Tips for Travelling with Kids

Travelling with Kids

Having previously lived in Hong Kong for 5 years I have done my fair share of long haul flights with babies/toddlers/preschoolers and if you are organised you can take a lot of the pain out of the whole experience. Here are my top tips for a more painfree journey:

Calpol sachets. You need these in your handluggage to handle any fever/teething pains which might happen on the flight.
Standard sized pillow. I mean it people you NEED a pillow with you on that plane. This tip was actually given to me by a pilot friend of mine who travelled regularly with her kids back to Australia. The pillow can be squished to fill gaps and will make sleeping a whole lot more comfortable for your little one.
Handluggage suitcase. My top tip for this is that you can plug the gap in front of your toddler with the suitcase so that you can lay a blanket over it and they can stretch out their feet whilst sleeping. This also means they won’t fall down the gap when sleeping.
Small handbag of changing essentials. When you have to make the trip to change your baby’s nappy, space contraints are a big issue. Make a compact changing handbag so you can sling it over your shoulder and easily carry it with your little one to the toilet. Believe me your full size change bag is NOT what you need right now!
Stickers. Stickers and more Stickers! For toddlers these are a life-saver and if you can get the ones with foam backing that are more hard wearing your little one will be entertained for a long time sticking them on the seat, off the seat, on your hand, off your hand. You get the picture. Felt shapes are also good for this.
Snacks. Ok I think we all know this one already but a variety of easy snacks will help you out as you wait for the time that the stewards come over with refreshments.
Water/Milk/Feeding on take-off/landing. To help your baby’s ears adjust to the pressure encourage them to drink something as the plane changes altitude.
Sarong These are great as they are light and compact but can be used as a blanket/light shield on the plane.
Spare clothes for you. Just chuck in a spare t-shirt and leggings just incase.
New Toys Any new toy (doesn’t have to be expensive) will be great for entertaining your little one. Having a bag of exciting new things for them to fiddle with will buy you some distraction if they start crying.
Torch Key Ring. For when you are rooting around on the floor looking for that dummy/favourite toy/shoe.
Hand sanitiser Airports and planes are full of germs from the high numbers of people travelling through. Having handy wipes and sanitiser will help ward off any nasties. Also wipe/wash your child’s hands as often as possible and definitely before eating.