March 2, 2021
Toddler Packing List & Tips
By Annie Chambers
TODDLER TRAVEL GUIDE
2020 wasn’t a great travel year, obviously. However, in 2019, I took several trips with my son, at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months. I created a Baby Packing List. I now have a toddler! Between 18-22 months, we took four bi-coastal plane rides, and several road trips in California. I have included my favorite gear for sleeping, eating, organizing, sanitizing, and playing. Below are tips for surviving travel with a toddler.
Step 1: Bring wine.
Step 2: Bring running shoes.
Step 3: Bring the nanny.
All kidding aside, I hope this helps!
Gear Essentials
This is the world’s smallest folded stroller (fits into overhead storage bins!) and it’s inly 9.5 pounds so super lightweight. The downsides are the storage basket is small and it doesn’t recline. Super easy for airport travel. I didn’t love that there wasn’t a ton of sun shade though.
This one is more substantial, yet still fits in overhead bin. If you’ve got your hands full, this has an easy, one-handed fold. Tons of color customization options for the fabric inset & umbrella parts. You can add a second rider with a kickboard. Weight limit is 40 so you could have it a while.
Mountainbuggy Nano travel stroller– I haven’t personally used this, but one of the best-travelled mamas I know told me she loves it because it fits in the overhead space, reclines, has a huge basket, and great sun shade.
A mom who went to Ireland recommended this, and I’ve seen it on several ‘travel with children’ blogs. It turns your airplane seat into a bed so kids can stretch out and sleep. It’s compact and easy to wheel through the airport- kids can even ride on it.
“It’s basically a sensory deprivation chamber” – ideal for daytime naps to block out all light and any distractions. It’s an added bonus if you’re sharing a room and need dark for your younger toddler, but don’t want to go to bed at 7 PM.
These are a compact alternative that you can add to any window. We pack these on every trip because our son requires a dark room.
Three of our mom friends swear by the lotus travel crib. It converts to backpack for easy travel and is lightweight. I also suggest checking with your hotel or rental home before traveling as they often provide these, and you can just travel with the fitted sheet. Works for up to 3 years!
Toys & Electronics
$1 Toy Surprises
I did this on our trip from California to North Carolina. I went to Target $1 section and found tons of fun toys that I knew we’d likely throw away. I had one for each hour of the plane ride. He loved exploring them. Some lasted longer than others, but they were so small and easy to pack and it was something new to explore. I think we had a mini car, silly putty and window cling ons.
I haven’t tried this yet, but a mama suggested it. Looks perfect for a fun, mess free art activity in a crowded space like a place.
My 2-year-old is just now starting to understand markers, which is disastrous for our furniture. On our way through the airport last month, found one of those little magic ink markers that only marks on the page, but won’t mark anything else.
Sticker Books
We did one of these on a four hour flights, lots of stickers everywhere, but actually some made it in the book. Will definitely suck up some time.
First 100 Words Sticker book –
First 100 animals sticker book–
Fire Tablet– if you’re allowing screen time, this kid-friendly tablet comes with a huge case and you can pre-load with Prime shows like Daniel Tiger!
Soft headband headphones- We tried these on a trip at 20 months and he didn’t want to keep them on, but he also won’t let me put on hats… Other mamas love these. Come in tons of Styles: Batman, Paw Patrol, Sesame Street, animals, etc.
Over the head headphones – tons of colors and styles. We had a little more luck with these around age 2. Try them out a few weeks before long flights to get them excited/used to it if they have head sensitivities.
Eating/Drinking Travel Essentials
You can never ever ever have enough SNACKS! I fed Coleman the equivalent of what he eats in 2 days on a 6-hour travel day. I didn’t like ours since they were open and spilled on the plane last time. One mama recommended these: ‘I have several of these. I like that they have lids so I can pre-load at home. I also use them in the stroller for snacks since they don’t spill. I reload on the road.’
Great for fresh cut fruit and veggies- and you save the planet! You can also reheat in microwave and oven, and they are dishwasher (top rack) safe. Great for school lunches, too.
Great for beach or park picnics in town, and easy to pack in a suitcase for all meals while you’re away. We recently used this on a trip to Texas, and loved having him sitting beside us. Easy to clean and folds down small into a pouch.
After wiping down the tray table, cover it with a placemat to make sure it’s super clean. Also really great for restaurants so kids don’t eat food that’s fallen on the table.
Cup Catchers– genius for the thousands of times they drop (or throw) their cups down at the restaurant or in the plane.
Travel Cups that don’t Leak! All my cups/water bottles were leaking so I reached out to my moms group and they gave me these suggestions. I’ve ordered them and tried them. RUN, go buy them now for leak-proof travel drinks!
Contigo Titan Tumbler with Straw
*These are lids– you can attach to any stainless steel cup for a sustainable option!
Cleaning & Sanitizing
Kid Masks
I know it’s terribly depressing to think about covering up your little one’s face, but there is a good chance you won’t be allowed on the airplane, or asked to deplane if you don’t. I suggest practicing a few weeks prior if it’ll be their first time. I like the kids’ masks from Old Navy with fun prints and adjustable sides. They come in every color and character imagine-able- and in 3 / 5 packs so it’s okay if you lose one.
I love this Skip Hop portable changing station. It’s the size of a clutch so easy to fit into a bigger bag, or grab when it’s time to change on the plane. The wipes case is translucent so you know when it’s time to refill. You can fit four diapers and creams. The front pocket could fit keys & cards if you just wanted to have this accessible during a trip. You can also clip it onto a stroller/outside of purse.
Seat-Back Organizer- Another Skip Hop favorite to keep all your wipes, toys, snacks etc in here for car rides to avoid falling under seats or losing.
These wipes are sensitive for kids faces to give them a good wipe down after snacks/meals. Easy to wipe hands off on the go!
Tray Table Covers
There are tray table and seat covers available that are disposable. Pop onto the seat before your little climber gets in there so when they try to go digging into the seat back pocket, you’re covered.
Mom Hacks
General Hacks
– Bring small packets of laundry detergent and Oxy-Clean. Pack half the clothes and do laundry! Oxy-clean for the blow outs.
-Download the Baby Monitor App (it’s paid) and turns one phone into the parent unit, and one phone into the baby unit- no need to pack baby monitors!
-Use Zoom as the baby monitor! Set your laptop in the room and then join the conference using your phone
– Dress them in comfy pants. You do not want to fight to slide pants off them in a cramped airplane bathroom.
– Make sure you have a portable changing pad (for the public bathrooms).
– Check out baby monitor apps versus packing your whole monitor system. It turns one phone into the camera/microphone and the other is the parent unit
– Clorox Wipes for the airplane seat, headrest, tray table. Trust us…
-Buy an am/pm medicine box and fill the boxes with different snacks (she alternated goldfish, Annie’s bunnies, Cheerios, etc.) and that way they can sit there and practice opening each box and discovering the snack inside. They loved the entertainment!
Car Hacks
-In the car, we used a Ziploc to stick the iPad in and hung it on the backseat. No fancy case required and it’s like a mini-TV on the backseat-if your car doesn’t have these.
-Pack a roll of paper towels, a plastic bag, and Clorox wipes as they can start to get carsick when they get older.
Plane Hacks
-When you don’t have a ton of room in your purse/carry-on, Ask the flight attendant for some cups, napkins and ice. You’d be surprised how much time you can squeeze out of these free items.
-Download a coloring app like PicoToons
-Bring wee wee pads (yes, the ones for pets) for each flight so they are disposable after the diaper change- and not as bulky as a portable diaper changing mat
