Vacationing with a toddler is daunting; add a few special needs into the mix and it can be downright frightening. My husband and I have gone on a few vacations with our three and a half year old ball of energy and there’s things we’ve gotten right and things we’ve certainly gotten wrong.
Lodging
If at all possible, look into vacation rentals on Airbnb, Flipkey, VRBO, Vacationrentals.com or Homeaway.com. For the price of a nice hotel, you can rent a two or three bedroom condo, house or cabin that includes a kitchen, eat in space, multiple bathrooms and a family room. The extra living space and kitchen can be a huge bonus for families who need to take in dietary restrictions or specifications into account.
Keeping safety in mind in a new location, we always travel with a baby gate and travel door locks for peace of mind.
Road Trips
Roadtripping with a newly potty trained toddler can be so stressful, but planning ahead of time can help guarantee success.
You better believe falling into a toilet at a rest stop in the middle of nowhere was at the top of every mom’s list of things that better not happen. So we brought this potty topper along – the design will keep your toddler on the toilet! It will also fold down small and can easily fit in a backpack or purse! Wipe it down with an antibacterial wipe and you’re good to go after a trip to any rest stop bathroom!
When driving, make sure you’ve got plenty of snacks and activities and add an extra two hours to how long your GPS says it will take to get there. Prepare to stop, prepare for things to take longer than it used to before you had kids. Don’t set your expectations too high, be realistic and realize your child hasn’t done this a million times like you have.
Activities
If your kids like to color, the color wonder activity books are great since the markers only work with their paper and don’t show up on anything else! Or take your kiddos to the Dollar Tree or Dollar Spot at Target for some new on vacation toys, games, crafts or treats. These comes in handy when you’re traveling, but be sure to hold onto some so that all the new things aren’t introduced at once.
We also are firm believers that if a kids tablet or iPad will get you through a car trip or airplane ride with minimal fussing, go for it! Download a movie or show that your kiddo will enjoy before you lose wifi! That combined with these little panda headphones will help allow the adults to talk, listen to a podcast or enjoy the silence. The headphones actually fit over the ears and are soft like earmuffs. Many sensory sensitive kids can stand wearing these for a long time – and that silence in the car can be glorious.
Home Comforts
Currently we have this booster seat that we travel with on road trips. It’s super helpful at our vacation rentals and can attach to any regular chair. But before our daughter could hold herself up in a seat like this, there were a few trips that required a high chair or a rocking chair and those things can’t be easily packed away. If you ever need the comforts of home, but the items are too bulky to pack, check out baby rental sites like Babysaway.com. You can rent cribs, high chairs, strollers and car seats and have them delivered and even set up prior to your arrival. Many of these places work with property managers of vacation rentals and can help lessen the stress of setting items up or waiting for delivery at your destination.
Flying
First and foremost, familiarize yourself with the airports you are flying in and out of. We love the conveniences of MCO here in Orlando! Consider bringing your child’s car seat onto the plane. This will take away the unknown of an airplane seat and give the comfort/familiarity of the car seat. It may also help guarantee that your child will sleep on the plane. This travel cart will help transporting the car seat from the parking lot to the airplane while not giving you a back ache that the backpack style carriers are sure to give you. Before you fly though, check the FAA and your airline to make sure your car seat is compatible.
Have you have any success traveling with your toddler (special needs or not) that you’d like to share? We’d love to hear it!
First published August 2, 2016 by contributor Anne-Marie, updated by contributor Paige 10/4/2024
