5 Essentials to Pack When Flying to Paradise with Little Ones
Venturing to the Hawaiian islands with the little ones? You need a strategy! While we're all thrilled to be able to travel again, we might be feeling a little rusty about how to prepare for long airplane trips. Check out pro photographer Matt Bauer's favorite family travel tips, and here are five things parents need to pack for a peaceful voyage to paradise.
#1 Health and Safety Gear
Traveling wisely means traveling with health in mind. Fortunately, you don't have to pack a ton of stuff to keep germs out of your travel plans. Portable packets of antibacterial wipes that can stay with you in your airplane seat are essential. Pack an extra pack to bring along to the restroom. Don't forget to bring extra masks for everyone in your travel party, and make sure you also have some eco-friendly, reef-safe sunscreen packed in that bag to ensure sun protection from the moment you land.
#2 A Water Bottle for All
Taking along "assigned" water bottles for every member of your family is essential. These empty bottles make their way easily through security and allow you to fill on the other side, especially key for longer flights. Plus, it's better for the environment to have a trusted, eco-friendly bottle. Give every member of the family a different color to make personal bottles more identifiable (and fun!).
#3 Reusable Bags
If you can grab some reusable mesh bags before your trip, these come in handy for separating dirty items that you want to keep away from clean outfits. They're also just great for storing partially eaten food or "sticky" things that need their own wrapping. If you can't get a hold of eco-friendly reusable bags in time for your trip, settle for Ziploc bags for now and stock up on an eco-friendly alternative for the next time.
#4 Comfy Travel Essentials
What your kid is wearing when boarding the plane may not be what's comfortable several hours later. Pack some comfy faves to ensure they stay warm and cozy all through the flight. Here's a look at the essentials:
• Extra socks
• A personal blanket
• A kid-sized neck pillow (with washable cover)
• Noise-canceling headphones
Also, make sure that your child has layers. A comfortable sweater or hooded sweatshirt is great for times when the plane gets chilly, and then you'll want to give your child options to cool down if the plane gets stuffy. Make sure a tank top or tee is available under all those layers. This will allow them to change without having to make an unnecessary trip to the restroom.
#5 Quiet Activities
You can either make or buy an activity set that features things like twistable markers (they don't break or dry out as easily), paper, word puzzles and more. For older kids, some blank journals are fantastic for letting them get a head start on chronicling this fun adventure. Try to avoid activity books that are full of little game pieces, puzzle pieces or lots of crayons that can easily roll under the seat to pester other people on the plane.
While traveling with kids does have a learning curve, the shared epic adventure that awaits you is more than worth the extra planning. These tips should make your voyage to paradise by plane feel like its own little sliver of paradise.
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