Happy SUMMER! Whether your family is driving down the road or flying around the world for summer break, entertaining kids on the go can be tricky. We’re here to reassure you that travel does not have to be screen-free. We’ll say it again. TRAVEL DOES NOT HAVE TO BE SCREEN-FREE. In fact, screens can be an invaluable tool for traveling if prepared well and used intentionally. 

First of all, we want to be clear that we aren’t saying your child should spend the entirety of your travel time on a screen. We recommend packing a mix of screen and non-screen toys so that screen time is not the only entertainment option for your little one. 

A few of our favorite non-screen travel toys:

• These sensory pop tubes are a hit with babies and toddlers alike 
• WaterWow books make for relatively mess-free entertainment
• Doodle boards are perfect for flights because the stylus is attached
• Lacing cards or threading toys are a fun way to practice motor skills
• Magnetic Tegu Blocks enable kiddos to build on the go without losing pieces
• WikkiStix are a great reusable craft option for big creativity in small spaces
• Reusable jelly stickers that can be used in a book or on windows
• Books, books, books! Dr. Liz’s 3-year-old won’t fly without this one.

Tips for Screens on the Go

When you do offer a screen during travel, do it with purpose. We recommend holding off on screen use until a planned time, like after a pit stop or when the plane reaches cruising altitude. Tell your child specifically when they can expect screen time to begin and end. Screens are highly engaging and entertaining for young children, which increases the likelihood that your little one will be both content and quiet for the duration of their screen use. This can be invaluable on a crowded flight or when stuck in traffic. Our first screen tip is to download the content you want to use before embarking on your journey. Ideally, this will be on a tablet that you will not need as opposed to your phone. We’ve found that giving our phone to the kids during travel leads to many future problems of them asking to watch a show or play a game on our phone. Alternatively, when we’ve used a dedicated tablet for travel entertainment, it’s much easier to transition back to our regular screen time boundaries when we return from traveling. Be sure to pack headphones that fit your child’s ears and if it’s a long trip, consider a portable battery for charging.

General Tips for Traveling with Littles

Having taken multiple cross-country flights with little ones, we’ve picked up a trick or two along the way. Here are some of our favorite ways to reduce stress during summer travel:

– Morning flights have been the best for our kids, followed by afternoon (naptime) flights as long as you’re prepared for a potential skipped nap. Night flights can get tricky quickly as little ones start to get overtired.
– If you’re going through airport security, there is a dedicated lane for wheelchairs and strollers. We like to bring a smaller stroller with us to the airport for this reason. Most airlines are happy to gate-check your stroller as you board the flight, and it’s there waiting for you on the jet bridge when you get off of the plane. 
– Pack a change of clothes (including a change of shirt for mom if traveling with a baby) for everyone in one of these wet dry bags. That way, when the inevitable spill or accident happens you have both a fresh outfit and a dedicated place to store the soiled outfit. 
– If your little one is in diapers, this changing mat has come in handy for us on many trips. We love that it can easily be folded and stored and is wipeable while being completely waterproof. If your kiddo uses the toilet, this foldable travel potty seat fits easily in a diaper bag. 
– Slightly unscrew the cap of your child’s sippy cup or disconnect the straw if there is one to reduce the chance of pressure building up in the cup during air travel. Tethers are great for making sure sippy cups and water bottles don’t get lost.
– BRING ENDLESS SNACKS. If there’s one thing that can cut right to the heart of a toddler meltdown it’s snacks. A snack container like this stainless steel cup or this snack spinner will save your sanity. Dr. Roxy’s go-to’s are snacks that have a variety of textures and flavors such as crackers, pouches, fruit chips, and frozen string cheese. Gummies are also great for little ones’ ears during take-off and landing!

On that note, we’ll be doing some traveling ourselves in the coming weeks. You may see less content through the end of July, we’ll be back and better than ever after a recharge.

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