Survival Guide To Traveling With Kids

Traveling with kids can be daunting. You never know what mood they’re going to be in and the thought of all the extra items you need to carry through airports can be stressful. Trust me, we’ve all been there. Meltdown on the plane, child wants to run around, child kicking the seat in front of them over and over again, restlessness, the list goes on and on.

Here a little personal story of mine…

I remember one flight, in particular, I had a breakdown and wanted to cry (to be honest, I shed a few tears when no one was looking)…There was one flight with my youngest (he was 1 year old at the time) who was just inconsolable no matter what I did. It was my flight from hell. I got people looking at me dirty, flight attendants asking if they could help with anything, a ton of eye-rolling. I can literally feel my face burning up and my heart leaping out of my chest, trying to fight the urge to cry. He was overtired and wanted to run around. But, we made it through the 3-hour flight (seemed like 8 hours) and thankfully haven’t had anything that bad since. So for starters (TIP #1), plan travels around nap time. We like to travel bright and early in the morning or late afternoon so we avoid meltdowns.

We love to travel with our boys and they’re pretty good travelers by now. They’ve been to Jamaica, Caribbean Cruise, Puerto Rico, Italy, Croatia, Paris, and lots of places within the US. Don’t get me wrong, every once in a while my youngest will have his moments where he can’t sit still and that’s normal. But overall, they learn to adapt and understand how it works. Don’t let the fear keep you from traveling.

So, why am I telling you all this?

I feel like we have a good system and routine down that makes traveling with them easier. I am by no means an expert, but I do get a lot of mamas asking about what I do to make traveling less stressful.

Here’s the ultimate survival guide to traveling with your little ones.

Disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links, and I will earn a commission if you purchase through these links. Please note that I’ve linked to these products purely because I recommend them and they are from companies I trust. There is no additional cost to you.

Let’s start with packing.

Tip #2: (Tip #1 is above) I don’t care what it costs, if you have multiple kids, check your bags in – it’s one less thing you’ll have to drag throughout the airport, trust me. The less you have to carry the better because you will have unforeseen items you may have to carry. So my advice, pay the fee and check your bags. I like to use the really large suitcase for me and my youngest child to share and check-in and then we will usually pack one small carry-on for smaller items needed.

Note: When you bring a carry-on, always make sure half of that bag is empty. Trust me, you’ll thank me later because, for some reason, you always come back with more things than you left with. Sometimes, depending on where we are traveling, I will pack a small foldable mesh bag as a backup.

Tip # 3: Pack as early as one week. I know that seems crazy and my hubby usually laughs when I do this but seriously, this keeps me organized so I know what I need to buy or pack last minute. Both my boys are at the age where they like to drag their own tiny Lightning McQueen suitcases, so pack those light to make it easier for them and put the rest in your checked-in luggage.

Now, remember when I mentioned to just check everything in? If your kids like to pull their tiny luggage let them do it. It entertains them and they really enjoy feeling like big kids doing big kid stuff. You get me? Also, another reason why you yourself should check everything in, besides a small carry-on, you’ll likely end up pulling your kids’ luggage from time to time.

However, I will say this… if you’re traveling alone with little ones, don’t give them an option. Just check it all in for your sanity.

Tip #4: Packing cubes are life! I mean it. You’ll be able to pack sooo much more in packing cubes as opposed to just throwing things in your suitcase and calling it a day. You can get each person their own color and it makes things so much easier when trying to find clothing for everyone. Once you buy packing cubes you’ll always use them, believe me. These are the ones we use.

Tip #5: Pack a ton of healthy snacks in your luggage if you’re going someplace for a long period of time and want your kids to eat somewhat healthy. When we do our European or Caribbean trips, I buy a ton of healthy non-perishable snacks and throw them in our checked luggage. You’ll save money from on buying snacks while you’re out and about and you’ll know they’re at least eating something healthier.

Some items I purchase are Simple Mills almond crackers, Hippie Vegan popcorn, homemade veggie muffins, oatmeal, Once Upon A Farm smoothie packets, fruit, and veggie fruit snacks.

Tip #6: Make a list and check it twice lol! Once all your main items are packed, always make a list of last-minute things to throw in the suitcase. For example, my boys love their sound machine. We pack one with us for every travel. They also love their teddy bears, so I pack theirs last minute. The key to traveling with kids is to make their travel feel more like home whether it’s bringing their favorite blanket, lovie, toy, etc…I’ll also leave a post-it note on the door to our garage with items I need to grab last minute. This list usually consists of the Once Upon a Farm smoothie pouches or yogurt pouches that I freeze for the kids – anything you’ll need to make note of to grab right before you leave.

Tip #7: For longer flights, bring a car seat if needed. Helps your child sleep better on the plane and useful throughout your travel.

When we did our huge Europe trip last summer, we didn’t need one because they didn’t require them in cabs (plus we walked everywhere). When we did certain excursions or activities, we rented a driver and Uber that provided car seats. You can even rent cars with car seats if you are looking to lessen the load of items to travel with.

Also, a stroller is needed if they’re young. I used this throughout Europe and it was amazing. If you only need a stroller for one child, this one is amazing. Not a lot of storage, but is amazing for traveling outside the US.

Now on to the fun stuff…

How to survive entertaining your kids on flights!

Tip #1: Let them both carry a small backpack for all their toys, snacks, and iPads. Again, you’ll probably end up carrying this so that’s why I always recommend checking everything in if possible.

Allow them to add a few toys they would like to bring but make sure you have room for a water bottle, snacks, and/or iPads. My hubby brings a backpack and usually throws iPads and headphones in there.

Tip #2: Bring a snack tray. Lifesaver for sure. They keep all the snacks and toys from falling on the floor. I flew without this a few times and can’t tell you how many times I was picking up toys that kept falling on the ground. GROSS! When snacks fall, they want to eat it and that’s also GROSS. Here’s a similar one pictured above.

Tip # 3: Pack a lot of snacks! If all else fails on a flight, let them eat and snack as much as they want. This helps me out with my youngest a lot. But I would also add a small backup snack bag in your purse so they don’t eat everything in their backpack before taking off. My youngest loves to get on the plane and then start snacking before we even leave. So have some backup options including, gummy bears and lollipops – this will be your saving grace. I buy most of my snacks through Thrive Market where you will save 25-50% off. Plus, shop using THIS link to save 25% off your first purchase.

Frozen Treat: My boys love those yogurt and smoothie pouches I talked about above. The trick is to freeze it all and allow to thaw in their bags naturally. I’ll also freeze my healthy, veggie-loaded muffins so I know they’re not only eating junk food. Keep snacks as healthy as possible, but have treats and gummies on hand as a last-minute resort.

Tip #4: Buy some new toys or crafts, but don’t show them until you’re on the plane. Something new will always be a hit with entertaining them for a bit. I sometimes will browse the dollar section at Target or the dollar store to see if there is anything new to keep them busy.

Tip #5: Paper and stickers! This will keep your little ones busy for sure. Bring lots of paper and draw random lines and squiggles. Give your kids a lot of stickers from the dollar store and have them add stickers on the traced lines. You can even trace their names on paper and have them put stickers on the lines that spell their names. It’s learning and entertainment all in one.

Tip #6: Bring educational worksheets. You can buy workbooks suitable for each age at Target that have them work on connecting the dots, tracing, writing, etc…or simply bring coloring books and crayons for each child.

Tip #7: Never allow them to share! I know this sounds so weird because we all try to encourage sharing. But on a flight, the last thing you want is fighting over crayons. Give each child their own set of everything so you can avoid arguments.

Tip #8: Separate your kids on a flight. My hubby and I find it best to sit next to one child separately on flights to again, avoid arguing. They are at that age (2 and 4) where they sometimes like to kick or touch the other person to make them mad, or they start fighting over the same thing. Separation is key unless your kids are older and are great with sitting by each other.

Tip #9: Activity boxes! This is by far my favorite thing to talk about. You buy each child a metal tin and a flat LEGO mat (I originally bought all of mine from the dollar store a few years ago). Glue the LEGO mat on the tin and pack inside the boxes, magnetic toys, LEGO pieces, hot wheels, or whatever you want for that matter. I keep these in my carry-on and give one to each child on the plane.

I originally made mine using holiday tin boxes from the dollar store, but just recently discovered these metal boxes and they’re way better. Looks nicer and are slightly bigger to hold more items.

Tip # 10: Download a bunch of movies and games they are into. You want enough to keep them entertained on both flights.

Hope this survival guide was helpful to you! I tried to be as specific as possible so if there is anything I missed, please feel free to message me with any of your questions.

XO,

Natalie