplest things. This is true for anytime not just travel but so challenging sometimes.

9. Your child(ren) will be adored. At least in the countries we have visited. Don’t be alarmed if locals feel invasive with your children, carrying them, hugging them, playing and talking to them. It’s actually so refreshing to experience countries free of the fear of harm that is our sad reality here in the USA. Still be cautious, just know it’s the norm. People will actually go out of their way to help you: Costa Rica- a waiter entertained my daughter while I looked over the menu, the hotel staff carried and danced around with her. Thailand- a woman ran to us with a handkerchief because my daughters face was covered in ice cream and she cleaned it off. Japan- a woman tried to help us open a train station gate that locked after our daughters stroller pushed through, we didn’t speak a common language but she summoned a worker to open up the gait. Palawan- a hotel worker made hand woven animal shapes and gifted them to Addie and the receptionist gifted her a rain maker. 

10. Reflect. This is somewhat age dependent but around 3 years old and up reflect with your child about the trip. Look at photos, talk about the activities you did, what did they learn, what food did they eat, what animals did they see. It’s funny what they will remember. Our daughter still talks about the time she touched a lamp in Japan and we gave her ice cream. In reality she touched a hot light bulb in a planter, screamed and we panicked! We ran to the nearest store to find ice and could only find ice cream for her to hold and then let her eat it afterwards. I have to keep reminding her that touching lamps doesn’t automatically equal ice cream! 

What travel tips do you have? I'd love to hear about them!