travel hacks for 1 year old

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26 pro tips for flying with a 1 year old – family travel guide 2024.

Table of Contents

Flying with a 1 year old is one of the most challenging aspects of family travel. If you are looking for top tips and advice then you’ve come to the right place. As a full time travel family we have flown with a 1 year old both short and long haul flights. We are super excited to share these top tips, hacks and secrets with you.

Flying with a one-year-old does present some unique and unexpected challenges. In this article we will help you get to grips with some of the challenges and prepare as well as possible.

If you are reading this article you are already doing the first thing right. You’re taking time to plan and prepare for flying with a 1 year-old.  Being fully prepared for your flight can reduce anxiety and help you and your baby have a smooth flight.

Don’t miss our FULL baby travel checklist . EVERYTHING you need to know to plan and prepare your trip.

You may also be interested in our guide on Booking Cheap Flights with Kids

Flying with a 1 year old – unique challenges

Why have we done an article just for flying with a 1 year old? Because it’s hard! Flying with a 1 year old is probably one of the most challenging ages to fly. Not trying to put you off. Just help you understand some of the challenges and get prepared. With a 1 year old you will need to consider more toys and activities. You will also need to consider a range of snacks and drinks for a 1 year old baby. Another challenge is that your 1 year old will be more aware of their environment and therefore can be harder to settle. 

What are your seating options flying with a 1 year old?

Bassinet seats 

If you’re on a long haul flight your airline may have special bassinet seats. A bassinet is an airplane cot for a baby. The airline staff should help you set the bassinet up, and this is a great place for your baby to sit, play, rest and sleep during the flight. Bassinet seats are sometimes available for FREE on request on a first come first served basis. 

Bassinet restrictions

It is worth being aware that some airlines may have weight, size or age restrictions for bassinets. It is normally required that your baby can comfortably fit in the bassinet and normally no more than 10kg – 15kg. Check your airline’s specific policy. Most small 1 year olds should be able to use a bassinet on a flight. Your baby will not be able to use a bassinet at take off, landing and when the seatbelt sign is on. 

What about car seats ?

It is also possible to book an additional seat for your infant. Normally, when you add an infant to your booking they will not be assigned a seat. It is normally expected that your baby will sit on your lap throughout the flight with an infant lap belt. However, it is possible to book an additional seat for your infant. This will normally cost a similar price to an adult seat. If you book an additional seat for your 1 year old you can then use an approved car seat. Traveling with a car seat may be awkward at times but it can be very helpful at your destination.

TOP TIPS for flying with a 1 year old – summary 

• Help them connect with the experience
• Get things organized early
• Book a good place to rest – check Agoda and Booking.com
• Find a flight at a good time
• Get a seat with a bassinet
• Use the space under the seats 
• Pack more than you need
• Bring some ziplock bags
• Bring some sensory toys
• Pre-prep some bottles
• Bring a baby milk bottle through security
• Request an infant meal
• Bring plenty of snacks
• Get some baby ear muffs
• Talk to people sitting near you 
• Prevent baby ear pain
• Get a travel baby changing mat
• Use your all of your baggage allowance
• Pad out your bags with nappies
• Bring a change of clothes
• Pack a small blanket
• Bring creams and medications
• Try to keep some normal routines
• Bring a pram through the airport
• Use a special assistance lanes in the airport
• Team work is dream work

Flying with a 1 year old – full guide

1 help them to connect with the experience.

Before you fly with a 1 year-old, take time to help them connect with the experience.  Babies are very good at picking up on our emotions and reflecting them. If you are positive and excited about the flight your baby will perceive and reflect these emotions. Introduce toys and books that have an airplane theme. Talk to them about the flight and about your trip. Try to find ways to make the experience unique and special for them. The flight is also a good opportunity to introduce an exciting new toy or book and make the experience feel special for them. This is a particularly helpful tip to create a good long-term mindset in your child. 

2 Get things organized early

If you are flying with a 1 year old, try to get organized nice and early. Get things booked as early as possible. Generally flights are cheaper if you book them early. Book your hotel early too – on Agoda and Booking.com you can often get great FREE cancellation policies. If you need to get a passport for your infant this can take several months. Applying for an e-visa (where relevant) often takes a few weeks. Things like travel vaccination can take a while to organize because they rely on appointments and immunity may take a few weeks to kick in. Getting organized early is one of the most important things if you are flying with a 1 year old.

3 Book a great place to rest 

Finding a good hotel To rest after your flight is very important. You will all need to rest and recover from the flight and adjust to the new time zone. Try to get a quiet location (or sound proof room), good black out blinds, air conditioning and baby friendly facilities (e.g. fridge, cot, bath etc…) 

LOOK for a hotel on Agoda

LOOK for a hotel on Booking.com

TOP TIP: Once you know where you are going, get your hotel booked early. One of the great things about using Agoda and booking.com is that you can often find places with very good free cancellation policies. You need to check this when you book.  Agoda and booking.com often have cancellation policies that allow you to cancel for FREE for any reason until close to your check in date. So if you don’t have time to look for the best hotel, just get something good booked early and then look more carefully when you have more time. 

4 Find a flight at a good time

If possible try to find a flight that works well with your baby’s routines. Of course you may not be able to choose the time of your flight, however it is worth considering flight times and layovers when you are booking tickets. It can be good if you can find a flight that departs a couple of hours before your 1 year old is due to nap. Their nap can be a nice way to break up the flight. Another good time to fly is a few hours before your baby’s normal bedtime. Also consider layover times and locations. The best layovers are either relatively short or very long. 1-2 hours is ideal so you have time to get to your connecting flight. Alternatively, 12 hours or more can actually work very well. With a 12 hour layover you may be able to leave the airport and check in to some accommodation to get some rest. You may also have time to see some attractions in your layover country. Also flights with a long layover tend to be cheaper than flights with shorter layovers.

TOP TIP: If you have a long layover check whether your bags go all the way to the destination. If so pack for your layover (clothes and toiletries)

5 Request a bassinet early

Okay this is one of the most important tips for flying with a 1 year old. We mentioned that on some flights you can get special bassinet seats for an infant. However these are generally available on a first-come first-serve basis.  Therefore, if you are on a long-haul flight with a one-year-old we recommend turning up as early as possible to request a bassinet seat. In some cases, a bassinet seat may be automatically assigned to you. However we do not recommend relying on this. 

6 Use the space under the seats 

Airlines normally allow you to put small bags underneath the seat in front of you or underneath your own seat. The only exception is if you’re on an emergency exit row – BUT this won’t happen when you are flying with a 1 year old (infants are not allowed on this row). When you are flying with a 1 year old you need to be able to access things quickly. If all your baby stuff is in the overhead storage it can be really awkward to get things. Pack your special baby carry on in a small flexible bag that can fit under an airplane seat. 

7 Pack more than you need

This feels more like a tip for life! Pack plenty – more than you think you need. Before your flight you will need to work out how much you need. Consider nappies, wet wipes, snacks and milk. Remember you also need to consider journey time to and from the airport, flight times, layover times AND potential delays. If you are stuck in the airport it may be tricky to find extra nappies and milk in the airport. So remember to pack more than you need. 

Don’t miss our full packing list for flying with a baby

8 Bring some ziplock bags

Pack ziplock bags or small plastic bags. These can be used for so many things. For example if your baby drops their dummy on the ground you can stick it in a ziplock bag and pop it in your bags. Or when clothing is inevitably covered in drinks and bodily fluid – stuff them in a ziplock pack and pack them away to clean later. 

9 Bring some sensory toys

Pack some small compact toys for your baby. Flying with a 1 year old may be a great time to introduce a new toy. Find things that are sensory, multi-purpose and stimulating. Bring along a few familiar toys and books. Consider toys that can be used for simple games like blocks, stacking cups and toys with moving parts and magnets. On the flight PACE yourself and your baby. Mix up activities. Keep some of your higher impact activities for later in the flight when everyone is more tired and worn out. 

10 Pre-prep some bottles

Before the flight, pre-prepare some milk bottles. If the milk bottle is clean, dry and sterilized you can add the correct amount of formula powder to the bottle in advance. Later all you need to do is add some warm water and give it a shake. Alternatively, portion up some formula in small plastic bags. You can then make up the bottle on the flight. Almost all airlines will be willing to provide water for formula bottles. If they only have boiling water available, just add a little clean cold water first (e.g. from a water bottle). 

11 Bring a baby milk bottle through security

Security checks usually have 100ml restriction on fluids. However, parents traveling with an infant should be allowed to take a baby drink through security. You will probably need to pop it in a plastic bag for security and they may also want to check it. But it is useful to have an extra drink for your baby. 

12 Request and infant meal

If you book a flight with a 1 year old you should automatically be assigned an infant meal (assuming there is a meal service on your flight). However, this is definitely worth checking. We recommend contacting the airline in advance to check that your child will be given an infant meal – especially if your infant has special dietary requirements. You may also want to bring along some of your baby’s normal food. 

13 Bring plenty of snacks

As every parent knows, snacks are essential to your baby’s happiness and a parent’s sanity. Airplanes normally offer snacks but these can be odd, sporadic and unreliable. See the airplane snacks as an additional bonus. Snacks with complex carbs will help fill your baby’s tum tum and hopefully make them more sleepy. Baby pouches can also provide a healthy and comforting energy hit for your baby. AND don’t forget to bring along a treat or two for yourself. You deserve it if you’re flying with a 1 year old. 

14 Get some baby ear muffs

Get hold of some special baby aeroplane ear muffs (yes – these really are a thing!). These earmuffs are designed to protect your baby’s ears from the loud noise of the airplane. If your 1 year old is comfortable wearing ear muffs they should help protect their ears and they may also help your baby sleep better on the airplane. Get your baby used to the earmuffs before the flight. At first wait till your baby is asleep before you put them on your baby so they get used to them. Eventually you may be able to put them on before your baby is asleep because they will be used to wearing them. 

15 Talk to people sitting near you 

When you get on the airplane, talk to the people sitting near you. If you’re flying with a 1 year old it is natural to feel anxious about the other passengers sitting near you. A short conversation is a great way to humanize you to the people around you. Showing that you are aware of other people’s experience and peace will encourage them to be more sympathetic and understanding. 

16 Prevent baby ear pain

The change in cabin pressure can be very painful for a baby’s ears. The best way to reduce ear pain is for your 1 year old to suck something. This could be a dummy. It could be feeding from a milk bottle. Or even breastfeeding. You baby will need to sit on your lap in a lap belt at take off and landing. If this is loosened it is possible to breastfeed a baby. 

17 Get a travel changing mat

Consider purchasing a travel changing mat. Baby travel changing mats for compact, small and provide a hygienic surface for carrying out nappy changes anyway. A good travel changing mat may also have additional pockets and pouches for things like hand sanitizer, baby wipes and nappies. You can put your own baby travel changing mat on top of baby changing tables in toilets for comfort and hygiene. Most airplanes have small baby changing tables in some of the toilets.

18 Use your all of your baggage allowance

Your baggage allowance will depend on the airline you’re flying with a ticket. You can generally find out your baggage allowance when you purchase your ticket. A good free allowance should be at least 20kg check in. Flying with a 1 year old you should be given some free additional allowance. Many good airlines will let you bring a pram or baby carrier for FREE. You should also be allowed an additional carry on bag for your baby. 

19 Pad out your bags with nappies

If you’re flying with a 1 year old make sure you bring mountains of nappies with you. In many countries you can buy nappies but they may be expensive, hard to find and not your preferred brand. Nappies are a great way to pad out your bags. Filling your bag with lots of nappies will not add much weight but will provide protection to your belongings. As you use the nappies on your trip the extra space in your bags can be filled with gifts and goodies. 

20 Bring a change of clothes

When you are packing your carry on, remember to pack a change of clothes for your baby and for yourself. When you are flying with a 1 year old it is only a matter of time before you will be covered in crumbs, spillages and bodily fluids. Having some clean clothes can really help you feel human again. 

21 Pack a small blanket

You may be given a blanket on a long haul flight but this is not guaranteed. Bring along a small comfortable blanket for you and or your one year old. This can be a familiar comfort to your baby and you can also use it in the airport during layovers or waiting time. A small blanket shouldn’t add too much extra size and weight to your carry on luggage. 

22 Bring creams and medications

You should be allowed to bring creams and meds in your carry-on luggage (as long as fluids don’t exceed 100ml). Make sure creams and medicines are in labeled containers and wrapped in plastic bags for security. Be aware that a long flight can exacerbate nappy rash. So even if your baby is not normally prone to red cheeks – it is probably worth having a good cream. 

23 Try to keep some normal routines

Stay as close as possible to your baby’s normal routines. This should help your 1 year old feel settled and increase their chances of getting some sleep. Consider small familiar comforts like their normal night time clothing, giving them a bottle of warm milk at bedtime or bedtime stories that you may read to your baby at bedtime.

24 Bring a pram through the airport

If you’re traveling with a pram, take it through the airport all the way to the boarding gate. Having your 1 year old in a pram is really helpful when you need your hands-free. When you get to the gate the airport staff should take your pram and store it on the aircraft so that it is available to you when you arrive at your destination. 

TOP TIP If you are not planning to travel with a pram, there are some other great options for you. Consider a sling. There are plenty of small, light, travel friendly sling options. Alternatively, many airlines will also let you switch out for a baby carrier backpack (FREE with an infant). This is a backpack with a baby seat built in. You can also stuff a baby carrier with some extra things like nappies, clothes or toys. 

25 Use a special assistance lanes in the airport

Most airports around the world have special assistance lanes. You can normally find special assistance lanes at immigration checkpoints, security checkpoints and also when you are boarding the aircraft. Make yourself known to staff and ask for help if you need it. This can save valuable time and reduce waiting time in queues. 

26 Team work is dream work

If you are flying with another adult, find ways to team up. Take shifts and switch out to give each other rest. When you are at stress points (e.g. security) try to divide tasks up. One person looking after your baby whilst the other focuses on bags. If you are not flying with another adult – then seriously respect to you. We do have a special article on flying solo with a baby . 

Tips for flying with a 1 year old – SUMMARY 

If you are flying with a 1 year old preparation and planning is everything. Whether it is organizing travel vaccinations, buying clothes and kit, packing or sorting flights and accommodation It’s going to be busy. SO keep your eyes on the prize. It will be worth it. Hopefully our articles will help you think through and plan all of the essentials. 

DON’T MISS our full guide on Booking Cheap Flights with Kids

Looking for a place to stay?

We always recommend that you use a good booking platform to sort out your hotel. This creates accountability and gives you a way to contact your hotel. You can also get other perks such as free cancellations policies.

Life loving, adventure chasing, Mum of 3 who loves travel. Over 10 years of travel writing experience. Emma now loves to give the best tips to help other travel loving parents plan adventures with their kids. Whether you need to find the best accommodation or just need to know how to pack your bag Emma is that travelling mum who love to help you.

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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

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What It’s Like To Fly With a 1-Year-Old [Our Top 5 Tips for Success!]

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Flying With a Baby Under 1 Year Old

Flying with a toddler older than 1-year-old, economy vs. business class seats, ordering kids’ and baby meals, traveling with breast milk or formula, umbrella stroller, diaper bags: backpack vs. purse, lounge access with babies, 1. snacks, snacks, and more snacks, 2. schedule the flight around nap time, 3. bring new toys and activities, 4. pack smart, 5. go with the flow, final thoughts.

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My kids have been on countless planes, trains, and automobiles and have stayed in hotels, Airbnbs, and even an RV. They’re now 3 and 5 years old, carrying their own backpacks and attempting to pull their own carry-ons, but this wasn’t always the case.

If you’re new to traveling with small children, it might seem overwhelming or outright impossible. Sure, there’s a lot of stuff to pack and juggling to do while taking care of a tiny human, yourself, and all of your things. But it’s probably simpler than you think, especially if you follow some of the tips outlined below .

When kids are especially small — think a few months old to about a year old — it’s downright easy to travel with them. The plane provides white noise and lulls them almost straight to sleep as soon as you’re in the air, barring any pressure change discomfort, of course. They aren’t moving too much, nor are they requesting (demanding) to get out of your arms or the seat and walk the plane.

You can wear your tiny human on your chest or back and they pretty much go wherever you take them without protest. Their schedule and eating habits are predictable and they’ve yet to have their first meltdown.

The early days are almost blissful.

And then they turn 1.

The older your child gets, the more curious they become . The 1-year-old stage is a fun time because they’re walking, or just on the cusp of it, suggesting that they’re ready for more independence, have a sense of humor, and are generally well-tempered. This is a sweet spot right before their inability to communicate leads to temper tantrums and frustration.

Hot Tip: The biggest difference between flying with a 1-year-old and a younger child is how alert they will be.

Your 1-year-old might want to stand in your lap, or in the seat, and wave at, smile at, and talk to other passengers. For more active toddlers, you may have to walk around the cabin with them . And if they’re walking, they’ll likely want to walk on the ground themselves.

They’re hopefully eating solid foods so you’ll have to remember to pack food that you know they’ll like. Don’t rely on getting something at the airport or even the food provided on the plane. They’re also larger, so that tiny, inaccessible plane bathroom won’t be fun for either of you when it comes time to change a diaper at 30,000 feet.

But the biggest difference of all might be whether or not you buy your ever-growing infant their own seat.

Should You Buy a Seat for Your Toddler?

When my kids were young enough for it, I was of the mind that as long as my kids could fly for free, we wouldn’t buy them a seat. Plus, they’re only small for so long and I always loved holding onto them when they slept. Add to that the increasing costs of airline tickets, both in cash and miles, and I’m glad that we were able to save the money with a lap infant when we could.

To make having a lap infant easier, either my husband or I would wear the baby in an Ergobaby carrier when they slept so that we had full use of our arms . We could even sleep ourselves without fearing that the baby would fall out of our arms.

I know a lot of parents who prefer for each member of their family to have their own seat, mostly for the sake of space. But in addition to that, some children just don’t sleep well being held — not to mention the adult holding them might be pretty uncomfortable, too.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recommends that children fly in a child restraint system (CRS) , which is essentially a car seat . There are specific requirements for CRS devices, so be sure and check out the website before you fly to make sure you’ve got the right type.

You’ll get a baggage allowance for your 1-year-old when you purchase a seat no matter how old they are. This would allow you to pack more freely instead of packing your child’s items together with the items in your carry-on … something I’ve done many times.

If you’re lucky, you’ll be seated in a row that has an empty seat next to you and your child can sit there free of charge when the “Fasten Seat Belt” sign is off.

Baby bassinets are detachable bassinets available on some planes in the bulkhead seat. These bassinets generally have age, weight, and/or height restrictions for use, and with a 1-year-old, your options to use a bassinet may be getting limited .

If you’re inclined to use a bassinet for your baby — particularly on a long-haul flight where you want to ensure the best rest possible — you’ll need to call the airline right after making your reservation to reserve your seat and bassinet.

Hot Tip: Not all airlines offer bassinets. Before you book, check out our ultimate guide to baby bassinet seats on over 50 airlines to find out if your preferred airline offers a bassinet or not.

The debate about whether or not kids and babies should be in premium cabins is one we won’t settle here. Still, parents traveling with young children may want to know some of the pros and cons of flying business class with a baby .

In business class, you’re guaranteed to get more legroom and larger seats. When traveling with a lap infant especially, it never hurts to have as much room as possible. In economy, you cannot sit in the exit row where you’d normally expect to have the most room in the back of the plane. That means that you’ll be jammed in a row, potentially with strangers.

With fewer passengers to take care of in business class, the flight attendants should have more time to help you when you need assistance. For example, you may need water to make a bottle or you forgot your child’s juice. In business class, you can expect to be taken care of a little more often.

Unfortunately, just by the sheer volume of folks in the economy compared to the number of attendants, you won’t receive the same service.

In premium cabins, depending on the airline, you may be able to reserve an infant or child meal in advance to be served during your flight. If flying domestic economy, you won’t have this option.

And lastly, flying in business could be cost-prohibitive to many. Even with points, business class seats often cost a significant amount more than economy class tickets. It’s easy to feel that the pros listed above don’t outweigh the dollar amount you’ll have to pay for those conveniences.

International airlines shine when it comes to their meal services (even in economy). As such, you can expect to be able to order a kids’ meal in advance of your flight or when you get on board.

The makeup of the meals and offerings varies depending on the airline, of course. Some airlines, usually depending on the length of the flight, will offer hot meals like pasta and even hamburgers. Others might only offer a kids’ snack box.

Whether or not these amenities are included in the price of your ticket depends on the airline as well. For example, United brought back kids’ meals that can be ordered at least 24 hours before your flight for flights over 2,000 miles and where a complimentary meal will be served.

According to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), breast milk , formula, and toddler drinks are considered medically necessary. Breast milk, formula, toddler drinks, and baby/toddler food (including puree pouches) can exceed 3.4 ounces and do not need to fit in quart-size bags.

You are recommended to let the TSA agent know that you’re traveling with these items at the beginning of the screening and to take it out of your carry-on.  It is also recommended that these items travel in clear containers for the sake of expediting the screening process.

Though the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) categorizes breast pumps as a medical device and as such should be allowed in addition to your carry-on and personal item, this depends on the airline. It’s a good idea to call the airline you’ll be flying with before you check in for your flight to ensure that you can bring your breast pump onboard.

Helpful Travel Accessories

As your children get older, they’ll likely want to help carry their backpacks or pull their own luggage . Eventually, you won’t need to carry or push them in a stroller everywhere because they’ll want to walk on their own, too. In the meantime, however, when traveling with a 1-year-old, all of that still falls on you. Luckily, there are plenty of travel gadgets and accessories to help make it easier.

Umbrella strollers are lightweight, foldable strollers for babies old enough to hold their heads up. An infant stroller most likely works together with your car seat, which can be bulky and hard to maneuver through the airport. If your child is big enough, an umbrella stroller is the way to go.

Whether or not you go with the convenience of an umbrella stroller or elect for your larger stroller, you can gate-check your stroller and keep it with you right up until you board the plane. Your stroller will either be waiting for you at the gate when you land or will have made its way to the baggage carousel.

Car seat requirements are not the same for cars and airplanes, and to use your car seat on the plane the car seat must be FAA-approved .

It’s important to note that the EU has different requirements for car seats than the U.S., so you’ll want to be aware of this if that’s where you’re traveling. One major difference between EU and U.S. car seats is that EU-approved car seats do not have chest clips. EU regulation states that a child must be able to be removed from the seat in a single motion.

I think that baby backpacks are better for travel than baby purses (one-shoulder baby bags) for a few reasons.

First, you have a full range of motion when wearing a backpack with weight evenly distributed through your back instead of on one shoulder.

Second, a backpack tends to have more pockets for all the things you’ll be carrying for your baby. It doesn’t hurt that it’s probably easier to convince your partner to share the responsibility of carrying a backpack vs. a purse.

Speaking of all the things you’ll be carrying, here are a few items that should make traveling with a 1-year-old a little easier:

• Bottles, bottle liners, tops
• Extra clothes for you and baby
• Extra socks (and maybe shoes)
• Foldable changing pad for changes in public restrooms
• Formula dispenser
• Hand sanitizer
• Plastic bags for dirty clothes, diapers, etc.
• Spill-proof and independent snack dispenser
• Spill-proof sippy cup

Hot Tip: Check out our in-depth buyer’s guide to the best travel diaper bags , featuring both backpack-style and purse-style options.

There seems to be an ongoing debate on social media about babies in premium cabins (more on that a little later) and whether or not they should be allowed in lounges.

Lounges don’t typically have age restrictions (kids under 2 are even generally free!), though most don’t have amenities geared toward children. But what you get at a lounge is more space to spread out, with time away from the gate to relax and gather yourself before you fly.

Centurion Lounges , however, do a great job of welcoming and catering to young travelers with family rooms decked out with toys, games, TVs, and kid-size furniture. But even without that family-specific amenities, lounges are a great place to chill out before or after a flight with your baby.

At the lounge, you can also get warm water for formula, warm-up milk and kids’ food, and grab some fruit or other snacks for later.

Tips for Flying With a 1-Year-Old

Whether or not you choose to purchase a seat for your 1-year-old, we have some tips for making flying easier.

I used to think people were exaggerating when they said to bring more snacks than you think you need. But I underestimated just how important a well-timed handful of Cheerios would be.

It’s not so much that your child will be hungry, but that snacking tends to quell a fussy toddler. I cannot explain it any further than that.

Pack the snacks you know they love and maybe even a few surprises. There’s an endless list of snacks you could bring. Fruit, Cheerios, Goldfish, pureed food packs … anything that your child can safely consume will work.

Don’t forget that TSA allows water and food for toddlers in reasonable quantities above the standard 3.4 ounces allowed for all passengers. A standard sippy cup is probably enough to get you through your whole travel day.

This is one of my favorite tips, but I think whether or not a flight is timed well will depend on your child .

For some toddlers, the sound of the airplane in flight works like white noise and helps them sleep. But as they get older and are more alert for longer periods of time, the excitement of a new adventure might energize them enough to try and stay awake for longer than you expect.

In this case, scheduling a flight around nap time won’t matter. But for a first flight with a 1-year-old, it’s worth a try. If you find that your child didn’t stick to the schedule, you won’t have to worry about it next time. We live and we learn.

For long-haul flights, I recommend scheduling a red-eye flight to your destination and skipping the last nap before the flight . The reason for this is that the cabin is dimmed along with the white noise of the plane. I’ve never met a traveling child that could resist the urge to fall asleep under those conditions. Hopefully, they’ll be tired enough to sleep through the entire flight.

At 1 year old, your toddler will likely be awake for at least part of your flight, so you’ll want to have something to occupy them. Tablets are an easy go-to, but understandably, some parents won’t want to introduce screen time at this age, or at all. But if you do decide to go with a tablet loaded with movies, TV shows, or games, be sure and bring along child-safe and cordless Bluetooth headphones . Child-safe headphones should remain at lower decibels to preserve their tiny eardrums.

Avoid toys that make any type of noise so as not to disturb other passengers on your flight.

Hot Tip: Keep in mind that at a year old, your child may not be able to stay engaged by 1 toy or activity for very long, so it’s a good idea to have several options.

Luckily, there are a lot of other activities that are appropriate for this age. Here are a few of my favorite ways to entertain a 1-year-old on a flight:

• Window Clings : Your toddler can stick these on the window themselves, pull them off, and repeat to their heart’s content. Another alternative is circle stickers, like what you’d find at a garage sale. Really, any sticker will work, just test out how easy they are for tiny fingers to peel off.
• Flash Cards : Even if your toddler isn’t talking yet, flash cards can be a great way to practice learning their shapes and colors. Animals and objects flash cards are also a great way to increase your child’s vocabulary.
• Books : Bring along your toddler’s favorite picture book. Pop-up books are always a hit as well. If you can, bring a book that’s age-appropriate and talks about where you’re going, what you’ll be doing, or flying on a plane.
• Play-Doh : Play-Doh is a tactile activity that lets your toddler use their hands. You can even bring plastic cookie cutters to make different shapes out of them. Clay, an alternative to Play-Doh, is a little more difficult to mold but also a worthy activity for a 1-year-old and even helps to strengthen their grip.
• Coloring Books : Again, coloring books are something that your child can do with their hands. Get the jumbo crayons that are easier to hold and choose a coloring book that has characters they recognize. You can color, too! This is a great activity to do together.
• Water Wow! Books : Water Wow! books by Melissa and Doug are awesome and were an instant hit for my kids. You fill the paintbrush with some water and let your toddler “paint” the pages of the cardboard book. There are several designs to choose from, including construction, numbers, alphabet, and animals. The best part about these is that when they dry, the color disappears so you can use them over and over again.

In addition to the activities above, be sure to include items that are brand new to your child . In fact, all of the items listed could be brand new and you could gift wrap them . It’s the novelty of the surprise that gets them excited and wanting to play with whatever the new toy is. Who doesn’t love unwrapping a gift?

I wish that I could tell you that packing gets easier as your kids get older, but I can’t say that.

Yes, you can probably leave their 10 favorite blankets, nappies, and toys at home, but you’ll still need to pack a considerable number of items when you’re away from home. For example, I always packed 2 outfits per day that we would be away, plus a couple of extra. I didn’t plan to change my child’s clothes more than once per day, but we all know that stuff happens .

I would also bring an extra top for myself on travel days in case that stuff happened on me.

Your 1-year-old likely has at least 1 pair of shoes and might need a coat (and sweaters depending on the weather at your destination), gloves, and beanies. Clothes only get bigger along with your child and consequently take up more room in your luggage.

Packing cubes have been a dream for both packing compactly as well as organizing my family’s bags. We each have our own set of cubes in different colors and I roll whole outfits together to save time when we’re getting dressed in the morning .

Rolling outfits works best for the kids’ clothes since my and my husband’s clothes are too big to roll together like this. This trick also helps me avoid over- or underpacking because I always know what’s meant to go with what.

Once we arrive at our accommodations, I leave the clothes in the packing cubes and just put them into the dresser drawers. Packing cubes have immensely simplified the way I organize and pack for my family.

I wish I had a dollar for everything that didn’t go according to plan since I started to travel with my family.

Flight delays and cancellations , lost items, cranky kids, and more, will inevitably happen to you. One of my children almost always catches a cold 2 weeks before a long-haul flight. We even ended up in a clinic in Amsterdam on our first family trip to Europe and returned home with ear infections (yes, the whole family).

When you go with the flow of each day, it allows you to take each inconvenience in stride instead of letting it ruin or make you regret your whole trip. Traveling with children requires patience and grace with them as well as yourself, especially when it comes to how you plan your days.

You can’t pack each day with museum visits, tours, and other activities when traveling with small children. They simply don’t have the stamina to keep up and will let you know when they’ve had enough.

Schedule your activities around their nap times to maximize your experience together and to better ensure a good mood from your little one.

We can only plan so much and the rest is out of our control. Temper your expectations and you’ll be able to enjoy your vacation with your 1-year-old.

Traveling with a 1-year-old is different than traveling with a younger baby, but not always in a bad way. It’s true that traveling with babies younger than a year old is easier because they sleep more often, are easier to transport, and are overall more amenable to most situations. But traveling with an older toddler can also be more fun for you.

If you plan accordingly — while saving room for things you can’t control — and follow at least some of the tips outlined above, I trust that you’ll have a great travel experience when flying with a 1-year-old.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you keep a 1-year-old calm on a plane.

If your child is particularly anxious or energetic at any point during the flight, give them their favorite toy that usually calms them down. A pacifier or a bottle is great during takeoff and landing, especially for helping with inner ear pressure. Their favorite stuffed animals, blanket, or book are additional comfort items you could try.

What can you do if your baby cries on a plane?

You know your child best and what usually calms them down, so start with what you know.

Some other tips to try: shushing while rocking, walking the aisle when the “Fasten Seat Belt” sign is off, and good old-fashioned distractions usually help. Alternatively, ask yourself the classic question: is my baby tired, hungry, or wet?

How can you relieve ear pressure for a baby when flying?

During takeoff and landing, you want to make sure that your child is swallowing to avoid or alleviate ear pressure. The best way to do this is to give them a pacifier or bottle. Snacking may also work.

Where do you change diapers on a plane?

There are changing tables in the lavatory located on airplanes. Unfortunately, not every plane has changing tables in the lavatories.

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About Ashley Onadele

Ashley discovered a love for travel in college that’s continued as her family has grown. She loves showing parents how they can take their families on trips using points and has contributed to numerous publications and podcasts.

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Local Milk Blog

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35 Baby Travel Tips | Infant to 1-Year-Old + Minimalist Baby Packing List

Posted on October 10, 2017 Last modified on August 28, 2023 By Beth

I have been working on this guide for a year. This is all of the knowledge I’ve accumulated from traveling with Eula during the first year of her life. Before her first birthday she’d been on over 40 flights and to at least 10 countries. I lose exact count, to be honest. We’ve dealt with sickness on the road, jet lag, packing, blow outs, missed flights, you name it. And it’s all been fine. After over a year of traveling with a baby I can say with complete honesty that it’s totally worth it and totally doable.

Yes, it’s harder. Of course it’s freaking harder. Not having a baby vs. having a baby. You do the math. But it’s not that hard. When it is hard just remember, this too shall pass. Have a relaxed, what happens happens attitude. No flight ever lasted forever, no crying spell either, no cold, no jet lag. If you’re the sort of person that would get totally freaked or exhausted or just generally not enjoy yourself over a crappy night’s sleep or on the road inconvenience, then maybe it isn’t the life for you.

But if you’re reading this, I’m guessing you value travel, and in that case, it’s worth it. Totally. Babies love to watch the world go by, and ours was always happiest on the move and meeting new people. Keep reading below for my tips & experiences, packing list, a list of favorite gear, and for photos of Eula’s first year growing up on the road! Keep in mind, what worked for us won’t work for everyone, but this is what we did.

Table of Contents

35 Tips for Travel with a Baby Under 1 Year Old

Get the bassinet on long haul flights & an aisle seat at the front of the plane on shorter flights., when can baby safely travel, take as little baby gear as possible., wear your baby., pack light., don’t travel with a lifetime supply of diapers., breastfeed if you can., rent a car with a carseat when you can., not renting a car take the train., eat dinner early., look into local baby sitter or nanny services for date nights or other baby free times., know when to call it., priority boarding, security, and customs: use them with impunity, protocol for going through security varies by airport,  ask for a crib at the hotel or airbnb., rain noise and other sounds on your phone., dave and ava, magic fingers, musical hands: baby show app & baby games apps for phone or ipad., trash can be toys, babies need passports too, even when flying with infant in arms, sometimes there’s a fee., have travel insurance and know where to find the local doctor / emergency room at your destination., blow outs. they happen., on that note…do laundry while on the road., there are huge benefits to traveling with a baby under 1, baby jetlag is real, but you can cope if you plan for it and mentally accept it., gate check strollers and car seats., there are pros and cons to both hotels and airbnb’s/apartments., don’t worry too much over the “nap schedule”., request an empty seat next to you on the plane., be smart and clean, but let the germaphobia go the older they get., you can change a diaper anywhere., babies don’t need a ton of baths, and sinks & buckets work fine., easy flights are worth spending a little more on if you can afford to., move around less., introducing food at 6 months on the road, a bit of our experience..

Eula actually clocked in 6 months old in Morocco, and we waited to let her try solids until Paris just because we didn’t want to take any chances with food born illness. Now at 13 months, I happily let her nibble off of my street food here (I’m writing this from my friend Emma’s flat in Marrakech!) Once we did introduce food, we let her try things at her own pace and we really let local norms guide us. If local children ate it, we let her eat it. I still avoid giving her raw foods (like salad) in countries where the water isn’t very clean because not only is the food not cooked to kill bacteria, it’s washed in the water. That said, I make an exception for fruit with skins and things that can be peeled.

Minimalist Baby Packing List

The diaper bag + carry on packing list.

• Baby Carrier – see the gear list below for faves
• Extra Clothes  – for everyone, mom & dad include — babies blow out, enough said (this was a bigger problem 4-7 months, after which it pretty much stopped)
• Extra Sling – we use a more structured carrier but carry a cloth sling like a Solly Wrap as a back up (in case of blow out emergency) because it’s compact.
•   “Toys” – something amusing for baby, we usually carried a *very* few items that we knew would amuse her and used found objects as the rest (can’t get away with pretending trash is a toy forever, so might as well while you can!)
• Blanket  – handy to cover them up when sleeping on long haul flights or to give them a spot to sit on the floor (I don’t recommend a sleep sack for this because it can be tricky to get them in it once asleep on a plane)
• Snacks – For older babies that have started solids. Fruit, yogurt, bars, all good. I never thought I’d be a pouch carrying mom, but the organic food pouches that have nothing in them but actual food and a bit off water are amazing for travel. And if they are over the 100 mL limit, security usually makes an exception for baby food. I love the brand Smowl, but I don’t know if you can get it in the states. You can probably order them online. They make baby smoothies in pouches with coconut milk, quinoa, fruit. She loves them.
• Pacifier & pacifier clip + back up
• Zip locks bags / trash bag –  for dirty diapers and soiled clothing
• Dedicated Changing Blanket –  we like the Solly swaddling blankets for this as they fold up really compact though something fluffier would probably be more comfortable/absorbant.
• Hand Sanitizer/Disinfecting Wipes –  I like the ones that smell like lavender! But anything will do.
• Stroller  – optional  We didn’t often take one when she was small but we use it more the older she gets. My recommendation is below on the gear list.
• Carseat – optional –  I would only bring this if I had to, and so far I haven’t had to, so I’ve never travelled with one. When she is older and in her own seat, we might. Whatever you do, make sure your carseat clips into your stroller. The last thing you want to do is haul a carseat around by hand. Just no. There are many adapters available that make many carseat/stroller combos compatible.

For the Suitcase  – We prefer Away Bags!

• baby safe sunscreen (if going to a sunny destination)
• small hand breast pump (for nights out!)
• a couple of glass bottles for storing and serving milk
• nose aspirator (babies are nose breathers!)
• bed of some sort 
• medical supplies – bandaids, thermometer, diaper cream, Tylenol for fever if you use it, cornstarch (instead of baby powder)
• baby clothes (jammies, outfits, bonnets, bibs, shoes, sweaters & jackets if cold)
• sleep sack or swaddler (ours never liked to be swaddled so a sleep sack keeps her from kicking blankets off and is safer for little babies)
• a few days worth of diapers & wipes
• extra blankets

My Favorite Gear

• Lenny Lamb – (we used up until about 8 months)
• Ergo Baby 360° (used 8 months+)
• Solly Wrap (used first 3 months and as back up)
• Solly Swaddle blanket (used as changing blanket)
• Fog Linen, Ellie Funday, and Willaby Clothier blankets – we travel with these 3
• Natural Pacifiers
• Wild Creek Co Pacifier Clip
• BabyZen YoYo 0+ Stroller – This is my absolute favorite stroller for travel. It folds up compact enough to fit in an overhead bin (though you can gate check it if you like), has a sizeable undercarriage, and is so easy to fold up and pop out (for a stroller anyway). Can’t recommend highly enough. You can use it from infancy with the bassinet attachment and switch to the seat once they’re big enough). It also can adapt to many carseats, and has wonderful accessories for different weather conditions like rain, cold, and sun. You may notice she’s in a Stokke Xplory in the photos, and that’s because we use it around town sometimes. But the BabyZen YoYo is it for travel.
• Nuna Pipa Carseat
• Philips Avent Glass Baby Bottles – we traveled with 2-3 of these so I would have something to store and serve milk in when I pumped for nights or lunches out when we had a sitter or during long work days
• Medela Harmony Breast Pump – compact, great. I loved this.
• NoseFrida – a lifesaver when baby has a stuffy nose!
• KidCo Peapod Tent – this has been her travel bed since she was 4 months old. It is amazing, and I can’t recommend it highly enough. So light weight and compact. And so much easier than lugging around a pack n’ play. Plus you can pop it at the airport, beach, anywhere! It’s just a great little baby tent.
• Away Suitcases – the best. Choose the size that best suits your needs. Now that we have the baby and because of my work gear we usually travel with 2 carry-ons or 1 carry-on and the medium sized one. In addition to that we have 2 camera/laptop backpacks and my purse/diaper bag.
• Jet Kids Bed Box – okay, I don’t have this. And I didn’t need it because we don’t purchase a seat for her yet. But when we do, I’m definitely going to get this. It’s a suitcase that turns into a freaking bed on a plane for a baby. I can’t say 100% if it’s awesome because I haven’t tried it, but it *sounds* awesome and certainly looks to be.
• In the Pocket Baby Seat – I’ve also never tried this but someone recommended it in the comments and it looks great! Thanks Camilla!

My name is Beth, Elizabeth Evelyn to be exact. A native Tennessean, I was born in the South.

I am the author behind Local Milk Blog.

Local milk is a journal devoted to home cookery, travel, family, and slow living—to being present & finding sustenance of every kind.

It’s about nesting abroad & finding the exotic in the everyday.

Most of all it’s about the perfection of imperfections and seeing the beauty of everyday, mundane life.

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14 Tips For Flying With A 1-Year-Old

We independently research our recommended products. We may receive commissions on purchases made from our links .

Flying with a baby can be a daunting experience for new parents (and even experienced ones).

The truth is, travelling with a baby will never be the same as your pre-baby travel heydays. But there are various tips and tricks you can use for the flight to go as smoothly as possible — for you, your baby and the passengers around you.

As a parent of a one-year-old, you may be asking yourself: “ How can I keep my 1-year-old entertained on a flight? “, “ Will my baby cope on a long-haul flight? “, “ Will they cry the whole way? ” … All valid questions!

There’s no need to panic. With some preparation and planning, flying with your baby can be a fun adventure and even an easygoing experience.

These travel tips for flying with babies will ensure your first flight goes as smoothly as possible for both you and your baby. You might even hit the jackpot and get them to sleep throughout the journey!

6. Check in online

14. keep calm and do your best, does a nappy bag count as a carry-on, final thoughts on flying with a 1-year-old, booking and other preparations, 1. check what id is needed for your infant.

While children under 16 years old do not require identification to travel within the UK, carrying your child’s birth certificate won’t hurt and will probably make the process quicker and smoother.

But if you and your little one are taking an international flight, then a passport is needed.

Leave plenty of time between your flight and getting your passport — a child’s first passport usually takes a bit longer than an adult renewal. Ideally, you won’t book your flight until you’ve received the passport.

2. Check if you can get priority boarding

Boarding a flight takes more time with a baby or child. Flying with a toddler or baby is already stressful enough, without having fellow travellers sigh as you struggle to make your way to your seats.

Should your airline offer it, take advantage of the priority boarding option. Priority boarding can help with the hassle of getting yourself and your little one on the plane and to your seats quickly before take-off.

Many airlines, including BA, will automatically offer you priority boarding if you’re travelling with an infant. Other airlines will charge you for the pleasure!

3. Consider booking a separate seat

You don’t need to book a seat for under-2s on planes but it can be difficult holding them on your lap the whole way — particularly if they’re at the wriggly stage!

An extra seat for your little one can do wonders for freeing up space while ensuring your baby is safe and comfortable — especially for long-haul flights. Of course, this will add a significant expense to your flight costs and many would consider this over-kill.

If you don’t fancy booking an extra seat, an aisle seat is the next best option so you can easily get up and down without disturbing anyone else around you. We know we’re not the only ones who have spent hours on a flight ‘walking’ up and down the aisle with our cruising pre-walker! It’s a good way to tire them out if nothing else!

Some parents like to book seats closer to the back of the plane, making it easier for you to board, make your way to the toilet, and disembark. Personally, we find the turbulence to be worse at the back so tend to go for more forward seats. Whatever works for you!

4. Consider bringing your own car seat or bassinet

If you’ve booked your baby their own seat, it may be worth bringing a travel car seat or an aeroplane bassinet to make the flight more comfortable for them.

Providing your baby with comfort and a place to fall asleep is a must on a long-haul flight. It also gives you the relief that you won’t have to hold your little one for the entire flight. And there’s the added bonus of having your car-seat with you in your destination country.

Find out with your airline if you’re allowed to bring your own car seat or bassinet on board, as some airlines may require it to be stored away. Some may even offer their own bassinets for your use.

5. Consider an overnight flight

The key to booking flights is knowing your baby’s schedule. An afternoon flight is a good option for shorter journeys if your baby’s nap time is after lunch.

For a long flight, consider booking an overnight flight. This way, your baby will know it’s bedtime and you won’t have to spend half as much time entertaining the little one.

Why stand in a long queue to check in at the airport? You already need to look after your little one and the mountain of luggage you’re taking.

Nowadays, many airlines offer online check-in or automated self-check-in kiosks for you to use. This time saving option can help you avoid any potential tantrums and stress, so take advantage of it!

Navigating the Airport and Flying With Your Baby

7. use a baby carrier.

Getting through airports can be a pain, especially when you have to look after your little one at the same time. Consider using a baby carrier for checking in and waiting around for your flight.

A major benefit of using one is you’ll be hands-free, making your commute around the airport much easier, all while your baby is safe and secure.

We’ve actually used a baby carrier on the plane as well, after take-off, as our little ones both liked to sleep in them.

8. Always pack more baby gear than you think you will need

The last thing you want to deal with is a hungry, dirty-nappied baby while flying. You can never go wrong with packing extras!

Whether you’re on a short or long flight, pack twice as much baby food, bottles, pumped breast milk, nappies, baby blankets, baby formula, and snacks as you think you might need.

You never know if your flight will be delayed or longer than expected due to weather conditions. So, be prepared with plenty of baby necessities!

9. Dress in comfortable clothes

Rule number one of flying, especially with a baby, is to dress comfortably. Flights aren’t the most comfortable, and if you and your baby are in impractical clothing, it can make the trip ten times harder.

Like you, a cold or hot baby can become fussy and irritable. So to avoid your little one throwing a wobbly, dress them in layers that you can slowly take off.

Moreover, if you’re breastfeeding, you’ll definitely want to dress extra comfortably.

10. Don’t forget spare clothing for you and baby!

If you’ve been a parent for more than a few days, you’ll know exactly why you need to pack a spare set of clothing for you and your little one.

Whether you’re in for a long or short flight, always pack an extra set of clothing for you and your baby to avoid the inconvenience of any unfortunate accidents or sickness mid-flight.

There seems to be some sort of mysterious connection between the altitude when you’re flying and baby’s bowel movements. That’s all we’re saying… 💩

11. Know when to ask for help

Always remember that should you need help on your flight, it’s there for you! This is especially true if you’re flying solo but flight attendants and even some other passengers may be able to assist if both you and your partner need an extra set of hands for whatever reason.

12. Help their ears during take-off and landing

One of the number causes of a baby crying during a flight is the popping in their ears from the change in air pressure. Sucking, feeding, or chewing helps relieve the pain and popping in their ears.

Plan feedings for take-off and landing. You can give your baby a dummy or bottle to help ease pain and prevent any crying.

13. Keep your baby busy and entertained with quiet toys

For new parents, the days of enjoying a good book or movie while on a flight are gone. Most of your time spent flying will be entertaining and caring for your baby. So always be prepared with the necessary tools for this task: toys!

The key to finding the best travel toys for babies is to stick with quiet, compact, and lightweight playthings that will bring the most joy.

To make sure you’re well-prepared to keep your little ones occupied, here are some of the best toys and distractions to bring on board:

Soft book or Toys

Soft books or your child’s favourite furry friend are great toys for entertaining your little one during a flight. Soft books have fun interactive activities that are great for sensory stimulation, keeping them thoroughly occupied.

Teething Toys

Teething toys are a go-to for keeping your little one occupied and calm throughout a flight. They can also help with air pressure changes during take-off and landing.

Most 1-year olds are still a little young to watch programmes on a tablet but, if they’re tired enough, they may just relax with one. If your baby is a fan of certain TV shows or games, tablets and phones can be your best friends. A tablet with headphones will keep your little one entertained and quiet.

Sometimes, no matter what you do, your baby will cry while flying. Just remember to stay calm! Caring for a baby is tough enough, and flying with them is no easy task. You’re doing your best, so ignore the eye rolls and sighing you may get from other passengers.

Just think about all the fun you’ll have with your little one when you land at your destination!

Baby Flying FAQs

If you are flying with slightly older kids, be sure to check out our companion guides:

• Flying with a 2-year-old
• Flying with a 3 year-old

How old does a baby have to be to fly?

The NHS generally advise that your baby be over two weeks old to fly, with some airlines insisting on the same. However, there are no standard regulations, so it’s best to always check with your airline before booking.

Some babies aged 2-7 days old can be permitted to fly, provided you have a fit-to-fly letter from your doctor.

Does a 1-year-old need a seat on a plane?

The requirement for a seat varies from airline to airline but most carriers in the UK allow under 2s to fly while sat on an adult’s lap. Always confirm with your airline on the requirements before booking.

Can you bring a car seat on a flight?

Most airlines allow you to take a car seat and pram in the hold for free. However, in many cases, car seats are only allowed on board if you’ve booked a separate plane seat for your infant and intend to secure the car seat into it.

To avoid being caught out by extra costs or restrictions, always check with your airline regarding their carry-on policies for car seats and prams before booking.

Do babies’ ears hurt when flying?

Noise levels and cabin pressure can affect your baby’s ears during a flight and cause them pain, particularly during take-off and landing.

A few ways to reduce this for your 1-year old include:

• Getting them to suck on something — a dummy, bottle or a breast if still breastfeeding
• Distraction — try them with headphones and their favourite show on a tablet or phone

In some cases, airlines will allow some extra carry-on baggage if you’re travelling with babies. This allowance may include a nappy bag, but it’s always worth finding out beforehand.

Rules and regulations may vary by airline and whether you travel domestically or internationally.

So before you book, check your airline’s policy details closely. Moreover, if you buy a seat for your baby rather than have them sit on your lap, the seat will automatically come with its own baggage allowance.

With good preparation and planning in place, managing your little one on a plane is not as terrible and intimidating as it may seem!

From take-off to landing, focus on your baby and make them as comfortable as possible. There are many family-friendly airlines that are primed and ready to make the experience enjoyable for you and your little one.

While flying with a 1-year-old can be tough and require a lot of your energy, it’s well worth it in the end. And remember, you’re probably not alone! Another fellow parent may be on board with their little one, who equally understands your efforts.

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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.

Related Articles

Protect Your Trip »

Traveling with toddlers: 6 best places to go (and how to survive).

Lowering your expectations is key when traveling with toddlers.

Traveling With Toddlers

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Traveling with a toddler might not always be smooth sailing, but it can be more enjoyable when utilizing these top tips.

There's no sugarcoating it: Traveling with toddlers is a challenge. But there are ways to make it easier, as well as places that cater to – or are naturally convenient for – the kiddie set and their families. Read on for destination recommendations and travel tips from U.S. News editors who frequently travel with toddlers as well as other experts.

The Best Places to Travel With Toddlers

When deciding where to go, keep it simple. "Choose relaxing destinations that don't involve a lot of moving around or heavy itineraries," says Elizabeth Von Tersch, a mom of two toddlers and a senior editor of travel at U.S. News. "If you don't have a long list of places to see or things to check off, you'll be more content with just one or two activities per day." It's also ideal to choose a destination that's reachable via a short road trip, train ride or direct flight – especially if this is your first time traveling with toddlers.

Beach destinations

Beaches with tide pools and/or shallow waters are especially fun for toddlers, plus many beach towns offer vacation rentals with fully equipped kitchens, washing machines and other comforts of home near the sand and surf. Load up the beach wagon with all of your essentials (including plenty of snacks, drinks and a picnic lunch) and spend a few hours on the beach; then head back to your rental for nap time before an evening on the boardwalk.

U.S. News editors agree Isle of Palms, South Carolina, is especially perfect for toddlers. The boardwalk is lined with shops, restaurants and ice cream shops, and it sits close enough to Charleston for easy daytrips into the city. Other editor picks and highly rated options include the Outer Banks in North Carolina with its variety of beaches, vacation rentals and overall laid-back vibe; Seaside, Florida, an idyllic, walkable community; Michigan City, Indiana, where you can stay at the family-friendly Beachwalk Resort, close to Indiana Dunes National Park; and Coronado Beach, California , with plenty of space to spread out, places to eat and nearby accommodations – including the famous Hotel del Coronado .

Read: The Best Beaches in the U.S.

Lakefront locales

If you have a toddler who doesn't care for the sand, consider a lake and/or mountain destination where you can enjoy outdoor activities like hiking and biking (and maybe some sand-less water fun), as well as vacation rental accommodations. On Lake Champlain in Vermont, you also have the option to stay at a classic summer resort like Basin Harbor or Tyler Place (the latter of which is all-inclusive) and enjoy animal visits and tractor rides at local farms such as Shelburne Farms, a nonprofit educational organization. In Washington state, Lake Chelan offers clean, crystal-clear waters perfect for (supervised) swimming, and in Okoboji, Iowa, you'll find boat rides on Lake Okoboji and carnival-style rides at Arnolds Park Amusement Park.

Small theme parks

While theme parks like Disney World might come to mind, it's unlikely you'll get to a lot of rides with your toddler, who will probably be happier at the hotel pool. Instead, opt for smaller theme parks geared toward young kids. Megan Johnson, a mom and editor at SmarterTravel Media , says her toddlers loved Sesame Place, which has locations near Philadelphia and San Diego . "The rides are short so the lines go fast too," she points out. Another ideal theme park for toddlers is Legoland, with parks in Goshen, New York (an easy weekend getaway from New York City ); Winter Haven, Florida; and Carlsbad, California. You'll also want to consider Peppa Pig Theme Park – also located in Winter Haven – and Story Land in Glen, New Hampshire.

Read: The Best Amusement Parks in the U.S.

City vacations

City vacations offer a variety of things to do with the option to go at your own pace – and some of them are practically made for young kids. For instance, did you know Indianapolis is home to the largest children's museum in the U.S. , or that Pittsburgh is often called Kidsburgh for its wide variety of attractions for youngsters?

Of course, this is your vacation too, so think about some things you might like to do when planning your city trip. In Rochester, for example, you can combine a trip to The Strong National Museum of Play with a visit to some family-friendly Finger Lakes wineries . On a trip to Denver , you can show the children real dinosaur tracks at Dinosaur Ridge before exploring Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre or one of the Mile High City's famous (and kid-friendly) breweries.

Family visits

Visiting family in another state or country is a great opportunity to experience local attractions and restaurants with loved ones you don't see often. If your relatives are willing to babysit for a few hours, you might even be able to squeeze in a date night or an afternoon at the spa .

All-inclusive resorts

All-inclusive family resorts with pools, water parks , shows and other on-site entertainment can be a lot of fun for toddlers and their families. They also make dining easy, eliminating the stress of meal preparation on vacation, and some even offer free nightly rates for kids . Just keep in mind that toddlers may not be old enough to enjoy the kids clubs, as minimum age requirements vary at each property. You'll also need to get your child a passport (unless you opt for an all-inclusive resort in the U.S. ). Much of the same can be said for cruising with toddlers .

Read: Cruise Lines That Let Kids Cruise Free

Survival Tips for Traveling With Toddlers

Lower your expectations.

… and then lower them a little more. Naps will be skipped, meltdowns will be had and potty-training setbacks are inevitable. Stay on schedule when you can, but don't feel guilty when you can't.

Book toddler-friendly accommodations.

If you're planning to stay at a vacation rental, Von Tersch recommends looking for one with kids amenities such as a swing set and toys, and/or one that sits near a local park. If you prefer to stay at a hotel , choose one with a pool or special treats for kids, such as in-room games. It's also a good idea to book a family suite with a separate bedroom or two; this way, you don't have to go to bed when your toddler does.

Hide new toys in your carry-on bag.

They don't have to be expensive; in fact, your local dollar or thrift store can be an invaluable resource when preparing to travel with toddlers. Stock up on cheap knick-knacks that you can easily pack and surprise your child with throughout the journey (and that you won't worry about when they inevitably disappear). You might also consider ordering a few inexpensive options on Amazon – Wikki Stix , Melissa & Doug Water Wow! activity pads, Squigz , lift-and-look board books , and packable busy boards like this one are fun, mess-free favorites among families with both toddlers and older children.

Bring the tablet.

While the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends limiting daily screen time for young children, "the rules go out the window when traveling," says Dr. Danielle Wiese (reassuringly), a pediatrician for Carmel Pediatrics in Carmel, Indiana. "Do what you need to do to get there – it will all be fine." 

If you're bringing a kids tablet and/or if you'll be on a long flight with seat-back screens, be sure to pack a pair of kids headphones like CozyPhones , which are especially comfortable (and adorable) for little ears.

Read: Guide: Carry-on Luggage Sizes by Airline

Pack a "snackle" box.

Most everyone – but especially toddlers – thrives on snacks when traveling. Pack a variety of options, including both nutritional and not-so-nutritional items (because sometimes, only candy will do). "It's okay to give those less healthy snacks while traveling," Wiese says, though she also recommends sneaking in some fiber so your toddler's tummy has some regulation. "Easy to-go snacks with fiber are applesauce pouches, raisins and some bar snacks (check the label)."

When packing snacks, organize them in a "snackle" box to save space and add excitement to the trip. This portable storage case with a handle from Harbor Freight works perfectly, though any small organizational box will do. You can also try a snack spinner like this one by GoBe , which only allows kiddos to access one snack at a time. Bonus: The snackle box is also useful for local outings and daytrips closer to home.

Johnson also recommends packing some larger-portion snacks or meals so you don't have to worry in the event you can only find fast-food stops and want to avoid them, or if you go to a restaurant that doesn't serve anything your toddler will eat.

Prepare for messes.

It's amazing how fast a clean car can reach tornado-level status on a family road trip, or how your toddler's bodily functions seem to synchronize with the exact time of takeoff. Ann Henson , a toddler mom and assistant managing editor of travel at U.S. News, recommends packing an extra outfit for your toddler (and maybe yourself), sanitizing wipes and/or spray, and trash bags, adding that dog waste bags work well.

Don't plan stops.

Your toddler(s) will inevitably plan them for you when they get cranky, need a diaper change or need to use the bathroom. When you stop, be sure to use the bathroom yourself, fuel up the car and do anything else you have to do so you can avoid stopping when your little one takes a snooze.

Bring the essentials, and rent or ship the rest.

Bring the gear that's most important to you, such as the travel stroller and car seat – you can check them at the gate – and be sure to store them in a travel bag when not in use. Not only will the bag protect your gear, but you might be able to store some extra items inside. "I put diapers in the stroller bag, both for extra padding and for the convenience of freeing up suitcase space," says Nicola Wood , a mom and senior editor of travel at U.S. News.

For bulky items like portable cribs , beach wagons and hiking baby carriers, consider a baby gear rental service like BabyQuip or rents4baby , or search for local vendors in your destination. In addition, you may want to consider sending smaller essentials – diapers, wipes and the like – to your destination. If you're an Amazon Prime member , your free shipping perk is especially useful here.

Read: The Top Diaper Bag Backpacks

Consider TSA Precheck or Global Entry.

Having TSA Precheck means you'll (typically) spend less time at airport security – a godsend when traveling with toddlers. Children younger than 12 can go through the TSA Precheck lane when traveling with a guardian who has it, and are not required to have their own membership. You can apply for either TSA Precheck or Global Entry, which includes TSA Precheck benefits. However, if you're traveling internationally and looking for Global Entry benefits for the entire family, each family member (regardless of age) will need to apply for it. Compare TSA Precheck vs. Global Entry and decide which one is best for you.

Start special vacation-only traditions.

It's the little things that count – even on vacation. "As kids, my mom would buy a variety pack of miniature boxes of cereal on each vacation for quick (and cheap) breakfasts during our trip. We only ever got them on vacation, and for some reason the novelty of this made them taste way better than the cereal we had every day at home," Von Tersch says. "To this day, when I see those cute little boxes, I still associate them with good memories and carefree trips."

Why Trust U.S. News Travel

Amanda Norcross is a family travel expert, with many years of experience writing about the challenges and joys of traveling with children. She regularly travels with her toddler, and used her own experiences with him – including multiple plane rides and 12-hour road trips – along with advice from other parents to put together this guide to traveling with toddlers.

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Flying with Toddlers: 20 Tips For a Stress-Free Flight

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20 TIPS FOR FLYING WITH A TODDLER

It can be a challenge to fly with toddlers, especially when they are not sleeping. That is why we have compiled some tips for parents who need to fly with their toddlers. Not only will these tips make flying with your toddler easier, but they’ll also help your little one fall asleep on the plane.

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After nearly 50 flights, we have some helpful suggestions on how to keep your toddler entertained while you’re in the air. Our son has been traveling since he was 8-weeks-old, so we’ve learned a few hacks along the way.

This post will give you all the information that you need so that you can make your flight as smooth as possible!

Related Post: Best Toys to Keep Toddlers Busy on an Airplane

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance

HACKS THAT’LL MAKE FLYING WITH A TODDLER EASIER

Air travel with toddlers is no joke. If you ask me, traveling with a baby is a lot easier, they don’t move around as much and haven’t learned the word “no”.

Now that we’ve started traveling again, we’ve had the interesting task of flying with a 2-year-old. Honestly, it was a lot easier flying with a 1-year-old, before he discovered running.

Now that he’s been on upwards of ten flights during the pandemic, here are our tips on how to fly with a toddler. I know it’s easier said than done, but if you follow our trips flying with your toddler will get easier.

1. Book a Direct Flight (if possible) or Opt for a Long Layover

Having direct flights makes it easier for everyone. The less you have to get off and then back on the plane, the better it is for your toddler.

If a direct flight isn’t available, I recommend a flight with a (longer) layover. You may think it sounds crazy, but I have a reason.

I know what you may be thinking. Why would I choose a long layover if flying with a toddler ? Wouldn’t that make it more difficult? The answer is no. Having a long layover gives your little one time to release energy, eat, take a nap, play, or be a kid.

It’s less stressful having a 3-hour layover than a 1-hour layover. It is hard getting your toddler packed up, deboarding the plane, getting the stroller from gate check, then racing to the next gate.

We’ve had to do it a few times, and it was not fun, well he enjoyed the running, but I didn’t. Of course, he didn’t have to do any of the hard work. He got the chance to hang out in his stroller while I ran through the airport, like a crazy lady.

Related Post: 9 Tips for Flying Budget Airlines with Kids

2. Get Your Toddler Excited About Flying

I’ve found it helpful to talk to your little one about airplanes before the trip. Every time our son hears a plane, we look in the sky to try to find it.

The more comfortable they are with airplanes, the less likely they are to be scared or bothered by the sound. It also prepares them for what’s coming if they are not frequent flyers.

Travel Books for Toddlers

Last update on 2024-04-08 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Related Post: Travel Books for Toddlers

3. Get to the Airport Early

The airport can be a confusing place, with so many lights and people everywhere. If you want to avoid any meltdown at security or on the plane, try arriving early to allow your child enough time to adjust.

Every time we go through security our son has a fit because we have to take his blanket away. You will only make yourself, and your little one more upset if you are in a hurry.

Get to the airport early, so you can take your time at security. Trust me, you will save yourself a lot of frustration and aggravation.

4. Let them Play

One of our favorite things to do before boarding a flight is to let our toddler run. He’s always full of energy, so we want him to release as much of that energy as possible.

We let him run back and forth in the terminal, take long walks through the gates, play hide & seek, and do whatever else to get him tired. He gets to release a lot of energy, and time goes faster while waiting to board the flight.

I let him walk as far as he wants and explore different terminals and gates. When we are at larger airports, he likes to get on the tram, especially in Atlanta. He has fun, and it keeps him occupied without a screen or toys.

Read More: Best Travel Beds for Toddlers

5. Bring Snacks & Drinks

One thing you do not want when flying with a toddler is for them to be angry.

Make sure you have filling foods – like macaroni and cheese bars or crackers – which are easy for little fingers but will keep their belly full. These should help keep them calm during the flight as well as reduce meltdowns because of hunger.

People ask us all the time if we can bring food, and the answer is yes. You can pack food in your carry-on or backpack and get through TSA, or any security for that matter.

Note: Make sure you pack all food together in a Ziploc bag, so if security wants to check, it’ll be easily accessible and in one place. We’ve been doing this for years, even before our son was born. We use reusable bags to pack our snacks.

Our Favorite Toddler Snacks while Traveling

Last update on 2024-04-07 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

6. Board the Flight Last (if you aren’t flying alone)

One of the ways we make it easier to fly with a toddler is by dividing and conquering. I know several family travel bloggers recommend boarding first when flying with a toddler, but I don’t think that is always the case. In my opinion, you should only pre-board if you are flying with a toddler by yourself.

The ultimate toddler flying tip is to divide and conquer. We want to set the tone of the flight, in the beginning, so to make it easier. One person boards the flight early, while the other continues to play with the little one.

This strategy gives the parent that is boarding time to get everything ready. My wife usually gets settled in the seats, installs the car seat, stows our bags, and gets his tablet ready.

By the time the other person gets on the airplane with the toddler, everything is ready, and he can sit down and watch PJ Masks. He is usually so tired from playing that he relaxes, eats his snacks, and watches his tablet.

7. Change their Diaper before Boarding

Changing our toddler’s diaper in the airplane lavatory is always an event. It’s too small, and our son doesn’t make it any easier by fighting us. If possible, change your little one’s diaper before boarding the plane.

Changing your toddler’s diaper with more space will keep everyone from getting frustrated and allow you and your toddler to get comfortable on the flight. Well, maybe not comfortable, but at least sitting.

Read More: 10 Reasons to Travel with Toddlers

8. Bring Headphones

Try giving children age-appropriate headphones or earphones to drown out the noise from other passengers – especially if they’re sensitive sleepers!

A good playlist is always helpful too because their minds won’t wander as much thinking about what song might come on next.

If your toddler is sensitive to noise, having toddler headphones will help drown out the noise. Even if they are not watching a screen, listening to music or a story can be helpful.

Best-Selling Headphones for Toddlers

Related Post: Best Headphones for Toddlers on an Airplane

9. Pack Toys & Activities

There are a lot of ways to keep your toddler entertained while flying . Our son is a busy body, so it can be difficult to keep his attention.

We use a lot of different things to keep him in his seat. The most convenient way of keeping him in his seat is with his tablet . Although it doesn’t always work, it usually keeps him busy for at least 45 minutes to an hour.

Another way we keep him busy with different activities for toddlers . He likes to color, paint, draw, and play with his toys.

Since we usually have the row to ourselves, we can bring different types of toys. The best travel toys for toddlers on an airplane are quiet, portable, inexpensive, and keep their attention.

Related Post: Best Travel Toys for Toddlers

10. Bring a Blanket or Jacket (Wear Layers)

It can get cold on the airplane, so bring a small blanket to keep your child warm and cozy. Your toddler is more likely to sleep if they are comfortable.

You may want to consider dressing warmer, just for the flight. Our toddler usually wears pants on the flight, even if we are going somewhere warm.

This way, he isn’t cold on the flight and keeps an extra pair of shorts in his diaper bag to change after we get off the flight.

Toddler Games/Toys: These toys should pack easily into carry-on bags:

Although we covered this briefly above, this section will go more in-depth about how to keep your toddler entertained while flying. Here are some of the things we use to make flying with a toddler easier.

• Puzzles/busy boards
• Books with simple words and pictures that your toddler knows well, like a favorite book from home
• Small toy cars or mini dolls
• Coloring pages where they can doodle their own designs (try to find paper without lines) or
• Stickers or window clings, are usually a big hit
• Sensory toys are a great way to keep an active toddler busy

Read More: Best Crayons for Toddlers

Sensory Toys for Toddlers

Tips to help your toddler sleep on an airplane

One of the ways you can make long-haul flights with toddlers easier is by getting them to sleep. Nothing’s easier than flying with a sleeping toddler.

Here are a few tips for getting your toddler to sleep while flying on an airplane.

11. A Full Stomach

Bring milk or water to drink along with snacks that contain protein. This will curb your toddler’s hunger and help them stay hydrated and sleepy longer on the plane.

We try to avoid sugary drinks, so we usually opt for flavored water, with no added sugar. It helps keep our little guy hydrated, and he sleeps longer. We’ve started doing this at home and there was a noticeable difference in his sleeping patterns.

12. Bring Something Familiar

Pack items they are familiar with, such as their favorite toy, blanket, stuffed animal, etc., in their bag so you won’t forget them.

Our son has a blanket that he has to have to sleep on. If he doesn’t have his blanket, there is nothing but crying all night.

Having a little familiarity will make your toddler more comfortable, which will increase the likelihood of them falling asleep on the airplane.

13. Make them Comfortable

We all know sleeping upright on an airplane is uncomfortable, so giving your little one space to stretch and lay down will make it easier for them to fall asleep.

We like to put him in the middle, so we both have access to him, and he can stretch out. If you purchased a seat for your little one, a different arrangement may work for your toddler.

I don’t recommend putting them in the window seat because it is the coldest seat in the row. Our son doesn’t like to be cold, so we avoid putting him in the window seat, but your toddler may be different.

Travel Foot Rest & Kids’ Bed

TIPS FOR PARENTS FLYING WITH A TODDLER

The tips in this section are for parents. I know you may be stressed about an upcoming flight with a toddler, but it’s not as bad as you think it will be.

If you follow our toddler flying tips, your next flight with your toddler will be easier than your last. The more you fly, the easier it will get, I promise.

Here are tips for things parents can do before flying with a toddler.

14. Stay Calm

Parents do not realize that kids pick up on their energy, so if you are anxious, your little one will be anxious. If you are relaxed, they are more likely to be relaxed.

Be confident and give your little one the benefit of the doubt. Your toddler may surprise you.

15. Interact with them

Play with your toddler while you are flying. Most of the time they are acting out because they are bored.

Imagine being a curious toddler, and being relegated to a seat on a plane for hours at a time. At least in a car, they have more space.

If you interact and engage with your 2-year-old, they are less likely to have an outburst. Activities and toys are fun but giving them attention will make them happy.

If more than one parent is flying with a toddler, take turns and interact together. You’ll be surprised how happy your toddler will be playing with both of their parents on a flight.

Read More: Fun Travel Activities for Toddlers

16. Let them be curious

There is nothing wrong with your little one being curious. Their brains are still developing, so they want to touch everything.

As long as it isn’t bothering anyone else, why not? As a parent of a stubborn toddler, I’ve learned to pick my battles. Who is it going to hurt if he is playing with the seatbelt or reading the menu?

17. Restrict access to their favorite things before the flight

One of the hacks we do before flying with a toddler is restricting his access to some of his favorite shows and toys. Since he loves the Minions and PJ Mask, we do not allow him to watch the show for 4 – 5 days before the flight.

We do this so he is excited to watch the show or movie on the flight, so he’ll more likely to pay attention to it, although he’s seen it 2394 times.

You can use this technique with a toy. We usually pack his favorite toys a few days before the flight, so when he gets to play with them during the flight, he’s more excited and will play with them longer. Although it isn’t full proof, it’s been working when we fly with our 2-year-old.

20. Ignore Snarky Comments

I can’t tell you how many times people have rolled their eyes or made rude comments when we’ve gotten on a flight with our toddler.

We aren’t bothered by the comments at all. Like everyone else on that flight, you paid your money, so you are entitled to be there with your little one. Do not let anyone make you feel bad for traveling with a baby or a toddler.

Of the 50 or 60 flights we’ve been on with our son, he only had 2-3 not-so-good flights. Even those flights weren’t that bad. He was a baby, and the only way to communicate with us is to cry. What else do people expect from someone who can’t talk?

Don’t stress yourself out worrying about what strangers have to say. If they don’t want to be around on a flight with kids, they should make enough money to fly on a private jet. Until then, they have to deal with it.

CONCLUSION ON FLYING WITH A TODDLER

There are many tips for parents flying with toddlers in this article. Even if these tips do not work for your toddler, it’s not the end of the world. It’s just one flight, plus you’ll never see anyone on that flight again, so no worries.

The most important thing to remember is, that toddlers are toddlers. You can only do so much, so don’t stress yourself out, stay calm, and enjoy the ride. If all else fails, we turn to PJ Masks.

Related Posts

Our Favorite Airplane Snacks for Toddlers

10 Things to Know Before Traveling with a Baby

15 Tips on How to Survive a Road Trip with a Toddler

Potty Training on the Go (How to Make it Mess-Free & Fun)

2 thoughts on “flying with toddlers: 20 tips for a stress-free flight”.

My son turned 3 yesterday. We’re trying to decide whether to follow through with some travel plans now that covid is back on the rise. This is really helpful. I just spent a few minutes exploring your site. Wish I learned about you 3 years ago!

Thank you for taking the time to check out our site. Happy Belated Birthday to your little one!! Maybe an alternative can be a staycation. We were going to go to Disney for our son’s 3rd birthday but decided with the rise in cases in Flordia we should pivot. We’re going to stay here in Mexico and spend 2 days at a resort with a small water park. IT’s not Disney, but he’ll enjoy the endless fries and cupcakes nonetheless. Maybe that could be an option for you.

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Creating Really Awesome Fun Things

16 of the Best Tips for Road Trips with Toddlers

Updated on August 13, 2023   |  By Jamie Dorobek   |   16 Comments

We love to travel! My son took 10 plane rides before he was 5 months old! (Here are my tips for traveling with a baby via airplane .) Our longest car ride to date with two toddlers (1.5 year old and a 3 year old) was from Texas to Florida. I put together a list of 16 tips for road trips with toddlers. Oh and if you have older kids, don’t miss these 26 car games for kids .

* A giant thank you to Kia for letting my family borrow a Kia Sorento for our 12 hour road trip to Seaside, FL! What a difference a car can make!

After meeting the Kia team at Mom 2.0, a blog conference, and then checking out their fleet of eco friendly cars in San Diego, CA I was sold on driving a Kia Sorento for our family road trip this summer. I can’t get over that 10 years ago Kia was at the bottom, and over the next decade, Kia dedicated itself to quality craftsmanship. In 2016 Kia earned the top spot on JD Power and associates study of best initial quality in the entire car industry, above all of the luxury car brands! That’s impressive.

*This post contains affiliate links.

16 Tips for Road Trips with Toddlers

If you’re new here we have a 1.5 year old and a 3.5 year old and we drove to Seaside, Florida from Texas. According to Google Maps, 788 miles should take a little less than 12 hours. It took us about 15 hours. I put together a list of tips I wish I would have seen before we set off on on our crazy road trip adventure.  #9 ensures 4 hours of peaceful driving, don’t lose kids shoes with #14, and if you get nothing else out this article, pack whole apples for car snacks!

1. Dry Car Snacks

Next to #9, this is the most important tip for my hungry crew! I love to use diaper boxes for traveling. The boxes are sturdy, have built in handle, and I have plenty of them on hand. I rip the flaps off of the diaper box and fill it with easy, healthy snacks. I also put the snack cups and paper towels in this box too. ( These snack cups are the best!)

Here are a few of our favorite car snacks

• Apples (Whole apples are the best because they aren’t messy and take longer to eat.)

2. Cooler Bag Car Snacks

We use a medium sized soft cooler so that it can fit on the floor in the middle of the back seat of the car. We also love this kind of cooler for bringing snacks and drinks to the beach. At some point on the road trip, we grab a bag of ice from the gas station to keep our cooler cool. Plus my kids love ice cubes! ( This is the cooler we use! )

Road trip cooler snacks

• Peeled whole carrots (Same idea as the apples above)
• 2 no spill 360 cups filled with water
• Cut up strawberries in zip lock bags
• Bottles of water
• Yogurt pouches

3. Car Activities

I fill another diaper box with car activities including books that I know my 3.5 year old loves. I like to pick a few books that he knows by heart and can “read” to his 1.5 year old sister. ( Pout Pout Fish  and Brown Bear, Brown Bear are always winners!) I usually buy at least one new book too.

Travel toys for a 3 year old

• Magnetic drawing board
• Rescue bots
• Toy vehicles with moving parts

Best toddler travel toys

• Hand held mirror
• Leap Frog word book
• First 100 Words Book
• Anything the 3 year old is holding, ha!

4. Best Car Activities for Toddlers

Sticky notes and pipe cleaners will bring your toddler and preschoolers hours of fun in the car!

Post It Notes

Pick up a few packs of Post It notes in different colors and let the kids go wild sticking them all over the car. Or make a fancy container like the one below and hand it to your toddler.  Sticky notes on an oatmeal container, who knew that could provide so much entertainment? Oh and store the extra sticky notes inside of the container so that you can remake this fancy contraption if necessary.

Pipe Cleaners

As for pipe cleaners, I got this idea from my friend Cassie who wrote a blog post for C.R.A.F.T years ago. You can read all of her great ideas to keep kids busy on road trips  with pipe cleaners here.  Since my kids are both really young their favorite thing to do is make loops and connect the loops. My 3 year old enjoys stringing Cheerios too.

5. Electronics

Feel free to judge, but electronics are a must for us on long car rides! I’m all about that iPad or Kindle Fire . My 1.5 year old could care less about shows, but the 3.5 year old will almost watch an entire movie. So, if the little one is sleeping, I insist the big guy watch a movie. We have about 10 of his favorite movies/shows downloaded on the Kindle Fire, and it wedges perfectly wedges between the 2 front seats the Kia Sorento.

6. Find Playgrounds

There will be lots of pit stops when road tripping with babies, toddlers, and/or preschoolers. Our 3.5 year old is potty trained so we stopped multiple times for him to use the restroom. We typically tried to combine that with getting gas, changing the 1.5 year olds diaper and possibly grabbing coffee or a real meal. If you’re traveling through small towns there might not be playgrounds readily available so one thing I like to do is search Google maps for “Elementary schools”. If it’s the weekend or summer, likely no one is on the playground and it’s the perfect place to stop and play.

How to find a playground while traveling

• Chick-fil-a
• Search “Elementary school” or “public park” on google maps
• Download the app “Playground Buddy”

7. Music and Car Dance Parties

My kids love a good dance party. At home, we turn the music up really loud and “do circles” around the dining room table. Dance parties cure most bad moods even in the car. Find a song with a good beat and turn it up loud! It’s even better if your kids are familiar with the song or you have a few favorites ready to go on a Spotify playlist or a CD. Maxwell’s very favorite right now is the Hamster Song . (Listen at your own risk, kids love it, but it’s fairly annoying.)

8. Learn Something New

Since you’ve got lots of time, why not teach the kids something new! I found number flash cards in the Target Dollar Spot and decided to teach Maxwell to recognize numbers 0-9. On one side of the card was the number (3) and on the back side was for example, 3 apples. Sometimes I quizzed him, sometimes he quizzed me, sometimes he would ask for a hint and I would hand him the card so that he could count the items on the back of the card. We worked on numbers in sets of 3. So, we started with 0-2. Once he mastered those we would try and find those numbers on road signs. We did this in spontaneous spurts of 5-10 minutes or whenever he asked to “learn numbers”. There was also a prize involved, ha! It worked surprisingly well, upon arriving home he could identify all 10 numbers!

9. Leave Early or Drive Through the Night

Driving through the night is not an option for us, but I know lots of people that swear by this method. Mama needs sleep or everyone will be grumpy! We were on the road by 4am to get 4 hours under our belt while the kids were sleeping. When both kids were up and ready to move by 8am, we stopped and had breakfast. Here’s picture proof we were on the road by 4:36am! For the record, I love the navigation system in the Kia Sorento. It’s bright, user friendly, includes street signs, speed limit sign, and you can see how many miles until the next turn on the driver’s dashboard.

10. Leave Room Between the Car Seats

We are going to talk about car organization in #12, but I think this is worthy of its very own bullet point. It’s very simple: Do not pack anything to go between the 2 car seats in case you need to jump back there and console a total meltdown. I only had to use this tactic once per 777 mile trek, but when you need it, you really need it.

11. Window shades

The Kia Sorento comes with window shades built into the back windows! You can roll down the window and the shades stay up. It’s amazing! I’m a big fan. If your car does not have built in shades, you can buy these that suction cup to any window .

12. Recline Car Seat

This is especially important for our 17 month old. Our Britax Marathon car seats have 7 recline positions and we adjust hers to recline to the 7th position. It ensures she is ready for sleep at any moment! Also fair to note here, dress kids comfortable and bring their favorite sleep item in the car. Don’t pack it in the suitcase like I did one time. My kids need their “blanks”! After all, the ultimate goal of the road trip is to get the kids to sleep! Also, I spy a lone Cheerio on the “blank”, ha!

13. How to organize a car for a toad trip

The next tip for road trips with toddlers involve how and where to put things in your car. I swear just knowing where stuff is hiding in the car is half the battle. I cut the flaps off of diaper boxes and use them to store dry snacks and books/activities on the floor of the back seat. The soft cooler goes in the middle.

Another tip for road trip car organization

Use a hanging jewelry organizer ( this one is perfect! ) to hang on the back of the passenger seat to house things like toy cars, kid sunglasses, hair ties, socks, chap stick, and small fidget toys!

14. Road trip shoe trick

In the name of car organization and knowing where things are, Andy invented this shoe trick. After hunting for kid shoes at multiple pit stops, he started stowing kiddo shoes in the space behind the carseat. Genius!

15. Hand Sanitizer

Go ahead and stick it right in a cup holder so you don’t loose it.

16. Diaper Bags & Trash Bags

The diaper bag should include bazillions of diapers, a ridiculous amount of wipes, and at least one change of clothes for each kid. I pack these goodies in my everyday backpack diaper bag and make sure it is the last thing packed in the trunk of the car. If you have a diaper situation, you’re stopping anyway so I prefer the diaper bag in the trunk versus at my feet.

If you are looking for more travel tips with kids, I’ve got you covered:

• Tips for  long road trips with a bab y
• Tips for traveling with a baby via airplane
• Traveling with a  mobile lap baby via airplane
• Tips for  flying with a toddler
• 26 Car games for kids

Did I miss any tips for road trips with toddlers? I’d love to hear…

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Reader Interactions

Leave a reply cancel reply, comments & reviews.

September 3, 2020

Is it okay to have his seat reclined forward facing? My son is 3 and I have the option to recline it and just want more tips on how to make it safer!

September 4, 2020

Hi Amber! I would check with the maker of your brand of carseat.

August 27, 2020

Thanks for the great article, love the tips. But, with the pandemic still in effect, do you have any additional tips that are specific to travelling now? We have an 18 hour drive planned for October and we have a 4.5 year old and a 1.5 year old who have never done more than 2 hours in the car. I do not think we will be able to stop at playgrounds and we have to be really particular about what “to go” food we partake in because restaurants will be out of the question. Thanks!

October 18, 2020

The only thing extra that I’m adding to my list that isn’t suggested here, is an on the go potty station for my trunk (with corresponding toiletries in diaper bag). We’ll be stopping for picnics and stretches in parking lots as opposed to utilizing restaurants and public spaces (6month old and 2.5 year old)

December 1, 2019

When temps are high slip an icepack behind the cushion of their car seat.

July 30, 2019

1.5 year old should be rear facing..

August 7, 2019

I bet the kid survived just fine.

August 10, 2019

Not if thay are over 20 lbs

August 16, 2019

In several states Amber is correct- it is legally required that a child under two is rear facing. And the thing about driving through other states on a road trip is that you’re required to follow their laws. (You wouldn’t tell a cop pulling you over for speeding, “Well, the speed limit is higher in my state!” would you?). Regardless of laws, children under two are safest rear-facing according to science.

October 22, 2020

You are correct. Best practice is to leave. A child read facing until at least 2 years old or they maximize the harness weight for the rear facing position of their car seat.Children are much safer in an accident rear facing.

June 20, 2019

This was really helpful for me as we are about to take our first road trip as a family with my 2 year old in August. He’s never been in the car longer than 3 hours and even then it seemed challenging. I would love to get more information on who to contact about a collaboration with Kia as well if you don’t mind sharing? Ironically I own a 2017 Kia Sorento but would also be very interested in testing out a newer one with a navigation system like the one you drove and bonus features. Thanks so much!

June 16, 2019

Best tips I have read. Affiliate links are subtle, ads are not overwhelming, I love it so much. Great travel hacks, we are traveling soon and I will be using all of these! Thank you! Just gained a fan.

July 21, 2018

August 29, 2017

I have a trip tomorow with my kid… Definitely going to have to give that a try.

August 26, 2017

These are all fantastic tips! We have three kids between ages 2 and 8, and road trips are becoming more and more common. We love to have the oldest run a few rounds of Mad Libs during a trip. It’s a great way to reinforce language skills and writing during the summer. Though, using the post-its is total genius with the little one. Definitely going to have to give that a try.

Ohhh Mad Libs is a great idea with oldder kiddos!! PLus I LOVE them! Thanks for the tip!

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15 Airplane Hacks That’ll Make Flying With Toddler Easier

Flying with a toddler is no stroll in the park. You’ve already gone through the madness of check-in, security, and a gozilion other queues. Now, you’re asking your toddler to sit still in a giant piece of metal that will make loud noises and their ears will pop?

I would be lying if I said, there is a way to make it stress-free, but the hacks I’ve gathered from my and others’ experience will definitely make it much easier.

15 hacks for easier travelling with toddler

• Book your flight according to your toddler’s sleep regime
• Prep your toddler for the journey
• Make edible jewellery
• Dress in layers
• At check-in, ask if they have a spare seat for your toddler
• Request a front or back row seat
• Eat before you board
• Have your partner board the plane firs t
• Have something ready to relieve your toddler from ear ache
• Research aeroplane restraint devices
• Prep activities 
• Prep for bedtime
• Offer your toddler lots of water 
• Stick to the routine as much as possible
• Indulge them

Let’s dive in.

PREPARATIONS

Prepare for the flight. The longer it’ll be, the more activities and animations you’ll need to pass the time quicker.

You also need to be smart about your seating, whether your toddler will want to walk down the aisle or if they are kept busy with games and drawing, so they can sit by the window and be amazed by all the clouds. 

You’ll have to spend the next two to whatever hours with everything that you’ve brought, so make sure you’ve prepared well. And to do so well, here are some hacks and advice from own experience:

1. Book your flight according to your toddler’s sleep regime

If possible, book flights around the time your toddler gets sleepy. I know it sounds trivial but a sleeping toddler is 10 times better than an active one on a cramped plane.

Also, before a morning (or to be honest any) flight, ensure your child gets a good night’s sleep. You don’t want to be stuck with a grumpy toddler. 

2. Prep your toddler for the journey

Talk to your toddler and introduce them to the plane and what will happen before they board the unfamiliar transportation.

The sounds, the look, and the whole experience of the plane are new to the toddler and that might make them feel terrified. Prepping them and making it an educational, kid-friendly game will turn the experience into an adventure. 

Tip: sit your toddler on your lap in front of the TV, put on a simulation video of take off and show them the G-force and turbulence by moving together as if you’re flying on an aeroplane. 

3. Make edible jewellery

You can combine hack No.2 and No.3 by educating your toddler about their next adventure while making edible necklaces.

It’s a fun craft and it gives them some responsibility in the preparation process. Some great options are cheerios, pretzels, fruit loops, and some gummies.

Just remember HEALTHY SNACKS only, avoid sugary treats not to rev them up.

4. Dress in layers

Make sure your toddler is dressed in layers that are easy to put on and take off.

The temperature on the plane drastically changes and I’ve caught a cold myself many times while flying. Eventually, I learned the lesson which I strictly apply to my kids. 

5. At check-in, ask if they have a spare seat for your toddler

If your toddler is under 2, they aren’t required to have a seat of their own, however, it won’t hurt to ask if the plane has a spare seat that you could be allocated next to.

Your toddler will have their own seat so it’ll be easier for them to sleep and more space for you. If it’s a long haul flight and you can afford it, I would even recommend purchasing a separate toddler’s seat. 

6. Request a front or back row seat

Another thing you could politely ask at check-in desk is if there are free front or back row seats available. The front row seats will usually have extra legroom, while both the back and front rows are close to the exit which leads to easier boarding and getting off the plane.

7. Eat before you board

Whether you’ve packed some sandwiches or have found a restaurant serving free food for kids, I advise you to eat before you board – you’ll have one less thing to worry about onboard.

Reaching food and making sure everyone’s happy with the options might become difficult while stuck on the plane. 

Tip: Avoid greasy meals as they contribute to indigestion, however, filling protein-rich foods is a great option if you have a choice. 

Contradictory Hack: You could actually eat during the flight instead, as that would kill time and there’s lots of that on the plane. However, that’s only recommended if your toddler is able to stay still while eating. I don’t even want to picture the mess a fussy toddler makes on the plane. The look on your neighbour’s face when they see a carrot landing on their shirt is one you don’t want to witness. 

8. Have your partner board the plane first

If you’re not travelling alone, have your travel companion board the plane first and secure the overhead bins while you have your toddlers burn the most energy possible ie making them race around the gate area. 

This way you won’t have to force your toddlers to stay still while everyone’s boarding but you’ll have overhead bins ready for you and your drained-to-the-last-bit toddlers. 

TAKE OFF/LANDING

Now comes the take off. It can be scary even for adults so it’s important you talk to your toddler about what will happen on the giant plane.

If you’ve found the time to educate them about flying and specifically take off, you’ve got one less thing to worry as your toddler is at least aware of what’s going to happen. 

9. Have something ready to relieve your toddler from ear ache

With take off and landing, besides the possible fear and crying along with it, unfamiliar issues occur like ear popping that leads to ache. This often uncomfortable sensation is related to pressure changes. Normally, the Eustachian tube equalises the air pressure but in kids it might not do this as well.

The act of chewing and swallowing can shift the ear enough to help the Eustachian tube do its job. To avoid unnecessary suffering for your toddler, clear up their congestion and have one or more of these ready:

• Lollipops/pacifiers or food pouch
• Breastfeeding
• Plenty of water

It’s important you keep your toddler awake and you can even make them practice yawning in a fun playful way, pretending to be lions.

Though crying isn’t pleasant, it also helps prevent aching ears, which is why take off and landing is the time to let your toddler cry it out. 

10. Research aeroplane restraint devices

Each airline has different regulations for how the toddler must be harnessed. They might provide some type of restraint depending on the airline like a belly belt – infant lap belt or a child restraint seat.

However, there are some alternatives that you can bring to make it more comfortable for your toddler, though I cannot stress enough that you double checked with the airline what is acceptable and on which seat (because that also matters). The alternatives are:

• FAA approved car seat. If your car seat is approved by the airline it must have a 5-point harness and fit into the seat measurements of the particular aircraft you’re flying. This should be particularly useful if you’re flying with a smaller toddler. The car seat they’re used to will be a comforting element on an unfamiliar mode of transportation. 
• CARES harness (approved for toddlers who weigh 10 – 20 kg). If the toddler has their own seat on the plane but doesn’t want to sit in the boring old car seat, this harness can be used if the toddler meets the measurement regulations. Again, I emphasise the need to double-check that the airline you’re flying with accepts this type of harness and the particular seat your toddler will be sitting in. 

Okay, so you’ve survived take off. The plane is levelled and your toddler starts to slowly familiarise with their surroundings.

They might start to move around and jump to the aisle wishing to explore the plane and everyone in it. Of course, it’s not an ideal way of passing time on a crammed plane and flight attendants walking back and forth. 

Time starts to move slower and slower as your toddler begins to be more reluctant to sit down.

It’s time you pull out all the surprises that you’ve prepared and use your imagination for spending this flight bonding with your toddler and giving them attention that they’ve always begged for. It’s not like you’ve got somewhere else to go.

Your toddler will be secretly grateful for all these hacks and surprises that you’ll have prepared.

11. Prep activities 

This hack you’re obviously supposed to do before leaving home for the trip. No matter if it’s two, four or six hours, it’ll be a long time on the flight and without all of their toys, your toddler will get bored within the first half hour.

Besides bringing their favourite toys and the iPad, there are other creative things that you can take to make the long flight go faster:

• Multipurpose Backpack or Travel Activity Tray . These two are smart inventions for organising and creating easy access to your toddler’s favourite things to play with. Crayons, notepads, snacks, the iPad, water bottle, and their toys will all be beautifully packed in one backpack or set to play with on the activity tray. Pack these right and your toddler will have everything in reach from their seat. 
• Gel clings . You can make this one even more fun by buying themed gel clings according to your holiday. Your toddler can stick snowflakes and snowmans or beach umbrellas and colourful fishes to their window and watch them swim in the sky. 
• Buy new toys and wrap them up in foil. This takes some extra effort but it’ll be like second Christmas for your toddler. Buy cheap, tiny toys, wrap them all in foil and leave them in the backpack without telling your toddler. The little one will be so excited to discover your gifts.

12. Prep for bedtime

If it’s time to sleep on the aeroplane, there are alternatives that you can bring on board to improve your toddler’s sleep quality. If they get a seat of their own, you can come prepared with things like:

• Inflatable foot rest . This particular item comes in a pack of two, which means either you and your toddler, or if you’ve got more than one kiddo, they can enjoy a more comfortable position during the flight. The foot rest is easy to inflate and provides the length needed for the toddler to lay on the seat like on a bed. It is compact and lightweight, and can be used on any other transportation. Just bring a small pillow and a blanket to cover the little one. 
• Suitcase bed. BedBox by JetKids (20L) suitcase has a mattress incorporated inside. Once you’re on the plane and allowed to do so, unfold the mattress from the ride-on suitcase and your toddler can enjoy a comfy bed of their own. The rest of the space in the suitcase can be used for their little pillow and blankie. 

13. Offer your toddler lots of water 

Airplane cabins have low humidity, thus your toddler (and you) can easily get dehydrated. Bring along sippy cups and remember that you’re allowed to bring a full bottle of water when travelling with a baby/toddler.

To be fully prepared and save money, after security fill an empty sports bottle that you’ve brought with yourself. 

Tip: bring an anti-spill cup. No-brainer but easy to forget. Invest in one that your toddler will like to hold and look at, it will be easier to convince them to drink water out of it. 

14. Stick to the routine as much as possible

Try to stick to your toddler’s routine, especially on long-haul flights. They will behave better if they detect something familiar while experiencing this unknown adventure.

If they’re used to hearing a bedtime story before bed then read them one. Even if it’s googled and read from your phone. 

15. Indulge them

Lastly, indulge them. Let them do the thing they’re only allowed to do on special occasions. Technically, flying is a special occasion for your toddler. I know how hard you work on disciplining your kiddo but they only get to fly once in a while, if any.

Travelling with a toddler is a big challenge for any parent. Letting them use the iPad during the flight will only give you some time to breathe and regroup. Don’t worry, you won’t lose the “good enough” parent badge for doing so. 

This flight too shall pass…

Prepare yourself. The hacks will help ease your trip and reduce the level of stress you’ll have, however, preparing yourself for the inevitable is the smart way to go.

And while your toddler is kicking the seat in front of them, crying from the ear ache or is poking you 20 times non stop, remember the impermanence of this hardship and that this too shall pass. 

Pin the picture to read the article later!

You may also like to read our posts about the 7 most important things to pack in your toddler’s backpack for the airplane journey .

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Coffee With Summer

lifestyle and motherhood

May 24, 2021 / Baby , Family

Tips For The Beach With A 1-Year-Old

If you’re looking for the ultimate list of tips for taking a beach trip with a 1-year-old, then you’ve come to the right place! We took our first family vacation at the beginning of May to Myrtle Beach. We were just a 2-minute walk to the beach and it was a dream. You can catch the recap of our trip HERE .

It was Taya’s first time at the beach and though I had a feeling that she’d love it, I was still really focused on proper planning for the trip. I wanted to keep packing minimal but smart and I think I did a great job at it if I do say so myself, haha. It can be overwhelming reading all of the tips and suggestions out there, so I’m here to streamline and cut to the chase. 🙂

[bctt tweet=”Tips For The Beach With A 1-Year-Old” username=”SummerTelban”]

TIPS FOR THE BEACH WITH A 1-YEAR-OLD

1. PACK MINIMAL  – When you’re packing to take your 1-year-old to the beach, especially for a vacation, you’re definitely going to have more things packed for them than you are for yourself. That’s just toddlerhood and mama life for ya! Keep the packing minimal when it comes to toys, water bottles, and items for the beach. The more you bring to the beach, the more you’re going to have to worry about keeping track of. Your little one doesn’t need a bunch of beach toys because they’re going to want to explore. The only beach toy I packed for Taya was a sand bucket bundle that came with some shovels and other pieces. It was the perfect bit of downtime entertainment when she wasn’t running around. Skip the beach balls and bubbles (too windy at the beach!)

Grab the sand bucket bundle for under $12 (Prime!) here!

2. COLLAPSIBLE BEACH WAGON  – A collapsible beach wagon is a must! We bought this one for our trip with the idea that Taya and beach essentials could both ride safely to the beach. We ended up just using it for our beach essentials because Taya wanted to talk or be held. I’m still so glad we ended up grabbing one because it made lugging everything to the beach much easier. It collapses nicely and was very durable. It’s a must! Plus, it’s great for any and all summer activities.

The beach wagon we have is currently ON SALE here!

3. CONSIDER EXPOSURE TIMES – A full day at the beach without breaks is a lot for a little one. Consider short exposure and go in the morning or late in the day. The UV rays are the strongest midday. We chose to go to the beach for play in the morning before Taya’s nap and it worked out perfectly. Later in the day, either before or after dinner, we’d go back down to the beach so Taya could run around a bit. When we went out to explore the rest of Myrtle Beach, we used an umbrella stroller . Though, I wish I had packed my Solly baby wrap to babywear Taya for when she wanted to be held. If you babywear, definitely bring your wrap or carrier with you!

We brought a pop-up tent to use for shade and in case Taya napped on the beach. I wanted so badly to lay in the tent while she napped but she just wanted to adventure, haha. In my experience, it was best that Taya got to nap in the rental home we stayed at. We didn’t use our pop-up tent as much as I expected but I know it’ll come in handy for all outdoor adventures this summer. It’s UPF 50+ and is an instant pop-up and folds back into a circular backpack. Super compact! It’s such a great price, too! We got the pink one in size medium but it also comes in blue and other sizes.

I had some people ask how I kept to Taya’s usual schedule on vacation. To be honest, I went in with no expectations to stick to her usual schedule. But! We were lucky and she stuck to her usual schedule. She only has 1 nap a day now so that made it easy to stick to our usual times.

4. EMBRACE THE SAND  – Chances are, your little one is going to want to embrace all of the beach… including the sand! Sand is such a great sensory activity. Yes, your little one will eat some sand. It’s basically inevitable. They’re simply curious! Do your best to distract them with snacks and water, their sand toys, and by bringing them down to the water. If all else fails, pop a binky in if they take one.

[bctt tweet=”Beach Essentials With A 1-Year-Old” username=”SummerTelban”]

PIN ME FOR LATER!

5. WHAT TO WEAR/BRING TO THE BEACH  – Keep it simple! No need to overpack. Of course, consider how close you are to where you’re staying. If you’re a few-minute walk like we were, I promise you won’t need to take a huge load with you.

• Apply before arrival and set a timer to reapply while you’re at the beach
• Chill sunscreen to help cool your babe when you reapply
• We love and use Thinkbaby sunscreen for Taya
• Rashguard Bathing Suit with UPF 50+
• Swim diapers
• Sun hat, sunglasses, cover-up
• Snacks and water in a small cooler
• We have these water shoes and they’re great – they’re lightweight and have unique drainage holes so the water and sand can empty out.
• Wipes and/or cool damp washcloths
• Spray water bottle to keep baby cool
• After sun soother
• If there isn’t a shower spot when you leave the beach to wash the sand off, bring baby powder (talc-free) to help the sand slide off.

[bctt tweet=”All of the tips you need to have a successful beach trip with your 1-year-old!” username=”SummerTelban”]

I hope this was helpful for you, mamas! I promise beach with your little one is not as daunting as it might seem beforehand. You’re going to have a blast!

summertelban

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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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From our partner, huffpost shopping’s best finds, more in shopping.

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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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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NIGHTMARE SUPPLY CHAIN ATTACK SCENARIO —

What we know about the xz utils backdoor that almost infected the world, malicious updates made to a ubiquitous tool were a few weeks away from going mainstream..

Dan Goodin - Apr 1, 2024 6:55 am UTC

On Friday, a lone Microsoft developer rocked the world when he revealed a backdoor had been intentionally planted in xz Utils, an open source data compression utility available on almost all installations of Linux and other Unix-like operating systems. The person or people behind this project likely spent years on it. They were likely very close to seeing the backdoor update merged into Debian and Red Hat, the two biggest distributions of Linux, when an eagle-eyed software developer spotted something fishy.

Further Reading

Researchers have spent the weekend gathering clues. Here's what we know so far.

What is xz Utils?

xz Utils is nearly ubiquitous in Linux. It provides lossless data compression on virtually all Unix-like operating systems, including Linux. xz Utils provides critical functions for compressing and decompressing data during all kinds of operations. xz Utils also supports the legacy .lzma format, making this component even more crucial.

What happened?

Andres Freund, a developer and engineer working on Microsoft’s PostgreSQL offerings, was recently troubleshooting performance problems a Debian system was experiencing with SSH, the most widely used protocol for remotely logging in to devices over the Internet. Specifically, SSH logins were consuming too many CPU cycles and were generating errors with valgrind , a utility for monitoring computer memory.

Through sheer luck and Freund’s careful eye, he eventually discovered the problems were the result of updates that had been made to xz Utils. On Friday, Freund took to the Open Source Security List to disclose the updates were the result of someone intentionally planting a backdoor in the compression software.

It's hard to overstate the complexity of the social engineering and the inner workings of the backdoor. Thomas Roccia, a researcher at Microsoft, published a graphic on Mastodon that helps visualize the sprawling extent of the nearly successful endeavor to spread a backdoor with a reach that would have dwarfed the SolarWinds event from 2020.

What does the backdoor do?

Malicious code added to xz Utils versions 5.6.0 and 5.6.1 modified the way the software functions. The backdoor manipulated sshd, the executable file used to make remote SSH connections. Anyone in possession of a predetermined encryption key could stash any code of their choice in an SSH login certificate, upload it, and execute it on the backdoored device. No one has actually seen code uploaded, so it's not known what code the attacker planned to run. In theory, the code could allow for just about anything, including stealing encryption keys or installing malware.

Wait, how can a compression utility manipulate a process as security sensitive as SSH?

Any library can tamper with the inner workings of any executable it is linked against. Often, the developer of the executable will establish a link to a library that's needed for it to work properly. OpenSSH, the most popular sshd implementation, doesn’t link the liblzma library, but Debian and many other Linux distributions add a patch to link sshd to systemd , a program that loads a variety of services during the system bootup. Systemd, in turn, links to liblzma, and this allows xz Utils to exert control over sshd.

How did this backdoor come to be?

It would appear that this backdoor was years in the making. In 2021, someone with the username JiaT75 made their first known commit to an open source project. In retrospect, the change to the libarchive project is suspicious, because it replaced the safe_fprint funcion with a variant that has long been recognized as less secure. No one noticed at the time.

The following year, JiaT75 submitted a patch over the xz Utils mailing list, and, almost immediately, a never-before-seen participant named Jigar Kumar joined the discussion and argued that Lasse Collin, the longtime maintainer of xz Utils, hadn’t been updating the software often or fast enough. Kumar, with the support of Dennis Ens and several other people who had never had a presence on the list, pressured Collin to bring on an additional developer to maintain the project.

In January 2023, JiaT75 made their first commit to xz Utils. In the months following, JiaT75, who used the name Jia Tan, became increasingly involved in xz Utils affairs. For instance, Tan replaced Collins' contact information with their own on oss-fuzz, a project that scans open source software for vulnerabilities that can be exploited. Tan also requested that oss-fuzz disable the ifunc function during testing, a change that prevented it from detecting the malicious changes Tan would soon make to xz Utils.

In February of this year, Tan issued commits for versions 5.6.0 and 5.6.1 of xz Utils. The updates implemented the backdoor. In the following weeks, Tan or others appealed to developers of Ubuntu, Red Hat, and Debian to merge the updates into their OSes. Eventually, one of the two updates made its way into the following releases, according to security firm Tenable:

There’s more about Tan and the timeline here .

reader comments

Promoted comments.

It should be noted that the attack only works because Debian and Redhat added functionality to sshd that is not present in it as distributed by its developers. The extra functionality adds systemd interaction, which requires libsystemd which requires liblzma, a component of the (compromised) xz package. One should be wary of distributions adding functionality. Often it increases the attack surface, not only because of the modifications/additions themselves, but also by adding dependencies.

So a prime reason this became potentially exploitable is libsystemd in OpenSSH. Need I say more.

The prime reason is a very well funded and capable attacker looked for a way in. if not xz or systemd then they would have attacked via the next candidate weak point.

"This developer persona has touched dozens of other pieces of open-source software in the past few years.". Well, I guess the Opensource community have some codes to review. Maybe the xz incident is only the tips of the iceberg.

Channel Ars Technica

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