38 Tips for Travelling With a Newborn, Older Baby or Toddler
Travelling as a family is exciting for you and your children. You can create special memories and have new experiences that last a lifetime. Whether you’re planning a staycation, jetting off to sunnier shores abroad or simply visiting Grandma, we’re here to help you on your journey. We know that travelling with a newborn, older baby or toddler requires a little extra preparation to ensure a safe and comfortable trip, so read on for a list of all the baby travel essentials and 38 tips for travelling with the little ones!
How Soon Can You Travel With a Newborn Baby?
It’s often advised to wait four to seven days before taking your newborn out – this gives them time to adjust to your home environment. It’s also recommended to avoid crowded places on your first few outings to avoid exposing your newborn to infections or smoke. If you’re thinking of travelling with your newborn, it’s always best to check with your doctor, midwife or health visitor beforehand. They will likely offer specific guidance on whether you should or shouldn’t travel with your newborn, depending on your little one’s age and health status, as well as more general advice on when you can travel with a baby or older child. So, how soon can a newborn travel long distances by car or plane? If you’re planning to travel a long distance by car with your infant or older baby, experts recommend taking frequent breaks as your baby shouldn’t be in a car seat for more than 2 hours at a time. If travelling by aeroplane, many airlines require newborns to be over 2 weeks old before travelling by plane, so it’s always a good idea to check directly with each airline before planning your trip. Whenever you do end up travelling with your little one, keep some safety precautions in mind. Your child is still developing their immune system, so it’s important to take protective measures, especially when flying or in crowded locations, such as
frequently washing hands
using hand sanitiser
avoiding visibly ill travellers.
Besides these basic safety precautions, keep reading for more tips on travelling with newborns, plus older babies and toddlers, which include additional measures that will help keep your little one healthy, safe and comfortable.
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38 Tips for Travelling With a Newborn, Older Baby, or Toddler
There are many ways you can help keep your newborn, older baby or toddler safe while travelling, and ensure that the trip is comfortable for everyone. It’s best to always consult with your child’s doctor, midwife or health visitor before travelling, especially with newborns or infants. Younger babies are more vulnerable than older babies and toddlers, so consider the professional’s advice and tips for travelling with a baby. Knowing how to travel with a newborn infant isn’t much different from knowing how to travel with an older baby or toddler, but age can impact strategy. For example, travelling with a toddler opens up more opportunities for activities on your trip! You’ll probably notice that travelling with a 2-year-old is a lot more interactive than when your little one was just 3 or 6 months old. To cover all the bases, we’ve included 38 tips for travelling with babies of any age, but some apply more to younger babies, like infants and newborns, whereas others are more geared toward older babies and toddlers. However, all are worth considering when travelling with kids of any age, whether you’re flying to Paris or hopping in the car for a day trip.
1. Update Vaccinations
Before you travel, including by car, on an aeroplane or anywhere abroad, ensure your baby has had all the necessary vaccinations. Following a vaccination schedule is key to keeping your little one healthy throughout their life and, of course, when travelling. If you plan to travel abroad, be aware that some countries require additional vaccinations. And it’s also important to know that your child may be too young to receive required vaccinations for certain countries. You should consult your child’s doctor or health visitor for specific advice before planning any overseas trips. Some vaccines are free through the NHS, whilst there may be a charge for others. As children will need vaccinations and boosters throughout their early years, this tip also applies to travel with infants, older babies and toddlers.
2. Consult Your Child’s Doctor or Health Visitor
Remember that your baby’s doctor or health visitor is your ally and a great source of information. Don’t hesitate to be in touch if you have any questions about travelling with a newborn or a baby of any age. If you’re thinking of travelling with a newborn, the healthcare professional may suggest waiting in some cases, such as if your little one has an underlying health condition or was born prematurely.
3. Collect Medications and Important Documents
Before setting off on your adventure, remember to pack any medication your child will need while away from home. You can also purchase a sturdy folder to keep any important documents, such as your baby’s vaccination record, copies of recent medical reports, passport, etc. When travelling with a newborn, older baby or toddler, it’s always best to err on the side of caution and bring everything you might need!
4. Do Your Research
One of the best tips for travelling with a newborn or older baby and toddler is to search for and gather relevant information ahead of time. Besides things like looking up vaccination requirements, you can also research details about accommodations and activities. Some hotels offer amenities that may come in handy when travelling. For example, if you’re breastfeeding your baby, you might want a refrigerator in your hotel room to store extra milk and facilities for sterilising feeding equipment. Or if you’re formula feeding you’ll probably need a kettle in your room for boiling water.
5. Allow Extra Time
Always remember that travelling with a newborn or baby of any age means everything will take a little more time (or sometimes a lot more time!). Be sure to start early and allow extra time when packing the car or getting to the airport, going through security, checking into your accommodation, eating out, etc. This additional time makes for a smooth trip and also helps keep stress to a minimum.
6. Bring Baby Travel Essentials
Although your research may reveal that hotels or accommodations offer some basic infant essentials, it’s best to bring as much as you can with you when you travel. For example, if a hotel offers cots, unless you can guarantee that their baby cots are up to date on safety requirements, it’s better to bring your own travel cot if you’re able to do so. Other holiday essentials for your baby include bottles, bibs, nappies and wipes dummies, etc. Keep these in a separate nappy bag for easy access! Our baby travel checklist below includes all these items and more.
7. Don’t Forget Favourite Toys or Blanket
Your little one is still getting used to the world around them, so bring some reminders of home to soothe any discomfort when in unfamiliar places. A favourite stuffed toy, a familiar rattle or a blanket with home scents can do wonders in keeping your babies and toddlers comfortable when travelling.
8. Double Check Car Seats
Whether you’re going to travel by car or plane with your newborn, older baby or toddler, double-check any car seats you use for safety. Look up the expiration date to make sure the seat hasn’t expired, and ensure that it’s properly installed.
9. Keep Feedings and Sleep Schedules Consistent
When travelling with babies, especially newborns and infants, it’s best to try and keep feeding schedules and sleep schedules consistent, even when crossing into other time zones. It’s hard for children to adjust to new routines, and a little consistency will do wonders. If you’re moving across several time zones and it’s impossible to stick to the same feeding times, try to adjust your schedule gradually. However, what’s most important is feeding your baby when they’re hungry, regardless of the hour, and giving yourself some extra grace.
10. Bring a First-Aid Kit
In addition to all your essential must-have holiday items for your baby, it’s also helpful to have your baby’s first-aid kit with you when travelling. Ensure it contains items like a thermometer, paracetamol suspension, barrier cream and rehydration sachets. You can keep one in the car, nappy bag or in your baby’s overnight bag.
Do you have all the baby essentials in your nappy bag? Take our quiz below to find out!
11. Wash Hands Frequently
Although briefly mentioned above, this is one of the most important tips for travelling with a newborn or child of any age, and it deserves a friendly reminder! Because your little one is still building their body’s natural immune defences, they’re more susceptible to catching colds, flu or other infections. And because you’ll be carrying your newborn while travelling or holding your baby’s hand, you should wash your hands frequently and use hand sanitiser.
12. Stay Hydrated
Travelling in general, but especially travelling by plane, is dehydrating to the body. Staying hydrated yourself means staying healthy and alert for your child. To keep your newborn hydrated, you’ll want to feed them more often (if needed), and older babies and toddlers will need sips of water throughout the day. Hydration is also very important if your little one has diarrhoea while travelling, which is common.
13. Bring Disposable or Hybrid Nappies
When you’re travelling, nothing beats the convenience of disposable nappies for your baby or nappy pants for your toddler.
14. Provide Entertainment
You may find that your newborn sleeps through much of the trip, but that probably won’t be the case for an active older baby or toddler! When travelling with a baby who’s a bit older and more alert, it helps to provide some form of entertainment, whether in the car, on the train, or an aeroplane. A soft toy or a picture book might work well.
15. Bring Food and Snacks
You don’t have to travel with an infant or toddler to know that meals and snacks are an essential part of any outing! You’ll need to breastfeed or bring formula, of course, supplemented by solid foods once your little one has been introduced to solids at around 6 months. Good travel food for babies can be anything they regularly eat – the point is to keep their tummy happy!
16. Sing Songs
Singing is a wonderful way to bond and engage with your baby or toddler. It’s an entertaining way to pass the time on long car drives, for instance, and has the added bonus of helping to boost vocabulary as well as other important language skills and developmental milestones for babies. Before long your not-so-little one will be singing along and repeating their favourite songs, again and again.
17. Plan Car Games
In addition to singing songs, keep your little one entertained with some fun car games. Your toddler may enjoy the classic game I Spy or even counting things (with your help) they see out the window, like cows or red cars. Another idea is to build or purchase a travel tray, a simple tray that connects to the back of one of the front seats and provides lots of things to touch, look at and listen to!
18. Pack Bedding From Home
When possible, pack bedding for your baby or toddler, which, of course, is easier when travelling by car or when you have extra space in your suitcase. Familiar textures and scents will help keep them at ease as they experience a disruption to their usual routine. If you’re flying far on a plane, just grab something small, like their favourite blanket or bedsheet, to help them feel ‘at home’.
19. Provide Extra Attention
Travelling with a baby or an older child often interrupts typical at-home routines, and your little one will probably need more attention from you. Some tips include extra hugs and snuggles during the day and at night, plus bringing interactive games and activities into the mix.
20. Maintain a Typical Meal Routine
Although travelling is a great time to try new foods or allow some ‘treats’, try to stick to your usual meal routines as much as possible. Let your older baby or toddler know that travelling can include trying new food while at the same time continuing to eat healthy foods and maintain normal mealtimes.
21. Look for Specials Offers
Many accommodations and restaurants offer special prices or deals for families, which can help reduce costs. ‘Kids stay free’ is a common feature; you can also see if a hotel provides complimentary meals or packaged discounts for kids and families. Consider working with a travel club or agency that can help you coordinate a trip with children in mind.
22. Ask for Assistance
With a baby, travel isn’t always an easy task to accomplish on your own. If your little one is feeling extra fussy on the plane or train and you’ve run out of ideas, ask an attendant if they have anything special for babies or young kids, such as children’s books or a pack of crayons. If you need a changing mat in your hotel room, call the front desk. It really does take a village, and many airlines, hotels and more offer special assistance for kids and families!
23. Pack for the Weather
Take a look at the weather report before you leave and pack accordingly. Consider bringing some extra layers for cooler night temperatures or extra supplies in case of rain or snow. Socks, rain covers, a warm jacket and a hat will all come in handy if the weather takes an unexpected turn.
24. Take Preventive Measures
It’s not unusual for an illness or another health-related issue to pop up when you’re on the go and away from home. Colds and sore throats, diarrhoea, car sickness, mosquito bites or bedbug bites – all these scenarios are possible with any kind of travel, including travels with your baby. Although you might not be able to completely prevent all these issues, it helps to prepare. You can do so by
getting necessary vaccinations before travelling
checking hotel rooms, bus seats or train cars for bedbugs
bringing your own food or eating only hot food that’s thoroughly cooked
eating only a light snack before travelling to lessen motion sickness
staying hydrated.
25. Remember Special Considerations When Flying
Don’t forget that flying with a child will require some extra steps. If you have any questions, consult your little one’s doctor or health visitor and contact the airline. For example, some airlines allow you to bring your baby’s car seat onboard and most will let you keep your pushchair until you reach the boarding gate. Read more about air travel in our article about flying with babies.
26. Plan Age-Appropriate Trips
Of course, travelling with a 1-year-old is going to be a little different than travelling with a 2-month-old! It helps to plan a trip that works for your child’s specific age, so if you’re travelling with a 9-month-old baby, think of something to do that meshes well with their abilities and interests. A simple trip to visit grandparents or somewhere there are lots of playgrounds is all you need! But, of course, kids love playing outdoors or at the beach.
27. Plan Breaks
For travel of any kind, remember that kids need breaks, naps and quiet time. If you’re taking a road trip, for example, research your routes thoroughly and plan for plenty of breaks (at least every 2 hours). It’s not easy for wriggly little ones to sit for too long, and getting out of the car to stretch legs or enjoy an attraction along the way helps keep spirits and energy levels high. If you’re on a plane, get up and walk the aisle a few times for a little movement and stimulation. Or if you’re spending the day at a theme park, squeeze in some time in the shade with a blanket for a quick snooze or a calming activity, like reading.
28. Bring Art and Craft Supplies
Your toddler may need something more interactive to keep them entertained while on a road trip, aeroplane or in a hotel room. Basic arts and crafts for toddlers can keep your little one occupied. Even just some crayons and a colouring book will help.
29. Adjust Sleep Schedules 2 to 3 Days Before if Needed
As mentioned before, when travelling with newborns and older babies, it’s better to try and stick to the same feeding and sleeping schedules. But when travelling with toddlers, you may have more wiggle room to adjust their routines. For short trips, you might not even need to consider this tip, but if you’re moving across multiple time zones, you can gradually adjust sleep and eating schedules to the new time zone a few days before departing on your trip.
30. Pack Books
Are you wondering what to pack when travelling with a baby or toddler? Put books at the top of your list! Any kind of books – picture books, storybooks, interactive books – will keep your little one entertained while travelling. And if you usually read before falling asleep, it’s important to maintain your bedtime routine while away from home.
31. Respect Boundaries
Travelling with babies and toddlers (or, really, kids of any age) is a lot of fun for everyone. But remember that a change in a routine can be difficult for children, so it’s important to respect any boundaries they put up. For example, if your child doesn’t want to give Grandma a hug this trip or go on a ride at a theme park, don’t force it. They might be feeling shy or nervous, and it’s best not to force interactions, even with family members or activities.
32. Allow Your Child to Make Decisions
One of the best tips for travelling with a toddler and older baby is to let them make some decisions as they start to dabble in independence. Ask them what they want to eat for dinner or what they’d like to wear. Keep decisions manageable for their little brains by offering two or three choices rather than asking open-ended questions. It will allow them to take ownership of the travel experience!
33. Try New Things
Make travelling with your baby or toddler even more memorable by encouraging new experiences. You’ll probably remember these trips forever, but to make them stick in your youngster’s mind, have some fun with unique activities that you can’t do at home. Plus, as your little one is growing and developing, they’ll naturally want to try new things and test newly developed skills!
34. Anticipate Big Feelings
Again, changes in routines can be difficult for kids to manage. Travelling means leaving home behind, sleeping in a strange bed and being without the usual comforts. This may be stressful, confusing or even a bit scary for some little ones. If these emotions come out in the form of temper tantrums, crying or resisting, give your child extra support and love.
35. Supervise Water Play
Baby travel or travelling with a toddler might include time in or near water, like splashing around in the pool, at the beach or on boat trips. Drowning is one of the leading causes of death in kids of any age, and it can happen in seconds, whether children are swimming, playing in a shallow pool or simply taking a bath. Watch children closely when in the water or during bath time.
36. Take Photos and Videos
With cameras built into phones, you probably don’t need a reminder to take photos! Still, be sure to capture the memories when travelling with your kids, especially as they get older. It will be fun for them to look back and remember the trip!
37. Keep a Scrapbook
Take a blank scrapbook with you and let your toddler draw or colour in it each day of the trip. For infants and newborns, press their hand or foot into the page with a bit of paint and add photos. When you return home, you can add more pictures or little trinkets like ticket stubs to the book, and your child can keep it to remember the experience. As your babies get older, travelling with them will get more and more fun, so let them be part of making the memories!
38. Be Safe in the Sun
If you’re travelling somewhere a little sunnier, or you’re simply spending a lot of time outside during the summer months, make sure your little one has plenty of shade (especially during the midday sun from 11 am to 3 pm). It’s important to keep your baby under 6 months of age out of direct sunlight.
It’s also a good idea to use a parasol or sunshade on your child’s buggy and dress them in loose cotton clothes, a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses (sunglasses should meet the British Standard and have the CE mark). You can also choose a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or more, which protects against UVA and UVB.
Baby Travel Checklist
We know this list of tips for travelling with a newborn, older baby, or toddler is quite thorough, so to make it a bit easier for you, you’ll find a handy baby holiday checklist below! We’ve included all the baby travel essentials that will make packing for your holiday a little easier, and help support a trip of any kind with any age group. This baby travel checklist works for kids of all ages, so you can use it when travelling with newborns, older babies, toddlers or even older children. It also works for short or long trips, by car, plane or train. You can also download a version of this baby packing list and use it at home when preparing and packing for your upcoming family holidays.
FAQS AT A GLANCE
There’s no age limit for travel, but it is wise to talk to your newborn’s doctor or health visitor before planning a trip. It takes time for babies to build their immune systems, and travel can put them at risk for colds, flu or other infections.
The Bottom Line
Travelling with a newborn, older baby, toddler, or kid of any age can be a lot of fun, but it also requires a little extra prep! We hope this article helps you prepare for future family holidays:
Download our baby travel checklist to ensure you don’t forget to pack any of the essential items you’ll need.
Consider all our tips for travelling with newborns, babies and toddlers to help your holiday go smoothly.
Remember that there is usually no age limit when it comes to travel, but it’s best to take extra precautions when travelling with newborns, as they have yet to build up their body’s natural immunity. Talk to your child’s doctor or health visitor before planning any travel so you know what vaccinations your baby will need. Family travel is a way to build wonderful memories that last a lifetime! Savour these exciting moments, whether you’re taking a simple trip to Grandma’s house, venturing out on a big road trip or enjoying an international holiday.
How We Wrote This Article The information in this article is based on expert advice found in trusted medical and government sources, such as the National Health Service (NHS). You can find a full list of sources used for this article below. The content on this page should not replace professional medical advice. Always consult medical professionals for full diagnosis and treatment.
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