10 things every traveler needs

1. belkin surgeplus 3-outlet mini travel swivel charger surge protector with dual usb ports

hotel rooms suck at having enough outlets in the room. this has saved me on many trips and comes in handy at the airport too. 

2. voyager digital luggage scale w/ 110 lb. capacity & smartgrip

ever stressed about your baggage being over 50 lbs.? this lightweight and easy to read scale will put your mind at ease before you even reach the airport.

3. ebags packing cubes

these have changed my packing experience. easy to pack what you need, sort it out and get to what you need when you need it. when traveling as a family, try having a different color for each family member and it makes unpacking a shared suitcase a snap.

4. iphone 4-way, 360 degree, privacy screen protector

i have this on my phone at all times and continually get asked about it. no one can see what you are looking at on your phone or what you are typing. 

5. privacy screen for ipad

same as the above privacy screen, this makes airplane travel so much easier without the nosey eyes of the person in the seat next to you seeing what you are working on. 

6. bose noise cancelling headphones

worth every penny. truly.

7. keyboard cover for ipad

this small device turns my ipad into a mini laptop and serves as a case and stand as well. awesome.

8. ultra portable usb port external battery charger/power pack

throw this item in your purse or briefcase and have power for your laptop or phone, even when an outlet isn't available to use.

9. memory foam neck pillow

most comfortable neck pillow i have ever used. heavenly.

10. ultralight eye mask

i normally hate eye masks. they smash my eyelashes and feel awful. these are very lightweight and are curved so your eyelashes don't bump against them. it's wonderful for the plane, a not-so-dark hotel room or are awesome if you are a migraine sufferer. 

have kids, will travel...the long plane ride

planning a cross country plane trip with five kids can be overwhelming. planning a trip with one kid is overwhelming. over the years and with numerous cross country and overseas trips with my kids, i've gained experience if nothing else. once you get the packing of the suitcases done, here's the next step.

the thought of spending five plus hours on a plane with five children is enough to send me into the fetal position in a corner. it is daunting. still, i have done it several times and have come out (almost) unscathed. 

here is how we managed. 

• prepare activity backpacks for older children (readers)  i pack a backpack for each child old enough to carry one. they are full of things to do on a plane ride. each kid has their summer "homework" book by grade, something to color, markers and pencils, books to read, flash cards and at least one electronic devise. this is my daughter's backpack and hers included a *ds* to play. each child also has their own chargers in case there are plugs under their seats as well as their own head phones in a plastic bag inside their backpacks. the head phones also work on flights that have individual tv screens for each passenger. we were fortunate to have one of those planes for one of the legs of our flight. these have kids choices for their viewing pleasure. i think i had "good luck, charlie" on one, "phineas and ferb" on another and, "mickey mouse clubhouse" on a third. that's heaven for at least an hour or so but you'll need those head phones.

• prepare activity backpacks for older non-readers. this was more challenging for me. i have one child that is just entering kindergarten this year and a two year old. for my older non-reader, i packed much of the same items that his older siblings enjoyed. he still has a school workbook to enjoy, i brought two smaller books for us to read to him, he had coloring books and markers and a leap pad to play on the plane. he had is own charger and headset as well. i wanted to find a book that he could enjoy while the other kids were reading. i was so happy to discover an old "where's waldo" book. this was fantastic! he spent a solid hour searching for things and the older kids even got involved to help in the search. cheap and easy enjoyment.

Wheres Waldo Now? By Handford, Martin/ Handford, Martin (ILT) (Google Affiliate Ad)

• prepare activity backpacks for toddlers. my two year old's backpack looked different than his siblings. here's what worked for him
• coloring books and crayons
• small toys: matchbox cars, play airplanes, etc.
• a toddler size head set (ear buds don't fit into toddler ears. buy kid-sized headphones)
• a leapster (ours is broken but still has the coloring function)
• flashcards for toddlers (these just are vocabulary building)
• a lift the flap book - this one was a life saver. it filled a really long time as he had to open each flap on each page. this one has 50 flaps. that's a lot for a two year old.

Road Trip (Google Affiliate Ad)

       the key for entertaining any of my kids in their toddler stage was 

       attention and a lot of changes in activities. my husband and i usually 

       trade off who sits with the two year old just to keep things moving. 

       i also use my iphone and ipod to help entertain him. i have downloaded 

       his favorite movies onto each. if one ran out of batteries and i wasn't 

       able to charge it, i could use the other. i also try to avoid even opening 

       the backpack until the plane is in the air. there is enough excitement just

       watching the plane take off. if you can just occupy air time, that's easier. 

       don't forget a favorite blanket or whatever will facilitate in a successful 

       nap time on the plane. nothing makes time fly faster than a toddler 

       napping. bring whatever will make this happen.

• car seats on the plane. we brought our car seat on the plane for our two year old. i've heard of people bringing car seats into movie theaters. this is sort of the same principle. the kids are used to sitting in car seats. they know when they are in them, they have to be seated and stay strapped in. besides just being safer, it eliminates the constant discussions about why a child has to stay in his or her seat. this worked wonders for us. we have a *brica* car seat transporter. it's like a dolly for your car seat. the seat straps onto the transporter and you lean back and go. we even used it to get around in the airport. here's my son's cute shoes poking out while he sits and waits for us to head to security. i can't tell you how many parents stopped me to ask where i had purchased mine. it made life *so* much easier.

so great, right?

in case you are looking for your own, here's where you can find one:

brica roll 'n go car seat transporter

• bring food! i packed a ziplock bag full of goodies for each child's backpack. frankly, if they snacked the whole trip and ruined their dinner that day, i didn't care. i like to pack things that take a little bit of time to eat. hey, anything that makes the flight move along faster is great by me! i also bring an empty water bottle for each child in the side pocket of his or her backpack. i fill these after going through security to make sure they have plenty to drink on the plane. i also pack peanut butter & jelly sandwiches. you can make these the night before and freeze them. on the morning of your trip, transfer them to a disposable plastic container and bring it along. it will thaw by lunch time. sometimes plane rides don't work around meal times. it's not fun to have hungry kids. here are some other great food items to pack:
• raisins
• goldfish
• fruit snacks
• lollipops 
• cheese & crackers
• applesauce in the squeeze packets
• trail mix

• dress warmer than you think. planes can be chilly. it's easier to take clothes off if you are hot than to find something to keep your kids warm. dress them in layers and let them peel them off if necessary. 

• bring any possible medicines you may need in case of an emergency. this one may sound extreme but we learned the hard way. we have a couple of kids with asthma and within the first hour of one of our flights, one of our boys had an asthma attack and all of our meds were packed in our suitcases under the plane. luckily, his attack wasn't severe so we just rode the rest of the trip out and then got the medicine and gave him a breathing treatment in the airport. it would have been a lot easier to have it on hand and eliminate the problem. better to be safe than sorry!

• bring all the infant care items...and then some. packing for an infant isn't that much different than packing diaper bag would be on a normal day. just pack extra. make sure you don't forget a change of clothes in case of a big baby poopy or spit-up. disposable bags for dirty diapers are also a must on long plane rides. i also do something crazy. i bring my boppy or "my breast friend" on the plane. babies that do not have their own seat are held...the whole, long plane ride. this is so much easier if there is something you can lay them on. it is also a life saver when they fall asleep. before i thought of bringing the pillow, my arm would fall asleep along with the baby and i'd have to shift which would inevitably wake the baby up. baby and mommy are so much more comfortable this way.

My Brest Friend Leaf Nursing Pillow (Google Affiliate Ad)

that's it! i hope this is helpful and that all your travels are good ones. the more prepared you are, the more relaxed you'll be once the plane takes off. don't worry. it's just one day. you've got this!

travel with toddlers--step 2: packing for onboard the plane (guest blogger: beth from cloud surfing kids)

travel with toddlers--step 2: packing for onboard the plane (guest blogger: beth from cloud surfing with kids)

expect to actively entertain your toddler during the flight. toddlers have short attention spans and need near-constant engagement to stay happy. if you're lucky your child will sleep for part of the trip. i wasn't lucky, "e" very rarely slept. (well, i was lucky because she was always very good. but she refused to sleep.) as i advised with packing for infants, packing minimally is not really the best thing. pack everything you might need but keep it as small and light as possible. try to keep everything easily accessible so you don't have to search for things when your child is getting impatient.

dvd player, headphones, and blanket = happy toddler...for at least 10 minutes.

most airlines' inflight policies state that when using devices with audio (dvd players, ipod touch) you are required to use headsets or turn off the volume. please remember that not everyone wants to listen to toddler shows. get headsets for your toddler. if he refuses to wear them let him watch the shows with no volume. when he's interested enough in hearing it he will wear the headsets. when "e" first started wearing the headsets she would wear them for about 10 minutes at a time. then on to the next activity!

what to pack in the backpack:

toddler change of clothes; adult change of clothes; 6-10 OVERNIGHT diapers; diaper wipes; changing pad; antibacterial wipes; tissues; quart-size ziploc bag with: play-doh, fever reducing medicine, prescription meds (if needed), hand sanitizer; orajel swabs; thermometer; water wow doodle book; crayola color wonder book and markers; stickers; small stuffed animal; littlest pet shop toys; blanket; adult sweater; toddler sweater; 4-6 plastic grocery bags (for trash, etc.); ipod touch or dvd player; headphones for toddler; ipod and ear buds for me; power adapter or back up battery; charger for phone;

(not pictured: purse or billfold--don't forget them!)

overnight diapers are a must. sometimes you are unable to change a diaper when you would like to due to turbulence and the seat belt sign. whenever I was unable to change E's diaper in the last hour of the flight her diaper leaked on descent. it must be the change in air pressure. an overnight diaper usually solves the leaking problem.

two milk boxes; two juice boxes; cookies; luna or balance Bars; lollipops; fruit strips; fruit snacks; M&M's; squeezable applesauce; grammy sammy; peanut butter and jelly sandwiches; cheese sticks; plate; toddler utensils; bib; antibacterial wipes; diaper wipes

the trade off for the convenience of bringing your own milk/juice boxes from home is having to separate those at security and step aside for additional screening on them. i felt it was usually worth it. otherwise bring a sippy cup to fill with beverages you purchase in the airport. many airlines do not cater milk on their flights that depart after 10am so plan to provide your own.

if you follow these lists you should have practically everything you need. i usually bring even more food and small toys but probably only end up using half of them. it's always better to pack more than you need than to be in need of something. again, just keep items small so you can manage your bags and your potentially squirmy toddler.

our guest blogger, beth is a flight attendant for a major airline and mom to a

curious explorer, "e".  "e" earned elite status at the airline at 20 months. in her blog, "cloud surfing kids", beth gives helpful tips and insight based on her experiences.

in case you missed her first two post in this series on traveling with infants, you can find them here and here. also, don't miss her other post on traveling with toddlers!

follow beth on twitter at @CloudSurfingMom

travel with infants--step 2: packing for onboard the plane (guest blogger: beth from cloud surfing kids)

travel with infants--step 2: packing for onboard the plane (guest blogger: beth from cloud surfing kids)

the packing can be the hardest part, so here is my advice on how/what to pack:

many people advise to pack minimally. i don't agree. you should *concisely* pack everything you need for worst case scenarios like lengthy delays, unplanned overnights, spit up, and diaper blowouts. illnesses creep up at the least convenient times. on one flight i was working a child vomited on his mom. she was soaked and had no change of clothes. it was just the start of a 7 hour flight. i have learned it's best to always have at least one complete change of clothes for everyone traveling, down to socks and underwear. bring at least 2 spare outfits for baby. always bring some kind of fever reducer just in case.

i pack the following in the diaper bag:

·      small blanket

·       6 diapers

·       travel size diaper wipes case

·       at least 3 small trash bags (for dirty diapers, soiled clothes, or trash--i reuse grocery sacks)

·       3 burp cloths

·       3 bibs if your baby is a drooler

·       2-3 NOISELESS toys (no need to annoy other passengers with anything more than baby crying.)

bright starts buzzin around bee

·       pacifier (multiple ones if baby loves paci)

·       teething tablets

·       1 change of clothes for baby including socks

·       baby sweater

·       snack for me such as luna bar, mixed nuts

·       your purse or wallet (with experience you'll be able to blend this with your diaper bag always.)

·       nursing cover (if nursing)

·       3 empty 4 oz. bottles (if bottle feeding)

·       formula (if using)

both enfamil and similac have formula packets. i love these for traveling!



 then i pack my backpack:

·       1 change of clothes for me (including underwear and socks--put in gallon size ziploc bag)

·       sweater for me

·       additional change of clothes for baby (pack in ziploc bag)

·       additional diapers and wipes (i like to bring 8-12 diapers for a 10 hour travel day.)

·       small magazine for me (don't bother with a heavy book. even if baby sleeps you'll find it difficult to focus on anything for more than a few minutes at a time.)

·       any prescription medicines for me or baby

·       glasses/contacts/phone charger/other essentials

·       ear bud headphones

·       additional snacks for me (maybe an apple and peanut butter and jelly)

·       quart size ziploc bag with baby medicines (tylenol, ibuprofen, teething gel), hand sanitizer, any other liquids you need such as contact solution/lotion/etc.

·       thermometer

exergen temporal artery thermometer--so easy to use and very accurate!

in the airport you can buy water. if you're nursing you're going to be REALLY thirsty on the airplane. plan on at least 1 liter up to 6 hours. buy more water if you'll be using it for the baby's formula. you CAN bring water for bottles/mixed formula/breast milk through security, but if you're able to just buy the water in the airport it will be a much simpler process getting through security.

*Buy at least 1 liter of water for the airplane trip

you could fit all these items in just a backpack, but i find it tends to get too heavy and things become difficult to find. for me it helps keep things organized when using 2 bags. the list looks long, but almost everything is small and will fit easily in 2 easy-to-manage bags. once it's all organized and packed you'll know where everything is and you won't have the stress of needing something you don't have while away from home.

our guest blogger, beth is a flight attendant for a major airline and mom to a curious explorer, "e".  "e" earned elite status at the airline at 20 months. in her blog, "cloud surfing kids", beth gives helpful tips and insight based on her experiences.


in case you missed her first post in this series, you can find it here.

stay tuned for the next two weeks are she continues to provide us with invaluable advise for airline travel (with toddlers this time).

travel with infants--step 1: getting to the aircraft (guest blogger: beth from cloud surfing kids)

travel with infants--step 1: getting to the aircraft.


traveling with infants is easier than you think. infants often sleep much of the flight so you can at least breathe once you settle in your seat. the toughest part is getting through security, so that's why i start here.

do yourself a favor and check your suitcase. even if you have to pay a checked bag fee, it's worth it. can you imagine lifting it into the overhead bin while juggling your infant? even if you have baby in a carrier, it will be nearly impossible to safely lift that bag. yes, it would be nice if someone helped you, but you can't count on that. simplify the trip in any area you can. i carry on only a backpack and diaper bag (or combine the two).


you can check your car seat (airlines do not charge for car seats/pack 'n' plays/strollers), or do what I do: use gogobabyz wheelz.

gogobabyz wheelz

gogobabyz has amazing products to assist in air travel and if you fly with the baby more than once a year, the cost is *DEFINITELY* worth it! the infant cruizer comes with an adapter to allow you to use it with a convertible car seat once the baby gets bigger so it's a great investment.


even if the baby will be in your lap, not in her own seat, it's nice to have wheels to push the baby or the bags through the airport. Leave the wheels attached and gate check if the baby does not have a seat.


getting through security:

many large airports have a line at security dedicated to families with children. look for this line where there will be less pressure to rush from the passengers in line behind you.


it's nice to have baby in a front pack/sling/or infant carrier while setting everything on the scanner belt so you can have both hands free.


-remove your ziploc baggie of liquids and place in their own bin. (add to this bin liquid for bottles, if bringing. more advice on this next week.)


-put the backpack and diaper bag straight on the belt (no bin)


-remove your shoes and yes, baby's shoes if he is wearing them. (don't bother with shoes on your infant for airport travel. if the look of shoes is important to you, get trumpette socks.

-if you have the car seat and wheels, detach the wheels and put both through the scanner.


-last, remove baby from carrier and put carrier on the belt.


after walking through the scanner don't feel you have to rush in reassembling, but move out of everyones way. push all your belongings to the end of the belt and assemble in reverse of how you put bags on in the first place:
-put on front pack/sling
-put baby in carrier
-shoes on
-wheels on car seat
-backpack on car seat
diaper bag stacked on backpack


or, of course you can use the infant cruizer the way it's intended and put the baby in. then wear the backpack and carry the diaper bag. (go-go babyz also has a great diaper bag that attaches to the infant cruizer handle.) 


you made it though the toughest part of travel with an infant! next week I'll show you how i pack for the airplane with an infant. 

stay tuned: beth will be blogging with us for the next few weeks sharing her *fabulous* airplane travel tips for infants and toddlers both!


**i do not represent any of the above mentioned companies. i am simply a fan of their products and want to share them with you.**


welcome to beth!

beth is a flight attendant for a major airline and  mom to a curious explorer, "e".  "e" earned elite status at the airline at 20 months. in her blog, "cloud surfing kids", beth gives helpful tips and insight based on her experiences.