We just returned from our first official family vacation since our duo became a trio. It was a great trip, and I’m still recovering from jet lag as I write this. We spent great quality time with my in-laws, my daughter got to go swimming for the first time, and we soaked up every second of the beautiful southern California weather.
It was my daughter’s first time on a plane, so I wasn’t sure at all what to expect. We also had a 5.5-hour flight, so we were thrown right into the fire! I wanted to be as prepared as possible, so about a month before the trip, I posed a question to my trusty local moms’ Facebook group about tips for traveling with a 20-month-old. These are some of the tips that I got and how they worked for us.
1. Pack enough diapers in your carry-on for 12 hours.
I packed about 7-8 diapers to be cautious in case of layovers.
2. Bring their favorite snacks.
I highly recommend this, and they can serve as a great distraction if you sense a tantrum coming on.
3. Bring some gallon-sized Ziploc bags for trash.
This was such a great tip, and I never would have thought of it. Between wipes for the tray, hands, empty wrappers, etc., collecting all of our garbage was a lifesaver. You can zip up the bags and toss them on your way off the plane.
4. Pack a change of clothes for them and yourself.
I packed a change of clothes for my daughter and luckily never used it, but I’m glad I had it {and it didn’t take up too much room}. I also dressed her in layers, which came in handy since the planes were different temperatures, so I could take her sweatshirt on and off to make her comfortable. I should have followed the advice and packed a change of clothes for myself because my daughter spilled an entire glass of water on my pants during our layover.
5. Load TV shows and movies on a tablet beforehand.
We had movies on our tablet and thought this would keep her entertained during the plane, but I was wrong. She wasn’t that interested in it {even though she loves it in the car} because she couldn’t hear it. We brought her headphones, but she had no desire to have them on her head. This was a failure for us and only occupied her briefly, but I would still do this as she gets older. She also was entertained by a doodling app on the tablet.
6. Bring their favorite sippy cup {empty} and ask the flight attendant to fill it up on the plane.
Again, another lifesaver. We brought her cup and filled it with apple juice on the plane. Since she doesn’t get to have juice every day, it was a little treat for her, so she was excited, and it kept her occupied {and we didn’t have to worry about it spilling all over}.
7. Buy them a seat.
We bought her a seat since she constantly moved, and I doubted she would sit on a lap for the entire flight. It was more expensive that way, but I don’t regret it at all. Even though she ended up on my lap for most of the flight, we could spread out, have plenty of room for our carry-ons, and be comfortable. Plus, she had the option to sit in her own seat for when she got bored on my lap. We didn’t bring her car seat because I checked the dimensions beforehand, and it would have been too wide for the seat. I am glad that we didn’t bring it and lug it around through the airports. Now that we have flown with her, I doubt she would have stayed in it the whole time. It might have helped her sleep better, but again, I don’t regret not bringing it.
8. Bring new toys and give them out one at a time.
I bought many new items, including a Travel Doodler Pro, stickers, markers, pencils, coloring books, etc. Seeing the new item occupied her for a bit, but she didn’t fall in love with any of the arts and crafts I brought. She mostly wanted to play with her stuffed animals, look out the window, and climb over me.
9. Bring a pacifier, ring pop, or gum for landing and takeoff.
The pacifier helped avoid many meltdowns, and my daughter didn’t have any problems with landing and takeoff. She doesn’t know how to chew gum yet, so we brought a ring pop. She was initially interested in it, but it just ended up being a sticky mess. It would probably have been more helpful if she was a little older.
10. Be prepared for delays.
The tablet was useful during our delay since she could turn the sound up and listen. We also found an empty gate she could run around in, so we didn’t have to worry about bothering anyone.
11. Bring their favorite bedtime items {blanket, stuffed animals}, but don’t count on them sleeping.
You might get lucky, and they will pass out the entire time, but for our 5.5-hour flight, my daughter only slept about 20 minutes. However, our last flight was after the sun fell, and she slept almost 1.5 hours. I found that letting her use her pacifier, bringing her favorite blanket and bedtime buddies, and singing helped her fall asleep. She enjoyed having her blanket and buddies throughout the plane ride because they made her feel comfortable.
