Traveling with a Toddler

~ amesploss

My favorite products and tips for surviving travel with a toddler.

When we first moved to Japan, we were less frightened by the idea of living in a new country, and more frightened of the 14 hour flight to get there. Flying in general is not scary to us. We have done many international flights. However, we had never made one with a child before; let alone a child who, at 18 months old, hated to sit still for any length of time, howled in his car seat for even the shortest of car rides, and was only happy when he was eating or using his new found skill of “running”. Needless to say, we did not sleep much and spent the majority of the flight trying to keep him in his seat and from annoying other passengers. Overall, he was well-behaved for a toddler, but we were very stressed out the entire time.

Full disclosure: I am a person that over-prepares for everything. People climbing Mt. Everest have probably packed less than I pack for a “Sunday at the Park”. Because of this, I have compiled an “Ultimate List” (by my standards) of travel essentials and tips, which I’m sure I will add to as my son grows. I hope you find some of the information helpful. Obviously, take from it what you will since, as stated, I tend to ‘over-do it’ in the packing department. I tried to link to some of these things on Amazon, but obviously, cool products can also be found via small businesses and locally. This is mostly just for visuals. Be sure to check out my other blog post, “Packing Guide for Travel with Kids” for more useful information, packing checklists, and luggage diagrams. (I warned you: I have a problem with over-packing)

For ease, I have broken it down into sections:

Basic Travel Gear

Compact Stroller– Not a lot of room for big strollers in Japan, especially if you are traveling by train or bus, you will need something that can fold up easily and takes up as little space as possible. This is also true of a lot of destinations where you will have to take public transportation. We really like this version. We found a large backpack to fit it in, and it’s light enough, that we can wear it when we aren’t using it, or while we are riding our bikes to the train station. 

Stroller Hooks– I can’t live without my stroller hooks. If you don’t have these, you should. I love them, especially when traveling. I use them to hold all the things that I stick on carabiner clips (Toddler drink cup, snack cups, travel pillow, garbage bags, small backpack, a purse) and make it easy to go “hands free” quickly, like when you can’t find your boarding pass and need to check every pocket. It also makes the stroller do all the work. These rotate, so when my son gets out of his stroller, I just flip them around and hang all the bags to the front so the stroller doesn’t tip.

Rolling suitcase– For overnight trips where you don’t want to bring a stroller, or don’t want to use it right away, we bought this suitcase for our son to ride on. Some airlines might let you bring it on as a carry on, but we usually check it once we get to the airport. An added bonus is our son has his own suitcase, and he likes to pull it himself. Sometimes when he is riding in the stroller, I will loop the strap to the side of the stroller and let him “pull” it beside us so he feels like he’s helping. It makes him less angry about being in the stroller and allows me to free up a hand.

Car seat bag-If you plan on bringing your carseat, this bag has worked out great for us. It has wheels so you can pull it, attach it to one of your roller bags, or it can be worn as a backpack. We usually stick that fold up high chair in this bag as well, and check everything upon arrival at the airport. They also make these really cool travel car seats, but we mostly use public transportation when we travel, so we haven’t needed to bring our car seat much.

Luggage Straps– If you are pushing the stroller, and possibly a small suitcase, and your spouse is pushing two big rollers, plus carrying a car seat bag or a pack and play, you are probably going to want to use luggage straps. Our last flight home, Gil had 3 large roller bags and the car seat bag, and I had the stroller and a medium roller bag. Gil was able to luggage strap two large rollers together, and the car seat bag to the other large roller. One handle for each hand. Boom.

Foot Pillow– I think you can only use these on window seats, so they don’t block anyone exiting a row, but when we flew international, it was nice to have for our son to prop his feet up on. He still ended up sleeping across all three seats, but other kids might use it for sleeping too.

Carabiner clips- I bring these everywhere. I hang our son’s water bottle, snack cups, small bags for garbage, his travel blanket, his travel pillow, etc. I also use them to attach all that stuff to my back pack when jumping plane to plane, and to hang stuff from the stroller in between flights. Size will depend on what you want to hang, and color is personal preference.

Luggage Scale– Cheap and can save you a lot of money at check in. Also small enough to throw in your carry on at the last minute so you can check your luggage and adjust before heading out the door.

The “Entertainment Back-Pack”

This is a size appropriate backpack for your child to wear that holds “entertainment items” all in one place. This will count as their “personal” item, so don’t forget to pack the other essentials in their “carry on bag” (See the “Kid’s Carry On” section). The backpack should be big enough to hold a tablet, headphones, and all sorts of activity and toy distractions. I like to pack “new toys” that he has never seen before so if he gets really wild, we can let him pick a new toy. It has distracted him from complete meltdowns.

As an added bonus, they feel really special having a bag of their own stuff to carry. Especially if they get to pick out the backpack (My son chose this Monster’s Inc. bag; cute and VERY bright, so easily spotted and not easily lost). You can even let them “swag” it up with cute keychains or pins. You want them to want to wear it (depending on their age of course) so that it gives them something to do and means one less thing you have to carry.

What we pack in the “Entertainment Backpack”
Play-Doh Clip On-2 Pack Bonus points for this particular item because it serves as a cool keychain to “swag” up their backpack.
Lego / Duplo Sets (small)
Pro-tip: Pre-package these in small reusable ziplocks for easier packing and to prevent small pieces from getting lost.
Kid headphones– for watching in-flight or tablet movies. It’s always hit or miss if our son will keep these on, but they are nice to have.
Kindle Tablet or Ipad. We bought our son his own Kindle Fire Kid’s Tablet and a larger SD card so we could download and add all his favorite movies. *
Coloring Pads– no mess + one marker to keep track of = Perfect! Older children might not be as satisfied with this option, but there are plenty others to choose from. Be sure to choose items that are low-mess for your child (and low stress for you).
Crayon Set– These are convenient and a good size for a small backpack (and good enough for my toddler). Older children may want a more “robust” coloring experience, so there are many coloring-set options available.

*Be sure to download any shows and movies to the tablet itself in case you find yourself in a place without wifi. Also, if you are traveling internationally, a lot of the streaming services do not work without a U.S. VPN, (and sometimes even with one) so we have found that downloading his favorite shows ahead of time helps. We also found some fun puzzle
games and downloaded his favorite bedtime books so we don’t have to bring them.

There are a lot of options out there for entertaining your kids on a plane, so just look for things they are interested in. Googling “travel toys” or “kids coloring sets” will turn up a lot of options. These items also make good backpack filler: magnet sets, stickers, doodle pads, busy-books, fidget toys, writing tablets, small toy cars, small action figures or figurines (my son is big into Playmobil people). I like to restock the bag with different things before we make our return flight.

Each of us travel with a water bottle as well, so I typically clip his water bottle to his backpack; unless it gets too heavy; then I will clip it to mine. Same with his snack cup.

Water bottle and snack cups that can hang– Our son has a Thermos brand bottle that does a pretty good job and doesn’t spill. I usually hang my son’s cup from his backpack with a carabiner clip. I live for carabiner clips. The more I can hang, the better, to save space in our bags.

Snack cups– Less spills on flights, and if they have handles and can be hung, all the better. It also makes sharing easier and the lid let’s you store snacks that don’t get consumed.

Kid’s Carry On

So, depending on how you are traveling, where you are traveling, and how much stuff you are bringing, you might forgo a “carry on” for your child and just pack some of these items in a backpack or carry on for yourself. No shame in combining bags to minimize how much you have to carry. In my follow up blog post “Packing Guide for Travel With Kids”, I lay out a diagram of how we pack and who carries what (so nothing gets left behind and we are packing only as much as we can manage). This section does lay out some of the essentials that should be considered for “on the plane use”, so however you pack them, they should still be with you when you board.

Here’s a quick list:

  • Diapers
  • Wipes
  • Child’s Medications vitamins, allergy meds, rash creams, melatonin for sleep, thermometer, etc..
  • Kid’s toothbrush and toothpaste I keep these in a Ziploc to minimize mess
  • 1-2 full changes of clothes (yes ,socks too)
  • Several sets of undies (or you can use PullUps for the trip to be on the safe side) if you are potty training or have someone new to it.
  • Dry Bag to put soiled clothing in; could also use a large Ziploc or a plastic bag in a pinch
  • Foot Pillow if you are bringing one for the plane
  • Kid’s travel blanket yes, I know the airlines usually will provide a blanket, but it’s nice to have one for the terminal and stroller just in case a nap hits.
  • Kid’s travel pillow
  • Kid’s stuffed animal or lovey

Pillow/Blanket– Our son got a sweet Spiderman travel pillow and blanket right before we left, so that came in handy. Plus it had a loop to hang it from the backpack. If you can find one that rolls up and hangs from a loop, that saves room in a bag. If you are crafty, you can sew a simple fabric loop onto a pillow for easier hanging. Taika has a neck pillow, but has never taken to wearing it, so we always just bring a small travel pillow he can prop up against.

Parent’s Bags

When my husband and I travel, it’s always with a suitcase and a backpack each. Now that we have a kid, we have tried to do the same. Each person is responsible for 1 backpack and 1 suitcase. Obviously, our toddler can’t really be “responsible” for much yet, so we share his load. Our modified arrangement works something like this:

My husband will carry what I lovingly refer to as his “man purse”, which is a sling bag that contains all of our important travel documents (passports, luggage receipts, vax cards, etc.). This is his “personal item”.

My husband’s backpack (what he uses as his “carry on”) contains:

  • All electronics usually two laptops and a hard drive
  • All electronic chargers in a zip up bag to have them all in one place phone, watch, tablet, camera battery
  • Our headphones / earbuds
  • My camera also sometimes an extra lens and card reader
  • Our Son’s camera
  • Luggage scale

My backpack (which I consider my “personal item”) contains:

  • My purse sometimes I just pack my wallet and essentials in my suitcase and pack my actual purse in my checked luggage to save space
  • A book or magazine in case I get a free minute
  • Mini-“mom” kit Basically a bag with wipes, an extra diaper, hand sanitizer, bandaids, tissues, Advil, gum, Children’s Tylenol, thermometer
  • A large reusable shopping bag (why? see below)
  • Small garbage bags/diaper disposal bags (why? see below)
  • 3-4 Mini clips (why? because I am crazy, but also, see below)
  • Fold up Travel Potty This is if you have a kiddo that needs it. If you aren’t going to bother with it on the plane, I would just pack it in checked luggage and use it at your destination. You could also pack it in your kiddo’s carry on bag.
  • SNACKS AND DRINKS yes, I am the gatekeeper of all the food items
  • Stackable snack cup for “fresh” snacks (see below)
  • Carabiner Hanging Items: shoe holder (see below), my water bottle, diaper bag dispenser (see below)

Clear Travel Bags– I find it much easier to find things in my backpack if they are grouped. I use bags like these to do so. It also helps that they are clear so I can see things at a glance. I use one bag for salty snacks, one for sweet/fruit snacks, one for my “mom” kit, one for diapering items, one for misc., etc..

Mini-Clips– I know by now you have realized I have a problem, but honestly, hear me out. These clips are great to have on hand for travel. I have used them to clip half-consumed bags of snacks shut (so they don’t spill in my backpack). I have used them to close curtains together in the hotel room so we have absolute darkness for a sleeping toddler. I have used them to secure a napkin around my son’s neck for “messy eating” (think ramen, spaghetti). Clipping receipts together, clamping baggy clothing for an impromptu photoshoot (photographer side of me coming through)–basically they can be used for a lot of random things. And they are small and easy to bring, so why not?

Small garbage bags/diaper disposal bags- This is essential in Japan because there are rarely public garbage cans (so you have to take your trash home and recycle it properly). However, they also come in handy on long flights when your toddler uses 10,000 wipes and tissues, snack wrappers, etc. At the end of the flight, I just hand the whole bag to the flight attendant like a crazy trash hoarder. It makes it easier than trying to flag her down every 10 minutes to take your trash. It also allows you to clean up immediately rather than wait for the trash cart to roll around. Amazon sells these which are water/vomit proof, but for us, I just used the diaper disposal ones because they were already in a dispenser and I could hang it from my bag.

Toddler Shoe Holder – They sell these at our dollar store, and they are great. I hang our son’s shoes on his bag when we get on plane so we don’t lose them under the seats. I couldn’t find these on Amazon, but I’m sure those mini-clamps paired with a carabiner clip would work. They are nice for transporting daycare shoes back and forth too. The Japanese have a gadget for everything.

Large reusable bag– I take one of these everywhere. I roll it up and stick it in my purse, so if we need to move quick, I throw EVERYTHING IN IT, hang it off the stroller, and run (trying to make a connecting flight, about to miss a train/bus, etc.) Mostly I try to keep everything in it’s place so this doesn’t have to happen, but sometimes, I need to throw shoes, a water bottle, a snack cup, a bag of garbage, purchases, our son’s socks, whatever, into a bag, and just go quick. Having a large bag at your disposal has saved us several times. If I need to quickly fold the stroller at our gate or to get on a bus or something, I have everything in one bag, and I can throw it on my shoulder, collapse the stroller, and go. I found mine at Uniqlo, and I swear by it, but really any large bag you can roll up is great. Baggu Standard and Big sizes are great too.

Could Be Useful

These are mostly items that we have and use or will consider buying for future travel as our son ages into them. Depending on the age of your toddler and your destination, you may find some of these items useful.

Travel high chair– We take this when we travel just in case we are going anywhere that might not have a booster or high chair. Mostly he will sit in a chair now, but the booster does have a strap, so when we really want him to stay in his seat, it helps. This one has storage too, so I always stick one of his plates, cups, and a set of his silverware inside. I have also read of people using these on the plane, but we haven’t tried that.

Travel Potty– We are just starting potty training, so we purchased this one to use in the hotel. It folds up and can easily be stuck in a backpack. Be sure to bring wipes to wipe it down after use though.

Portable Fan For Stroller– Depending on your destination, this could be something to consider packing to keep your kiddo cool while strapped into a stroller. Those things can get sweaty. We have also used it on the plane to provide additional airflow. Honestly, they aren’t bad for parents either. We recently purchased a version of these to wear on our bikes. We feel silly wearing them, but everyone in Japan has them, so we fit in.

Rain Gear- This is more of a reminder. If you are heading to a location known to be rainy, and you will be walking around outdoors, don’t forget the appropriate rain gear. Umbrellas for all family members (I like these because they are small, come with their own case, and can be attached to a carabiner on the stroller or backpack), stroller rain cover, rain boots, rain coats, etc..

White Noise Machine– My son sleeps with one of these at night, so this is a no-brainer for us. We have found it helpful to “set the mood” in new environments like hotels or relatives’ homes. They also help cancel out some environmental noise, hopefully enough to let your kiddo sleep. We bring our plug-in version, but they do make portable ones as well. If space is limited, you can always play a white noise/rain/ocean playlist on Spotify through your phone as well.

Inflatable Travel Toddler Bed– Usually when we stay at a hotel we get two beds: One for us and one for our son. I do think that something like this could be valuable in cases where you are staying at a relative’s home and room sharing, or an AirBnB situation. Bed sharing for us is not a fun option with all the wiggling, kicking, arm flailing, snoring, etc..

Packing / Travel Tips

Here are just a few more ways to stay organized when packing for a trip. If I feel I have prepared as best as possible and feel organized and that I can find what I need when I need it, I feel much better when it comes time to actually boarding our flight. Some of these are probably just common sense, but worth mentioning just in case to make life easier.

  • Check the weather of your destination and pack accordingly. When I am packing for myself and my son, I try to always pack layers. On our most recent trip to London, the weather was going to be in the 60’s (F) in the morning, mid to upper 70’s mid day, and dropping back down to low 60’s in the evening. When packing for my son, I pack by “outfit”; meaning that I choose a pair of pants, a matching t-shirt, a matching long-sleeve shirt, a matching sweatshirt, and socks. Then, depending on what we will be doing each day and what the temperature is, I can dress him accordingly. If we are doing a morning activity outside, when it will be cooler, I can put him in a t-shirt and sweatshirt. If we will be indoors, I can do a long sleeve shirt, with just a hoodie that can be taken off. Basically, just give yourself options.
  • Pack by Outfit Packing by “outfit”, as mentioned above, helps to keep you organized and also helps to ensure you have packed enough for the days you will be there. I like to fold the “outfit” pieces together when I pack them and then unpack them at the hotel. It makes it easier for my husband or I to just grab a ‘bundle’ and get him dressed. This is especially helpful for my husband since I am usually the one that packs our son’s clothes.
  • Vacuum Seal Bags/ Compression Bags I really like to use these when I pack our suitcases. I use vacuum seal bags because I like that they are waterproof (any anything else proof) in addition to making more space in the suitcase. I pack one bag for me, one for my husband, and one for my son. You do have to watch your luggage weight when you do this, however, because they shrink your clothing down so much, it can leave a deceptive amount of room in your suitcase, but the weight it still there. The pump that comes with the vacuum seal bags is small and easy to pack as well, so you can repack your clothing when you are leaving. When we leave, I like to put all the dirty clothing into one bag, and any clean clothing in another, which makes unpacking much easier when we get home.
  • Luggage Scale One of the best investments we’ve made for travel. So small, so inexpensive, but yet so necessary. For years we played the weight shuffle game at check in; embarrassing and time consuming. Save yourself the frustration and invest in one. If we have a super early flight, we even go so far as to pack everything the night before, just to weigh it and know which bags are at weight ahead of time. We call it our ‘dry run’, but we are very ‘Type A’ and don’t like any time-consuming surprises pre-flight.
  • Shower Caps Shower caps are an inexpensive way to keep packed shoes from getting your luggage dirty (any anything in your suitcase). Simply place the shower cap over the sole of your shoe and pack away. I’ve also found that depending on the size of the shoe, you can wrap the whole shoe in the shower cap to protect it from getting scratched up in the suitcase. Especially helpful with dress shoes.
  • Toiletry bags for each family member We used to share, but now I see that it just makes more sense for us each to have our own. My son’s hair care products exceed mine, and my son’s skin care regimen rivals my own now, so it was time for us to each get our own bag. Additionally, I have found that this allows us to distribute one toiletry bag per suitcase so that the weight isn’t all in one suitcase. That stuff starts to get heavy. My husband recently got this bag and really likes it. I got this set, which allows me to have one bag for makeup/face stuff, one bag for lotions, creams, vitamins, toothbrush and one bag for hair brushes/comb/clips, etc. My son is using this bag which currently holds everything he needs, and it’s yellow, which is his favorite color. Also, even though most toiletry bags are waterproof, don’t forget to use an added layer of protection on things that you think could easily spill and make a mess. I always ziplock perfume, lotions, facial cleaners, sunblock, etc. just in case the bottles get broken or the lids pop off. The last thing you want is a suitcase or toiletry bag covered in greasy lotion.
  • Hanging Closet & Hamper This is a “nice to have” item, a 3 Shelf Hanging Closet. If you have the space/weight for it in your luggage, it’s a great thing to bring on trips. Luckily it folds flat and is pretty light weight, so that makes it easier to pack. I have brought one of these on a few of our trips and it has been super convenient. It’s extra storage for kid clothes, or even your clothes, and the built in hamper provides a place to store all the dirty clothes until you are ready pack them up or wash them.
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Published by amesploss

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