How To Travel With A Toddler Without Losing Your Mind

A toddler’s constant need for attention can make travel with a toddler uniquely challenging.  As a two year old, whenever my son got quiet, I knew he was off getting into trouble. I couldn’t leave him unsupervised for a single minute. 

For single parents, when you do a weekend trip or a day trip with your little one, you don’t necessarily have a co-parent or friend to hand the child off to when you need a break. And vacations are supposed to be relaxing. It felt so unfair when all I desperately wanted was a break. 

When I did travel with my toddler I’d often come home feeling even more exhausted than I’d been beforehand. I’d try to fit too much into the trip. I would skip nap time or have a blood-sugar crash because I was so focused on my little one, and making it a fun trip that I would forget to feed myself. 

We wrote this article to help you plan an amazing trip that will leave you feeling excited instead of exhausted. Below are our tops tips for traveling with a toddler and incorporating built-in calm times to keep both you and your little feeling good.

Our top tips to travel with your toddler as a single parent:

1. Make a plan. Have a list of places you want to see and neighborhoods or restaurants where you want to eat to help prevent decision fatigue during your trip. I like to list things out by neighborhood and then, depending on neighborhood size, try to focus on one or two areas each day.
2. Adding on to the above tip, focus on walkable neighborhoods or areas that allow you to ditch the car and get some energy out. Have a checklist of things to pack in the stroller. For dense city centers, consider leaving the car parked and use public transportation to get around. My three year old loved commuting by rail to daycare everyday! (We started with the stroller and after a couple months he started walking on his own.)
3. Balance out your activities for the day and consider weather. If you’re going to be walking a lot in the morning, try to find a less physical activity in the afternoon. Going somewhere hot? To avoid being outside during the hottest part of the afternoon, plan your outdoor activities for first thing in the morning or later in the evening. 
4. Incorporate your at home routine into your travel schedule. It will go a long way in making sure everyone has a good day. Aim to eat and rest at the same time you normally would at home. If your toddler naps, incorporate the nap into your schedule. Save your sanity. Don’t skip naps. 
5. Pack a small bag or backpack for your child with a few of their favorite mess-free toys, healthy snacks, and a re-usable water bottle. We go into detail on some of our favorite screen-free toys here.
6. Plan your day’s activities around meal and snack times. This will make sure everyone has the fuel they need when they need it. 
7. For cities that are more spread out or have significant traffic, plan your route accordingly to cut down on travel time. Driving in heavy traffic can be draining.
8. For overnight trips, have a safety plan. Plan ahead for contingencies and make sure someone you trust has an outline of your plan – including any accommodation addresses.
9. If using public transportation, avoid rush hours. Trying to force a stroller into a cramped subway car is uncomfortable for everyone. 
10. Take advantage of restaurants and coffee shops with enclosed play-scapes for kids. Give yourself a chance to relax, have a beer or coffee, and check your email while your little plays. 
11. This is your vacation too. If you feel yourself getting exhausted, take a break or skip what may be next on the list. Don’t let yourself get drained trying to keep the kids constantly entertained. 
12. Consider using care.com, the Bambino App, or childcare recommended through your hotel or other trustworthy agency. If you’re comfortable getting outside help, give yourself the night off and go see a show or enjoy a quiet meal. If you feel awkward dining alone, try sitting at the restaurant bar. 
13. Keep a change of clothes with you even if your little one is potty trained. Traveling and changes in routine can sometimes result in more accidents than usual. 
14. Use a safety pin to pin a note inside your child’s jacket that includes your name, the child’s name, and relevant contact information.

Final Thoughts . . .

At the end of the day, most toddlers want undivided attention from their caretakers more than anything else. It’s a lot easier to give our full focus when we’re relaxed and enjoying ourselves. Remember to be flexible. When you travel with a toddler, oftentimes a slow day with fewer stops is going to be more enjoyable for everyone than a day with a fully packed itinerary. 

During past trips with my son, it’s helped me to take the perspective that I’m trying out places to see if I’d like to explore them more later in life. For example, on our way through the Ozark Mountains, while traveling back from Kentucky, it was pouring rain and we were both tired of being on the road. I skipped almost all of the tourist attractions on my list. We spent our evenings in the lodge, listening to thunderstorms and watching Curious George movies. 

I decided to be happy with just wandering through the top three towns on my list. This little trip was enough for me to know that yes, I’d like to go back and explore this region more. I don’t know when that’ll happen. I’m okay with that.