Traveling with a toddler is like trying parallel park. It’s somewhat of an art-form but with a few tips? Effortless.

About a year ago, I shared my insider tips for how to travel with a baby. Apparently after a few months, these babies turn into toddlers. So excuse me while I re-write that script for an entirely different demo.

Traveling with a toddler is absolutely nothing like traveling with a 6-month old. But these tips will prep you for new trips:

1. Let them fly

Toddlers have energy. And any flight longer than an hour might as well be a decade. As it’s nearly impossible to coordinate travel times that coincide with sleep time for your toddler, do what you can to exhaust them before you step foot on the plane. Not so that they’ll fall asleep (though that would be ideal), but so that they’ll lose the innate desire to climb on top of the beverage cart and play “peekaboo” with the pilot.

Get to the airport early and let your toddler run [holding your hand] to the gate. Around the lounge. And back again. Coordinate a dance class in the middle of the terminal. Turn the airport into a playground.

When it’s time to sit, they might not sleep. But they’ll be less likely to climb around relentlessly. And they’ll welcome a short reprieve from their own antics in the comfort of your lap.

2. Carry-on and carry on

A carry-on alone might not be feasible for a family of 3 (or more), but once your children age out of the Doona, this stroller is a diamond sky-miles member with a platinum priority access card. It’s foolproof to expand, collapse, stroll, store, and adjust. Toddler travel WIN.

There’s also no need to gate check this bad boy because it fits in the overhead compartment and/or under the seat in front of you.

3. Sit back & relax

In-flight entertainment is a must. And a series of pre-downloaded Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Sesame Street, & Mother Goose Club’s Greatest Hits have turned every trip into a chill sesh for our family.

You can re-use one of your old, classic iPads. Or invest in one of the smaller, more utilitarian models.

#kaufMOMhack: Once your cutie is comfortable and the show is a go – turn on Guided Access so that you can relax for a minute too. Guided Access Mode will keep your cutie’s entertainment on regardless of how many ways he or she might touch, push, throw, or shake the device.

But don’t forget to throw a preemptive life-jacket on your old or kid-friendly iPad to keep it intact. Especially as the screen will undoubtedly become a toy to be thrown from seat to seat during takeoff and landing.

And set your toddler up with comfortable headphones playing at a low, safe volume. You can gear up with those marketed to kids – let me know if you find a great pair.

Or you do what we do, and just share your own. These are ultra-adjustable and cancel out all of the unwelcome distractions.

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