Travelling with Toddlers: Strategies for Stress-Free Adventures

 Travelling with toddlers is always an adventure! While you are enjoying and exploring places as a family, having a toddler around can add to new challenges that require preparation and careful consideration. Whether you are taking a flight or a road trip, if your toddler’s needs are fulfilled, you’ll have a smooth journey. In this article, let us check out some amazing tips and tricks to make your travel more enjoyable and manageable with your toddler.

Travelling With Infant Checklist

The first and foremost step for hassle-free travelling with toddlers is making a travel checklist and carrying the right travel essentials for infants.  Travel with an infant checklist is a must to keep your child busy and comfortable. 

Make sure you have the below-mentioned toddler travel essentials during your trip:

Travel Toys: Carry child-friendly toys for kids that are quiet and compact. Storybooks, social toys or newly released toys that keep the toddler engaged and entertained.

Comfort Stuff: A soft toy or a soft-cozy blanket can provide a comfortable feel to your child so that you have stress-free travel with kids.

Diaper Bag: Diapers, wipes, rash cream, and an extra pair of clothes are a must before you begin your road trips with toddlers.

Finger Foods: Toddler snacks for travel like crackers, fruits, or cereal minimise the risk of mess during travel and keep the toddler occupied when awake.

1. Be Mindful Of Their Schedule

Try to maintain your toddler’s routine as far as possible. Their nap times and meal time schedules, if managed properly during travel, can further add ease to your travel and make your trips with toddlers fun.

Naptime Travel Plans: Plan longer legs of your trip during baby nap times and let your child sleep peacefully while you carry on your journey.

Frequent Breaks: One of the important tricks on how to travel with a baby or toddler stress-free is to make frequent stops if you are driving yourself. When you are driving yourself during road trips, make sure to make frequent stops. This trick can let your child burn off some energy, preventing crankiness.

2. Stay Engaged Until It’s Time To Buckle Up

The real travel challenge is managing the toddlers during wait times. Whether you are at the airport, train station or a rest stop during a road trip, you need to occupy your toddler to pass that wait time by keeping kids entertained on trips.

Story Telling: Books are important in the packing checklist for toddlers.

Keep handy a few of your toddlers' favourite story books that you can read out and engage them with during wait hours. 

Screen time, but with limits: Screen time rules are always flexible when travelling, as compared to the usual routine. Downloaded children's movies or educational apps can help engage toddlers and avoid Internet disturbances.

Playway activities: Simple anytime, anywhere indoor games and outdoor games like “I Spy with My Little Eye”, superhero toys or simple colouring books can keep the toddler occupied for some time.

3. It’s Alright To Go Against The Rules

Managing toddler tantrums while traveling  is difficult. So, is it okay to break our rules and allow the toddler more screen time or an extra treat to make them peaceful when travelling. No Rules— It’s Okay! The key to smoother travel is flexibility. 

Flexible rules: The goal of almost every trip is relaxation. Some extra treat or add-on screen time isn’t going to disrupt your child’s routine forever.

Surprise Gifts: Always be ready to give a joyous surprise to your toddler to keep them occupied during travel. This may include a snack of their choice or small kids' toys as children’s gifts you had saved for such occasions.

4) Newly Released Toy

A very effective way to travel with your toddler is presenting a newly released toy to them. A new toy can attract the child and keep them busy for long. Let us check out three excellent reasons why new toys are the best toys for kids:

A surprise element: A new toy provides an element of surprise, adding excitement and engagement for your toddler. This lessens the parents’ travel stress as well. 

Promotes Imagination: Whatever may be the toy– either an action figure toy or a social toy, engages the child with their new friend as they use their imagination and creative thinking.

Maintaining Calmness: The new toy can serve as a positive distraction, bringing calmness during travel whenever the child feels restless.

5) Finger Foods

A very important snack that you should not forget to include in your travel with infant checklist is “finger foods”. Toddlers love to nibble on finger foods, and they are also easy to carry and less messy.

Mess-Free: Finger snacks that don't require bowls or cutlery, like fruit slices and crackers, are the best options while travelling.

Variety: A mix of snacks with different colours and sizes always adds to the child’s excitement and fun.

Energy Boost: Travels can be hectic for children, especially longer ones. Nutritious finger foods that keep your toddler’s energy levels up should always be on your travel checklist.

6) Carry Travel Compatible Toys

The best travel gear for toddlers includes toys. But make sure to carry multifunctional and compact toys that are handy, purposeful and easy to carry with our other load of baggage.

Quiet Toys: Dolls or action figure toys that don’t make noise can be good play options when journeying in a flight or train.

Books: Puzzle books and drawing pads can be great for keeping your child occupied for a long time.

Creative toys: Building blocks, magnetic drawing boards and other DIY travel toys engage the children for a longer duration as they offer problem-solving opportunities.

7) Tasting Different Foods

Travel and food go hand in hand. Exploring new food joints and cuisines is an integral part of travel diaries. And trying new foods can be exciting not just for parents but for your toddler as well.

Usual with new: Along with their familiar food like fries or fruits, you can encourage them to taste something new when travelling.

Finger Foods: Easy-to-hold food like local bread sticks or regional fruit slices can be great options for offering your toddler.

No Compulsion Food: If your child isn’t ready to try a new meal, it’s okay. Don’t push them! They might try some other time, seeing you relishing the same food.

Pack some homemade food: There are chances that your little one might not like the new food being introduced to them. A lunchbox of homemade food can be a saviour here. 

Hydrate them frequently: A water bottle is one of the most important toddler travel essentials. Don’t forget to keep your toddler hydrated. 

8)  Divide responsibilities amongst couple

A tip to a smooth trip with your little one to go planned with the division of responsibilities.

Feeding: Feeding little ones from time to time can be difficult as they throw a lot of tantrums. 

Whoever they have more fun with can take care of feeding. 

Cleaning: Changing diapers timely will keep the little one comfy throughout the trip. 

9) Pack toddler travel essentials in a different bag

This tip moms swear by! Packing a special bag only with baby essentials will go a long way. 

Toiletries: Diapers, changing cloth, wet wipes, talcum and an extra pair of pyjamas ( you never know what might happen). 

Feeding essentials: Bibs, water bottles, sterilised spoons and maybe their favourite snack. 

10) Introduce them to regional things

You should make them try foods special to the place you are visiting. Also, make them do activities (only if they are baby friendly ) that the place is known for. Trying such regional things will make the trip even more special. 

Watch local performances: Book traditional music, dance, or theatre shows. 

See the wildlife: Toddlers are often intrigued by birds and animals:

Conclusion

Travelling with your toddler can be an exciting venture. The key is to relax and not stress out! Plan some party games for kids before you set out for the journey.

Don’t forget your infant travel essentials and travel-compatible toys to make your child feel at ease and keep them occupied for longer hours. Snooplay offers you a wide range of travel-friendly toys and toy gifts under 300, like action and toy figures, a Space Shuttle With Launchpad Busy Board, unicorn writing slate, travel essentials, and many more to keep your child merry during travels. Planning, flexibility, and patience are all that you need to make your trip an enjoyable experience.

So when are you planning your next trip with your family? Check out Snooplay’s collection today to select your kid’s favourite toys for your next adventure. And don’t forget to refer to this checklist for happy toddler-friendly vacation ideas.

FAQs:

1. How can I keep my toddler entertained during long trips?

Keeping your toddler occupied with travel toys, storybooks, or interactive toys is the best way to pass their time. Also, be ready with some downloaded videos like stories and rhymes for them, whenever required.

2. What essentials should I pack for travelling with a toddler?

Comfort articles like soft blankets, their favourite toys, diapers, a pair of extra clothes, and easy snacks are a must.

3. What should I do if my toddler gets motion sickness?

Always carry a stock of light snacks and water for your toddler when on the go. Motion sickness is quite common in infants. Always keep medication handy (as directed by your paediatrician) and position your toddler in a way that they can easily look out of the window. This is helpful to distract them from the uneasiness. Also carry storybooks or picture books to divert their attention further.

4. How can I encourage my toddler to try new foods when travelling?

Finger foods are always the best way to introduce something new to your toddler. You can set an example by tasting the food first and then offering it to your toddler. This will increase the child’s willingness to try something new.

5. What are the best travel toys to keep a toddler entertained on a trip?

The best travel toys to keep a toddler entertained are reusable sticker books, magnetic drawing boards, pop-it toys, mini-board books, and stacking cups. But your little one might be fond of something else, like squeaky balls, so that you can carry those along. Simply, understand what your kids like and carry that along.

6. How can I keep my toddler entertained on a long flight or road trip?

Travelling with toddlers can be made hassle-free by keeping them entertained. Bring travel-friendly toys, read a storybook to them, play fun verbal games and bring a variety of snacks so that they do not feel hungry.

7. How do I choose travel toys that won’t make a mess?

Choose small-sized travel toys for kids like Crochet dice, musical toys, teethers and so on. These will easily fit in bags, and your child can hold them in hand pretty easily.