5 ways to make travel easy with infants or small kids

Traveling with a tiny tot can have its share of challenges, but I can tell you from experience that it should definitely not be avoided. Traveling lets parents get away from the daily grind at times when life begins to feel like an endless loop of feeding and bathing the little one. It also lets the child discover something apart from the crib, bedroom floor and your lawn, if you have one.

I know what you’re thinking. What if the child falls ill? What if he/she throws a temper tantrum on the airplane and embarrasses the hell out of you? What if you travel against elders’ advice and they get an opportunity to say ‘I told you so’?

Set those fears aside. All you need is an open mind, a little bit of patience and the right kind of preparation to ensure that you and the kids come back from a trip with smiles on your faces. Feel free to go through a few of my suggestions to do just that -1. CHOOSE THE RIGHT TRANSPORT: Journeys by your own/rented car are the best because they allow you the freedom of moving at your own pace, stopping wherever you want and storing things within easy reach. You also wouldn’t have other passengers giving you dirty looks if your little one decides to cry his/her heart out.(Check out travelcafe’s feature on what to carry on a road journey).Train journeys are the second best option. You don’t have to check in baggage, you don’t have to reach 1-3 hours early to board, there is enough room for the toddler to move around and co-travellers are accommodating, at least in India. 2. GET FLIGHT-PLANNING RIGHT: If you have to fly, choose your flights with care. It’s ideal to sync your time on the flight with the child’s nap times. This should help the kid sleep through the journey. Keep at least 3 hours of layover time between long haul flights. It will give you enough time to change nappies, take toilet as well as snack breaks and reach the check-in counters at the child’s pace.  Choose an aisle seat for loo breaks and running around on the flight so that you don’t disturb other passengers.3. FEED THE CHILD: In our experience, feeding the child at an airport 20-30 minutes before boardingis a good idea. Baby is fed, burped and lulled into a slumber. A crying baby on a flight is everybody’s nightmare. The change in air pressuremakes your ears pop and could give the child an ear ache. Babies can’t be told to swallow saliva or chew a toffee so a pacifier helps.If kids are old enough, give them a lollipop (sugar free if possible) and small quantities of water to sip through the flight. If you want to give them a semi-solid feed, just carry instant food packets, a small flask of hot water, a bowl and a spoon and their meal can be easily prepared anywhere.4. KEEP THEM BUSY: As any parent can vouch for, kids have notoriously short attention spans and they can get fidgety or cranky if they have nothing to do. If you are in a car, take breaks along the way, allowing your child to stretch his/her legs and play for some time. If you are traveling by train, get off at stations (keeping the halt duration in mind of course) and walk around with the toddler. Point interesting things out the window and keep them engaged with other kids or even obliging elderly people.If you are taking a flight, pack toys to keep them busy. An iPad with their favourite games loaded on it usually keeps children entertained for a long time. Also get them to walk in the aisle once in a while.5. PACK WHAT YOU NEED: Packing for kids can be crucial, more so if you’re going to remote places where things might not be easily available.I used to pack a tea/coffee maker for the times when room service was not available so I could make milk or instant cereals whenever the need arose. Keeping medicines for illnesses that your kid is prone to is imperative to avoiding a late night search for a medical store.If possible, take a pram or stroller along so you don’t have to carry the baby all the time. Pack a few quick drying clothes to tackle food spills and tricky weather.Have enough snacks and water handy for times between meals.Should you have the space, pack the child’s favourite blanket or pillow – trust me, they sleep better that way. Other than this, pack as you would for any other trip.