Posted by If you’re thinking about traveling with your one year old, I know the stress that comes with preparing for the trip.
From packing your suitcase to getting through the airport and then entertaining your little one on the airplane.
It’s a lot of stuff!
Then there are questions like:
Will my baby nap on the plane? Or be a total disaster?
I’ve been on several flights with my kids who are now 1 and 4, and I feel like I’ve got the airport and flight experience down to a science.
In this post I’ll share my best tips for traveling with a one year old including going through the airport, what to bring in your carry on diaper bag and how to get them to nap on the flight.
Hopefully, these tips will ease any anxiety you have about your upcoming trip!
This post contains affiliate links. For more information read my disclosure here.
Getting Through The Airport
First let’s talk about all the STUFF.
One of the challenges that comes with traveling with a one year old is just getting into (and out of) the airport with all of your kiddo’s luggage.
Instead of just rolling suitcases, now you have to lug along a travel car seat, a diaper bag, the stroller and maybe even a pack n play.
This is what traveling with a one year old looks like for us (before we had 2 kids):
Because of all of the STUFF, I prefer to travel with my regular Chicco stroller over a small travel stroller since it can help move said stuff.
For example:
If I don’t have an extra hand, I can turn my travel car seat upside down and put it on top of the stroller canopy and stroll (so long as it’s super lightweight anyway). The one I have in the picture below is this one here.
There are several more reasons I like to use the regular stroller though:
- The stroller basket is large, and I can fit the pack n play in the basket until we get to the ticket counter. After checking in the luggage and car seat, I can take my diaper backpack off and put it in the basket with any other extras as we go through the airport.
- Even though the stroller is large, it still fits through the x-ray at security so there’s no issue there
- It lies all the way back so my one year old can comfortably relax and take a nap if needed
- I can easily check the stroller at the gate. This means I can use it right up until we board the plane (and then get it right back as we exit the plane)
So as long as the stroller will fit into our car/taxi with the rest of our luggage (and rental car on the other side), to me the regular stroller is best for travel.
Give Yourself Extra Time
Everything takes longer with kids. We know this. Make sure to give yourself plenty of time to get through the ticketing, security and prior to your flight. You may need to do all or some of the following after going through security:
- Buy water to fill your child’s cup after dumping liquid at security
- Grab food or coffee
- Use the bathroom/change a diaper
- Take time to breastfeed or feed a snack
- Get a gate check tag for your stroller
- Let your child run and burn energy
Once you board the flight, things switch to keeping your one year old happy while they’re stuck in one place.
Next I’ll talk about the entertainment and essentials I always bring when traveling with a one year old…
What To Pack In Your Diaper Bag For The Flight
Entertainment
I have been through flights where I’ve used up every single entertainment item I packed and others where I didn’t use much at all. Sometimes the new environment can be just as entertaining and stimulating for curious little ones. So I always try to keep this in mind when choosing entertainment items for my carry-on diaper bag (and to keep it light).
Here are some of the items I’ve used to entertain my one year old on a flight:
Books
I love to bring two or three small books on the flight. It can be any favorite books that you already own or something new to capture your one year old’s attention even further.
These are some of my favorite books to travel with because they keep little hands busy:
- Where’s Spot (a lift the flap book)
- Baby Einstein (mini board books for small hands)
- Old McDonald Had A Farm (a finger puppet book)
- If I Were A Rabbit (a touch and feel book)
Favorite Snacks
Snacks totally count as flight entertainment when traveling with a one year old! The best even! I always carry on an insulated lunch bag with all of the snacks and foods that my one year old is going to eat while we’re traveling.
Here are some of our favorite “entertaining” finger snacks for the plane:
- Goldfish Crackers
- Annie’s Bunny Grahams
- Cheerios
- Gerber Crunchies
- A big container of cut up fruit
Lovey
Of course you can’t forget to bring your toddler’s favorite lovey. Any stuffie, wubbanub or blanket that offers them comfort or might help them go to sleep on the plane is key.
Just make sure that if you travel with THE FAVORITE that it’s something you can replace if it gets lost (and also wash 😬). Sometimes a second favorite is best for this reason.
Water Bottle
One of the most entertaining things on my last couple of flights with my one year old wasn’t a toy. It was a half full plastic water bottle! He was just fascinated shaking the bottle and hearing the crinkling sounds as he pushed on the bottle.
Now I don’t want to promote buying plastic water bottles just for this purpose, of course. My point is that ordinary items can be just as entertaining at this age.
If not a water bottle, even the bag of baby wipes can be entertaining making crinkle sounds or opening and closing the flap.
Finger Puppets
In terms of toys, finger puppets are great “travel buddies”. They’re small and light, and they don’t take up too much space in your carry-on. I usually pack a few and bring them out one at a time as needed for entertainment. I have this finger puppet set that comes with lots of fun animals for your one year old to learn about.
Water Wow
For some mess free fun, I also like to bring a Water Wow. My one year old is super into just trying to get the water pen out of the plastic let alone “painting” the pictures with water.
Plus, this is one of those items that he’ll still use on more flights or at home when he’s 2 and 3 years old (my older kid sure did).
Essentials For The Flight
Diapers/Wipes
When packing diapers for a flight, I always think about how many diapers my one year old will typically go through from the time we leave the house to the time we will arrive at our hotel… and then I pack twice that amount.
You never know if your flight will be delayed or you’ll get stuck for hours on a layover. Best to be overly prepared when it comes to diapers.
Portable Changing Pad
Speaking of changing diapers, you’ll be using a lot of public bathrooms to do so. In my experience, the diaper changing stations are usually not stocked with sanitary tissues to put under baby. I suggest packing your own portable changing pad or grabbing some disposable ones like these for the trip.
Extra Clothes
Bring an extra change of clothes for your kiddo in case a spill happens or to change them into just before you arrive if the weather will be considerably different at your destination. You might even pack yourself an extra shirt in case the spill is on you.
Medications
When traveling with your one year old, it’s always best to keep any of their prescriptions with you in your carry-on. My boy has a severe nut allergy so I always have his EpiPen and Benadryl in my carry-on bag. I even keep a travel sized thermometer and Infant Tylenol with me because I like to be overly prepared for anything.
How do I get my one year old to sleep on the plane?
It’s always my goal to get my one year old to sleep during the flight so I can have a little break.
But…
If your one year old naps in the car or stroller before the flight, take it! Any nap is better than no nap while traveling.
Ideally though, in my opinion, it’s during the flight since they are stuck in one place.
Plus:
Holding a busy, wriggly toddler for hours is exhausting.
These are some of the things I’ve done to get both of my sons to nap on the plane at one year old.
Consider Flight Time
First, I try to book flights where nap time falls during the flight itself and not when we are going through the airport. In my experience, the airport is super stimulating so neither of my sons at age one have ever been anywhere close to nodding off in such an “entertaining” new environment anyway.
Of course, sometimes this just isn’t possible.
But, if your little one misses their nap while going through the excitement of the airport, by the time they get on the plane they might be so overtired and cranky, that there’s a lot more crying involved to get that nap (been there).
Hence, why I try to book flights that align with my one year old’s usual nap time.
If this is the case, I let my one year old run around and burn off some energy before boarding the flight. That way he’ll be tired and hopefully ready for a nap once we are in flight.
Get Comfy
Second is to get comfy on the flight. I know, that sounds impossible considering you’ll be spending hours in a cramped seat with your one year old.
When I was still breastfeeding my one year old, I brought my boppy pillow on several flights. Not just for breastfeeding but for a comfy, familiar place for my son to lie down.
During the flight I offer my one year old extra feeds like it’s an all you can eat buffet 😂. Breastfeeding and the vibration of the plane sometimes relaxes him enough to fall asleep.
Plus:
If your one year old still fits on the boppy, it’s much easier for you to have them nap on a soft pillow laying across you rather than having to hold them up over your shoulder for a long time. (Just so long as their feet aren’t going into a stranger… hopefully you’re sitting next to someone else in your family).
This position also leaves you with at least one hand free so you can actually eat a snack while they sleep.
Grab That Extra Seat While Traveling With A One Year Old
The best thing that I have done to get my one year old to sleep on the plane though is to splurge and get him his own seat so he can lie down. I know this won’t be an option for everyone, but if you can, it is so worth it to have the extra space for the both of you.
If there are empty seats on the flight, you can also ask a flight attendant ahead of time to re-seat you so you can take advantage of this.
To get my son to nap like he’s lying in his crib, I purchased this travel blow up here. It takes up the empty space in front of the seat. Not only can your one year old lie down, but they can also sit and play on the seat without the worry that they’re going to fall forward.
The blow up comes in its own little compact bag which I tie onto my diaper bag (seen in first pic of all my STUFF). It’s very easy to blow up and deflate during the flight.
Bring Backup
I have also brought my baby carrier on flights as a nap backup plan. My eldest son was small at age one and fit in the carrier for a long time. I remember a flight where he was overtired and the only way to get him to pass out was to put him in the carrier and bounce him up and down while standing up at my seat. Once he fell asleep I was able to sit down with him. This was my worst case nap scenario to date, and I’m glad I had the carrier as backup.
If you don’t get a nap before or during the flight, don’t worry. Your one year old will undoubtedly fall asleep in the stroller or the car once you arrive, then early to bed. It’s a long day for the both of you.
Conclusion
Traveling with a one year old can be stressful, but I promise you that the more prepared you are before the flight, the easier it will be.
The best thing you can do is to thoroughly think about what the day of travel looks like for you and pack all of your child’s essentials to keep them fed, entertained and with any luck, rested.
Before you know it, you’ll be at your destination (hopefully some place fun!).
Wishing you a great trip!
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