Airplanes & Toddlers

Call us crazy, but we love taking our crazy year and half little boy on our vacations with us.  I can't bring myself to leave Kayden while Parker and I go on a tropical vacation, although I'm sure someday we'll leave him with Grandma just once.  I love having the memories of Kayden playing in the sand in Florida and Mexico, seeing his eyes grow huge as he sees the Kansas Jayhawk mascot run around during a game, and watching him play with cousins in Atlanta.  To me, Kayden needs these opportunities.  Plus he's free until he turns two so why not have him tag along with us?!
There have been great times with him flying and there have been times where I want to pull my hair out, but I've learned some tricks along the way.  So if you're like us and travel with a toddler, then you might want some helpful tips on how to survive.

The Diaper Bag:

- Diapers

- Wipes, lots and lots of wipes.

- Anti-bacterial wipes- the things kids touch on a plane or in the airport is disgusting.

- An extra outfit- because you never know.

- Hand sanitizer

- You'll want a binkey, bottle or something to chew on while the plane is going up or down so their ears won't hurt as bad.

- *Go to the Dollar Store*  - The best advice I've ever gotten was from my sister.  Go to the dollar store and buy lots of dumb little things that don't matter if they get lost or broken.  I've also heard that you can wrap them up and bring them out one at a time to make the kids more excited.

- Coloring book and crayons- the Dollar Store has the best coloring books for only $1!  I'm also a big fan of Twistable's.

- IPad- seriously a life saver.  My favorite free apps: PBS Kids (every cartoon and lots of full episodes for free!), KidsDoodle, Animal Zoo, Puzzingo, My Tom or any of those talking animals ones, and throw in a candy crush or something with lots of colors.

- Snacks, so so many snacks.  Veggie straws are the greatest thing ever for kids, pretzel sticks, goldfish, cheez its, a tube of mini m&m's, dum dum suckers, and whatever else makes your child happy.

Everything Else:

- Bring an umbrella stroller to the airport.  It's easy to stick your kid in there and stroll to the gate.  They will check it at the gate for free.

- Let your kid RUN before the flight.  Find the little airport playground or just let them run like crazy all over because you'd rather have them do that in the airport than the plane.

- Try to book your flights during nap time.

- Try not to bring a carseat, it's a hassle.  You can rent one at the rental car place, or most private car services will have one.

- Ask the hotel for a pack n play or a crib.  Bring your own crib sheet though. 

- If you're staying near a store like Walmart or Target, don't pack wipes and diapers in your suitcase.  They take up so much room.  Just go to the store when you get to your destination and pick up those things.

Try not to get too stressed about a trip with your littles.  No matter how bad the airplane ride is, I always remember the good parts of the trip over the screams on the airplane.  I think it's 100% worth it to take your kids with you on a trip to have the amazing memories.  

Feel free to comment with any tips and tricks you have for traveling with small children!