How to love traveling with babies and toddlers
Picture this: You saunter down to the beach, hand-in-hand with your partner and small children, a cute sunset tote bag hanging off of your shoulder. A warm breeze gently plays with your hair. You’re in your hottest bikini, toes painted, sunscreen ready. You lay back onto your towel, take a deep breath and:
“MOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMM! Parker HIT me!”
“WAAAAAAAAAAA!!!”
“Honey, they woke the baby again!”
“I’m HUNGRY. And I have to pee! I’M PEEING RIGHT NOW!!”
Suddenly your hot bikini is obscured by baby’s face chugging away while you try to use your body as a shield for child #1 (who is openly relieving himself onto the sand). Child #2 has applied 10 Paw Patrol bandaids to their belly button because they suddenly became angry that you made them with hole in their tummy. Your partner? They mysteriously disappeared the moment chaos erupted, claiming they suddenly “had to run back to grab something at the campsite.” Vacation over.
Yep. Welcome to travelling with young children. As parents like to say, “We’re going on a trip, not a vacation.”
And I can assure you, those statements could not be more well-founded. If children are there, then your “vacation” is filled with sleepless nights, grumpy littles, and chaos all around. Parents have to be mindful of their child’s needs, schedule, and are subject to their demands 100% of the time. Between the travel, the excitement, the constant attention, and then travel all over again, holidays are the single-easiest way to throw all of your hard work out along with that novel you never got a chance to read.
Here is the good news (I know some of you were starting to panic): It doesn’t have to be that way. With some strategic planning and an iron will, you can bring the calmness you experience at home along on your trip too (within reason), resulting in rest-filled nights with children that are happy to accompany you to lounge on the beach or chase waterfalls.
So how do we get there? Let’s start by planning for success before we even leave.
Keep activity levels LOW for a week or so ahead of time, ensuring your kiddos don't start the trip off in an already-overtired state.
Kick those bedtime and nap time routines into high gear so your littles know that when you sing that song and darken the space, it is time for sleep - even if you are in a new environment.
Don't forget all of your hard work when you get to your destination. Keep to your schedule 80% of the time and allow for some flexibility 20% of the time. And yes, this is possible! For example:
If you have a baby, toddler, and pre-K (bless you), your day might look something like this:
7am - wake / breakfast / play at campsite
10am - baby nap / beach time for dad and older kids / mum relaxes with iced tea and a magazine
11:30am - lunch
12pm - nap for toddler / quiet time for pre-K
2pm - family beach time (baby takes nap #2 at beach)
5pm - dinner at the campsite
6pm - play with water toys in portable tub and rinse off
6:30pm - bedtime routine starts for all kids
7pm - sleepy time (PSA: it is normal for bedtime to be a little later on a holiday)
What else can help?
Download our Travel Guide here.
It includes:
Prepping for a trip
Sleep-friendly packing list
How to sleep while travelling
Time zone change chart
SOS troubleshooting tips
How to get back to normal
Read our review of the SlumerPod here. A guaranteed game-changer with all things babies and travel.
Bon Voyage,
Anna