Traveling With A One Year Old
Traveling with a child can be very hard especially if it's just you and the baby. I recently traveled 6 hours to and from South Carolina with my daughter. Usually, Adora doesn't do so well with long rides, so I was pretty scared about making this drive alone with her. Surprisingly, the trips went way better than what I expected! I guess it's because I mentally prepared myself for the ride, took my time, and made sure I had everything so that I didn't need to make any unnecessary stops. I decided to share five tips that will help to make traveling smoother for both you and your baby!
Photo by Andrew Worley on Unsplash
Tips For Traveling With A One-Year-Old
- Go When They're Suppose To Be Asleep
Going during their nap time or early in the morning when they're meant to be asleep are great times to go with a 1-year-old. When I went down to Greenville, South Carolina I left at 7 am, I knew Dora would fall right back asleep. She woke back up around 12:30 pm and we made it to our destination at 1:30 pm which was great! When we left South Carolina to go back to Richmond, VA I made a stop to visit my college roommate in Charlotte and stayed the night. The next day I left around 12 pm and made it to Richmond at 5:30 pm(we had to make a stop since Adora got sick). This time I left around her nap time which is usually around 2-4 pm. When traveling with a child leave a couple of hours before they wake up from the night. Or leave when they usually take a nap. I don't suggest traveling at night time if you're going by yourself with your child, there are a lot of crazy people out there!
- Have Snacks Prepared
Usually, on a long trip, your kid(s) will get hungry. Already have some snacks and something to drink prepared to minimize how many stops you will make. The fewer stops you make, the quicker you'll get to your destination. Plus this will keep them from whining.
- Bring a Few Toys
I brought along two toys for Dora so she could play with them. She didn't care for them, but whenever she started to whine, I would quickly hand her one, and it kept her from crying for a few minutes. Whenever she began to cry again, I would give her the other toy.
Photo by Lauren Mancke on Unsplash
Use Your Mobile Hotspot For Movies/Apps
I have a tablet that I let Adora use which comes in handy while traveling. I would turn on my mobile hotspot since I have unlimited data and put one of Adora's favorite movies on from Netflix. Any form of technology is a must while traveling with a child so they can watch videos or listen to sounds!Turn Car Seat Forward Facing
I don't recommend doing this if your child is younger than one year old. Adora is 17 months old, so I decided to go ahead and turn her car seat around for the trip. Some states still don't require them to stay rear facing until 2, but that's what I plan on doing with Adora. I know this made the trip easier for us because she could see me, and it was easier for me to give her things and to check on her. If your child's car seat isn't in the middle back seat, I suggest moving it there as well, since it is the safest position to place your baby's car seat. Check with your states car seat laws to see when it is okay to turn your child's car seat forward facing.
I hope these tips help you while traveling with your toddler. If you have any other tips for traveling with a one-year-old, then please share them with others in the comments below. Thanks for reading, and ta-ta for now!