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The Monday after Easter, we packed up and headed out of town for a week...we were able to go to New York! It was the first time I had been there and it was amazing! We were able to leave our boys with my brother's family and took Violette with us.
We travel quite often with our little ones, and fortunately they travel quite well. As any day, when traveling with little ones things are quite unpredictable but here are some things I have learned along the way that has helped make the stress of travel a little less. Even on short day trips, many of these ideas have helped us have a happy family time together...
When traveling by plane, take a stroller and car seat into the airport. I find it much easier to manuver everything through with the stroller and if you will be driving anywhere when you're at your destination, you will need the car seat! If you purchased a ticket for your baby, you can use the car seat on the plane (you don't have to purchase a ticket for children under 2 but they won't have their own seat). Otherwise, I have always strolled them through to the gate. That way you gate check the stroller and car seat, or if the flight isn't sold out, you can take the car seat on board even if you didn't purchase a ticket for the baby. With it being gate checked, you just need to tell the customer service representative at the gate and you will be able to have the stroller and car seat up until you get on the plane, and then right when you get off. I know some people like to just use a carrier through the airport which may be a good option for some. Just remember you will have to take your baby out of the carrier and probably remove the carrier when going through security.
Take your baby's birth certificate or form of ID with you.
Keep your baby's necessities with you at all times (enough diapers, wipes, bottles, pacifiers, change of clothes, blanket, small toy). One time I was going on a short flight, I didn't keep all these items with me in my carry-on. The flight ended up being delayed for a long time. I was doing laundry in the airport bathroom! I won't forget again! Even when traveling by car, it is much easier just to keep these items close to you rather than digging through the suitcase on the side of the road!
Allowing something for the baby to suck on during take off and landing should help with the discomfort of ears popping. Either feed the baby, offer a pacifier, or for older children allow them to drink or suck on a lollipop! This also works well when traveling through mountains by car!
Have plenty of items to keep young ones entertained. Classic games like "I Spy," or "My Aunt Tilly went on a trip and took with her..."(each person thinks of different items as they go through the alphabet, the wackier the better!), maybe some coloring, a map for them to follow where you are traveling, learn about the area you are traveling through and talk about that as you go. Introduce them to some new jokes, and sing songs! Listen to some books on CD! I loved many of these ideas here and here too. We've used some of these ideas and they have worked great for our little ones! Many of them could be used for plane or car travel.
Have a lunch box or some kind of treat container ready, as well as a water bottle...one of each of these for each child. It's so much easier to me than handing things out during travel.
Regardless of how long you are traveling, you don't really need to pack more than enough clothes for 5 days. If you pack more, it will just take up a lot of room! With little ones you will be doing laundry anyway, so just plan on it! We have a different duffel bag for each child that we use for them to pack. I like this for a variety of reasons, but mostly because I think it teaches them to pack and be responsible for their things while we are gone (they are suppose to help pack and then carry their bag to and from the car, hotel, house, etc.).
It takes a lot of work traveling with little ones, but I have found that the trips that I'm better prepared and ready, we all enjoy it so much more. I believe that little ones can learn to travel well and that as they travel, they are exposed to such a great a different kind of education!
