Traveling with children | What I've learned + What to bring

Gosh, I miss travel.

I actually wrote this post shortly after our trip to Paris because by that point I had been on so many flights with these little babes, both on my own and with B. When I was about to post this the world shut down so it didn’t feel right, and while we’re still not fully out of the woods, I’m starting to see the light!! and actually starting to maybe plan some trips!!! And wow airport travel doesn’t look like this right now. That’s for sure.

What I’ve learned:

Attitude is absolutely everything. B and I went about our last trip pretty positively. I noticed this the most when we faced long flight delays on the way back… it ended up being a 23 hour day for us and while we felt tired many times, we kept positive and calm and fun. And the children followed suit.
Always give yourself more time to pack then you think
Give yourself more time to pack and get things ready then you THINK you need. I always regret it when I wait till a day or two before a trip. plus, with littles, everything takes longer.
Focus on one thing at a time. First, let’s check in, then we go through security, then we’ll take a bathroom break, then grab a cup of coffee…. instead of looking at ALL the things we had and wanted to do, we looked and focused on one at a time… take each high and low as it comes and ride that wave.
Don’t over plan. The worst thing I think one could do is to overfill an itinerary. When there’s too much to see and do, everyone ends up miserable. We planned no more than one solid “thing” a day with a few “maybe later if it feels right” things too. Time for walking and wondering and stumbling across something you probably wouldn’t have seen otherwise? that is the best part of travel, and the kids really enjoy the journey.
Hold off on technology as long as possible. So, I should maybe preface this by saying that our kids don’t get ipads or iphones when we’re at home, in stores or at restaurants, etc. While, we totally watch movies and shows together on the tv, they don’t get individual screens very often. The only time I actually hand Mila an ipad is if we’re on a plane or on a road trip. BUT I’ve found that for the best use of time and the best outcome of kid attitude… we start with all non-screen activities first. (I don’t announce it as a rule or anything, I just guide it that way) Coloring, playdough, sticker books, or even just looking out the window and talking (especially during take off and landing)
Keep everyone fed and hydrated! let’s face it, if you don’t then they will freak out at the most inopportune times. A hangry toddler? NO THANKS!

What to bring:

Plain paper and crayons.
I honestly find my kids enjoy drawing/coloring longer when the paper is blank. No coloring books. No lines. Just plain ol paper and crayons.

Sticker Books.
Mila LOVES these and they keep her happily entertained for quite a while.

Playdough or slime.
Something tactile and hands on but not too messy.

Calculator.
Or something quiet with buttons, more so for babies and tots. I used to put a basic calculator in Milas bag for her to find and she loved pushing the buttons and seeing the numbers pop up.

Snacks. (and a treat too)
I mean duh right? I try to keep snacks healthy but I most certainly bring a treat or two as well. For Mila I would always have one hi-chew for take off and one for landing because it’s something that can take a while to chew (to help her ears) and she always looked forward to it (she still calls it “airplane candy” ha!). I also, always buy a water bottle before boarding to have something, but water is totally something you can just ask the flight attendant for.

A solid bag or backpack.
Mila begged me once to let her have her own bag with all her stuff that she wanted to "carry it all by herself” and let’s just say.. I was carrying two bags that day. For now while they are little (I’m sure this will change as they grow) I try to pack our carry on items into one bag with everything we need. Less bags to carry = yes yes yes. For this long trip I brought this bag and this backpack.