How to use play to prepare toddlers for your next trip

When thinking about what makes a trip successful, most of us turn to planning. If only you could do enough research… book the best hotel… find the best places to eat… then everything would be perfect, right?

I think this manual works when traveling with adults, but not with children. Take a Disney trip, for example. If you pull a playbook from an annual passholder or content creator — who goes to the parks alone all the time — you’ll get great, up-to-date information, but not necessarily what’s best for your little one. For example, it doesn’t matter if this snack is the *best* in Magic Kingdom if it poses a choking hazard for children under 5 years old. And you can’t drop a rope where your little one doesn’t meet the height requirements.

My point is, planning only gets you so far when it comes to toddlers. What Really What makes the difference in how your trip goes is how you prepare. This is one of the reasons why I don’t recommend surprising children so little with big trips: they need time to deal with a disruption to their routine, and the way they deal with it is through play.

That’s why I’m so happy to welcome Christin to Travel with Toddlers this week. She’s a speech therapist, a military wife, a mother of two, and one of the co-founders of one of my favorite substacks, Elevate Toddler Play.

Christin from Elevate Toddler Play on traveling with toddlers

If you’re not logged into Elevate Toddler Play, it’s all about how to make play easier with your little ones, including how to leave them alone. I found myself nodding at this recent article about overthinking about gaming.

Playing used to be simple. A stain on the carpet, a handful of blocks, maybe a cardboard box turned into a rocket. That’s it. That’s all. It happened wherever we were, with everything we had, and most importantly, with whoever was by our side.

If the game seems more complicated than before, you’re not imagining it. I still find myself wondering when something so natural started to feel like a chore or a checklist. Why do we think too much about this?

…The best parts of childhood (and parenting) are right in front of us. They are in the complicated moments, the laughter, the invented games, the quiet afternoons.

Amen! Honestly, if millennials have one trait in common, it’s overthinking. And it absolutely shows up in our parenting style…overthinking is one of the only ways to feel in control, and we’re so used to all this background noise in our heads that letting ourselves drop to the floor and be present can seem so difficult. Christin has some great tips for making gaming fun again, especially when preparing for an upcoming trip:

Here’s how she approaches traveling with her daughters (ages 6 and 2):

Tell me how your travel “styles” have changed since having kids.

“Traveling now involves more planning, more snacks and definitely more flexibility. I’m always looking for toddler-friendly destinations with room to move and opportunities to explore at their own pace.”

What was the first trip you took after having a baby? How did it go?

“Our first trip involved flying coast to coast for a friend’s wedding when my oldest was just 3 months old. Let’s just say it was humbling! I quickly learned that a backup outfit in the diaper bag should also include one for adults. A diaper blowout taught me that the hard way.” (Editor’s note: Yeah, same! 🫠)

What’s your biggest travel tip for families with small children once they arrive at their destination?

“Keep your expectations low and your flexibility high. Toddlers don’t care about the length of the flight or the price of the museum pass. They’re just trying to figure out why their bed is different and where the nearest snack is. What we think is fun doesn’t always happen the same way for them, and that’s okay.

One thing that helps us is to prepare before each activity. I’ll talk to my toddler about what’s next, and sometimes I’ll take pictures of where we’re going so it’s not a total surprise. That bit of predictability can go a long way toward keeping things running smoothly, or at least smoother.

How to prepare children for travel by playing? Tell me more about it!

“Play is a very powerful way to help toddlers make sense of travel. Before a trip, we read books about travel and do a lot of pretend play around common travel scenarios.

We will “pack a bag” with toys, go through a fake security line or create a mini-airport with Little People. It sounds simple, but it helps toddlers feel more in control because they’ve had a chance to practice what’s in front of them without pressure. Even role-playing games like waiting in line, sitting on a plane, or walking through a new place can help the real-life version feel much less overwhelming.

What happens developmentally when children travel? I always feel like my toddler takes a leap right after we go somewhere.

“Yes! Travel is a huge learning opportunity. New experiences naturally fuel exposure to new vocabulary. It’s not uncommon to see a little language jump after a trip. They discover how to adapt, solve problems, and communicate in a new environment, even if it’s just a weekend away visiting family.”

Do you have any pro tips for dealing with epic toddler tantrums brought on by travel, especially in public?

“First, let’s normalize things: a meltdown in the middle of the aquarium? You’ve been there.”

Screaming in the airport security line? Oh yes.

Travel can push all of a toddler’s buttons. There is fatigue, hunger, overstimulation, lack of routine… crises are sometimes not part of the whole. I’ve found that keeping a few comfort items (a stuffed animal or fidget toy, for example) in a backpack, taking breaks from the noise when possible by finding a quiet place to reset, and talking about what’s happening to help them feel grounded can help.

What if the crisis still happened? Deep breathing. Offer connection and remember that you are not the only parent whose child is having a meltdown in public today! »

Christin gear doesn’t leave the house without…

“We always bring our sound machine. It is part of our nightly routine and is useful for masking unfamiliar noises in hotels.”

One thing that I don’t do it I recommend overpacking toys. A few small, open-ended projects are perfect. New environments already offer so much new things to little ones.

The best place to travel with toddlers is…

“In 2022, we visited the Florida Keys and I stayed in Marathon. It was the perfect pace for traveling with a toddler. Mornings at the beach, afternoons at the pool and plenty of time to rest in between. This natural rhythm made it easy for us to work during naps and slow things down when we needed to.

If you’re planning a trip to the Keys, be sure to check out the Turtle Hospital And Crane Point Nature Center. My daughter really enjoyed both.

What is your favorite travel memory with your little ones?

“One of my favorite memories is searching for seashells on the beach with my daughter. We took the shells home and used them to fill clear ornaments for our Christmas tree. Now every year we take them out and get a sweet memory of that trip together.” 🐚

Don’t forget about playtime after a trip either.

Thank you Christine! I LOVE the idea of ​​the seashell ornament. We did something similar after a trip to Saint-Martin. Each of us arranged seashells on a piece of construction paper and I hot glued them into a shadow box to hang on the wall. I’m creative but not crafty, which makes my hands itch for something to do, but then it’s very difficult to achieve what I envision. It was quite simple and the result was great!

Thanks for being here.

Vacations are, by nature, chaotic. And that’s part of their magic, I think. Our Thanksgiving this year has been very low-key, but we’re planning to travel around Christmas (check out my revamped guide to visiting relatives here) and I’m starting to get excited about everything the season has in store.

We had our first snowstorm here in Boston this week. I thought it would never be better than baby laughter, but toddler laughter while sledding for the first time is definitely at the top of my list of favorite things.

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens,

Kayla

If you liked this article, please consider supporting my work. I’m just a mom at heart trying to create essential memories for our entire family while minimizing meltdowns. I sincerely hope this helps you do the same.

This article was originally published on Traveling with Toddlers. Subscribe for more actionable travel tips, toddler-friendly itineraries and proven gear recommendations.

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