I remember the first time I traveled with Londyn when she was around one & I was so nervous! And I spent months looking for things to pack and travel hacks on how to keep a little one comfortable on an airplane. I was happy with my research though, as our first flight was a success and we have been traveling ever since! The first time we traveled with Londyn she was about 9 months old and all we need was her diaper bag! As soon as she turned one though, it felt like the list of travel needs for her got a little longer.
I previously shared a baby travel essentials list of things that we brought on our trips with us when she was a baby which was very helpful then, but as she got older, that list changed. Whether you are going on a 2 hour flight or a 9 hour flight, I have learned that the basics of traveling with a toddler are still the same- a lot of snacks, necessities and some toys are about all you need. Flying with a toddler can be stressful, so I have listed below some things that I make sure to always bring with me, as well as a downloadable pdf list! This post also contains affiliate links.
Best Toddler Travel Essentials
A toddler travel bag
When traveling, I have used my Louis Vuitton Neverfull for years! I like the size of it and how it holds so much, as well as how durable it is and that I don’t have to worry about it getting dirty. The one thing I do wish it had though, is a zipper. In my bag, I typically carry the essentials (diapers, snacks, etc.) and then we bring a small toddler backpack that we put all of Londyns toys in. As Londyn has gotten older, she looks forward to “carrying her bag” on the airplane filled with toys and is always excited to look in it to see what she has to play with!
Basic toddler essentials for the airplane
Whenever traveling, I always make sure to bring the essentials with me on the airplane: a toddler travel bag (I use my nevderful since it’s large but also stylish), a change of clothes in case of any accidents, some hand wipes, boogie wipes, hand sanitizer (the spray kind- toddlers love these!), miss mouth travel wipes for stains (travel packs can be found on amazon), a pack of wet wipes to clean surfaces, pull ups + wipes and a thermometer + some meds if it is a long flight, because you never know!
We also have entered our potty training stage, so I found a travel potty that is helpful to use in the hotel since we don’t have our usual set up! I also like to bring potty covers for public restrooms, since those are typically very unsanitary and little hands tend to touch toilet seats sometimes when they are trying to get off and on the potty.
Airplane toys
Since we typically don’t do screen time, we try to keep Londyn entertained on the plane without using a tablet. Of course, if all else fails- we do have her favorite low sensory shows uploaded in case of emergency. Airplane toys are going to vary based on your child, but always ensuring you have some packed that keep them engaged is ideal! One trick that we have learned is to keep the travel toys put away and only for traveling, so when your little one sees them they are excited to play with them again. Coloring books with crayons, Montessori toys such as wooden puzzles and magnetic toys like magnatiles are some of our favorites to bring on the plane!
I also like bringing drawing tablets (be sure these don’t have a button battery which can be very harmful for children, some inexpensive ones too), small melissa & doug poke-a-dot books, and washi tape! Washi tape is one toy that we learned about later that I now always bring- it’s crazy how it entertains littles! Another travel hack I typically use to keep the little busy is stickers! I get fun character stickers as a little surprise in case Londyn is extra fussy and those seem to make her happy if all else fails.
Lots of snacks
I think it goes without saying that lots of snacks are a must for any travel with a little one! I use a snack bag that I pack with all of Londyns favorites. Some of our favorite snacks include organic fruit pouches and toddler friendly (soft) fruit bars. I also bring with us a cup that has a very secure top, so I don’t have to worry about her trying to sip out of “big girl cups” on the plane or in the airport if we have a long travel day.
A travel crib & travel travel highchair
We have used the same travel crib since Londyn was about 9 months old and it is one that I would recommend to anyone! It is not only very easy to travel with, but also is very compact. We have also used it at our own house, when friends that had babies were visiting. We love it because the sides are mesh, so you are able to see in it but it is also very durable so we feel comfortable using it. When Londyn was a baby, we also traveled with a travel sound machine that we really liked. It was compact and would put her to sleep so quickly!
Another thing we used frequently is a travel high chair! There are fancy ones, but we have alwasys used a very inexpensive one from Amazon which has always worked fine. This is great for hotels and airports, since the chair comes with straps that you can attach to anther chair, or use on the floor even. In addition to the high chair, we also bring a high chair cover that we use when we are out at restaurants, since public ones are typically very dirty.
A travel stroller
Our travel stroller was a splurge, but one that I have recommended to friends it’s so good! I absolutely love our joolz travel stroller, so much that it replaced our normal stroller and it has been the only one that we use for a while now. It is lightweight and folds up to fit into overhead storage on the airplane, which is such a great thing and ensures that you don’t have to gate check your stroller.
Hope all of these travel tips are helpful are you are planning to travel on an airplane with your toddler!
XO,
B
