I’ve been so thankful to have gotten back to some travel as we emerge into this brave new world post-Covid. I’ve had the chance to do a few work related trips but also a few personal trips too. Mrs Money had the chance to do a beach weekend with her sister and I had the chance to attend a bachelor party and do some cross country skiing. 

As readers may know, Mrs Money and I have two kids, BabyMoneyFinance and SegundoMoneyFinance. They’re less babies and more toddlers now and it’s been a ton of and also a ton of work! As much as Mrs Money and I enjoy travel, we want to pass this love down to our children and also create some family memories around experiences. The question though becomes – how do you actually travel with toddlers? 

We recently did a trip with the entire family to the US Virgin Islands, made it back in one piece but also had a ton of fun while doing it! Here’s a few tips and tricks we learned on how to make it work with toddlers. 

Travel is a game; learn the rules and win

One of the quirky reasons I love travel is I feel like it’s just a big game with lots of rules. You gotta take your shoes off for security, liquids in 3 oz bottles, priority boarding first on the plane, you get a snack and a beverage…all sorts of nuances to this game. I enjoy researching and strategizing for how to do better in the game. I have a credit card that pays for me (and Mrs Money) to get Clear and Pre-Check which allows us to get thru security faster. I have low level status on my normal airline (Delta) which means I get a free checked bag and slightly better priority boarding. Another credit card comes with a $100 annual airline credit which bought us lunch on the plane ride down. SegundoMoneyFinance is free <2 years old but BabyMoneyFinance isn’t but of course we signed up for a frequent flyer account to earn miles. You can also check baby items for free which will help with the inevitable amount of stuff you’ll bring. Hotels often have pack-and-plays to use. Small kiddos can get free breakfast at the breakfast buffet. Many travel credit cards have some sort of trip insurance for delays or cancellations or lost bags, so if things do wrong you may have options to reimburse yourself for expenses. 

Do a little research and you’ll find your own little ways to make travel easier and better! 

Pack what you need and not much more 

Ah, packing. It’s hard enough packing for yourself, much less with little ones. I already mentioned airlines allowing you to check infant gear for free but you’ll still need to carry the stuff before and after the plane ride! 

I wish I had some great travel hack for you but we end up bringing a lot of stuff! Clothes, toys, bedding, snacks, bathtime, bottles, and all sorts of cleaning supplies. 

A few things that I have learned is that you can buy things and you can wash things. We often frequent grocery stores where we’ve been known to buy: milk, diapers, wipes, baby food and snacks for the kiddos. Depending on the location things might be more expensive but it might be easier than lugging along all that stuff! I’ve also learned about laundry as an option during travel. Whether it’s at a laundromat or the hotel or some other sort of laundry service, you don’t have to bring enough clothes for everyday of the trip. You can even hand wash in your sink or bathtub and let the clothes air dry. Doing laundry may or may not be feasible but something to consider! 

Finally, you may be able to get away without some of your stuff. We limited the kiddos to 3 toys and 3 books during the trip.

Plan for the worst, hope for the best 

Travel is full of uncertainty and that’s before you introduce toddlers into the mix! Try to give yourself more time and pack strategically. During our recent trip we had: checked bags, carry-ons and a backpack. In each of those bags were strategically placed changes of clothes, snacks, books and toys. We tried to be ready of the kiddos were: hungry, thirsty, bored, tired, dirty or just in need of a treat to bribe them. Funny enough on our trip I think we ended up using everything but the change of clothes! 

Travel plans will change, stuff will go wrong and the more you can make small plans the better your trip will be! 

Follow the 80/20 rule

Mrs Money is big on the 80/20 rule and what it says is that we mostly try to keep the kiddos on a good routine and in good habits. However it’s not always possible and travel will often test those routines! 

On our recent trip, nap times were the first to go! Just with the flight time and how long it was (3.5 hours) and their general excitement level. But on the days we were at the hotel we got them back on a nap time routine. Bedtimes also got pushed a bit but hey it’s vacation! On the way back the flight was delayed almost 2 hours and with an arrival time of 6-7pm, that turned into a 8/9pm landing! Dinner wasn’t much that night and it was a late bedtime but we made it! 

Accept the gratitude of others 

The last point I’ll call out is that generally people are nicer to parents traveling with small kids. At security the officers often let you jump ahead (esp if you have a stroller), you often get to board the plane decently early and there was lots of encouragement and understanding. Thankfully our kiddos didn’t have major meltdowns which might have push the limits of the understanding! Traveling with toddlers isn’t easy and people recognize that, so accept their gratitude if offered! 

Summary

A little planning, a lot of preparation and a flexible attitude will make traveling with infants or toddlers a lot more pleasant of an experience!