Vacations Blog

My husband and I have enjoyed traveling with both kids since they were young, but as I look back to when they were toddlers, I must admit to myself that I am enjoying our travel together more as they grow older. I’d share some of our experiences and hopefully they are helpful for you in planning a trip with toddlers or preschoolers.

Travel with 2 Year Old Toddler

Tons of stuff! Have you ever seen the sherpas from Nepal on an Himalayan trek? As a parent of a two year old toddler, I think I carried more! Car seat, portable crib, stroller, diapers, change of clothes (1 per hour of flight time), snacks, books, games, other games (in case the first did not work out), cameras, more diapers. If we were driving, we would need things to entertain in the car. If we were flying, we would need things to entertain on the tarmac. Woe be the airline that decided to load us on the plane and stay on the ground! Natalie Pechacek on Minti.com backs me up here!

Walking! My son was an active toddler and sitting in his seat for the whole flight was pretty hard to do. We had to get up and walk, up and down and up and down the aisles. Sometimes we ran! Wish I had had Min’s suggestions for keeping my kids busy on the plane.

Organized! Each trip took several weeks of planning, a staging area at home, test runs, information gathering, and packing and re-packing. The first three days of every vacation were total recovery – I mostly slept!

Tips for you: Don’t try to do too much or plan full-day schedules when traveling with your 2 year old.

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Travel with 5 Year Old Preschooler

Flexible! My 5 year old daughter is now flexible enough in her travel that I don’t have to bring a snack or game for every situation. We can play things by ear, catch a snack when we are hungry, go with the flow when faced with delays.

Independent! Now that my kids are 5 and 7, they take responsibility for packing their own suitcases (with a provided packing list), organizing their own plane and car entertainment, and helping us cart the suitcases through the airport. We are getting very close to the time when all four of us will be able to handle our own wheelie suitcase and a backpack. Success!

Varied! When my son was younger, he preferred everything to be on a schedule, so he would know what to expect. Nowadays, he is open to new experiences and can adjust to vacation schedules that are different from home. In fact, being away from our regular schedule allows us to learn more about ourselves and each other and deepen our family experience.

Exciting! They say that you experience familiar places in different ways when you go with your children, as you see everything through their eyes. It is true, as my family visits places I have been too before, I am amazed at what new experiences we encounter with the help of my kids. Travel is now exciting, not so much of a burden and I cannot wait for our next trip!

Tips for you: Prepare to learn more and experience more with your 5 year old!