Tips and Tricks from a former Nanny and Flight Attendant that became a Traveling Mom!
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The Set Up:
SKIP THE GIANT ROLLABOARD
(The above picture is 3+ weeks worth of travel necessities from the US to Spain)
Large backpack that can hold just as much with vacuum seal bags
*Link for osprey backpack (Love this one because of the detachable backpack used as a daily diaper bag for exploring)
*Link for travel air pump for vacuum seal bags
Use a rolling trolley for the car seats, check the car seats and attach the foldable trolley to one of the car seats using the car seats chest clip. If the gate agent doesn’t do it take one of the excess stickers from the bag tag that go on the car seat or your luggage and attach to the trolley just in case it does get seperated but after dozens of flights I’ve never had an issue. (also a great system if you plan to bring the car seats onboard the aircraft)
Stroller: if you plan to do lots of traveling, especially solo invest in a quality travel stroller with enough carriage space for the size of a well packed diaper bag.
if traveling with 2+ kids I’d recommend 2 of the exact same strollers so you can attach them for a tandem stroller.
SKIP THE BACKPACKS FOR ONBOARD NECESSITIES
2-3 zipping hand bags that will fit under the seats with you and kiddos, no more hassle getting up and down to access the overhead bin or dealing with a tightly packed diaper bag or backpack
Simply use labeled pouches or clear pouches inside the travel bags
Often would travel with a spare 3rd zip bag to toss their blankets and lovies in to go through security so no ickies on those.
Going through security I would tandem wear my boys, the only catch with this is TSA will ask you to pause and swab your hands but it made getting through security and all the ups and downs easier. Oldest goes back in the stroller, switch the little one to your back if they are big enough, 1 travel bag goes under, the other gets clipped on to the sturdy travel stroller with a giant carabiner.
Also liked having a smaller travel bag tucked into one of my carry on bags with a couple of small carabiners to clip on the seatback pocket, little one was often in my lap and awake or asleep it was always difficult to lean down to reach under the seat for simple things for the older one like a snack, the next surprise toy, their waters or my headphones for the 20 mins they might both be asleep at the same time.
In-Flight:
Before boarding tandem wear again, this allows you to collapse the stroller and grab the bags from underneath to board and get their seats set up with the CARES harnesses and foot hammocks or car seats.
Something new to the child every 30-60 mins, something thrifted and wrapped in a paper bag will suffice.
Road tape and a new hot wheels was the biggest hit next was railway tape and a train (great for hotels and meal times too)
Carseat (be sure it is FAA approved, should be a sticker on the side)
0-1ish years old:
Car panel for rear facing *Link, attach to the seat headrest (might need a string or extra toy links to accommodate and obviously with the sound turned off)
Teethers
Long time favorite for 1 and under was a rubber teething ball with silk scarves stuffed into it to pull out, literal hours of entertainment
Feeding on take off and landing to help equalize their little ears
Hot water warmer to make bottles
Never got to try this myself because it was just invented but wanted one SO badly!! I resorted to wearing my carrier backwards around my waist and around babies chest forward facing to give him space to wiggle and play that wasn’t his seat.
Toddler
Foot hammock! less dropped toys, better sleep, the list goes on and on. (Just be sure it is detached from the tray table for take off and landing)
Tray table “tables” seem like a nice idea but if you are using a CARES Harness they won’t be able to reach it for a while
Had great success bringing a car seat tray, the kind that clips around their waist to keep it in place, ditch the foam inserts and use a big look and find book you planned to pack anyway
We’re screen free but highly recommend the earphone headbands!
If they have a pacifier still be sure they have it for take off and landing to help equalize their ears, if they have outgrown it highly recommend a lollipop or even sucking on pretzels.
Look and Find Books! The tiny board book versions 3-4. Always kept one out to read with them in the security line while I tandem wore them.
Wet bag! (maybe with a carabiner if needed) We all have one in the diaper bag but it is a great resource to deposit trash into (snack wrappers, “new” toy wrapping, pouch lids etc.) then when the flight crew come around just empty it instead of trying to dig around the seat back pocket likely with a half asleep baby or toddler. (*Diapers need to be placed in the lavatory trash bins as they are a biohazard so do not try to hand them to the flight crew, they will just tell you to take them to the lavs yourself, so often times I just collect that flights worth of trash in my own wet bag and deposited it into the nearest bathroom bin when we landed, typically changing their diapers on the aircraft seats with a changing mat. Sad truth is the lavatories on aircrafts are really tight to begin with let alone changing a baby or toddler solo with both kids with you. shrug
CARES (FAA APPROVED) HARNESS, get them used to it on their first flights, use it like a seatbelt, if the plane is in motion they are buckled in, air pockets come out of nowhere, keep those little ones safe.
Deplaning:
Tandem wear again (I know this sounds crazy) BUT deplaning and waiting on the jet bridge for your stroller wrangling a toddler is a LOT, plus reassembling the stroller too. Found it easier to tandem wear to deplane, my hands were free to carry the 2-3 hand luggage bags, set those down on the jet bridge, read a look and find with the boys while wearing and rocking them waiting for the stroller, reassemble the stroller, toss the bags in and head up the jet way. Once we were at the top I would put the older one in the stroller, attach the carry on bags and off we went to baggage claim.
For the Adventures:
Kidco Standup with attachable toys and teethers
Kidco PeaPods; practice with these at home as early as you can to get them used to it for naps or even movie nights in bed like a hotel set up would be. I have used these at the airport for baby to get wiggles out, hotels, camping, cruises etc. At ages 6 and 4 my kids still ask for them on trips because they love the coziness. When they were smaller I would use a safety pin to clip the zipper together just for peace of mind especially in hotels and camping. Fun fact the Dock a tot GRAND fits perfectly in these and was their favorite car camping set up by far.
BONUS: Overnight stay necessities
Make sure to have enough chargers, converters, adapters, power cords, watch chargers etc. when traveling.
*Link travel night light (for the room)
*Link travel USB star night light (for kids space)
Especially if you use them at home, my son has an allergy to dust so they go everywhere with us.
typically travel with 2-3 of these, can often be used for the bathroom in a hotel or a cruise stateroom as well.
Laundry bag
self explanatory plus an extra vacuum seal bag specifically for the laundry, makes it so much easier when you get home.
speaking of laundry definitely pack some sink washing pods or extra of your normal detergent, overnight potty and food accidents happen in the most inconvenient places, not having their favorite blanket or lovie for a night would be tough in travel conditions.
Now that my boys are growing here is what I would add at 6 & 4…
Kids Kindles
Yoto with headphones
games, games, games!
foot hammocks are still 10/10