Packing Light
I am a big fan of traveling with kids and have written on this topic quite a bit. Today, I’m going to focus on what to pack when traveling with a baby because I think one mistake parents make is over packing. The problem with over packing is you have more luggage to lug around the airports, more wait time at the baggage claim, higher risk of something getting lost and whenever one of these hiccups occurs it makes you never want to travel with your babes again. Every time I fly I bring carryon luggage only. Here’s how I do it!
Stroller
When you are traveling with a child from infant to about 4 years old you will need a stroller. Strollers get to stay with you until you board the flight. This means, when you get off the plane you won’t have to retrieve your stroller at baggage claim they will bring it right to the runway for you. Usually, they get them off quickly and it’s no big deal. Once my daughter hit 5, I stopped bringing the stroller and when she was tired at customs or we needed to get through the airport quickly I had her sit on my carryon and I wheeled her around. She was pretty heavy at this point so this is really a job for my husband but we make it work!
Baby Carrier
Another item I always packed when my daughter was infant to toddler age was a baby carrier. These can also be worn on the plane so you don’t have to save room for packing them and they come in handy on a lot of trips. If you are going to a beach, a city with a lot of stairs, a museum that doesn’t allow strollers, or hiking the carrier is essential. When Chloe was 8 months and we went to Paris we used the Metro quite often. I had to constantly take her out of the stroller, slip her into the carrier, fold the stroller put it over my shoulder and go down the stairs to get on the train. I did this quite a bit in NY as well. Sometimes, I got lucky and someone offered to pick up the front of her stroller so I could just keep her in it but usually the trains are crowded and you need to fold it anyway. For this reason, a light umbrella stroller is necessary for travel.
Playard
Whenever we took beach trips I always brought Chloe’s 4 moms playard. It was so easy to open and close and was the perfect place for her to play and nap at the beach. I would pack a fitted sheet to slip over the top so she had some shade and sun protection, throw some toys in there and she had the perfect place to hang out when we needed a reprieve from sand or water. The playard folds up into a long rectangular case and I was able to bring it all the way to boarding with my stroller. It was also the perfect bed for Chloe at hotels and apartments if a crib was not available.
Diapers and Food
When Chloe was a baby I only packed enough diapers and wipes for a day. They take up so much room and can easily be purchased when you get to your destination. Now, you can even have anything you need delivered via Amazon or some other food shopping option. I breastfed Chloe for a long time so food wasn’t much of a concern but as she got older if I needed something I also just packed enough for a day and then found a market when I arrived.
Toys
As far as toys, when Chloe was a baby I would just throw some of her small toys and board books in a bag. She was small and so were her play things. As she got older, I realized she didn’t need much on a trip as we are usually busy doing activities or playing at a beach. I do always pack a bag for the plane to keep her busy and I already did a post on what I pack for the flight that you can read HERE. Some other items I like to pack that are easy to fly with and can provide fun on a trip are:
Uno Splash (waterproof cards)
Collapsible sand pails and nesting shovels (so much easier to pack!)
Mesh bags for collecting shells and other nature finds
Buddha Board- this is a fun canvas that your child simply paints on with only water on their brush. It dries and disappears and they can start again.
These along with the airplane backpack that has some other coloring, cutting, magnetic activities is more than enough to keep your littles busy on a trip. You really don’t need much. I pack our clothes in a carryon on wheels and we each get a backpack that contains all of these play things, a few books, and the few toiletries we need. We wear our sneakers and pack a pair of sandals.
You might find packing light stressful the first time you do it but remember there are ways of getting anything you need. There are even rental options for all the baby supplies I brought with me to save money. Kids’ clothes are very small and don’t take up a lot of room and you shouldn’t need to pack a lot for yourself. Wear your heavy clothes on the plane and pack all the light stuff including a thin rain jacket. You can do it- I know you can! Now, go book a flight!