6 Tips for Traveling With a Toddler

How to fly your family like a pro

Few words strike terror in the hearts of new (and new-ish) parents like, “Your flight is ready for boarding!”

Yes, it’s nice not to have to deal with the stuffed-to-bursting fridge, the days of prep work, the last-minute culinary disasters, and all the kitchen clean-up (before andafter) that comes with hosting Thanksgiving in your own home. But air travel on the Wednesday before the holiday? WITH A BABY? That’s a nightmare of another sort.

My 2-year-old is a frequent flyer already, on account of our family being scattered to the south, east, and west. At last count, he’s taken 28 flights — which means 28 take-offs and 28 landings. Roughly 26 of those flights have gone well, though there was a learning curve. We’ve now got our strategy down cold, so here are our tips in advance of the busiest travel weekend of the year.

1. Fully charge your iPad the night before you travel. Is anything worse than realizing that your tablet is out of juice, exactly when you need it most? Make sure you power up before you get to the airport, and then wait as long as you can before breaking out the screen. Though the rules have changed on stowing devices, it’s still wise to take advantage of the excitement of takeoff and landing before settling in with your apps. (You’ll also be conserving battery life.) And don’t forget your Tiggly Shapes! They can be as much fun on their own as they are with our apps.
2. Locate the family lavatory before buckling your seatbelt. Most of the time it’s in the very back of coach, but ask your flight attendant if you aren’t sure. The family lav is stocked with a fold-down changing table over the toilet, a little more space to maneuver, and a barf bag to seal up a dirty nappy before tossing it or re-packing it if you’re going the cloth route. What not to do: change your little one on a toilet cover (gross) or on your tray table (grosser).
3. Pack only your child’s favorite snacks. Thirty thousand feet up is not the place to try new things. To head off a midflight meltdown, make sure you have your child’s favorite comfort food on hand. Preferable is something non-messy and non-perishable: trail mix, cereal, apples, granola bars, sandwiches, and milk — whether through nursing, a leakproof bottle, or one of those little indestructible cartons with a straw. But bananas get bruised, string cheese turns rubbery within a few hours, and a yogurt tube will end up all over you, guaranteed.
4. Stash a change of clothing for him — and you — in the diaper bag. How do I put this delicately…there’s something about cabin pressure that raises the probability of a diaper blowout. I don’t know whether it’s science or just bad luck, but this happens to us far more in the air than on solid ground. Make sure you have an extra outfit for your LO, and one for you as well — just in case it’s REALLY bad.
5. Entertain in small ways. Good choices: crayons and paper, books, very simple puzzles with no more than 5 pieces, a favorite stuffed animal. Bad choices: any toy with batteries (if the music and lights annoy you, it’s beyond grating for other passengers), Legos, dolls that come with accessories, complicated puzzles, and small toy cars. Only dedicated yogis are able to contort themselves to reach under the seat to retrieve dropped tiny pieces.
6. This too will pass. These parents of twins went above and beyond by passing out pre-emptive goodie bags to bribe their fellow passengers. While they were majorly creative, you don’t have to do this. To be a good citizen, just be polite and keep calm if your child whimpers, and he or she will follow your lead. And remember: Your own child’s crying distresses you more than anyone else on that plane. Other parents will forgive a fussy baby, and those who hold a grudge are jerks and you’ll never see them again.