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Long Distance Travel With Toddlers: What You Need

Taking kids across the country or abroad can be daunting. It can also be life changing. Tot Mama of two and American expat, Summer Land, shares her tips for traveling and exploring the world with toddlers.

Elisse Gabriel Senior Writer & Editor

As an American living in Australia with two kids under five, I’ve had A LOT of practice traveling internationally with babies and toddlers.

Being able to see my friends and family and watching my kids explore the world around them makes the 36 hour door-to-door adventure totally necessary. In an effort to pay it forward, I’m here to share what I’ve learned along the way.

In this article, we’ll go over:

Mentally preparing for long distance travel with toddlers
Advice for long distance travel with toddlers
The best products for long distance travel with toddlers
Materials and ingredients to avoid in kids products

Scroll down to learn more.

Mentally preparing for long distance travel with toddlers

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I think that one of the best ways to prepare for traveling with a baby and/or toddler is to set expectations from the start.

Accept that their may be tears. (From both you and your child.)
Accept that you might get a dirty look from a grumpy traveler. (It’s not personal.)
Accept that their will be sticky hands, poo explosions, and VERY dirty clothing.
Accept that it’s going to be hard and prepare to work your butt off. You’re going to be singing songs, playing “Ride A Little Horsey” and naming inanimate objects for HOURS.
Accept that it’s going to probably take you longer than usual to get where you want to go.

Advice for long distance travel with toddlers

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Flying?

I may be a worrywart, but I always arrive for an international flight at least 3 hours early.

With the airlines we fly, we’re not always guaranteed a bassinet seat until check-in and even though your baby may not want to be in it – you’re going to want the extra storage space and to be near the other moms and dads. These people are your tribe. So are the flight attendants. They want your baby to be quiet as much as you do so don’t be afraid to ask for a bottle to be warmed up or if they have a banana left over from first class. (Unless you’re in first class and then may I suggest gifting your banana to the toddler in Row 59C?)

When it comes to boarding – I never rush to get on and settled. I use this time to let my kids run off some energy. I also like to talk about what to expect on the plane. If you’re potty training – getting up can be difficult so I’m going to go ahead and just own that I put my toddlers in pull-ups throughout the flight. However, I still ask them if they need to go and encourage them to try.

If your kids are a bit older, they may have an attention span for the inflight entertainment or a tablet. Some parents may worry about the screen light keeping them awake, buy my kids seem to sleep okay. (This also gives me a solid hour to eat my meal in peace!) However, I do know of some pretty awesome screen-free options! (They’re listed below!)

I also recommend bringing more outfits than you think you’ll need.

When my daughter, Daisy, was 11 months old we had an unexpected 10 hour layover at LAX and she wanted to do nothing but CRAWL. The knees of her special travel outfit were black from all the grime on the floor! On that note – also bring a bag for dirty clothes, a bag for garbage, wet wipes, natural hand sanitizer and be sure to wash everyone’s hands at every opportunity. There’s nothing worse than sick kids while traveling.

#TotTip

Before you go – make sure you’re all up to date on your immunizations and everyone is healthy. It’s helpful to pack a thermometer and any other first aid items you might use for a rough night at home.

Driving?

If you’re planning on hitting the open road, try to work your drive times around your toddler’s sleep schedule. I also suggest breaking up the trip.

For example, my mom and I went on a multi-state two week road trip when my kids were 1 and 3. We always tried to leave after dinner and bath and would drive until about 10 or 11pm at night. From there, we’d simply transfer my kids into a hotel room. Note: I would NEVER recommend driving so late alone, but felt safe with my mom driving. By doing the bulk of the driving during their sleep, our days were much more peaceful.

Just like with flying, you’re going to make sure you have plenty of extra clothing, wet wipes, snacks, diapers/pull-ups and entertainment!

The best products for long distance travel with toddlers

While I know you don’t want to add even more to your packing list, I promise that the below products are total life-savers when it comes to traveling with toddlers.

Travel stroller
Carrier
Diaper bag backpack
Extra outfits, PJs & blanket
Wipes & diapers/training pants
Food storage & water bottles
Toys & activities
Travel car seat
Pack N Play (for when you get where you’re going)

Scroll down to see my picks for each!

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Travel Stroller

While you may be all sorts of obsessed with your current stroller because it can quite literally hold a case of wine in the under seat basket, chances are it’s not compact enough to easily hop on a plane, in a taxi or on the subway with.

That’s why I’m ALL ABOUT the YOYO 2 travel stroller. Offering the same durability, maneuverability and comfort as a full size stroller, this tiny but mighty option folds into a parcel sized package complete with a carrying strap. Celebrated for fitting in most airline overhead storage compartments, it’s also beloved because it’s car seat compatible, making it suitable for use from birth until 48.5 lbs. Adaptors and accessories sold separately.

Babyzen YOYO 2 Stroller

$549.98

Available in more colors