Travelling Toddler – a Toddler Trick outing

We all know that toddlers and confined spaces don’t go together very well so just thinking about travelling with my toddler is tortuous enough, let alone actually doing it. I have learnt a lot of things the hard way travelling on buses, ferries  and airplane’s with her. Even when I think I have it sussed she is still one step ahead of me. We have recently just flown back home to New Zealand for a short visit and I was adamant to have a smooth travelling experience with her, which I thankfully did! The biggest life saver was taking her very own carry-on backpack of tricks – a great tip I received from a friend. Let me know if you have any other ideas to prepare me for the journey home!

This toddler trick is great for any aged travelling toddler, on any form of transport.

What you need:

• - Small bag or backpack of their own.
• - Variety of small items: play set of keys, small book, old mobile phone, small toys, pipe cleaners, small container, old plastic loyalty cards, crayons or pencils, small note pad, small car , etc.
• - Wrapping paper and sellotape.

What to do:

1. Before you head out to the airport put together a bag of items for your toddler. The more the better!If you have time wrap a few of the toys up in gift wrap or newspaper. The wrapping won’t add anything to your load, but it will provide a little extra excitement and entertainment for your child.

2. I recommend you give your toddler their bag of tricks when they really need it and not a minute sooner. Your toddler will be amused for quite a while with just looking around, talking to the people next to them and having some one-on-one time with you. When you do give them their bag try to go through each item with them. For example: If it’s a pipe cleaner, show them how to bend it into different shapes, ask them what if feel like? If they can make a shape of their own? etc:

3. Some other great toddler-travelling tips I also have picked up from experience and friends are:

- Ice in a cup; When the air attendants are handing out the drinks, ask for a cup of ice. This is a great time waster and much harder to spill than water!

- Sick-bag puppets; If you have packed crayons or a pen, draw a face on a barf bag and use it as a puppet… your toddler will love this.

- Seat belt; Often when travelling with toddlers you are given an attachable seat belt for them. I guarantee your toddler will sit there happily clicking their seat belt together for at least 20 minutes.  Make sure you keep hold of it but it is a novelty.  If you have a teddy with you then putting it on teddy is a good variation on this theme.