Let’s be honest, change is hard for anyone. But when you’re experiencing the world for the first time, like babies and toddlers, different can be downright scary. Since toddlers lack the verbal skills to communicate their fears, new experience can be riddled with tears and tantrums… unless you prepare toddlers for new experiences ahead of time.

As a traveling family, our kids are constantly presented with new experiences. To make sure they are met with smiles instead of tears, we follow a few simple steps.

Why it Helps to Prepare Toddlers for New Experiences

When you prepare toddlers for new experiences ahead of time, you’re doing a few things at once:

• Giving them a sense of control in a world where most things are decided for them
• Helping them build a mental “story” of what will happen, so it doesn’t feel scary in the moment
• Giving them simple language to describe feelings like “nervous,” “loud,” or “too many people”

This doesn’t make every moment perfect, but it usually means fewer surprise meltdowns and more chances for your child to feel proud of themselves for trying something new.

Step-by-Step: How to Prepare Toddlers for New Experiences

Below are the exact steps we use before a big change, like a trip, a special outing, or even a new class. You can use just one, or layer them together for extra support.

1. Talk to Them

Well ahead of the new place, event, person, or thing they’re going to experience, start talking them through what’s going to happen. Go step by step, speaking slowly, using words they understand. Track their facial expressions for any concerns that may arise. Use your initial chat as a script, and go over daily to make sure they are ready. We like to do this daily at bed time, but any time would work.

2. Show Them Pictures and Videos

Show them pictures and videos of the new experience. It’s easy to do this if it’s a place you’ve been. If you haven’t, YouTube and Google image search are great resources. Comment like a narrator on what’s happening in the video or picture, and let them ask questions. As you did with the talk track, show them these visuals often leading up to the new experience.

3. Role Play How the Experience Will Unfold

Role play how the experience will unfold. For example, if you’re going on a flight, grab an empty suitcase or backpack. Pack it into the car, and pretend you’re headed to their airport. If they’re meeting a new person, pretend you are that person and let them interact with you. Notice when they get stuck, and listen for how they role play to catch any potential concerns they can’t verbalize.

A Real-Life Example: First Flight After a Long Break

These simple tricks have helped our toddlers become pros at facing change and new experiences. In fact, our older son just had his first flight since before the pandemic, and he faced it like a champ. He had been on over 20 flights before the pandemic, but he didn’t remember any of them! He was slightly nervous about the plane being too loud, which he was able to communicate head of time. This helped me show him videos with plane noises, so he could hear what it will be like and mentally prepare. I also brought noice canceling headphones to help with his concerns about the noise. He didn’t even need them!

This is exactly why we continue to prepare toddlers for new experiences even when they’ve technically “done it before.” Time passes, they forget, and their brains process the world differently as they grow. The more we practice, talk, and play through things in advance, the more confident they become when it’s time to actually go.

If your next new experience happens to be air travel, pairing these preparation steps with the ideas from Toddler Flight Essentials will give you a full game plan: how to get them ready emotionally and what to pack so they’re comfortable on travel day.

Final Thoughts

Preparing toddlers for something new does not have to be complicated or perfect. A little bit of talking, showing, and role playing ahead of time can go a long way toward turning big, unfamiliar moments into experiences your child can actually enjoy. When you prepare toddlers for new experiences, you are not only trying to prevent meltdowns in the moment. You are helping them build confidence, learn to name their feelings, and trust that you will guide them through whatever comes next.

What new experiences do your toddlers have coming up? Let me know! Feel free to email me or send a message on Instagram, I’m always happy to share more tips and insights to help you travel.

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A post shared by Mari • Family Travel with Toddlers + Preschoolers (@marionthemap)

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The post How to Prepare Toddlers for New Experiences appeared first on Mari on the Map.

In the first year of his life, our little traveling babe will have taken 15 flights, including one transatlantic! Needless to say, we’ve learned a thing or two about baby packing tips. In the beginning, like all parents, we were lugging around literally everything he had. We basically moved our entire house with us to our travel destination. No longer! Here’s how we make it work with two suitcases and two carry-ons (and no broken backs!).

Note: I specifically split our tips into do’s and don’t’s for good reason: I’m typically a terrible packer. It completely stresses me out every time, despite the fact that we take upwards of 20 trips a year. Practice will make perfect eventually, right?! From one terrible packer to (maybe?) another, I guarantee these do’s and don’t’s will help you!

Do Plan Outfits Ahead of Time

Sorry/not sorry if this is annoying, but one of the best ways to avoid overpacking is to plan exactly what you’re going to wear. How do I do this? In addition to looking at our itinerary, which includes the place we’ll be that day (city, countryside, beach) plus our general activities (sightseeing, road trip, sunbathing, hiking), I also look at the weather. You’ll get a fairly accurate reading about a week before your travel dates (weather.com plans out 10 days in advance). You can also look at historical weather for your location. Available on weather.com, this will give you average highs and lows for that time of year.

I can personally attest to the importance of this, as there’s an infamous story in my family of a trip to Italy in the spring. We all had to layer literally everything we brought because “spring” turned out to actually be 40-degrees Fahrenheit. Not to mention the December Disney trip when we raided the Main Street sweatshirt shop because it was freezing, and we only had shorts. Needless to say, checking the weather against your port of call and activities is essential. Plan out your baby’s outfits as well. This will ensure you don’t need to throw in an extra layer for every outfit “just in case”.

Not sure how to plan out your outfits? My favorite tip for this is choosing a pop of color (think: blue or red) and keeping everything else neutral. This way, you know your shoes, accessories, bags, etc. will go with every outfit. You will have a little room to improvise away from your planned outfits if needed. Stick to this for you and baby. Lay all of your outfits out and snap pics of them, so you remember what goes with what.

Do Make the Clothes You’re Bring Last

While you’re planning your outfits for each day, think about how you can consolidate, so you don’t have to wear something entirely new each day. We know you don’t wash your jeans every day at home, so there’s no reason to throw those in the laundry pile after one wear on vacation! Consider rewearing your pajamas more than one night and definitely rewear outerwear.

For baby, the same applies. If your little love is beyond the spitting up phase, some clothing items, like pants, can usually last more than one wear. Make sure your baby’s pajamas last more than one night (ideally two), too. One of our favorite products for ensuring that our baby doesn’t wet through while he’s sleeping (because no one wants to clean urine-soaked sheets on vacation!) are these diaper booster pads from Sposie. They’re completely flat, so they pack easily in your diaper bag or suitcase. We also used them on our last long flight (9 hours!) to ensure that neither baby nor we needed our clothes changed because of a diaper overflow. They’re a go-to for us at home as well!

If you are going to be doing activities where you might get dirty or you just want some insurance, you can easily do a bit of laundry on your trip. Most hotels will do your laundry for you, but we also launder smaller items like socks, underwear, and bras, in our bathroom sink or tub. Tide sells travel sink packets that are specifically designed for this. If you won’t have an outdoor area to let these items air dry, hang them in the bathroom for at least 24 hours, then finish the drying with the hotel’s hair dryer. On small items, it goes faster than you think! For treating spots, stash a Tide Pen in your diaper bag.

Do Make Your Clothes Pull Double Duty

Think about how you can stretch your wardrobe where possible. Planning to sightsee and go out to dinner? Make that outfit work from day to night, without adding any transitional pieces (like you might have done in your pre-parenting days). Wear clothing and shoes that are both comfortable and fashionable. I personally have these flat ankle boots and stylish, non-white sneakers to accomplish this. Wear them with a trendy top plus dark jeans.

Your accessories should work the same. While I always carry a purse at home, when we travel, I use our diaper bag to carry anything I’d want in my purse. I also stopped packing additional jewelry and accessories. This isn’t only for space reasons (although that does help!), but also because babies love to tug on earrings, necklaces, and scarves. It’s so much easier to stick with studs, my wedding band, and a watch. I can always bling out on the days when I’m at home!

Don’t Bring Things You Don’t Need

I know this should go without saying, but almost everyone overpacks! Once you’ve planned out each outfit, don’t go crazy bringing backups. You really only need 1-2 total items in case you get puked on. Leave everything else at home, including all of those “just in case items” (What if I get invited to a ball!? J/K, but seriously, you don’t need a ball gown). Do you really need heels? All that jewelry? Special baby towels? Nope. Embrace flats for day and night, save your bling for home, and let your baby use the hotel towels.

Speaking of special baby items, there are plenty of things you can buy/rent when you arrive. Baby food and diapers will be readily available in supermarkets/pharmacies in almost every country. You can research what brands stores in your destination have available ahead of time. One of my favorite ways to do this is the Moms Love Travel page on Facebook. The members are moms from around the world who travel (duh!). I sent a message to them for our recent Ireland trip, and several moms who live in Ireland commented with the best organic baby food and diaper brands, plus the name of the store in which I’d find them. We brought enough to get us through 3 days and bought the rest on arrival. This is a huge space saver. Diapers take up so much room, and baby food pouches area heavy.

For baby’s sleep needs, nearly every hotel will provide you with a crib or Pack’n’Play free of charge. Some of the better ones also gave our baby a stuffed animal from the hotel’s gift shop. When staying in an Airbnb, message the host to see if they have something on hand. If they don’t, you can utilize a rental company. Staying with family or friends? The same applies. Ask them if they can borrow a crib or Pack’n’Play from a neighbor or friend, and reach out to a rental company if they can’t. In addition, many car rental companies also rent car seats. Just make sure you reserve them ahead of time. If you want to bring your own, you can ticket counter or gate check it for free. See more on that in my post about flying with a baby.

For parents, hotels also provide a wealth of every day items outside of the free toiletries—all also free of charge. Almost every hotel will have umbrellas that you can use throughout your stay. Most hotels also offer things like razors and toothbrushes, and many also have ear plugs, headphones, beach towels, and toys/games for kids. Email or call the concierge ahead of time to find out what’s available and relish in your extra suitcase space.

Don’t Let Bulky Items Weigh You Down

If all else fails, compress it all. Compression bags can save your life. We invested in this Samsonite pack for our honeymoon and have used them on almost every trip since. You don’t need a vacuum to suck the air out, so they’re very travel-friendly. If you’re traveling with winter items, especially, they will save you a ton of space.

Good luck, my friends, and happy travels!

This post was created in partnership with Sposie.

The post How to Pack Light with a Baby appeared first on Mari on the Map.

Alright, friends, let’s talk flying with a baby. Every traveler at some point or another has gotten to their gate, seen a baby, and hoped that they weren’t going to be seated next to him/her. Before I had a baby, I did it myself! I like to catch up on sleep on planes, after all. But here’s a secret, even if no one wants to sit next to your baby, you can have the little guy or gal that doesn’t make a peep all flight long!

Now that Baby L and I have six flights under our belts, including two solo (without daddy!), we’re sharing the skills needed to inspire fellow travelers call your little one, “the best baby ever!” This actually happened to us on our last flight, and it can happen to you, too! Here’s how.

Booking Your Flight

Keep the Flight Short

First step to flying with your baby is to decide where to go! I recommend making baby’s first flight short haul, ideally less than three hours. You’re inevitably going to be a bit anxious about how your little one will react. Having it over with quickly will help assuage your concerns and help baby get used to plane travel.

You’ll also have to choose if you want to buy baby his/her own seat or have him/her on your lap. We recommend traveling with him/her on your lap and wearing him/her in a chest carrier (more on that later!). This one is our favorite–you can also add in this infant insert if baby is less than 15 pounds. Keep in mind that some flight attendants might ask you to unclip it during takeoff and landing (this happened to us on only one of six flights), but you can just take down the shoulder straps.

Travel During the Day

Don’t mess with bed time! There’s no quicker way to a cranky baby than to mess up bed time routine. To make sure you’re at your destination with plenty of time to get that baby to bed, make sure your flight is during the day. We’ve traveled both early morning and in the afternoon without much difference in Baby L’s behavior.

Travel with a Companion

If you can, plan to travel with a buddy your first time. Not only will it help to have a buffer against any baby haters in your row, it also helps logistically. Babies come with a lot of stuff, and things are easier with an extra set of hands. Plus, you can take turns holding baby on and off the plane, using the bathroom without having to worry about your stroller, and take turns entertaining baby pre-flight to get the wiggles out.

Select the Best Seat

I know, I know, you have to pay extra to choose a seat. There’s no better time to splurge and get the seat you want with your travel partner than when flying with your baby for the first time. Try to pick a row as close to the front of the plane as possible. The rows in the front are generally closer to the bathroom in case baby needs a diaper change. Plus, you can usually get on and off the plane first, which helps with your extra bundle in tow.

For the actual seats, choose a window seat if you’re planning to nurse your baby on the plane. This will give you some more privacy since your partner will be seated next to you. If you plan to bottle feed and/or if baby is more mobile, go with an aisle seat. You’ll be able to get out more easily to walk the aisles, bouncing baby to help keep him/her calm during the flight.

Before the Flight

Play Airplane Sounds

Play airplane white noise for your baby during naps for at least a week before the flight. This will help baby associate the airplane white noise with nap time and help him go to sleep once you’ve taken off.

Prep Your Carry-on

Your carry-on is most likely going to be a diaper bag. In addition to ensuring that it has plenty of the typical things you’d carry (like diapers and wipes), here are some must-have specifically for your flight:

• Change of clothes for baby–dress baby in a long-sleeved footie sleeper; planes are cold!
• Change of clothes for you and your partner–at least a shirt in case baby throws up (it’s his/her first time dealing with air pressure changes)
• 3-5 Small new toys that baby has never seen before attached to pacifier clips–you don’t want to be digging for dropped toys on a plane
• 2 Pacifiers on a clip–one for the flight and a spare
• At least 2 Burp cloths
• 2 Bibs–one for baby to wear and one spare; you want any drool or spit up to go on the bib while you’re wearing baby or holding him/her in your lap
• Food for baby–ideally this is just breastmilk or formula in a bottle, but you can also bring teething crackers or squeezies
• Wet wipes to wipe down the armrests, tray table, bathroom, and anything baby is going to touch
• Travel changing pad
• Lightweight baby blanket–this will come in handy to cover anything you don’t want to put your baby directly down on like the chairs at your gate
• Scented plastic bags to dispose of dirty diapers

At the Airport

Car Seats & Strollers

Nearly every airline lets you check a stroller and car seat for free either at the ticket counter or at the gate (bonus!). If you can, we recommend checking both at the gate. Your car seat will get much less banged up at gate check, and it’s super helpful to have your stroller to get around the airport. We recommend putting your car seat in a car seat bag to protect it. This is the one we use, and it’s proven to be damage-proof. If you do decide to check your car seat at the ticket counter, take advantage of the extra space in your car sea bag, and stuff it with additional lightweight items for baby like diapers.

Keep Baby Happy

A fed baby is a happy baby! Make sure you stick as close as you can to your current feeding schedule. For us, that sometimes meant feeding Baby L before leaving the house, in the car once arriving to the airport, in a nursing pod after going through security, or at an empty gate. Whatever works to feed baby when he/she is hungry it what you should aim to do. If you’re not sure where the nursing pods are, ask at information. Nearly every domestic airport has one now. You can also usually find the information ahead of time on the airport’s website.  

Change baby’s diaper before you get on the plane. Not all planes have changing tables. Even if they do, those plane bathrooms are tiny. Generally, for a short haul, you can get away with changing baby before you take off and once you land, avoiding changing him/her on the plane altogether. If you do have to change baby on the plane, and there’s no changing table, the easiest way to do it is as follows:

1. Wipe down the sink top with paper towels, followed by your wet wipes
2. Put your changing pad down on the sink top and put baby down on it. Make sure to stay close to keep him/her safe. You can get close by putting down the toilet lid and resting one of your knees on it, while standing in front of sink top. If the sink top is really gross after wiping, put the lightweight blanket down first, then the changing pad, then the baby. Try to keep baby from touching anything.

Getting Through Security

If you’re traveling with a lap infant, you almost always get TSA Pre-Check automatically, but it’s worth signing up for it just to be safe. Your bags will go on the X-ray conveyor belt as normal. If you are traveling with breast milk or formula (either liquid or frozen), notify a TSA officer that you have milk that needs to be inspected. You are allowed to travel with any quantity of breast milk/formula and are not beholden to the 3 ounces of liquid rule. They will tell you to put it through the X-ray conveyor belt and will quickly look it over–it’s a very simple process.

Your car seat will need to come out of the bag. The bag will go through on the X-ray conveyor belt, while the car seat will usually be taken to the side to be hand inspected (if the X-ray machine is large enough, they’ll tell you to send the car seat through as well). If hand inspected, it will be wiped with a special cloth that exposes explosives residue. Your stroller will go through the same process. They will ask you to roll it over to a side area and leave it open, so it can be wiped down.

When it comes time for you and baby to go through the metal detector, you will have to carry him/her. Your stroller will already be off to the side being inspected. You’ll have to hold baby until all of your items have been inspected and returned to you. This is another time when having a buddy comes in handy. It can be hard to juggle getting your stuff back together while holding your baby.

At the Gate

As soon as you get to the gate, go up to the gate agent to let them know you’re traveling with a child. People traveling with small children get special assistance, including early boarding. If you’re going to gate check your stroller and car seat, some airlines also give you additional tracking tags, which you’ll have to get before boarding. For safety, also put your own luggage tags on your car seat bag and stroller just to be safe.

While you’re waiting for your plane, don’t just sit around. Take baby for a walk in your arms, narrate what you see in the airport, do as much active play as you can to help him/her burn off some energy. This will help baby be calm and, hopefully, sleep on the plane.

During the Flight

Wearing Baby

As mentioned, keeping baby close to you by wearing him/her in a carrier is going to be the safest and most comfortable way to fly with your baby. You don’t have to worry about juggling him/her in your arms, and baby will be comforted by having his/her head close to your chest. My son loves this position so much that he almost always falls asleep as soon as I get him in it.

Since you’re going to have baby close to your chest, it’ll be hard to bend down to get the things you need out of your carry on. Try to put anything you urgently need in the seat pocket in front of you, and push the rest under the seat in front of you. Put anything you won’t need in the overhead bin–you’ll need the extra space sharing a seat with your little one. Have your partner help you get anything out of your bag during the flight.

Takeoff and Landing

I can’t stress this enough–you must have baby suck on something during takeoff and landing to ensure his/her ears pop. The number one reason babies cry on planes is because of pressure and discomfort. To keep baby happy, keep him/her sucking. A pacifier is easiest if your baby will take one, but a bottle or nursing also works. Make sure to also give baby lots of reassurance. Patting, shooshing, kissing, and soft singing are all your friends.

You can set your baby up for a lifetime of loving travel with a little preparedness and a whole lot of optimism and patience. If the first time doesn’t go well, no worries! You’ll learn from it, and get it right the next time. The best thing you can do is acclimate your little one to plane travel now, so he/she’s a seasoned traveler in no time. Then you can all travel more as a family.

The post How to Survive Baby’s First Flight appeared first on Mari on the Map.