Travel Tips

Here are my travel tips that worked (or will work next time) best for our family.

Rylan and Mackenzie were allowed to take what they wanted in their backpacks.  Well, I did veto one item in Rylan's bag because I was afraid it was going to pop the seams, but other than that, they packed their own stuff.  Any toys or loveys had to fit in their bags.  We also put their iPads in their bags so we would be able to get at them easily on the plane.

Everyone was dressed in tennis shoes and comfy layers.  It was probably an 80 degree difference from take-off to arrival so taking one layer off was the best option.

We packed iPads for the kids loaded with movies, cartoon episodes and games to keep them busy on the plane.  We picked up a couple pairs of headphones for $20 each at Target before we left so they wouldn't bother anyone else on the plane.  I don't know much about headphones, but apparently you get what you pay for.  By the time we got their, only one side of Mackenzie's was working, and by the time we got home, both of their headphones had broken.  Thankfully Target took them back, but next time, I'll make sure we get a good set for each of them.

Next time, I will pack more snacks.  I hadn't really thought about how long our flight was and that we would probably get hungry.  We bought a snack on the plane and it was fine, but I would pack our own next time.

I did have an extra quart-sized zip-loc bag in my backpack and it was perfect for trash on the airplane.  The flight attendants come around to gather trash, but never when you need it, so it was perfect to keep our trash in the zip-loc bag until they came around.

I always carry baby wipes, and they were especially necessary on the plane after eating a cheesy snack mix.  I'm good at licking my fingers off, but Mackenzie is not.

I had packed fruit snacks and gum for the kids to chew on during take-off and landing, but their ears never bothered them, so I was thankful for that.

Next time we go to Mexico, I will be packing long-sleeved rash guards and longer shorts or a skort for Mackenzie.  Obviously the sun is much more powerful there and I will do anything to protect that baby soft pale skin on my kiddos.  As you read in my previous post, both kids got minor sunburns and I hope that's all they ever have.  I will also make sure we have hats with ear and neck flaps, like these from Hanna Andersson. 

While waiting in the airport for our departures, we walked around and looked at things as much as we could.  Knowing we had 4 hours of sitting in the airplane, we kept the kids (and ourselves) up and moving as long as possible.  It worked because the kids sat perfectly on the plane!

That's all for my tips - nothing ground-breaking I know, but it will be helpful for me look back on this post in the future to prepare for our next trip.