How to Travel By Air With Little Ones
Traveling with little ones is no easy feat, especially when traveling by plane. Helpful tips/products will be different based on the age of your children when you travel.
For reference, this post is based on our first international trip in January 2020 with our 3 kids, all under 4 years old. It took a lot of planning and coordination to pack, prepare and execute. Here are some tips and products that made the trip a bit easier.
Packing
I am proud to say I was able to pack all five of our clothes and necessities into 2 suitcases, a duffel and two carry-ons. And you have babies or toddlers, you know how much stuff they require to function, including wipes and diapers. I packed all the diapers and pull-ups that we would need for the entire trip sinceI wasn't sure of the brand, cost and accessibility of purchasing diapers in Jamaica.
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Packing Cubes
I'm a lover of compression packing cubes and bags. For clothes, each family member has their own color for easy organization and identification. My favorite are by Gonex, you can find them on Amazon here
Diapers
For the diapers, I took them out of the original package and placed them horizontally in a vacuum seal bag... no vacuum needed! Just stuff it, roll and pack!
Clear Cosmetic Bags
I use these not just for cosmetics, but for everything! There are so many little items to pack with kids, so these bags make it easy to organize everything and see exactly which bag it is in. Especially for carry ons, when you need to pull out things on the fly while in transit, or just to make going through security with formula and snacks a breeze, these are clutch. I found mine at Marshalls, but these on Amazon seem just as good: Cosmetic Bags
Dry/Wet Reusable bags
Multi Purposeful: soiled clothes, bottles, wet bathing suits, food/snacks etc. Amazon link here
Flying Anxiety for Kids
It was going to be the first flight for our two youngest, and our oldest was having a LOT of anxiety about flying. So as an occupational therapist, I knew education, and exposure beforehand was key. We talked about flying, showed him videos/books and also took him on a dry-run to the airport so he could see the planes up close.
Mom-tip: I gave him a tiny new toy car to open once he was on the plane and in his seat. Positive associations and reward for the new experience.
There were three other items that made the flight a little smoother:
Kid- Friendly iPad Case
Families who have tablets probably already have invested in a kid-proof case. This one did the job well and was able to stand up on the lap tray. It also passed the test of being dropped a few times as well. Comes in a few different colors
Kid-Friendly, Wireless, Bluetooth Headphones
We are not HUGE on screen use at home, and don't even use it in the car. However, flying and traveling during our vacation was going to be an exception. The wireless headphones eliminated the issues of tangled cord and they could also watch the same tablet together. We love these ones by Simolio
Bonuses: there is an adjustable sound limit of 96 decibels max, so that it will never blow their eardrums accidentally. They come in a variety of colors and a fold up to fit into a hard carrying case
Traveling
Car seats/boosters
We would have to travel by van while on the island to a few destinations. The idea of taking three carseats/boosters overseas was a headache in itself. We decided to take the infant carrier for our baby, the backless booster for the toddler and a foldable travel "booster" for our 4 year old. We originally used the Mifold booster, but it seems to have been recalled or discontinued in recent years. Another option for 4years old + is the inflatable booster seat.
Stroller
We’ve had an umbrella stroller before, but it ends up being very long when folded for travel. Enter: the Mountain Buggy Nano. This bad boy can fold down to the most compact size that is almost as small as my diaper bag. It unfolds with literally one hand! On top of that, it is versatile to accommodate all infant carriers, with no extra adapters needed! The price point is also perfect. I'm in love with this thing.
Car Seat Protector Bags
A good thing to have when flying with carseats or strollers is a protective, TSA-approved travel bag. Miraculously, it fit both of the booster seats AND the infant carrier in so that it would stay clean and somewhat protected as checked luggage.
So there you have it!
Just remember, most of these are not necessities. You can absolutely travel with little ones without all of these extra items. However, for us, it made the trip with three under 4 years much smoother and less hassle than had we gone without.
xo, Carolyn
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Hey, I’m Carolyn
This space is dedicated to caring for ourselves, without compromise.
I’m a working mom of three young boys (all under seven — it’s chaos around here) and run a therapy practice catering to postpartum recovery. Welcome to my little corner of the internet, dedicated to helping women reimagine motherhood and find balance in this new stage of life.
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