Helpful Packing Tips When Traveling with Small Children

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I hope you get the chance to travel together this summer, locally or abroad. These tips are great for flights or day trips and even a night at Grandma’s when traveling with small children. Safe travels!

Buy the RIGHT luggage

The fun monkey head suitcase is adorable, but I hate to tell you that many children luggage brands are not practical. Don’t get me wrong, there is a brand or two out there that does children’s travel cases well, but I ditched the cute stuff years ago with our 10 year old because I needed to fit more and stay organized with it all.

What do I use? We happen to use the Expanse Wheeled Duffel Carry ON by Eagle Creek. I use an Eagle Creek wheelie myself as well as the Eagle Creek Pack-It Specter On Board toiletry bag. Shout out to Eagle Creek in this post, they seriously do a great job with their bags and I recommend them for you and the kids!

Use Ziploc Bags for Clothing

I’ll never forget the look I got from my Mom when I dropped my son off for a stay with her years ago and as we opened the suitcase she saw my gallon Ziploc bag packing job. But, let me say that when I picked him up, they were all neatly re-stacked and refilled, dirty inside.

As I pack, I lay the bottoms, shirt, socks, underwear (in that layered order), fold all together in one set and put in a gallon ziploc and seal with air released. Put it in his duffel and repeat for all outfits. It is not only a folding space saver where I can stack many outfits neatly, but it is a time saver every morning. I (or whomever he is visiting and now himself) can grab a bag and head to get changed. It is all there. He shoves his dirty clothes back in, presses and seals. Smelly clothes are sealed and stay away from clean clothes and repacking to leave is so easy! Try it!

1 Bag + 1 Blanket + 1 Present

This is what comes on planes with us to the seat. I have one small backpack (bright colored so you can spot them if they get ahead of you) that he can wear and help me carry less with his snacks, entertainment, headphones and a small (noiseless) toy when younger. Now it is a tablet, his phone, book and chargers plus snacks. He carries his blanket and I always have a gift when he was younger to make the ride start off pleasant. The last one I bought him was a Pokemon neck pillow. He never took it off all flight or the next flight…..

Your Luggage Front Pocket

Chances are one of your luggage bags has that extra front pocket you never really know what to use it for. Grab 1 ‘special’ treat per child and a new thin book. Once you are done with the hassle off the plane, to a car or taxi, into a hotel lobby and finally checked in to your room you (and they) are beat! You have an urge to get organized, freshen up and plan the rest of the day and you have some exhausted kids.

Just wait for the magic as you unzip that pocket, pull out that special pick-me-up snack and quiet book(s). It will buy you some uninterrupted time. If you got in early enough a child or two may just doze off. Let them rest a moment or 2 and use that time! Then you’ll all be more relaxed, rested and ready to start your trip.

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