Spring break is going on this month and summer will literally be here in a blink of an eye. So with that comes vacation with the family. Whether your traveling to your destination by car, train or plane, traveling with kids can seriously be so stressful. And I don’t mean for the kids. But for the parents.
We have family across the country, so that flight with our daughter is not something we particularly look forward to because it can really be hard on the kids. They’re tired, restless, bored and want to move anywhere but where they are sitting.
Then there is the crying, yelling, ultimate tantrums and making it so mom and dad swear off traveling ever again.
So with all the cross-country traveling a couple times a year, we have come up with the must-haves aka essentials for traveling with a toddler and keeping their sanity and especially our sanity.
Entertainment. This is an obvious one. You need to keep them entertained for the long haul. For a toddler this means books, coloring books, my daughter loves those water coloring books, anything that your child enjoys. Bring it. The more the better. Especially since toddlers attention span is not too long.
Also, a tablet is going to be your best friend during this time. You may not be a fan, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. We download some apps of some of her fave shows and it makes all the difference. At least for a little while.
Drinks. Water is essential to any trip and we love the Contigo drink holder. It legit does not leak! Of course there are all the other drinks that are perfect for travel. If flying, bring your empty drink holder and just buy a bottled water at a newsstand and if you prefer, bring a second drink holder to buy some juice for or get it as your child’s complimentary drink on the flight.
Disinfecting wipes. For me, these are essential for any trip, but especially if you are flying. I wipe down the seats and try tables and you will want to have them if you have to take your lil’ one to the bathroom. I wipe down everything and especially the changing table. And if you have any “accidents, you’ll be glad you have them.
Snack smart. Kids love snacks. You will also want as much variety for them. We love to offer:
- Fruit
- Crackers
- Pretzels
- Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches
- Cereal or granola bars
- GERBER® Puffs
- GERBER® Lil’ Crunchies
- GERBER® Yogurt Melts
My girl loves the Gerber snacks. In fact, she couldn’t wait to start eating them after we bought them and before we got to the car! I know it is always a crowd pleaser . I also love that their snacks are made with whole grains and real fruit. They have no artificial flavors/no synthetic colors that is a healthy treat and super flavorful that she loves to gobble them up. That makes me feel good because it can be super difficult to get whole grains into kids sometimes. 90% of 2 and 3 year olds fall short on MyPlate recommendations for whole grains. Not in our house anymore.
You can find Gerber snacks in the baby aisles at your local supermarket. You can also save with getting a coupon here.
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