Toddler Travel Hacks: Our Real-Life Guide to Flying with Little Ones

The Ultimate Guide to Flying with a Toddler

Introduction

Rose has been traveling via airplane since she was five and a half months old. Through a lot of trial and error, we've figured out the best toddler travel tips to make our journeys easier. As she’s gotten older, we’ve refined our practice, and will likely continue to refine it as she grows. Flying with a toddler can feel overwhelming, but it can be done with confidence. We’ve tackled long flights to Europe and shorter ones to visit family in the Midwest. These are some of the best toddler travel hacks I’ve gathered and would like to share with you.

Strategic Planning & Packing

Picking the Right Flight

For our most recent trip, we visited Grandma and extended family in Canada. We didn’t have as many direct flight options, so I went with flights that mostly fit Rose’s needs. I’ve learned with Rose that she does better with staying up without a nap than with waking up early and trying to nap on the plane. Our attempt at an overnight flight to Barcelona was not the best choice for our family. Rose tossed and turned the whole flight, unable to get comfortable, and I was fearful she would fall out of her seat. Choosing the right flights can make all the difference.

Packing Smart (and Light!)

On a trip to Mississippi and New Orleans, I packed very light, almost too light to my husband's astonishment. I didn’t pack any toys for the hotel or even books for our bedtime routine! I was determined to revise my strategy for our upcoming trip to Grandma’s house, knowing we'd need to be ready for those moments. A key part of our new approach is including Rose in the packing of her bag. After gathering her clothes, I enlisted her help in choosing books and toys.

Surviving the Journey

The Power of Novelty

I gathered books not from the shelf but from our closet reserve. I picked a few favorites she could “read” to Grandma, like Buffalo Fluffalo and Pete the Cat, but mostly bedtime books, since that part of our routine is crucial for helping her transition to bed. The familiar rhythm signals to her that bedtime is approaching, even if the environment is different.

To help with sleep away from home, we use a few key toddler travel items: the SlumberPod Tent and SlumberTot Inflatable Bed, a travel sound machine, and a travel monitor. This trip, she had her own room to sleep in, but most trips we share the same space. The SlumberPod allows us to be in the same room without having to sit in the dark and quiet after she falls asleep. We’ve watched shows on our phones while Rose sleeps soundly in her tent, none the wiser.

For toys, I try to pack ones that are multi-functional and open-ended. For this trip, we packed Lego’s and Magnatiles. The possibilities to build are endless, and you can manipulate them in new ways each time. They still feel new to her, and that novelty and excitement around them helps to keep them engaging and fresh.

This is a key strategy for our airplane travel toys. I have a dedicated set of items that are part of our travel-ready toy arsenal. We use them when we dine out or fly. Think of reusable sticker books, magnetic build-a-scene, water wow books, dry-erase mats, and a few lift-the-flap books. They don’t live in our day-to-day space, but become a special item we see when we need it most. Creating this sense of novelty makes them more engaging, allowing her to explore them more meaningfully, which gives me more time to pass without having to rely on the screen.

Low-tech entertainment like coloring books are a crucial part of our in-flight arsenal to keep Rose engaged.

On the Plane

We’re mostly screen-free at home, but on an airplane, it's difficult to avoid. Our trip to Mississippi took us first to Houston, where the entire flight was TV and movies. And you know what? That’s okay. With the touch of her tiny hand, she can control the screen on the seat back, and it's almost unavoidable, even with the best-prepared arsenal of novelty toys. It’s all about balance, because on the next leg of our journey, there was no built-in screen and she was happy to explore the items I packed in my bag.

Another lesson learned was about snacks. I bought a cool multi-compartment snack tray, only for her to reject the snacks and eat all the snacks from the flight attendant. This works for our family. My child enjoys visiting the airport shops to pick out her favorite crunchy snacks, a bottle of water, and maybe a cookie to take on the plane. She gets excited to munch on her treats at takeoff, and happy to grab more as the flight attendants come by. It makes my bag lighter and less bulky, which is a win for me.

Making the Destination Enjoyable

Entertainment at the Destination

Rose also packs her own small backpack for travel. This holds the latest treasures she’s obsessed with—Happy Meal toys, a rock she found on a nature walk, or a Magnatile from her cousin. These items have value to her, and she’s happily entertained taking them out one by one, whether she's on the plane or in her stroller.

Once we’ve arrived, I try to find the same activities Rose enjoys back home. The playground, of course, but also the zoo, aquarium, science center, or children’s museum. Things that are already catered to her make for a more agreeable toddler and a more enjoyable trip for all. Having worked for Chicago’s Children's Museum, I have my standards for what a good museum should include: any hands-on activity that helps her mind and body be engaged, and hopefully, tired when it comes to nap time.

Conclusion

As I've learned from countless trips, traveling with a toddler is absolutely a skill you can master. It's a combination of strategic planning, thoughtful packing, and a mindset shift that puts your little one's needs first. By bringing a little bit of home with you—whether it's the right books, a familiar routine, or those special novelty toys—you can create a sense of comfort and stability, no matter how far from home you are. The journey may not always be easy, but I promise, the destination is worth it.

Success! Seeing Rose happy at our destination makes every moment of planning and traveling worth it. You can do this!

So, what's your top tip for keeping a toddler happy on the move? Share your advice in the comments below!