Tips for Taking a Toddler on Vacation

Looking for tips for taking your toddler on vacation? We are on summer two of the “Toddler Tornado” era – so I am holding tight to my traveling with a toddler checklist as we plan for our next trip. These are my best tips for taking a toddler on vacation (and bonus packing list for a toddler on vacation).

10 Tips for Summer Travel with Toddlers

1. Lower your expectations…then lower them again. Don’t set yourself up for disappointment! If you have high hopes for a picture perfect vacation, 9 out of 10 times you’ll always be let down.
2. BYOSE – Bring your own snacks everywhere. There’s nothing worse than an overpriced bag of pretzels or a hangry toddler.
3. You don’t have to go out to a restaurant for every meal. Order takeout or hit up a drive thru, then have a picnic: in the hotel room, the trunk of your car, at a rest stop, etc.
4. Consider sleeping habits before booking a room. The first time we stayed in the same room as our toddler my husband and I found ourselves whispering in the bathroom over cocktails at 7pm. As a family of five we always stay somewhere with a separate sleeping area for our toddler since she goes to sleep at 6:30pm.
5. Family-friendly is the term to search for when making any plans. Hotel, restaurant, park, etc – make sure it’s toddler proof.
6. Leave room in your itinerary for running/playing/energy blasting activities. I have a busy toddler who needs to plenty of space to stretch her tiny legs.
7. Pack an extra outfit. Spills and accidents always happen.
8. Wear your toddler (if you still can). If we are going anywhere that my toddler needs to be container, I opt to wear her over using the stroller. If she sees her big sisters walking next to the stroller, she always wants to get out to run beside them.
9. Bring all the favorites – pacifier, stuffed animal, toy, blanket, and book. BUT if you forget something, don’t underestimate the power of a gift shop.
10. Don’t fear the disposables: placemats, changing pads, throw up bags, etc. We go through a lot of disposables on family vacations and I’m okay with it. I’d rather change my toddler on a throw-away pad on the restaurant bathroom floor then have to put the dirty changing pad back in my bag.’d rather change my toddler on a throw-away changing pad on a restaurant floor then have to put the dirty changing pad back in my bag.

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Flying with a Toddler Checklist

• Make wiping down the seating area/table tray a fun toddler activity. I always pack kid-friendly sanitizing wipes when I travel.
• Pack an extra outfit in your carry-on. I’ll never forget the time Annabelle threw up all over Brandon’s only pair of pants on the first flight of our vacation. Now I pack an outfit for everyone in the carry-on. You can still pack lightly when traveling with kids (or hope for a washing machine at your destination).
• Bring NEW toys (not just old favorites). The dollar spot at Target is a treasure trove of toddler friendly toys. I love window clings, Water Wow, Magic Marker coloring, and Puffy Sticker books.
• Wrap toys in tinfoil or wrapping paper to add on activity time. You may need to help your toddler unwrap the toy, but it’s fun to do!
• Snacks, snacks, snacks. Put snacks in little bags and take them out one by one. Be careful with pouches because they can explode on the plane.
• Don’t forget Identification. In 10 years, I’ve only been asked twice for my toddler’s ID at the airport to prove she was under two years old. It’s better to be safe with a birth certificate than sorry you didn’t bring it.
• Don’t stress about sleep schedules. Just go with the flow – I found attempting to force my toddler to nap on the plane only stresses the family out more than ever.

READ THIS: The most thorough list of tips for flying with a baby