Play ball

I didn’t get on my first flight until I was 22 years old. My son has already been on six flights in his short six months of life. My daughter has been all over the U.S. — and even on a couple of big international trips. My wife and I love to travel and we want our kids to join us on those adventures, so over the past few years, we’ve learned a lot about the joys and struggles of traveling with little ones.

Here are my top 3 must-have items when traveling with babies and toddlers:

1 – Compact Stroller – Your Arms Will Get Tired

I’ve made the mistake of telling my wife too many times, “No, we don’t need the stroller. I’ll just carry her/him.” Lesson learned. Suck it up and figure out how to travel with the stroller. (Baby carriers are also great, but most of our travel is to warm places. I don’t need a personal heater strapped to my chest when it’s 80 degrees out.)

Pros:

• Extra space to store the diaper bag
• Great spot for the kiddo to nap
• You get to use the stroller lane at the airport

Cons:

• Not all destinations are stroller-friendly
• Takes up space if traveling by car

We own the City Mini® GT2 Stroller. It’s big enough for both our son and daughter to take turns using it. It collapses easily and is lightweight, so lugging it around is no problem.

2 – Snacks are the key to happiness

First rule: always have snacks accessible and in multiple locations. Nothing is worse than someone in your crew getting hangry when the solution is out of reach.

We use the snack boxes/bento boxes and let our daughter fill the compartments with her favorite treats. It keeps everything organized, contained, off the floor, and off dirty tables.

We use something similar to the Bentgo Kids Lunch Box, but any bento-style lunch box should work. Pro tip: buy two so you have a backup.

3 – Quick Diaper Changes

If you travel enough, there will come a time when your kid has an accident — usually in the most inconvenient place at the most inconvenient time.

Credit goes to my wife for this one: she packs all the diaper-changing essentials into a small packing cube inside the diaper bag. Instead of fumbling around trying to find everything, we stay cool and collected when it’s time to clean up. We just grab the small packing cube bag and go, while the other parent watches our other kid.

Packing Cube Contents:

• A couple of diapers
• Baby wipes (never run short — they’re lifesavers)
• Portable changing pad
• Diaper cream
• Extra change of clothes

Airplane bathroom, airport restroom, top of a mountain, gas station, side of the road during a long road trip — no problem. We’re always ready for a quick pit stop.    

And you’re out. Have a great week

Josh