Ethan is no stranger to traveling, especially on an airplane.
Let me rephrase that: Ethan as an infant is no stranger to travel. Ethan as a TODDLER is a whole new story! Keeping our little guy contained, restrained and entertained while on an airplane is a challenge, to say the least.
This past weekend, we traveled down to southern California for my best friend's bridal shower and we came prepared as best as possible, but of course, babies are totally unpredictable. Especially, when we're running late to our return flight, only to find out that our flight is actually 15 minutes earlier and then we get held up at security because of all of our baby food. I was literally running to the gate {straight out of a movie scene} and then Ryan and I had to sit separately {cue my freak out!}...the flight was full. Oy. But we survived and I'm here to give you some tips and tricks to traveling with a toddler!
Here are my best tips:
+ Bring brand new toys that your child has never seen before. Keep in mind that the plane is super loud, so toys that make sound are useless {learned that the hard way}.
+ Bring a snack cup, we love the OXO Tot Flippy Snack Cup, and fill it with tons of puffs, cheese puffs, cheerios and any other snacks that distract your toddler. This was seriously a life saver for me on the flight home. Ethan was content for about 20 minutes, shoving his hand in the snack cup and digging around for treats. This particular cup is great because the flaps keep the food in, but don't hurt his little hands going in.
+ Bring a stroller and gate check it. This has been a tried and true practice for us since Ethan was an infant. He loves hanging out in his stroller at the airport and it's much easier for us to tote him around in a stroller both before and after the flight. I would also advise on brining a Handy Stroller Hook to hang your purse our diaper bag from. It definitely helps to have some free hands when running around the airport!
+ Bring sanitary wipes {I love these wipes} and keep them handy at all times. I can't tell you how much Ethan was grabbing at everything...the chairs, the foldable tray, the windows...the list goes on. Oh and of course, he was throwing his pacifier too. I would keep them handy in this On the Go Wipes case.
+ Make eating on the go as easy as possible. I highly recommend the food pouches as opposed to the jars. It would also be super handy to transfer baby formula to a formula dispenser as you don't have to lug around the entire canister. And how wonderful would it be to have a On the Go Drying Rack and Feeding Spoon as well as a Roll Up Bib? All great things to have while traveling or on the go!
+ One last thing...dress comfortably! Don't wear your favorite silk blouse...you may as well kiss it goodbye after the slobber and food gets all over it! A maxi dress or workout clothes are my go-to travel outfits. I am loving Target's line of workout clothing right now...they look very similar to lululemon but are a fraction of the price!
Clearly, Ethan agrees!
Trust me, a well entertained and fed baby makes for a happy baby while traveling!
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xo natasha
A special thanks to OXO Tot for sponsoring this post. All thoughts and opinions expressed above are my own, but I do really love OXO Tot. We have the highchair and wipes dispenser that we bought on our own and LOVE both products!
Such great tips! We are flying to CA in October and I'm already nervous about traveling with a baby!
ReplyDeleteOur little one is no stranger to travel as well. We were high in the sky this weekend too :) Never seen the OXO Tot line, we'll have to check it out!
ReplyDeletehttp://hellonewlywedlife.blogspot.com/
I'm going to need all of these things when we take a 2 week trip at the end of the year. Just entered the sweepstakes.
ReplyDeleteThese are fantastic tips Natasha! I have to keep them in mind when we drive down to disneyland in sept! OXO makes great products! We have lots of their kitchen stuff. I had no idea they made them for kids too! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThis looks this serious business!
ReplyDeleteThe little guy is just too cute :)
Nicole
www.eleganceandclutter.com
A good trick for flying with a toddler is a cheerio necklace!! You can wear it and he can eat it!
ReplyDeleteWe are in the process of adopting a little girl from Hong Kong... just matched with her last Wednesday and will be traveling there before the end of the year with our almost two year old to bring her back. Let's just say I lose sleep thinking about the flight there and back and what it will be like with one and two toddlers. I may need to buy stock in Goldfish and stickers!
ReplyDeleteFood/snacks on a plane are the only things that get us through a flight. I pack everything that I usually never allow him to have...fruit snacks, mini oreos, juice, crackers, chips, whatever keeps him occupied! :) Our latest favorite flight activity...stickers! Stick them on the baby, on the seat, on mommy. We got around 30 minutes of fun out of a package of stickers (unheard of!).
ReplyDeleteLoved all your tips and tricks with flying! I just wrote a post about what we do with baby Sawyer. You'll have to check it out. Thanks for the new ideas. Can't wait to try them out.
ReplyDeleteFlying with a baby is no joke!! I can't even imagine what the next year will bring...haha!! The hook on our stroller has been our life saver, both while travelling and just every day living!
ReplyDeleteI love that Ethan is already a well-seasoned traveler at his age! Thanks for the tips, gal. We've only taken road trips w/ Quinn & are gearing up for her her first flight this fall back to the midwest. ::crossing fingers::
ReplyDeleteWe have a B.O.B., too & we love it. Do you find it's easy to maneuver around a crowded airport/security lines? Would love to bring that instead of getting a smaller stroller.
xoxo
might be investing in that travel bottle cleaner/drying rack! so convenient!
ReplyDelete