"I Bought This For $3 And It Occupied My Kid For An Entire Flight": Parents Are Sharing Their Best Tips For Traveling With Young Kids, And Some Are Truly Genius (2024)

Center your packing list around staple pieces of clothing that you can pair together in different ways for your kid — depending on things like the weather, location, activities, etc.

"Avoid overpacking by taking kids' clothes that you can mix and match and can transition from day to night. Children only need 1 or 2 'nice' pieces — like a fun dress or skirt, or a nice pair of shorts or lightweight pants. If you do need to purchase any new clothes, do so two to three weeks before your trip to allow sufficient time for delivery and breaking-in time."

—Serena Minott,mother and author of the travelbookThe Amazing Adventures of Aya & Pete

"Some airlines specifically state that diaper bags, breast pumps, and milk can all be carried on in addition to your normal carry-on bag and personal item allowance. Knowing ahead of time that you’re allowed to bring all of these items free of charge will help you pack more efficiently."

—Ben Walker,father andFinanceBuzz's travel and credit card expert

"Before buying tickets for an attraction, make sure to check online first for discount codes and specials. You may even save when booking online as opposed to purchasing them at the in-person ticket booth. You could also complete an internet search for discounts or check sites like Groupon and Rakuten."

—Zander Buteux,industry expert atVacationRenter

"As a family, we allagree on our 'must-do' items, and we book those first. Then have extra activities we'll agree to tack on if there's money left over toward the end of the trip. By discussing plans in advance, it prevents disappointment and stops anyone from feeling like we missed out on something while traveling."

—Keri Baugh,mother and a professional familytravel blogger

"On super hot days, I add Pedialyte Electrolyte Powder to the kids’ water to give an extra boost to their system."

—Stacey Marmolejo,mother and creator ofFlorida Beach Break.

"Take snacks on the flight and for the first few days of the trip. You can't always find food that kids want to eat at the airport. Plus, with such long lines in many airports, you might not have time to buy a snack once you get through security."

—Suzanne Brown,mom,blogger, and author ofThe Mompowerment Guide to Work-Life Balance

"Either check off flexible dates during a search or set a flight tracker such as Google Flights or FlightHopper. Traveling during the week is often less expensive, too."

—Mollie Krengel, mother of three and founder ofWild Bum

"Purchase two or three little items you know your child will love that you can pull out on the plane as a distraction. Kids love surprises, and even letting them unwrap the items will buy you some time. Fidgets, easy-peel stickers, or anything related to their favorite characters or animals will help distract and quiet down kids."

—Jenny Meassick,mother and professionaltravel blogger

"Keep a kid happy on a flight (or long car ride) by giving them a variety of treats in a bead tray. When it's time to land, just put the top back on and pack it away."

—Mike Spohr

"Hotels in city centers are pricier and notorious for charging high parking fees, which can add up quickly if you're traveling with a vehicle. Staying a little outside of the city center can save you quite a bit of money. Staying outside of tourist hot spots means you'll usually have a quieter stay. Plus, you can get a better feel for a city by exploring a quieter area you otherwise might not have visited."

—Debbie Fettback,mother and professional familytravel blogger

"Bring dry erase markers for drawing on the window!"

—clairew469e28fce

"Entertain your kids by letting them play with some dollar-store gel clings on the window. If you're flying and don't have a window seat, they can play with the gel clings on the tray table in front of them."

—Mike Spohr

"Check to see if your destination offers a layaway plan. For example, Walt Disney World Resort allows its guests to set up a payment plan whereby the guest sets the terms so long as the trip is completely paid off 30 days before the departure date. They do not charge interest or a fee for this option. Layaway plans won't really save you money per-se, but they will give you more time to pay off your balance."

—Jaimie Michaels, father and editor atMagic Guides

"Hotel chains such as Hyatt offer a discount for families that book two rooms when one of the rooms is used exclusively by kids. If you have a large family and need more than one room, it’s great to receive a discount rather than pay the full room rates."

—Alex Miller, founder & CEO ofUpgraded Points

"For food in the car, you can’t beat a frisbee as a plate. Turn it upside down and the curved edges keep things from rolling off. And when you need to get out and stretch your legs, you have a game to play."

—hollyjeanmorgans

"We spent a lot of time driving between SoCal and Idaho when I was a kid and what my mom did was make up a backpack full of goodies for each kid. Half were snacks (a Ziploc of Goldfish, box of animal crackers, etc.) wrapped in foil, and half were small trinkets or toys covered in wrapping paper. Roughly every hour or at predetermined times, such as certain pit stops, we got to pick one thing to open — either a snack or a toy."

—cristat

"When we moved from WI to FL last fall, we let our daughter pick something (under $5) at each of our many stops because 22 hours of driving needs way more distraction than just some stickers and candy. She picked up on the extra surprise she was getting and it was great for her to have something to look forward to when we were driving four to five-hour stretches."

—michellecarpentierp

—sarahf4a2188ebc

"When we went on road trips as kids my mom gave us each a roll of quarters and said anytime we were fussing at each other or were generally rude/annoying we lost a quarter. At the end of the trip we could keep whatever was left. You better believe I sat and read my book the entire way to Florida."

—hayleym4849a773c

"I made road trip bingo cards and laminated them. On the reverse side of the cards they have tic-tac-toe boards. They each get a dry erase marker and they can play together or against each other. The bingo was a great success. Winner gets a prize — choosing the type of restaurant we eat in, a souvenir at a gift shop, or an extra snack."

—leordorone

"Wherever we go, we buy postcards to send to Grandma. My kids write about what we're doing, and she saves them all in the scrapbooks she's creating for them. It will be fun for them to look back at all the places they've visited — and to see how their handwriting has improved over the years!"

—Erin Murphy, mother and travel writer for Hilton Mom Voyage

"One way to save is to leverage all of the free perks you have access to. If you have an airline or travel rewards card that comes with access to an airport lounge, then you can often check your kids in, too. Sometimes these lounges even come with free food and drinks for them. It’s also worth checking a car seat and a travel crib for free, too. And if you have an airline card, you may be able to check extra suitcases for free as well."

—KimberlyPalmer,mother andNerdWallet's personal finance expert

"Research is key. Most airlines have similar policies when it comes to flying with children under 2 years old: Usually, you can keep them on your lap during the flight. That means you don’t have to worry about paying for a separate seat if you don’t want to."

—Ben Walker

"Announce categories before you go: Coolest Selfie, Most Colorful Sunset, Tastiest Food Picture, Silliest Photo. When you return home, compare pictures and relive your vacation through the eyes of each member of your family!"

—Lisa G.

"If you have a really early-morning flight, do yourself a favor and book a room at an airport hotel...ideally one that is actually connected to the airport terminal. You will be less stressed and better rested for your travels, which is good for the entire family."

—Amy Spiro

"We get most of the snacks and drinks the day before we leave so stops are just for gas and bathroom breaks. Lots of toys. They also get to pick two songs every 30 minutes of not fighting. Time starts again once the radio goes back to Dad."

—ninavollmer

"If you are staying at a hotel, try to book one where breakfast is included. You can hit the ground running in the morning when you leave the hotel instead of having to make a first stop for food. It's easier to start with full bellies rather than struggling to find something to eat as soon as you set out for the day. And it saves time."

—Suzanne Brown

"Use Amazon to deliver kids' essentials — like diapers, snacks, or formula — to your destination ahead of time. It can significantly lighten your travel load. Plus, you won't have to spend time finding a place to buy these items as soon as you land. If you are visiting family, shipping items is easy, but I think even hotels and resorts are more open to this now."

—Finnian McNeff,father who works atSparkloft Media,a travel-focused social media agency

"Complimentary activities that other people plan for you are awesome for keeping kids engaged while traveling. Many have junior ranger programs where you can sign your little ones up for activities that might even let them learn something while they're having fun. They usually provide free souvenir badges that the family can collect and reminisce on."

—Laurel Douglas,mother and a professionaltravel blogger

"Most people will look at theticketprice listed on a theme park's official website and assume that is the only price. But many theme parks have relationships with a few major travel companies that are authorized to sell ticketsat a price lower than the official gate price."

—Alisha Molen,mother and owner ofPicture the Magic

"Traveling with kids can be expensive, but one way to save is to take advantage of the lower prices that come with traveling during the off-season. The best times are late September, October, early December, and January. These are especially good times to travel to major attractions like Disney World. There will be fewer crowds and better temperatures."

—Zander Buteux,industry expert atVacationRenter

"Most travel sites track your actions on theirsite. Therefore, if you visit theirsite to look at a flight and later come back to book it, you'll often find that prices have gone up. You can avoid this by simply clearingyour browsing cookies, or just searching in private or incognito mode."

—Michael Embrich, author ofMarch On: A Veterans Travel Guide

"If you have two kids that need to share a bed in a hotel room, buy a pool noodle from the dollar store. You can slip the pool noodle under the sheet to create a barrier. Now both kids will have their own space and won't accidentally kick each other all night!"

—erinrmar