This is what you need to pack when you travel with kids!
Dear Mothers Everywhere, if you are reading this it is likely because you are thinking about or are planning to embark on an adventure with your children that involves airplane travel. Travel with kids can be exhilarating, dreadful and everything in between at times. You will likely experience a little of every emotion but let's strive for leaning more towards the exhilarating! Here are some tips and suggestions in regards to what you need to pack that can help that goal become a reality.
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What I learned from traveling with kids so far.
Since having my first child 8 years ago, I have taken 6 international trips with young children on 3 different continents including Australia (three times), Thailand, and Europe (twice). Three of those trips were with my first son when he was between the ages of 13-21 months. That was a crazy year!
This is me flying to Australia with my husband (not pictured) and my 18-month-old and 5-year-old.
We have experienced every scenario I never imagined, from nearly forgetting antibiotics on a connecting flight in Asia to having a child with sudden crazy nose-bleeds to having a 1-year-old continuously throw up for 6 hours of a 7-hour flight at the end of a 42-hour journey! (Pay attention later when I suggest packing extra clothes for the children and the parents!)
My littlest guy after vomiting for 5+ hours at the end of our 42-hour journey 😢. We went through soooo many blankets...and clothes...
We just completed our 6th international trip with young children and this one was (almost) completely boring and (mostly) non-eventful in all the ways you want it to be! You know what I mean now, right? No one puked for 6 hours, we had the right remedies and snacks with us to keep us happy, and we only had one #2 accident 😳.
I absolutely hate airplane travel, so I have really narrowed down the essentials for making airplane travel more tolerable and to help you be prepared for some of the unknowns. With my new packing list, I don't dread traveling anymore and I feel adequately prepared.
What the heck do I need to pack?
I'm not going to cover the basic clothing, toiletries, and gear for traveling with your family. I figure that is highly dependent on where you are going and what you doing. However, I will cover the "extras" that many people don't think about that may make your experience that much smoother, comfortable and less stressful.
When you are preparing for travel on a plane, think of your packing game plan as two major categories.
Carry-On: What do I need to have accessible on the plane?
Checked Luggage: Things I don't need until we arrive at our destination.
Most of what I will talk about today is for the Carry-On luggage.
Carry-on luggage
When you pack your carry-on luggage, include everything you and your children could possibly need for the duration of your transit and a little beyond.
If your checked luggage got lost or stolen, would you have enough diapers? Do you have your prescription medications with you? (Good luck getting those refilled in some areas of the world!) Are the clothes you are wearing on the plane appropriate for the climate you are arriving in? Do you have enough clothing if someone vomits on you 3 times? I'm kind of joking, but kind of not...
Medications & Natural Remedies
what I like to pack in my carry-on (remedies for the whole family)
Prescriptions: Include anything you or your family takes as a prescription - you wouldn't want these meds checked in luggage that gets lost.
Tylenol or Ibuprofen for pain (travel associated ear pain as well) and fever-reducing - you never know when you will need this. There are no drugstores on the airplane.
Benadryl: Some parents recommend this to "knock out" your child for sleeping on a plane. If you have never given Benadryl to your child, test it before you leave - talk to a pediatrician - some kids can have a hyperactive response to these types of medications! We tried it, it had NO effect on our children, not an inkling of drowsiness. So, it's not something I pack. But apparently, Benadryl is also effective for motion sickness. According to the label, Benadryl is for children ages 6 and older.
Anti-motion sickness meds - hopefully, no one in your family experiences airplane motion sickness but if they do, you'd better pack some anti-nausea meds like Dramamine. If you are traveling for the first time and don't know if you get motion sickness - pack some just in case!
According to the label, Dramamine is ok for children ages 2 and older.
You can also try Sea-bands, it works for some, not for others.
Hand sanitizer - I like the ones with fresh smelling essential oils, especially on a stuffy plane.
Zinc lozenges - perfect for long flights when you either want a gentle boost for the immune system or you feel like you might be starting to fight something off. Be sure to take with a bit of food as zinc can cause an upset tummy when taken on an empty stomach. There is also some vitamin C in the one my children love...bonus! We take this every time.
Saline nose spray - Airplanes have a very drying effect on delicate mucous membranes, which can then compromise the effectiveness of the skin's barrier to germs. Nasal spray helps to alleviate this issue and can help flush harmful germs. My kids are also prone to nosebleeds in extreme dryness so this helps with that too.
Saccharomyces boulardii - if you have read some of my other posts on natural remedies, then you will already know that this particular supplement is one of my favorites! It is a friendly yeast that fights off bad bacteria and restores a healthy gut.
I like this one in particular for travel because it is shelf stable (no refrigeration needed) and it has been extensively studied and shown to be effective against traveler's diarrhea.
We take it preventatively in the week or so leading up to travel and then at a low dose while we travel. However, you can increase the dose to one capsule every 1-2 hours if you are unfortunate enough to experience tummy upset while traveling.
I categorized it under "Carry-on" packing for the really long trips. For shorter trips just pack it in your checked luggage. You can open the capsules and sprinkle in food or drink for children, or it comes as a powder too.
Chamomile tea bags - I don't know about you, but when my throat is dry from the airplane I love sipping hot tea. The trick is to get the flight attendant to bring you the hot water. That can take a while sometimes. In my experiences, they don't often have herbal teas on board, so pack some. This is also great for calming kids and hydrating them. Just let it cool down a bit first!
Throat soothers (lozenges) - If a cup of tea isn't your "cup of tea" then consider throat lozenges that soothe a dry, scratchy or achy throat. I love the Thayer's Slippery Elm lozenges (so do my kids). Made using slippery elm bark which is a natural soothing herb.
Melatonin - Our bodies naturally produce the hormone melatonin at night to help us fall asleep. For this reason, it is sometimes recommended as a natural remedy for jet lag.
We have had the most success with melatonin upon returning home and using it to adjust back to our home time zone. Outward bound, I just think we are so tired when we finally arrive that we don't need it! Wouldn't anyone sleep after traveling for 24, or 42 hours? (Yes, we did that once 😩.)
Start with the lowest dose possible, especially for children, and take it about 30-60 minutes before your desired bedtime (so that means the bedtime at your destination).
We use 1mg sublingual tablets which are really easy for the kids to take, easy to transport (don't get liquid form!), and because they are in 1mg doses, adults can take 2 or more if needed. Easy to dose!
There is not a lot of long-term effects research on children and melatonin. However, many health professionals don't see a problem with short-term usage, like for jet lag.
Magnesium - I give this to myself and my children for enhanced relaxation and sleep promotion on board, it is like magic.
Magnesium also helps promote regular bowel movements, which can get a bit wonky with travel.
I like the individual Calm packets for travel, especially for kids! Just add to a little bit of water and drink up.
If you are taking a tablet or capsule form, an average dose for these situations is about 200-400mg for an adult and about 200-250mg for a child.
You may not need all of these medications and natural remedies. Pick and choose what you think best suits your family and your family's travel needs.
Clothing
Warm clothes: Just because you are going to a warm destination, don't forget to pack a sweatshirt or jacket. Airplanes can be quite chilly! Alternatively, if you are leaving from a cold climate and arriving in a hot one, pack some shorts and T-shirts in your carry-on.
Diapers/wipes: Pack about double what you think your needs are for the duration of your airplane travel. I go into more detail on diapers in the section on traveling with babies.
Some kids will soil more diapers than usual when traveling.
Also, if your luggage doesn't arrive when you do, are you going to want to so straight to a store and buy diapers? Probably not after a long journey with little to no sleep.
Don't forget a couple pull-ups for children still wearing night time diapers.
Pads/tampons: I know this seems like an obvious if your time of the month is coming up, but sometimes we moms think of everyone else and not ourselves! Also, travel can sometimes mess with your cycle and you might be welcoming Aunt Flo earlier than expected, so be prepared with a few extra feminine care products.
Extras: Pack an extra set of clothes in case your luggage is lost in transit. Also, you never know when ketchup will squirt all over, coffee will spill or the dreaded vomiting episode(s) will happen. I've even been the victim of a diaper blowout all over my shirt. You just never know! Pack extra or be prepared to go naked 😜 . For travel with babies or young toddlers, pack a couple extra sets of clothes! For this last trip, I assumed my 8-year old was out of the window for needing an extra set of underwear and pants (for accidents) and I WAS WRONG! The poor guy had a #2 accident about 20 hours into our 24-hour journey. Luckily, I had thrown in shorts for him because our arrival destination was going to be a very warm climate. (In case you wanted to know, we had to throw those pants out!)
Snacks & Food
Snacks are mostly about distractions in my opinion. I choose foods that pack well (don't crumble or smoosh), are "busy foods" (take time to eat) and I try not to completely overload my children with sugar. For one, it can give them way too much energy. Second, it makes them irritable and feeling "icky" and can depress the immune system.
Try to include some snacks with protein and fat so that you and your children aren't on up and down blood sugar swings. You will all feel calmer and more grounded (yes, ironic use of terms in this case) with protein and fat in your system.
Snack Ideas:
individually packaged cheese sticks
meat jerky
seaweed snacks (yes, these are a bit messy - they flake everywhere, but totally worth it for a healthy snack)
bars (Lara bar minis, Rx Bars, etc)
apples
cereal (this is great for packing in Ziploc bags and letting it be a "busy food" or one that occupies your child for a bit of time while eating. This is especially helpful for toddlers!)
individual nut butter packets (we love Jason's)
fruit snacks
lollipops - another "busy food" - I like Yum Earth brand
boiled eggs
crackers
raisins
carrots
whole mini cucumbers (these travel surprisingly well, but eat them on the front end as they don't last forever)
When traveling internationally, keep in mind that most food (all fresh food) will have to be put in the trash upon arrival. In my experiences, many of the packaged foods like bars, fruit snacks, crackers, etc are ok to keep with you for the duration of your travels. So, don't overpack on perishable and fresh food!
Airplane food - In my opinion, this stuff is nasty, at least in Economy. I often pack enough snacks that should I choose to, I can skip the food they offer. I just don't like starting a vacation out feeling "icky" from the airplane food. I've also found that my kids won't eat it, so good thing I packed a bunch of healthy snacks!
Stainless steel water bottle - Relying only on the water that the flight attendants bring around (sometimes never!) can leave you dehydrated. Plus, it's nice to have a reusable (non-plastic) water bottle while traveling. It can really help you to stay healthy. Staying hydrated isn't just for the plane.
Entertainment
All the non-food and non-clothing items I packed for myself our two boys.
Screens, screens, and more screens! We limit screen time at home for our kids ("way more than other parents", says my 8-year-old) but when it comes to travel, we pull out every screen possible and throw them at the kids.
The one time we do limit screen time when traveling is for the half hour before we want out children to sleep on the plane. Blue light from screens can be incredibly stimulating so we opt instead for audiobooks, read with our kids, or play a quiet game to settle them in hopes (all fingers crossed) that they get some shut-eye.
What we pack:
iPads - loaded with a few movies or TV shows and games (age appropriate for each child)
Kindle Fire - loaded with books so we don't have to carry more than one or two, and some games
old iPhones - we use these as iPod touches and load them with audiobooks from the library and kid-friendly podcasts. See my other post on suggested podcasts for kids.
Headphones for each child! Get the ones with a safe volume limit. Also, pack a headphone jack splitter for when two kids want to watch a movie together. (these headphones fold up nicely and already have a built-in share port - no splitter needed!)
Books - we only pack a few lightweight books that can be used when we want screens turned off (right before bedtime) and when e-books don't work (this happens! batteries die, etc)
Coloring utensils and paper
A few sticker or activity books
Travel games and card games (we pack just enough to kill time in airports, restaurants and for some evenings in the hotels.
Silly Putty - for some reason, this is the item du jour with my kids. I realize now that it functions like a fidget toy for them and it's basically tactile relaxation. I'm sure next trip it will be something else! (Substitute whatever small "fidget" toy your child likes, something they can manipulate with their hands.)
For toddlers - One idea is to pack a “Suprise Bag” of little toys your child has never seen before. These can be Dollar Store finds (Michael’s is great too!), random finds from toy stores or little objects from around the home that can be enjoyed safely by little hands. There is something about finding "treasures" in small bags or boxes that little children just love!
Stuffy or Lovey or Blankey
Don't forget your child's favorite stuffed animal or lovey or blanket!
I highly recommend buying a duplicate of whatever their favorite is (or will become) when they are very young. This way you can swap them out intermittently so they each get equally "worn down" and washed. I don't tell my kids I'm doing this. We have experienced the loss of one of my child's lovey, but luckily he never knew because we traveled with the hidden backup. Don't ask me what I will do if we lose the last one!!! Manufacturers are so smart now, they sell some loveys in sets of three.
When traveling with a baby
In addition to some of the packing suggestions listed above here are some specific packing items I had on my list when I traveled with babies.
Diapers - I mentioned this previously, but clearly, they are a necessity when traveling with babies.
Figure out how many diapers you would need for the number of hours you will be traveling and then double it. Seriously. It can be difficult to find diapers for sale in airports and you may not even have time on your layover to make a purchase! For example, if your total travel time will be 12 hours, which is about the length of one day (of awake-time for the average baby) and you usually go through about 6 diapers/day then pack 12 diapers.
Wipes - Pack extra! They are so useful for cleaning up everything, not just bottoms! They even work as a nice "freshening-up" tactic for your face and neck ;-)
Changing Pad - You can bring a reusable one or disposable ones. Tip: Don't count on having a changing table on the airplane - many do not have any, especially domestic flights. (You will have to change the baby on your seat, hence the importance of the changing pad!)
Diaper Cream - this is important to have to protect baby's bottom as you may not be able to facilitate diaper changes as often as you would like while traveling. I always traveled with this one and it is by far my most favorite one. It worked on every rash we ever encountered!
Wet bag(s) or Ziploc bags - you never know when you will have wet, soiled (or worse) clothing to chuck in a water-proof bag. Trust me, bring at least one. We used this wet bag for travel and for swimsuit season.
Burp cloths - pack at least 3 if you have a young baby
Bibs
Pacifiers - Pack a ton. These things get lost or fall on the dirtiest of floors.
Small plastic spoons (for feeding) - I like the inexpensive plastic ones for travel so if you lose one or two it's no big deal.
Baby Food -
Pouches (Ella's Kitchen brand is one of the few I've found that come in less than 3.4oz, TSA-approved size for liquids. However, "baby" items are considered to be OK when over 3.4oz but I always found the hassle of dealing with TSA wasn't worth it so I found smaller pouches.), dry cereal, puffs, teething biscuits, freeze-dried yogurt, banana and avocado (these don't travel well so use at the beginning of the flight!), or get more ideas here.
Another neat thing we traveled with are these reusable placemats for traveling. Its nice to be able to create a barrier between your baby or toddler's food and the not-so-clean public surface they are eating on!
Bottles or sippy cups/Formula (if needed)
For the Pumping/Breastfeeding Mamas:
Read Packing Checklist for Breastmilk Pumping When You Travel by Delicious Baby. Also, read the next article below for formula feeding which talks about bottles and expressed milk when traveling.
I traveled A LOT with my son while he was still breastfed. Once I got over the initial “freak-out” of how-the-heck-do-I-do-this?!?!? I thought it was the best. I liked not having to worry about packing extra things (bottles, expressed milk, coolers with ice, etc). I did express milk the first flight and ended up dumping it (sigh, what a waste!) because my son preferred the breast anyway.
If you like your privacy while breastfeeding, be sure to pack a nursing shawl. Keep in mind it can be a little awkward nursing in your airplane seat as your baby grows taller. The armrests always seemed to pose a problem for me so I felt like a contortionist trying to get comfortable! It was easier when my husband traveled with me and I didn’t have to worry about elbowing the passenger next to me 😉
For Formula-Fed Babies - I did not use formula with my child so I have no helpful advice in this category, but I appreciate that many parents do. So I recommend reading Packing Checklist for Flying With Bottles and Breastmilk or Formula by Delicious Baby for more information.
Inexpensive baby-safe toys - you will lose these, don't spend a fortune and don't bring a ton! They always seem to find something else to play with anyways.
Blanket - Often times for nighttime flights or longer flights you can find one on board, but you may want a blanket for your baby to sleep on or to warm them between flights, or on a flight that doesn't provide a blanket.
Extra clothing - This is so important I will mention it again.
For babies - pack at least 3 extra sets of clothes
For younger children - pack at least 2 sets of extra clothes
For older children - pack at least 1 extra set of clothes
For parents - pack at least one extra shirt/top
If it will take you more than 24 hours to reach your destination, pack an additional set of clothing for every 12 hours beyond the first 24 hours. The longer your travel transit time, the more you pack. Trust me on this one. I am speaking from experience!
Baby carrier - this is amazingly helpful and can sometimes be a lifesaver when all your baby wants is to be held. With a baby carrier, you can bounce around near the galley with your baby strapped to you while you play games on your iPhone 😉. We had great experiences with the Moby and the Ergo but there are so many great options to choose from. I found having a baby carrier for the duration of our travels, whether we were out and about in a new city for the day or hiking a beautiful scenic hike, was the key to successfully traveling with babies. Strollers don't go everywhere!
Checked Luggage
Checked luggage, like I said before, will likely be composed of mostly clothing, shoes, and some toiletries. This is so dependent on personal style, destination, and other factors so I am not going to go there. But there are few items I can weigh in on.
Medications - Pack your prescription medications in your carry-on in case your checked luggage gets lost, but you can pack over the counter meds that you won't need on your flight in your checked luggage. I like to pack a nighttime sleep aid as a backup in case I'm not responding to melatonin, and magnesium in case I am just so wired from traveling with kids that I can't fall asleep.
Sharp Objects - This may sound like a no-brainer, but I have lost countless nail clippers to TSA because I forgot to put them in the checked luggage! Such a drag. This last trip, I even forgot that I had a butter knife in my backpack from our foray up to the top of Mt. Wellington where we had planned to have a nice picnic with cheese and wine. Unfortunately, snow and sleet stopped that plan in its tracks. And the next day...the security officer at Hobart Airport was looking at me a bit funny when he confiscated the butter knife. Oops!
Pack you lightest shoes, wear your heaviest shoes - With the weight restrictions for most people being 50 pounds per bag (about 23kg) it can be tough to try and pack fewer bags and still be underweight. That's why we always pack the light shoes and wear the heavy shoes. We also wear/carry our jackets or heavy hooded sweatshirts.
Luggage Scale - I really, really recommend you get one of these when traveling internationally. Airlines can be much more strict, especially in Europe from my experience. They will often weigh your carry-on as well! To relieve your anxiety, just get a compact luggage scale and take it with you! That way, when you acquire souvenirs or gifts (or bottles of wine 😜) you can shuffle your luggage around to still be in accordance with the weight limits.
We have been using this luggage scale for many, many trips and it is surprisingly accurate and dependable!!
**Bonus for those people traveling with car seats! Buy a less expensive (like this one) or used car seat bag (these things get so beat up as checked luggage, don't spend a fortune, but wheels can definitely help) to put your child's car seat(s) in. This is a "free" item when traveling with children (as are strollers) and you can "hide" extra shoes or heavy items in the car seat bag! They never check this bag (although I wouldn't overload it, that might be cause for suspicion!) Last trip we were able to travel for 3 weeks, to 3 different climates, including a wedding event, with only 2 medium suitcases between the 4 of us. (The secret to our method was putting some shoes in the car seat bag!)
Ok, so if you have made it this far through that marathon post then you either really like me (woohoo!) or you are desperate for some tips on how to feel more prepared and how to make long travel with children less stressful!
I hope you find this helpful, all the suggestions have been tried (over and over) and proven to be helpful by yours truly.
My mantra for traveling used to be, "This will not last forever. The plane has to land at some point." But now that I pack smart, get prepared, and have the right mindset, it's not that bad! Really!
Happy Planning & Happy Travels! Don't forget your passports ;-)
Leah
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