Trips with children and family members are always fun. The best way to enjoy yourself and ensure that your child is happy is to always be prepared. Travelling with toddlers usually has its own challenges. Since they are so young, they have unique needs that must be cared for. You will probably have to deal with jet lag, travel fatigue, airsickness, cabin pressure, headaches, and a lot more. Toddlers must be kept warm and dry throughout the trip, so they feel safe and comfortable.
You should aim at travelling before your toddler becomes mobile and starts running around the airport. With the current health care around the globe, it is necessary to ensure that you keep your toddler safe from harm and ensure that you have all the required documentation and paperwork. You should contact creditable immigration lawyers in Newcastle for the visa, passport renewals, insurance, and other travel paperwork you may need for yourself and your baby.
Let us look at some ways the long trip with your toddler becomes easy to manage. We have a few tips and tricks to help ease your way, including how to find the best toddler tables that are also much needed. While these tricks don’t work for everyone, you should find that adapting them to suit your needs becomes easy with practice. If you’re not flying and are taking a road trip, you should adopt these techniques to fit your needs.
Consult With The Paediatrician
When you’re planning a trip with your toddler, you should consult with the doctor. The paediatrician can check your baby and let you know whether your toddler is healthy enough to travel long distances. If you’re planning a trip by air, you should check for some pressure relief for cabin pressure. If you’re travelling by road, you should ensure that the doctor gives you something to help your baby with car sickness (if any).
If you are travelling with your infant for the first time, you should check which medicines you may require. If you’re planning to go to the mountains where the air is thinner, you could ask the doctor for something to help your child. Avoid taking advice from well-meaning friends. They usually advise something like giving your baby some Benadryl. However, this will make your baby drowsy, cranky, and irritable. Listen to the doctor’s advice.
Carry Only Essential Baby Gear
Carrying a lot of baby stuff can seem like the right thing to do, but it is not. Only take what is needed for the trip. If possible, you can ship or courier some bulky stuff to the destination. Many parents prefer sending the baby cot and bassinet along with some diapers, extra formula, and other essentials to the destination. If you are staying at a resort, you can call the manager in advance and let them know to expect and hold some parcels for you.
Doing this allows you to carry only the essentials so that you travel relatively light. Minimalist packing is necessary when travelling with toddlers. You would need the essentials like baby food, extra diapers, clothes, baby mats, and more. However, you do not need to carry every toy, stuffie, or teether. Carry only what is required. If you are travelling to a place with a baby pool, you should ensure you carry some inflatable baby floats and swimwear.
Choose Toddler-friendly Destinations
Going on a long trip is tough. What’s even more challenging is going to a place that is not child or toddler-friendly. When travelling with children, there are several things that you should consider. You can avoid the stress of not having support by choosing family destinations with special considerations for children.
When booking your holiday and resort, opt for ones that have baby pools, nanny services, and more. After a long journey, you and your baby would need rest, a break, and time to relax. Choosing toddler-friendly destinations help take the stress off managing everything on your own.
Many child-friendly destinations also have doctors on call, access to emergency services and child care services. These resorts also have unique chairs, tables, recreational areas and more for children to play safely.
Road Travel
If you are travelling by road, you should rent a car seat. If you are using your own car, you should purchase a car seat for your baby’s safety during the trip. It is best to get one that is adjustable and can be clipped on. Buying something portable allows you to use the car seat even as a temporary bassinet. Not only does this save time, but also money.
Toddlers do not understand the difference between a car seat and a bassinet. They only need comfort.
Consider departure time
Attempt to leave at a time when your child will hopefully doze off for at least a portion of the trip. Your best bets are frequently very early in the morning or right before bed.
Driving while taking a sleep may also be an option, although you might want to avoid it if rush hour traffic is a possibility. The stop-and-go traffic will only lengthen your journey and cause unneeded stress.
Plan for breaks
When traveling a long distance by car with a young child, driving over two consecutive six-hour periods can be preferable to a marathon drive. Hence, plan for an overnight stay to break up the journey if it is necessary (and if you have the time and money to spare).
Bring out the entertainment
Your sweetheart may be pleased to take in the view from the window for a while. But eventually, she will probably start to feel restless, and when that happens, you will want to be ready with lots of toys and diversions.
You pick toys that she can readily operate on her own and that keep her interested for extended periods of time. Consider finger puppets, hand puppets, crayons, picture books for toddlers, and small musical instruments (assuming the loudness will not drive you nuts). Unfamiliar toys will keep your child entertained for longer than her usual toys.
Another piece of advice: Steer clear of anything that could break into small pieces and drop beneath the seat, unless you love having to stop and hunt for individual doll shoes or Lego bricks.
Be prepared to feel queasy
Crack the windows and urge your sweetheart to look out the window rather than at her toys or books if you see that she is beginning to feel queasy. Try to stop so she can get out, stretch her legs, and have bland food (like crackers) if that does not work.
However, keep in mind that your toddler might not always be able to alert you much (or at all) in advance that motion sickness is going to set in. If you are fortunate enough to receive a heads-up, pack a sizable resealable plastic bag for her to use, as well as an extra set of clothes for both of you, wipes, and an air freshener to clean up any spills.
Avoid Leaving Your Child in the Car
It is one thing when your kid is finally fast asleep, you are running on empty, and you pull into a gas station where you cannot pay at the pump; it is another thing entirely when you read news reports about a child being left in a hot car alone and wonder, “What were those parents thinking?”
It is possible for a parent to be tempted to briefly leave their child in the car for any number of reasons, but it is always better to be safe than sorry. If you are having an emergency restroom break, it only takes a few seconds for someone to break in and grab your child, and it only takes a little warmth to quickly heat your car to dangerous degrees.
Pack Blankies and Binkies
Your kid may like and be excited about a road trip, but there may also be anxious or stressful times. You will be away from all the conveniences of home and spend a lot of time in the car rather than exercising. Be prepared with a measure of comfort for those tough occasions.
Binkies, blankets, and other comforting items should be kept nearby, and additional should be brought in case your access to toilets is restricted.
Avoid Panicking Over Tears
Make a pit stop as soon as your toddler starts to cry since they are getting tired of the ride. If there is no rest area or safe location to pull over, try to reassure and soothe your child while maintaining your attention on the road.
Even though your child is sobbing in their seat, keep in mind that they are secure there and there will be no harm in you waiting till you can pull off the road and stop for a while. To divert attention, try singing songs, playing calming music on the radio, drawing attention to objects outside, or providing a drink or snack.
Have a Full tank and a Full Stomach
The longest drive will likely be when you fill up the tank, eat a filling lunch and leave just as your toddler is about to nod off. You can anticipate a pleasant hour while your child eats, followed by a few more peaceful hours as they sleep. You will both be prepared for a break to refuel, stretch, and have food by the time they wake up.
This is valid not only for long-distance drives but also for short-distance journeys to relatives’ homes or errand runs that do not require you to get out of the car. To reduce potential waking, make sure you have the bathroom situation under control. Give your child a clean diaper, or if they are potty trained, make sure they have used the restroom.
Toddler long-drive activities
When your child gets bored playing alone, you can keep her occupied with easy travel activities. Have a handy list of suggestions nearby so you have plenty of go-tos, such as:
- Sing-along – Sing along to your cutie’s favorite songs or, even better, prepare a playlist in advance.
- I spy with my little eye – Create index cards with pictures or drawings of various things your child can spot on the road, such as a large truck, a towering structure, or a cow. Ask her to locate the item on each card as you hand it to her.
- Write and erase – Give your young child a little whiteboard and some dry-erase markers so they may scribble without using paper. Draw a squiggle or shape to help her started if she needs some inspiration, and then let her complete the rest.
- Read aloud – Download some age-appropriate audiobooks that you can all listen to or read your toddler’s favorite books in your most dramatic or humorous voice.
- Copycat – Encourage your young child to imitate amusing gestures like kissing or scratching your head.
- Stop dance – Just like at home, but everyone needs to dance (and stop!) while remaining seated during the freeze dance.
Summing it up!
It can be tough but rewarding to travel with a toddler. You may make your lengthy vacation pleasurable for you and your child with proper planning and preparation. Always put your child’s needs and comfort first, and do not be hesitant to ask for assistance if you need it.