International Travel with Kids: Secrets of a World Traveler Mom

I am SO excited to welcome my sister, Lindsay, to Parent Lightly! Lindsay lives in Singapore and is mom to two little ones. She and her family have taken 17 international trips – with kids under 4! I am just in awe of her skills. Today Lindsay is sharing her best tips for surviving a long flight, dealing with jet lag and more. I can’t wait for you to learn from her! (PS. If you like Lindsay’s writing, you can find her at LindsayMcClendon.com!)

From talking to friends with children, the idea of travelling with them can be intimidating and, frankly, not enjoyable. As expats, we don’t have a choice. We live on a tiny island and would be stuck here all the time and never see our extended family if we never took our kids on a plane.

So I’m here to calm your fears about international travel with kids and provide some tips if you find yourself getting the itch to go somewhere with your under 4 year old! We have traveled from Singapore to the United States 7 times since my eldest daughter was born, all over the States, to Australia, Japan, Thailand, and China.

My Travel Mindset

My main theory on travelling with kids is that it’s only a short time period in the grand scheme of things: an international flight is only one day of your life, a trip to the beach is only one weekend out of your whole lives. If you can let go of a few things, like a certain brand of milk your child likes, or having a well-balanced diet, or napping on time, you can have a nice break from the rigid routines of home life and maybe enjoy yourself.

And if something goes wrong like your kids cry and someone yells at you on the plane because they’re trying to sleep (it has been known to happen!), the day will end and you will never have to see that person again. A little bit of preparation helps too!

Tips for Surviving the Plane

I now know the ins and outs of plane travel only after doing it many, many times. It’s important to plan ahead since you’ll need to entertain your children on a long flight. You should also bring extra clothes and some food in case of unexpected travel disruptions. The good news is that it’s totally possible to make it through an international flight with kids!

Electronics

Depending on how interested your child is in videos, the iPad is your friend. Remember, it’s only a short time and if your 3 year old quietly watches movies for 8 hours, that is a win in my book. We have an iPad and a Kindle Fire.

I load both with movies, games, apps, books, and favorite television shows. Make sure to a have a variety of favorites and a few new things. I will usually download a couple of shows from Netflix as well. Headphones are a challenge before 3. But usually the plane is so loud that I can leave the volume on for younger children with no headphones.

Toys & Activities

If your child is not interested in the iPad like my youngest, a few well thought out toys are all you need. Don’t go overboard. I try to pack multi-use things, like a plastic shape-sorter box with a handle. My toddler can carry it around, put things in it, do the shape sorting, and build towers with the shapes. It’s relatively light and fits in my backpack. Stickers, color wonder, and water painting are also great.

Food

Food can double as entertainment in a pinch so make sure to pack plenty of snacks. I choose things that aren’t too messy like cheddar bunnies, applesauce pouches, jerky sticks, hard boiled eggs, homemade muffins, and fruit leathers.

Think about the flight timing in relation to your kids’ normal eating times. You may need to bring extra food if you’re worried about them missing a meal. Fatigue and hunger are your biggest enemies when travelling.

Sticking to a Schedule

The best lesson I learned on my first flight from Singapore to California when my eldest daughter was three months old was to stick to the routine of the time zone you departed from. She screamed down the flight for 3 hours.

Later, I realized that it had happened right at her normal bedtime. I try to stick to the kids’ normal routine on the plane. We have dinner, take a trip to the bathroom to clean up, put on PJs and head back to our seats to settle in.

Both kids will eventually fall asleep while watching TV. Sometimes I have to turn off the tv and play music or rub their backs till they fall asleep. If we are flying in the day, I try to stick to normal nap and snack times to avoid anyone getting over tired or hungry.

Transporting the Kids

Most airlines for long haul flights and shorter flights (in some areas) offer a bassinet seat for families travelling with infants. This is a crib that attaches to the bulkhead wall, so the seats are usually in the first row. I find this very helpful when flying with baby or toddler on my lap.

The front row gives us more space to move about and the bassinet gives you a place to put things or the baby when you need a free hand. You may have to call the airline directly to book this seat. It’s usually not available when making bookings online. Make sure to check weight limits.

Kids fly free except for an infant fare or the taxes of the fare under two years old. For long haul flights, if you don’t have the bassinet seat, it is very difficult to travel with a baby over one year old on your lap. Your arms will get tired and neither of you will get any rest. If you can’t get the bassinet seat, consider an extra seat and bringing an FAA approved car seat (see my gear list below).

Airplane Packing Essentials

It’s pretty important to stick with the essentials when traveling internationally with little kids. If you’re carrying a kid, you can’t carry a bunch of luggage as well! Here are my gear recommendations.

Travel documents for kids

• Passports [Editor’s Note: Children under 16 must appear in person to apply for a passport, with both parents or a notarized affidavit from the absent parent. Children’s passports expire every 5 years, instead of every 10 like adults’, and they must be renewed in person. Just FYI!]
• Global entry (for yourself too)
• Check visa requirements at destination.

First Aid

• Thermometer
• Fever/pain meds
• Teething gel
• Bandaids
• Hand sanitizer
• Snot sucker
• Saline drops (PRO TIP: when you administer the drops in baby’s nose, it causes them to swallow which can help clear plugged ears!)
• Epi pen
• Benadryl

Food & Drink

• Nursing cover
• Water bottles
• Formula
• Bottles
• Breast pump
• Cooler bag

Clothes & Blankets

• Muslin blanket per kid
• Plastic bag for soiled clothes
• Extra set of clothes for everyone including mom and dad (bring extra underwear too)
• Diapers
• Wipes
• Travel changing pad
• Socks
• Warm layers

Entertainment

• iPad/Kindle Fire with shows and movies downloaded for kids & adults
• Kindle books
• Podcasts loaded on mom & dad’s phones in case you get stuck with a child sleeping on you
• Headphones for mom & dad

Planning a Kid-Friendly Trip

Planning your trip in the right way can make travelling much easier! You’ll need to think about your destination, activities, lodging and transportation. The more you can plan for your kids’ needs the happier everyone will be. 

Choosing the Right Destination

Plan age appropriate destinations for your family. Trekking in the jungles of Thailand may not be suitable for kids under 3 but a beach resort in Thailand would be perfect. Don’t be afraid of challenges either. We went to Tokyo with two kids under three. I was terrified but it turned out to be one of my favorite trips. It pays to take some time to consider what you will be doing and how you will get around. Set yourself up for success.

Questions to consider when deciding where to go: Will you have to take several flights or drive long hours? Will you have to move accommodations frequently? Is the water safe to drink? Are there high levels of pollution? Are there age appropriate activities for your children?

Kid-Friendly Lodging

Booking hotels used to make me crazy even before I had kids. We have stayed in hotels and resorts as well as home rentals. I always try to find a good rental over a hotel. Having a kitchen makes life a lot easier. You have the option to make breakfast at home everyday which saves money and starts the day off right if your kids are picky eaters or need to eat immediately upon waking. I often bring a few favorite foods from home (our brand of peanut butter or a certain pasta) so we have a few things I know they will eat.

Vacation rental homes will often have gear you can use–pack n plays and high chairs. Always ask before you leave for your trip. We’ve even had a host buy a new high chair for us. Sometimes they will also provide safety gates for stairs or swimming pools.

Travel at Optimal Times

While it’s good to be flexible with schedules while travelling, we also try our best to stick to our normal routines. We plan long drives for nap times, and we try our best to eat at normal times. Nothing makes children cranky like being hungry and tired.

Strongly consider normal routines when flying. Look at all flight times available for your route, what time you land, and consider where you will be going after you land. Sometimes it is unavoidable to fly at an undesirable time of day, but if you have options, it is a big consideration. I like international flights that leave in the morning and arrive in the afternoon.

Flights that leave late at night may seem like a good idea because the kids will just sleep but getting to the flight may be a challenge and then you have to consider whether to put them to bed first or let them stay up. Neither is a good choice in my opinion! It’s best to leave at a normal morning time like 9 am after a full night’s sleep and a solid breakfast with no rush.

Upon arrival, consider the following: Will you have to drive a long way? What time will it be at your place of departure? Is it a meal time or nap time? We try to arrive anywhere before dark so we can reach accommodations and settle in before bed time. These things aren’t always perfect but picking the best option for your kids’ schedule will start the trip off on a good note.

Plan for Illness & Emergency, Just in Case

Make sure to also be prepared in case of illness or emergency upon arrival. I usually bring a small pharmacy to deal with illness wherever we go. Especially in non-English speaking locations, it is best to know the name of a hospital close to your accommodations, but even better an international clinic that has English speaking doctors and nurses. Also check things like your health insurance’s coverage while travelling in case of a medical emergency.

Check Child Seat Regulations

Also check the car seat laws in the country you are going to. Some countries require certain types of car seats or no car seats. Some require you to use only car seats made in that country (like Australia). You will have to rent a car seat from your car rental company or make special arrangements for taxis.

Dealing with Jet Lag

The fear of jet lag alone has caused me to reconsider travel in the past.  Experts say to allow one day for every hour of time difference to adjust. This is definitely true once you arrive home. It’s usually not terrible on the way to your vacation spot.

Once you arrive at your destination, immediately start following your normal schedule in the new time zone. Your bodies and your kids won’t be on that schedule yet, but still impose it. I wake my kids from naps and in the morning so they don’t sleep too long. Lots of sun helps, and it’s great to be super busy the first day you wake up at your destination because then you are not tempted to sleep at strange times.

Even if the kids don’t sleep a lot in the day and are tired, they will still wake up at strange times for a few nights while their bodies adjust. They may also be hungry at strange times. I will give them a snack in the night when they wake up for the first 2 nights. I may let them watch a movie or read in the dark in bed. I try to keep the lights low and activity levels low when they wake up. This will not eliminate jet lag, but minimize the ill effects.

International Travel with Kids: The Best Gear

Good travel gear will make your trip a lot more pleasant! This is the list of gear we love for our trips.

Baby Carrier

A sling or wrap is great for a baby as it doubles as a blanket and I find it easier to feed in a wrap. I have worn my kids while travelling up to age 2.5 but a carrier is always handy especially when you have more than one kid. We use a Kinderpack but any comfy soft structured carrier works well.

Nursing Cover

If you nurse, make sure you have one of these to bring on the plane. I’ve had flight attendants cover me before when trying to just feed my fussy baby with no cover on take off. It’s best just to travel with one as other cultures may have different feelings about breastfeeding.

Travel Crib

These are very handy as not all accommodations offer a crib. Pack N Play type cribs are really bulky to travel with. Look for something light that folds up small like the Baby Bjorn travel crib. We have used ours on every single trip we’ve taken since the kids were born. My eldest moved to a bed just after she turned two.

Travel Car Seat + bag

I didn’t want to lug my nice, but heavy, usual car seats with us on every trip. I purchased 2 $50 Cosco Scenerca car seats from Wal-Mart and use those exclusively for travel (or on the rare occasion we have to take a taxi). They are lightweight and clip into a car with just the seat belt. Two of them fit into one of those large car seat travel bags. These carseats are FAA approved and are allowed on the airplane as well (as long as you have bought a seat for your child). Make sure to check the carseat laws at your destination.

Travel Stroller

An umbrella stroller or compact, lightweigh stroller is great. We have a Babyzen Yoyo. It folds up very small so we take it with us through the airport and then fold it up and store it in the overhead compartment. It is a lifesaver when one kid is sleeping when we get off the plane. The Mountain Buggy Nano is also a super compact stroller great for travelling.

Travel High Chair

Chicco and Baby Bjorn both make these fabric high chairs that hang on the side of the table. I will bring ours when I know our rental does not have a high chair or that we are going to a place not likely to have high chairs in the restaurants (Bali, Japan, but not Australia).

Potty Seat

We have a little potty seat that folds flat. It can either stand on the ground and be used with plastic liners or be used on the top of a toilet as a seat. This is really handy with toddlers that aren’t comfortable using public restrooms or regular sized toilet seats. It can also be handy in locations where comfortable public restrooms are not available (or any public restrooms at all!).

Bed Safety Arm

I have a barrier for the side of the bed for my eldest that folds flat and fits in our luggage. When she had just moved out of her crib and we needed the travel crib for my youngest, she was always falling out of bed so I would bring this with us on trips.

The Right Gear Makes Travel Much more Enjoyable

I don’t bring all of this gear on every trip, but depending on your situation, having the right gear with you can make your family vacation much more enjoyable.

Traveling with Little Kids is 100% Worth It

Travelling is invaluable to kids even though it can be a pain for parents. When I look back at our trips, I have fond memories. I don’t usually remember all the tantrums and sleepless nights. I encourage you to do some planning and try it for yourself. Happy Travelling!