Packing with Children
The holiday season is around the corner and it’s time to meet our family and friends. Many of us will be traveling out of the country, and some of us might be traveling alone with kids. Therefore, if you are traveling alone and need a helping hand, consider hiring a travel companion. There are many steps to getting ready for your trip. These include planning the trip, purchasing tickets, making reservations and finally packing. In addition, if you are traveling with kids then you need to do some extra planning.
First, you need to determine how many carry-on and check-in bags your airline will permit. Some airlines will allow 2 check-in bags and 1 carry-on bag per person, while some allow just one carry-on and one check-in bag. Secondly, you need to find out the weight allowed per bag, and the list of things that you can carry in your check-in vs carry-on luggage. Having determined the above restrictions, you can start packing for your trip. Here are some points that will help you especially if you are traveling with kids.
Check-in luggage
- Have a dedicated suitcase for your kids. If you are traveling with an infant, then one bag will do. If you are traveling with a toddler or more than one child, and you are allowed 2 bags per person, then you have an option to carry one more bag for your kids.
- Pack only the essential clothes for your kids. Avoid carrying extra clothes because you can always purchase them at your destination or even wash and reuse them.
- If you are traveling during winter, pack warm clothes like pull overs, light jackets, sweaters, etc. If you are traveling during summer, pack light clothes like tank tops, shorts, swim trunks or suits, etc.
- Pack some traditional clothes if you are traveling during Diwali, see Traveling to India for Diwali. You can always buy new Indian traditional clothes there, but your kids might have their favorites.
- Pack some extra shoes and socks, for your kids.
- Carry your sun screen lotion if you are traveling to a tropical country like India.
- If you have kids with sensitive skin, then do not forget to carry their special body lotion, shampoo, body wash, etc.
- Pack your kids’ favorite toys, games, and books to keep them happy at your holiday destination.
- Pack a small bottle of laundry detergent and other necessary supplies to do laundry at the hotel. See https://ladylighttravel.com/2013/10/28/travel-gear-for-doing-laundry/.
Carry-on luggage
Packing your carry-on luggage is little tricky because you are allowed just 9 to 10 kilos per person. Here are some tips.
- Always pack a small first-aid kit in your carry-on luggage.
- If you are traveling with an infant, you need to carry extra bottles, a small tin of formula, extra clothes, etc. See Traveling with small children for more details.
- Toddlers are hard to entertain so here are some items to help you.
- Pack their favorite toys, only the special ones.
- You can also carry some video games or an iPad with their favorite cartoons/TV programs.
- To satisfy their sudden hunger, pack some snacks. For more details see snack ideas for kids.
- Carry a travel pillow or a blanket to help your little ones get a good night’s sleep.
- Keep a small bottle of hand sanitizer to help those little inquisitive hands germ free.
- Pack some extra clothes, so that you can freshen them up after a long flight.
- Carry a surprise toy or a book, or even a snack for your child to make their trip special. You can even use the surprise gift to ease your tired cranky child during the flight.
If you forget something, make a note of that item in your travel list and then you’ll be even more ready and smart for your next holiday trip. Parents traveling with kids can use an extra helping hand during long flights. A travel companion can help a parent take breaks, use the restroom, grab something to eat, or even help with the baggage. (You might have heavy bags with gifts for family members). You can find a travel companion by using tripcompanion.com and enjoy a more comfortable flight.
Fly Confident!