Spring is here and summer vacation is right around the corner. It is time you start planning an adventure with your family. But, that includes long-ish car rides or flights and a few traffic jams/airport waitings along the way, with your little bundle of joy. If your thoughts on this are “Nah, the little drool machine will be an angel and we will just play the entire trip, we’re fine…” Get those thoughts out of your head right away.
Sure, all children are little angels, but even us, grownups, get tired during the trip and become nervous. Why wouldn’t they? They are not on their own territory, there’s so many people around, new, unfamiliar smells, not to mention so much noise…
But, we are the 21st century parents, and we have gadgets and apps for every situation, right? So, what are the absolute essentials when it comes to traveling with babies? Which gadgets will save your sanity during the long trips? The answer is TOYS, and SNACKS! And a few more really useful things, but you will have to keep reading to find out.
Gadgets That Will Save Your Sanity During Family Trips
You probably already have an idea about how important it is to have toys for the baby when you travel. Whether we are talking about a one hour stroll through the park, or long, international flights, toys are a must. So, to keep the little angel entertained and happy, here are a few toy suggestions that will help you out.
Lil’ Jammerz Bluetooth Musical Friends…of course.
This adorable plush toy band will keep your baby entertained for the most time while it’s awake. The band includes three members, Mazzy, the microphone, who happens to be the band leader, Jo Jo on the percussion, and Joon Bug on the guitar.
Now, what separates this toy set from the sea of other plush toys, is that Mazzy, can stream music from your phone and play it on an inbuilt speaker. This means that your baby has its favorite playlists, available all the time. When you add to the band Jo Jo on the percussion, which is a soft, squeezable toy drum that squeaks every time the baby grabs or hits it, and Joon the Bug on the guitar, which is a soft rattle, your baby will catch the beat, make a new one, and develop its imagination through playing, with the music in the background.
And speaking of the musical background, may we suggest Babies Go The Doors playlist? It’s got all the best The Doors instrumentals, but turned into lullabies that will put a smile on your and baby’s face, and won’t bother anyone around. @lil_jammerz
Munch Mitt
Munch Mitt by Malarky Toys is a God send for ones that are teething and want to put everything in their mouth! They have some great new additions to their line so check them out @malarkeykidsinc
Books
There is nothing more important then reading to your baby for bonding. Real books…not a Kindle. When you are trapped in a car or plane for hours story time is a great go-to! Bring light weight small books this will help with having variety.
Baby Plane Ride Survival Kit
Now that we got the toys crossed, it’s time to focus on the things that will make your life on this trip so much easier. As a modern, parent on the go, you need to be prepared for every possible situation a trip with a baby on board can throw at you. So, beside the well known MUST haves such as wet wipes, dry clothing, as many diapers as possible, here’s a list of the lesser known essentials:
Blankets
You need to be ready for the cold air in the planes. On some flights, the air inside the cabin will be chilly, and your baby can easily catch a cold. Be always prepared and take your baby’s favorite blankie in your carry-on luggage. Not only that it will keep the child warm, but the “home scent” of the blanket will keep it calm and feeling safe, and it will sleep longer.
ZippyJamz
These jammies are almost a must-have for plane rides. Diaper changing is a hassle in any closed quarters…ZippyJamz save the day! @zippyjamz
- Babies stay warm and in a sleep state throughout diaper changes. ZippyJamz keep baby’s chest completely covered and the zipper along the sleeper’s inseam allows parents to gently and quietly access the diaper changing area – even in the dark. No snaps to match, no cold air drafts and no pulling and pushing legs back into the sleeper.
- Fully lined zippers won’t pinch or irritate a baby’s skin. Both the front and inseam zippers are fully lined so there’s no contact with a baby’s sensitive skin.
- Premium YKK zippers work smoothly – even if a baby is kicking or rolling around. The entire value of ZippyJamz rests on the perfect and smooth operation of our YKK zippers.
- Premium 100% organic cotton. When it comes to babies’ skin, less is best. Using a GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) Certified organic cotton ensures that the entire lifecycle of the cotton: growing, harvesting, production, and manufacturing, adheres to the strictest global standard for ethical and responsible production.
Zippered Wet Bags
This is one of the greatest inventions of this century! Not only that you get to keep the fresh diapers dry and ready in a second, but you can also store used diapers, wet clothes, in a separate, waterproof, smell proof zip compartment.
These bags are extremely light in weight, and are machine washable and durable. Meaning that they will survive much more than just one trip and better for the environment than using zip type plastic bags.
Baby Front Carrier – Kangaroo
Walking through the airport with a bulky stroller can be really stressful. Not to mention that you can’t take it as a carry-on baggage, and there’s not much use of it if you get to use it from the moment you exit the airport, right?
But, you still need to carry the baby as you walk through the airport aisles, and carrying it on the biceps… well, we all know how fast that becomes a bad idea. So, our solution for this problem is a baby front carrier, a.k.a. the Kangaroo. This way, both your hands will be free, the baby will be facing forward and stay occupied by the world around it, and the most important thing, you will be able to pick up the pace if needed.
Wrapping It Up
Okay parents, tickets? Checked! Passports? Checked! Baby Gear? Checked! You are ready to go! And remember, no matter how hard a certain travel situation seems now, it will be one of those family memories that you will remember always and have a smile on your face each time you remember it. Kids grow up so fast, so love them, travel the world with them, because they will start making memories of their own sooner than we all think!
