Tips for Traveling with a Toddler

Toddlers that's kids between the age of 2 and 5 can be a heady mix of exciting and terrifying to travel with. So as a toddler mom here are some inputs which you definitely should consider before traveling with them.

Traveling with toddlers is way more different and challenging than traveling with infants, even if your infant has traveled quite a bit and based on certain factors your vacation can either be an absolute pleasure or a disaster. The key to nailing a perfect vacation with your toddler would be to pick the right destination, that's half the battle won. So read on to find some of the points to consider while picking a destination and planning a vacation with your toddler which are just at the top of my mind now.

The political climate: In today's day and age it is an absolute must to look at the political situation of any country. since things are very sensitive everywhere sometimes riots and protests break out on the silliest of matters so I would suggest parents to avoid planning vacations to places which are not politically safe at the moment, no matter how adventureous you feel.

The actual weather: Remember your toddlers body is still learning to adjust to change of climate and temperatures, we might have also seen frequent flu outbreaks during season changes or fluctuating weather, so choosing a destination with extreme climatic conditions for toddlers is not advisable. (For Eg: Avoid Leh Ladakh, Spiti valley, Finland, Iceland in winters etc) your dream to check out the northern lights from your bucket list can wait.

The kind of activities involved: Think about the kind of activities you do there, does it involve your toddler quietly in a place for too long? Is it a place where it is too dangerous or inappropriate for them to run around and just do their thing? then don't go for it. when toddlers are not happy and are forced to do things they don't like they make sure they let you know and you are not going to like how difficult they make things for you.

Food availability: Ensure that food which suits our dietary requirements are available in ample, keep any allergies in mind and do some research on that also if possible. Non availability of proper food for toddlers can be a serious issue, it could result in a lot of issues like stomach bug, dehydration, etc. So I would suggest you read up on the restaurants and cuisines popular where ever you go and also do a quick check on if they would customize food for your toddler based on his/ her preferences if needed.

Travel duration: The duration of flights/ trains would also be something I would consider, sitting on a flight or train for long hours and running out of entertainment or engagement options for the children could be a nightmare for any parents. So choose destinations which are short flights away or choose the best route with lesser fying hours. If you are traveling by train I would say overnight journeys are the best,

Less local travel: the place you land should be the place you stay and you can begin exploring as soon as you land, Flying / train travel for hours and again hop on to the car and travel for another 3 to 4 hours? this could put your kids off!! until you have some out of the world hacks to engage them or are ready to give them the ipad!!

Go easy on them: I think its ok to indulge on them once in a while and what is the better opportunity than a family vacation, may be they want that one packet of chips or 30 mins more of their Ipad time, I think its ok if it will keep the kids and you happy and make all of your lives a lot more simpler.

Pack all their essentials and medicines: Make sure every essential item in the list for your toddler is packed, specially their medicines, any mosquito repellent, creams, toiletries and their favorite toy, Do not overpack your bags stuff which could possibly be available even at a local market in the destination for eg Tissues, wet wipes, etc.