Babyourself's Top Five Travel Tips

by Elisabeth Myrick

1. Give yourself extra time.
Plan to stop every 1-2 hours for diaper changes, snacks and a couple minutes to run around the rest area. If you are flying, spending hours waiting for your flight to take off may sound miserable, running through the airport with small children is worse. Allow for extra time to check in and then get the whole family through security. Use a stroller in the airport for babies and toddlers and gate check it right before you board.

2. Go overboard. While it may seem counter-intuitive, fill the diaper bag with extra snacks, extra sippy cups, extra toys and plenty of diapers and wipes. And if you are driving, make sure this bag is within arm’s reach and not accidentally packed in the trunk!

3. Think new. Grab a few new toys and books from the clearance section to keep little ones entertained. Crayons and markers may seem like a good idea until they roll all over the airplane floor or you are scrubbing marker off your leather car seats. Stick to books (board books are best for toddlers), new movies or video games or magnetic games or drawing toys that don’t have a lot of small pieces.

4. Have a bottle or sippy ready … for take-off and landing to help little ones balance out the pressure in their ears. Lollipops work great for bigger kids! (TSA will let you bring liquids through for a child in a bottle or sippy cup, just make sure they see it. They will test the liquid and give it back to you.)

5. Avoid red eyes. It may seem like a great idea: board a flight at bedtime and your little one will sleep the whole way! Not so. Most children will be stimulated by the new environment and will stay up all night which leads to exhausted kiddos and parents.