We’ve taken our kids to Lisbon (thanks, Voyage.Tv!), on a road trip to Mystic, on a cruise (thanks, Disney!), to Savannah, and in and out of Manhattan more times than I can count.
Back in the B.C. (Before Children) Era, my husband and I loved traveling all over the globe. While we have scaled back out travels a bit, we still enjoy traveling with our kids.
You can travel with a baby, toddler, or other young child (or even several of them) and have a great time, with a little preparation and a lot of patience. The challenge is in traveling light without forgetting any essentials. Over the last five years, we’ve paired down our list so that we can get enjoy our trips without breaking Dad’s back. Here are my top picks for traveling safely and in style with your baby.
| Don’t forget to bring the “three S’s”: sunhats , sunglasses, and sunblock. MD Moms makes the ultra-convenient baby silk babysafe sunscreen towelettes, which contain only physical sunblocks and no phthalates, lanolin, mineral oil, petroleum or waxes! Baby can stay cute and healthy! And on road trips, keep the car cool while you are out sightseeing with a car sun shade. |  |
| We usually bring the infant car seat on the plane and have no problem finding a booster seat for an older child. Locating a Convertible Car Seat can be more challenging, especially if you need two. Call ahead and find out if you need to bring one with you. If you do, you’ll want a Go-Go Babyz Kidz Travelmate. I’ve tried some less expensive options and ended up with a toddler seat dangling off my luggage. |  |
| We find that babywearing is the easiest, safest, hands-free way to take baby along on vacations–especially with a toddler who wants to change from being carried to walking. For traveling, I like a versatile baby wrap with a newborn or a Mei Tai, like the BabyHawk or ToddlerHawk. If buckles are more your thing, check out the Ergo (a Dad favorite) and add the Ergo backpack accessory for extra storage. |  |
| One way for young children to learn responsibility while getting excited for vacation is to allow them to pack their own choice of toys and extras in a case they carry on their own. Keep it small and light and get a rolling case, because there is a good chance you will have to add the weight to your load at least briefly at some point in the trip. Check out Trunki, the suitcase your kids can pull or ride-on ($30), since they usually try to sit on the luggage, anyway . |  |
| You never know what sleeping arrangements will be available, so consider a baby tent like the Kidco Peapod Indoor/Outdoor Travel Bed ($40-85) or a super lightweight playard like the BABYBJÖRN Travel Crib Light ($215), which weighs only 11 lbs and assembles very quickly. |  |
| If you will have a car seat waiting at your destination but are concerned about providing a safe seat on the plane, consider CARES: the FAA-approved airplane harness for children over 1 year old and over 22 lbs. |  |
For more tips, check out our full guide to Traveling with Babies and Toddlers!
