Traveling with a toddler - share your tips please!

[Stefka]

I am going abroad with DS who is 20 months. We will be leaving at three in the morning to catch a flight and have two changes so I think it is going to be a bit grim. I am making a bag of treats - books and toys I have got from the charity shop - for the journey there and one for the journey back. Any other suggestions for the journey?

Also when I am there what sort of things do you think I will need? I am packing a first aid kit, sun cream and all his usual bits and bobs. Anything I am forgetting or that would be good to take?

dd and ds liked the twisty up crayons from crayola - some of them and a pad of paper kept them occupied for ages. magazines with stickers are good too.

Dont forget the buggy!! (we did one year and had to hire one when we got to the resort - it made things a bit fraught at the airport though as ds had no-where to sit when he was tired/needed a nap).

DVD player with DVDs of favourite cartoons is a good back up option for when all else fails (eg flight cancelled - its happened to us!) If you're leaving at 3am, just take them in their pjs and cahnge them into their clothes later on. Take at least 2 changes of outfit for you and your toddler in hand luggage.

DS1 also really liked mini-aqua draw mats on flights and loved being allowed to pick one magazine at the airport for the flight (which kept him occupied for ages with the stickers and colouring in stuff).

Take your own snacks and drinks - especially if your little one is a fussy eater/goes into meltdown when hungry.

Sippy cups are good for them to drink from for take off and landing - so their ears dont hurt them too much.

Hope you have a great holiday.

Also please dont forget the fluid restrictions for your hand luggage!

Take lots of small snacks and let him eat little and often. That way you can always produce a snack as a distraction.
Lots of little toys is a great idea, if you wrap them up it will seem all the more exciting.
Keep one emergency wrapped present in your bag as chances are he will suddenly have a meltdown just as you are checking in, or as you are about to go through security and an emergency distraction easily accessed is essential!
Make nappy wraps: 5 or so wipes wrapped in a nappy sack, inside another nappy sack with a clean nappy. Make a few and stash them in easy to find places. Then when he has a nuclear poo right before takeoff you can just leg it to the loo with a nappy wrap from your handbag instead of having to heave the whole changing bag down and heft it to the (tiny) loo.
ds always loved stacking cups. Really easy to carry as obviously they stack down small, and we used them for stacking, counting, sorting, holding things, playing hide and seek etc.
Also used to take a hand towel in my cabin bag. Have used it variously for a pillow, a blanket during naps, catching vomit (boy THAT flight was fun), to quickly shove under ds when he announced he needed a wee while potty training and we were on the runway taking off aargh!, and for playing hide and seek.

Have a lovely time!!!

We are going to Macedonia to visit DH's family so not really a proper holiday if you know what I mean.

These are brilliant tips - thank you so much. What are the fluid restrictions?