Travel Tips for Little Ones
Is your family taking any end of summer trips? A few weeks ago, we drove to 13 hours to visit family in Tennessee (quite challenging with 3 kids!). Now, we are in Cape Cod (just a quick hour drive!) for a few weeks to close out summer.
No matter how far or how close you are going, travel can shake things up a bit. A new environment, new people, and new things to do can be exciting, but also stimulating, especially for little ones. Schedules tend to change a bit (or a lot - depending!) and new sleep situations can also be challenging.
I am going to share some of my family’s travel tips that have really worked well for us.
Pack Smart. Be sure to pack everything that you will need as a part of the bedtime routine. Here are some things you could add to your packing list: pack ‘n play, pack ‘n play sheets, sleep sacks, sound machines, baby monitor, pacifiers, favorite books, favorite stuffed animals or lovey and anything else that your child may be used to having at home and may find comforting.
*A week before the trip, you could even have your child practice sleeping in the pack ‘n play.
Set Up the Sleep Environment. When you get to your destination, set up your child’s sleep environment in their space. Is your little one able to have their own sleeping area? If there aren’t enough bedrooms, even a large closet or bathroom could work! If the bedroom or sleeping area lets in a lot of light, you could put up a towel or extra sheet in the window to make the room as dark as possible.
Set up the pack ‘n play. Make sure it is not close to something that your child can pull or reach. Adjust the temperature, plug in the sound machine and set up the monitors. I like to set up the sleep environment well before bedtime so that our first night in our new space isn’t rushed.
Bedtime Routine. The bedtime routine that you do at home should be the same one that you do while you are traveling. Do a bath, brush teeth, put on pajamas, read a story, etc. all in the same order that you would typically do at home. Lots of things may be different, but the bedtime routine doesn’t have to be! Even though you are in a new place, the routine and process of the bedtime routine will still show your little one these “sleep signals” that sleep time is near! Give a few extra snuggles and love!
Keep on Schedule. You should stick to your child/children’s schedule on your trip as best as you can. MANY things will be new and different during your trip, but the schedule should stay the same (as much as it can!). If possible, make your plans around nap time and bedtime. It will be much easier to enjoy your trip with your little one when they aren’t overtired.
It is okay if your naps while traveling weren’t as long as you would have liked, or bedtime was slightly later at times. As soon as you return from your trip, get right back into your normal routine and schedule. Your little one will get right back into the swing of things!
Enjoy that trip! It is so fun to travel and experience new things with your kids!