We recently got back from a trip to Arizona. I can honestly say, before we went, I was NOT looking forward to it. How sad is that?! Yes, I was excited to spend time with my family and explore a new place. It was nothing like that. I just had crazy anxiety over flying with both of our littles, and the three hour time change. How were we going to keep them entertained on the plane? Would the time change completely throw them off? Well now that this trip is in the books, I can honestly say I was worried for nothing. Here are some tips and tricks to help make your life a little easier while traveling with kids from what we’ve learned.
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General Vacation Tips
Book a Rental Car through Turo
Turo is a peer-to-peer car sharing marketplace. It’s super easy, and waaaay better than renting a car through a car rental place. You simply go to their website, enter your location and date of your trip, and search through dozens of cars listed in that city. You choose your car based on your specific needs and how much you want to spend per day. Your host will be able to communicate with you in deciding if you want the car delivered to you (at the airport) or if you are going to pick it up.
Another plus to using Turo, is the ability to rent car seats! Yep, you read that correctly. We did NOT have to lug them through the airport, nor cover them and let them get bounced around with luggage. Now, not ALL renters give this option, but you can filter through to find them. We have traveled with a car seat in the past, and from now on, you better believe we will be going this route! Traveling with kids is not easy, and after being cooped up on a plane, the last thing you want to do is wait in that long car rental line. We literally got our luggage from baggage claim and walked out the door of the airport to our dropped off car. Easy peasy!
Book a Rental through VRBO
A family of 4 sleeping in the same hotel room? Totally doable with older kids (in my opinion), but with a baby and a toddler? I mean, we’ve done it. Literally, we have had a pack n play in the bathroom before. Anything you can do to create more separation of space, am I right? So, if you have the option to not have this silly living situation, wouldn’t you?
We booked a condo through VRBO. The website is so easy to use. You type in where and when you will be traveling, and a list of options will pop up. Filter down by price, number of rooms, features and amenities, property reviews and more. They even have pet friendly options! Your booking summary is very upfront, giving you your total with the service and cleaning fee included.
What I love most about staying at a VRBO are the additional amenities that make your life easier. Once you click on a property, you are able to view what essentials are provided, such as bath towels, hair dryer etc. If you’re traveling with small children, some places will even supply you with a pack n play and/or baby high chair. Not having to lug those items through an airport makes me oh so happy. It’s also so nice to have a full sized refrigerator/freezer so you’re not having to eat out for every meal. We love to save money, don’t you?!
Stay on Schedule
Kids thrive on having a schedule, and you worked hard to get them on one, so try to stick with it as much as possible. We had a three hour time change when we traveled to Arizona. As best as we could, we tried to stay on “our time.” So basically that meant we were eating dinner around 4pm and putting the boys down between 5-6pm. It worked for us, and made the transition once we got back home much easier. I understand, this is your vacation, so yes by all means let bedtime slide a little bit or have baby take an “on the go” nap. Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do! Traveling with kids may not be easy, but that doesn’t mean you need to stop living your life!
Tips for Flying with Kids
Check your airline to see what child/infant equipment flies free
Most airlines allow for you to gate check your stroller and car seats. Pack and plays typically fly free as well, and you can take care of that with your checked bags. Most importantly, check with your airline (not the airport) to see what their guidelines are as to what you can take for free.
Use a baby carrier
If your child is anything like ours (loves to move around, hates to be contained), getting them to take a nap on the plane can be a challenge. I used my LILLEbaby to calm down my babe enough to take a snooze. I suggest getting baby into the carrier before you board your flight, as this may be difficult to do while on the plane. Kudos to you if you can get your little to fall asleep even before you board!
The LILLEbaby will also come in handy during your trip for outings to the zoo, park, etc. We even use ours for hiking! It supports infants to toddlers ranging from 7 – 45 lbs. and can be used as a front or back carrier. My little (not so little anymore) dude is now 25 lbs, and while I found it comfortable to wear him in the front at the airport and on the plane, he (and I) was much happier riding on my back while hiking. I cannot say enough good things about this product! You need one!
Snacks, snacks, and more snacks
You are aloud to take your own food on a plane, as long as none of your items contain liquid exceeding 3.4 ounces. With that being said, be prepared to entertain with snacks! We had fruit snacks, lollipops, animals crackers, goldfish…you get the picture. I seriously think our kids like to travel because of the snacks. Anything to keep your toddler happy. I also suggest giving them something to chew on upon take off and landing to relieve some of the air pressure. Pacifiers work great for babies! It’s also helpful to have a snack cup to avoid messes. These Munchkin snack cups are our favorite!
You cannot get drinks through security, but you can absolutely have empty water bottles! We take our own bottles and fill them up at a water fountain in the airport, and do the same with our boy’s sippy cups. If you need milk/juice, several shops and/or restaurants will have that available for you as well.
Kindle/Tablet
Even a short plane ride can seem like an eternity for a little one. Distract them with games and/or movies on a Kindle or tablet. My mother-in-law was gracious enough to buy our oldest son an Amazon Fire tablet for his second birthday. We try to reserve using it for car rides, restaurants, and plane rides. If you do decide to buy your little a tablet, I HIGHLY recommend also purchasing a case and protective cover. Bumps, spills, tantrums…get yourself a case!
Several apps, including Netflix and Disney Plus, allow for you to download certain shows so you do not need WiFi to watch. KidloLand is an educational app featuring learning games and songs. It is by far our favorite app for our toddler! Download the games and songs from the app prior to your trip so your kids can play when WiFi is unavailable.
If you plan on downloading several apps, games, movies, etc., I recommend upgrading to a larger SD card. We bought this one, and it holds everything we need, and some!
Pack a few toys
When you’re traveling with kids, it’s always nice to have a couple small toys for their entertainment. We let our oldest son choose a few smaller toys that could fit in his backpack. He felt so special being able to fill his own bag. Of course, we had to help, otherwise he would have ended up with ALL of his cars. I knew we were going to a vacation home where there would be zero toys, so I wanted to choose ones that could keep them entertained on the plane as well as our rental. Here is a list of toys that travel well:
- Coloring books and crayons
- Cars
- Books
- Balloons
- Sticker books
- Reusable water coloring book
- Bath toys
These are just some of our favorites, and I’m sure you will think of some other clever ones. But seriously, when I came back from vacation to a house full of toys, it truly made me realize how little kids actually need. I mean…a balloon? Seriously? Yes, our boys are entertained by playing keep it up with a balloon. I need to get rid of SO many toys!!
Relax and enjoy!
The days are long, and the years are short! They are only little for so long, and grow up in the blink of an eye! Make lasting memories with your family, and still make time for yourself! There will come a day where you will miss going to the park or pushing a stroller through the zoo. Soak up your vacation, and be grateful! I hope these tips help make traveling with kids a little easier! Please feel free to contact us with any questions or comments!
