The festive season is upon us, and many of us are travelling this time of year, eager to make it home to see family and friends for Christmas.
The excitement of going home for the holidays is real… but what if you are travelling with an active toddler?
Some people dread the thought of flying with a toddler, but help is at hand. We recently caught up with Cathy Burke from independent travel company, Travel Counsellors Ireland, an award-winning independent travel company who deliver bespoke travel experiences.
And luckily, the industry insider was more than willing to share some of her expertise and top tips to make travelling with a toddler a little bit easier:
Pack well
There can be a lot of hanging around while waiting for your flight in an airport, so be sure to bring some entertainment to keep your tiny tot entertained. Slim reading books, colouring books, crayons and gel stickers are all light and handy to pack, and of course, make sure to pack lots of snacks and water for them too.
Take ten individual nappy bags and pop one nappy and a few wipes into each of them. When it’s time to change your toddler’s nappy while in transit, you can just pull out one of your individual nappy packs. This will avoid any awkward rummaging while on the plane and make you feel really organised.
It’s also a good idea to pack pyjamas and a toothbrush for the plane, especially if it is an overnight flight. It is important to keep your toddler’s regular routine, even when travelling.
Let them run wild
If your aim is to get your toddler to sleep while in transit, let them run wild while waiting for your flight. Encourage your toddler to get some of the excitement of travel out of their system before boarding the plane.
Most airports will have a play area for small children. Ask your travel agent or Travel Counsellor before you go if the airport has one and head there for some fun before it’s time to board.
Be security ready
Make sure all of your liquids are ready for testing at security. It is so easy to forget something at the bottom of the bag, and this can lead to extra hold-ups and pressure you don’t need.
Another tip for being security-ready is to wear things you won’t need to take off. It is much harder to chase your toddler with one boot on, holding onto your belt. You will also have to take them out of their stroller to go through security so be prepared to have a toddler on the run.
Don’t board early
Try not to board too early. Sitting on the plane first means a longer wait on the runway and this can cause boredom really quickly. Take it easy and hold back. You want the journey to be as stress-free as possible, so try to relax.
