It can feel overwhelming traveling with two under two! We enjoy traveling with our little ones even though they will not remember the experience. We are building tons of personal memories and creating a lifestyle that will prepare our baby and toddler how to love traveling. If you love to travel, or even hate it and want to have a good experience with your 2 kids, I hope this becomes one of your best resources on how to do it effectively.
This post is all about how to not only manage flying but also how to enjoy traveling with your two kids under two!
Tips For Mastering Traveling with Two Under Two
Flying with two children can feel like a daunting experience filled with tears, making everyone on the plane miserable. Yet, this can be the complete experience. What if flying with a toddler was a fantastic experience? It can be such a great experience that you honestly don’t mind all the work it takes to pack, get to the airport, make it through security, and finally to your gate. We have had such positive experiences flying that I look forward to traveling. So how do you become a master traveler with your two under two? It comes down to planning and prepping before you ever leave your home.
Planning Your Flight
When I planned my first flight with two little ones, I only focused on my toddler’s sleep schedule. I like to fly more in the morning.
Morning flights usually have better results because your children won’t be sleep-deprived or hungry.
When you fly in the afternoon or evening you don’t know what type of temperament your children will be in. I also have found that even with a morning flight the overstimulation of the morning is enough to have both of them fall asleep during the flight which also means a better start to our trip when we land. They have more energy and don’t need a nap right when we get there.
There is also a lot of misinformation on if you are family you will be put together on the flight. There are no guarantees with this and it causes so much stress. I pay for peace of mind with our seat on the plane. Can they still switch your seat? Yes, but at least you have more ability to communicate your frustrations and get things sorted out before takeoff.
Planning Your Reservation Stay
Along with planning for your flight, I think it’s important to also plan for where you are staying. Planning where you are staying is crucial! When you have two under two, you understand the importance of sleep. When we traveled the first time with our two (which was a road trip out of state) we had to stay at a hotel and found that us all being in the same room was awful!
We were only on day 1 of the trip and all struggled due to sleep issues.
Our daughter woke up in the middle of the night crying which woke up my son and then we all four were in the bed together. I’m sure the kids felt like it was wonderful!
But…
My husband and I were mentally, emotionally, and physically drained.
We vowed to find ways to keep them in separate rooms or spaces. This meant that we used closets and bathrooms as bedrooms.
We also use monitors to help us know when they wake up and this has been such a useful tool.
We DO NOT hook them up to the wifi and I strongly recommend you research why you shouldn’t do it.
They are lifesavers though and give us a sense of security. Also, I think it brings our son peace knowing we can check on him.
We pack several sound machines to help reduce the chances of waking each other up. We have several different sound machines, but these are our favorite ones:
Navigating Airline: Traveling with Two Under Two
When traveling with multiple kids to the airport you will need to figure out HOW you are going to get everything to check-in. This will just take time and practice to get efficient at your nearest airport.
For this reason, I think it’s best to arrive at the airport 3 hours earlier than your flight.
Especially if you are flying through a major airport and you have much to carry.
The earlier you get there the less stressed you feel trying to navigate all your luggage, carseat, travel stroller, etc. When our son was under the age of 2, we stopped taking the car seat on the plane for a couple of reasons.
One was because flight attendants sometimes would tell me he would need to be strapped in during takeoff and landing. But if he was a lapseat baby, he would be fine with just being in my arms?!
If you can imagine, those are possibly the most difficult times of the flight. He wanted to be held and they would have me try to strap him in.
I know you can see it in your mind…
He would stretch out and make it nearly impossible to strap him in. When we stopped bringing it, he actually had no issues with being strapped in his seat (smh).
This worked for us, but we still packed our toddler’s car seat and an infant seat. This is a lot, but we bought these bags pictured and linked below to help with protecting our car seats. We haven’t had any damage to our car seats, but people also recommend buying travel car seats.
When we get to the gate, one of the things I love to do is let my son burn off some energy. He loves to get up and explore. He honestly runs around and because he’s a toddler people often seem more engaged with him and less annoyed.
If you get to your gate, I strongly recommend taking the time to let your kids get a chance to run around and go to the bathroom.
Our son is potty trained so we encourage him to go before getting on the plane, but still have him wear pull-ups. There is no sense in stressing ourselves or him out by making him tell us he has to go in this high-energy environment.
Deciding on a Stroller, Wagon, or Baby-Carrier for Getting through the Airport
I have this thought only when we’re traveling, I think we should have invested in a double stroller! However, I also think that it may be harder if one person had to push the stroller and still help with luggage. Right now, we do two separate strollers.
“We love the Comfort Height Umbrella Stroller because of the height of the handles! We then have our Graco stroller that we have used since our son was born. I absolutely love this stroller and it has made traveling with kids such an enjoyable experience. “
Having two separate strollers makes it easy for my husband and me to push them and our luggage to check-in. If your baby loves to be in a baby carrier then I would recommend that with the option of using a stroller. It was easy to use the baby carrier with one but we have found that with two it’s easier to push them. Also, my daughter didn’t take to the carrier like my son.
Basically, the best choice is what you feel works for your family when you go out normally. I would recommend going with what you know. You will feel more at ease and so will the kids!
Travel Gear: Items for your Carry-On
I notoriously overpack! We have narrowed our carry-on to two backpacks (one being the diaper bag backpack). The following is packed in the diaper bag:
| diapers and pull-ups | snacks | baby toys |
| wet wipes | 2 change of clothes for each kid | long flight (nighttime diapers) |
| vaseline | extra shirt for Mom | blanket |
| burp cloths | extra shirt for Dad | bottles/sippy cups |
In the other carry-on, we pack it to the point where it’s heavy! But here’s what we also bring:
| iPad and tablets (3) | Important documents |
| Headphones (3) | Purse |
| Phone and iPad chargers | Snacks for adults |
| Possibly nice camera | Notebook (no idea why I do this) |
We used to bring way more items to keep our son entertained but now that he’s old enough we find that the iPad can reduce what we bring. Be sure to download new movies or tv episodes for you and the kids! We try to use electronics only during flights and if we have to keep him longer than expected due to scheduled events.
This has worked so far, but our daughter will be a toddler on our next flight. She is a more active baby so we will need to get more creative on ideas to keep her entertained. This means we will be bringing more items. The types of things we will bring will be small, but things we know will keep her entertained such as her favorite books, sensory toys with multiple functions, and possibly a Montessori busy book. They have fun toys you can get to put on the windows. We try to take things that are less likely to be left or destroyed.
Onboard and Landing Strategies for Toddler
We take advantage of getting to board earlier since we have kids under two. If you have a car seat for your toddler, you want to set that up first. We like to have access to both carry-on bags. For this reason, we put one under the seat in front of me and one under the seat in front of my son. This makes it easier for us to access toys and snacks easily.
As stated above, we try to knock the following off the list prior to boarding:
- bathroom and diaper/pull-up changes
- have toddler run around right when you arrive at the gate
- eat a meal (if possible)
We like to get them food before getting on the plane is so they don’t eat all the snacks before the plane takes off.
Entertainment on the Flight with Two Kids
We encourage our son to look out the window and point out things he sees. We try not to start the electronic until the plane is closer to leaving unless we know that it’s a shorter flight and he would not get a chance to finish his movie. However, we have found that most of the time within about an hour of taking off he is asleep. If your baby is still on a bottle then I recommend timing it with take off. This helps them with managing the changes in pressure and hopefully will also lead to a better experience for you and them.
Next time we travel, both kids will be toddlers, which will require extra attention to our younger one’s experience as a lap baby. We’ll try having her drink during takeoff, or possibly use a double headphone connector to his iPad to keep her calm. Fortunately, fellow passengers often help entertain playful babies, easing the wait times during boarding and deplaning.
When you arrive at your destination, try to have everything together as possible. It might be your best bet to actually carry both of them off the plane instead of trying to get them to walk. I just have found that it’s easier as other flyers are just impatient when reaching travel destinations. You can then get your gate-checked strollers and head to pick up your luggage.
FAQs for Flying with 2 Kids Under 2
Parting Thoughts
Traveling with two under two can seem like a major undertaking, but it truly can be a fun experience. Remember, to arrive early enough so that you don’t feel like you’re traveling under extreme stress. That’s just not a fun way to travel even if you were flying solo. Make sure to board the plane early so you can get all set up and comfortable before the doors close.
Don’t forget that the more you travel the easier the experience becomes.
Some people believe that if you just avoid traveling until your children are older it will be better, but really if you travel often while their young they will adapt as they become older kids. If your baby cries a ton on the flight then I would recommend getting up and walking. Yes, it may feel inconvenient but it also will likely distract your baby enough to relax.
Finally, take a deep breath, you got this!
Challenge of the Week: Travel Prep Challenge
For your next trip, try pre-packing the travel gear you’ll need for the airport and flight, as detailed in the blog. This includes organizing your diaper bag backpack with essentials such as diapers, snacks, a change of clothes for the kids, and your travel stroller. Ensure everything is easily accessible and organized to make your journey through the airport smoother.
After your trip, share your experience on how this specific preparation helped. Did it make navigating the airport easier? Share your story in the comments, we would love to hear your travel tips! Also, if you have questions or stories you wish we would cover, please contact us! We answer every email!
