Hellobee

This is a guest post from Hellobee community member Looch. If you’d like to submit a guest post, please go here for more information.

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I find that I am always making lists when I am going to be away from home for an extended period of time, yet I am forever forgetting something.  The first time I created a spreadsheet cataloging what I packed and what I should wear on a daily basis was on a trip with my future husband. We were going to be spending two weeks in Germany and France, and I wanted to look perfect!  The list worked flawlessly, but I still managed to misplace a pair of pants; the one pair that would have been essential on the Parisian streets that chilly summer.

Fast forward five years, the focus isn’t so much on looking perfect; it’s about making our 19-month-old son comfortable.  G’s logged about 20,000 air miles and about 2000 road miles and I’ve learned a ton along the way.  Part of it was trial and error, the other part research and advice from other parents.

You’ll find there are literally thousands of packing lists out there, so what makes this different, you ask?  Well, there are three parts and they can be customized to suit your needs.  Use this list as your starting point and just add or delete items as you need.  I’ve done the boring work for you, so you can concentrate on making sure you arrive at your destination relaxed and ready to enjoy your time! Whether you’re traveling by air or car, hitting the slopes or building sandcastles, you’ll reach for this list from the toddler until the Kindergarten years!

Every baby needs a place to lay their head, so whether you’re cosleeping or not, check the accommodations in advance.  Moms have turned couches around so the low end butts up to the wall to create sleep nests, rolled up towels to act as raised edges on a bed, and even used bathtubs for older kids in a pinch.  Whatever your solution, try to make it as close to what your child is used to at home.  Even in a travel crib they’ve used before, there could be an adjustment period.

1) Having written all that, I use a basic Graco Travel Playard. I like this model because it has a carry case and if needed, I can pack it in my checked luggage (it fits in my 28 inch suitcase).  It doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of other makes and models, but for a travel bed that we use only a few times a year, the price is right. Bring an extra sheet for longer trips if you can’t do laundry.  I don’t recommend the Graco quilted sheet because it pills after washing. In case there are mosquitoes at your destination, bring along a mosquito net.

2) We always bring an nightlight with us. I use a plain one that plugs into an outlet, but I love these Kinderglo Portable Rechargeable Night Lights in case the room has difficult to access outlets.

3) I also bring along our Graco audio monitor. I love the flexibility and peace of mind it provides in a new location, especially when I want to utilize the back porch of a rental home.

Bathing and Changing

4) I love these waterproof mattress pads; they turn any surface into a changing station.  I also use these in my bed when I have a visit from AF and I don’t want to wear a tampon overnight.

I’ve made a lot of mistakes in the travel bathing department, so save yourself the money buy forgoing this purchase if your child likes the shower.  If not, get in the tub with them.  It’s so much easier than the alternatives… even the sought after Puj tub. I don’t bring along special towels and washcloths just for my son, but if he had sensitive skin, I’d consider it.

Eating

Once your child is joining you at the table, you’ll want a few things to make your dining experience a pleasure.  I try to be as simple as possible here, because let’s face it, when you’re trying to leave the restaurant while apologizing about the crumbs under the table, you don’t want to be scrambling around trying to pack up your kit.

5) Toddler utensils are hit and miss; we’ve tried a few and I’ve found we do best with metal forks like these from Gerber Graduates.  The plastic versions don’t really allow for adequate spearing by my “I can do it all by myself” eater.

6) For things like yogurt and cereal, the plastic spoons in this First Years Take and Toss Flatware set are perfect.  If I throw one away, it’s all good, there are 10 in the package!

7) While I like to think that my son is an adventurous eater, there are times when nothing other than Cheerios with milk will do.  To make sure my boy has something to eat, I pack a prefilled bowl with Cheerios and a thermos of milk that doubles as a straw cup.

8) I give the credit to my husband for this next item.  I wanted to be all “modern mom” and used the cloth sling type harness that attaches to a chair.  Most of our friends have glass tables, as do we, so a model that clips on the table was a no go.  It worked for the first few months, but we soon realized that we needed something different.  Short of bringing our high chair with us, my husband found this Munchkin Travel Booster Seat that looks like a messenger bag.  An added bonus is that it has an under the seat storage compartment that you can access while the child is sitting on it.

9) My son could eat a second meal from what he dropped on his bib in the early days, but he’s much improved in this department.  I love these Bumkins wipeable bibs — perfect for keeping in your diaper bag too!

On the Go

1) I like a soft-sided insulated cooler bag because we travel by air to the beach, but if you’re going by car, a flat-topped hard side model acts as a small table.

2) I love these ground covers from Neat Sheet. They’re perfect for laying down on the sand or the grass.  They act as an added barrier between your towel and the sand, so your towels don’t get all full of sand.  They’re machine washable and I found mine in store at Babies R Us.

3) No stroller sunshade is ever big enough, so I invested in the Protect-A-Bub sunshade.  It’s worth the money and it folds up small so you can keep it with the stroller.

4) A mesh bag is a must for transporting beach toys.  The sand just sifts right out of it.  Mine is an old mesh laundry bag I bought years ago.

5) As a former lifeguard, I am always on the lookout for the latest swim accessories, and I end up immediately crossing them off the list because of potential hazards.  This Stearns Puddle Jumper Life Jacket is coast guard approved and won’t slip off when a child jumps in the water with their hands raised over their head.

6) Just in case you have to leave your stroller unattended, reduce the risk of it walking away with a bike lock.  I like this version, so I can lock all the wheels together in case I can’t find a pole to attach it to. Bonus on this model is that the dial is letters instead of numbers, which is awesome for someone like me, that forgets number sequences easily.

Entertainment

My son is an early riser. He wakes up at 6 on a good day, so I have to prepare ways to keep him occupied in those hours before we can hit the beach, or during an afternoon when he decides naps are optional.  This is a lot more difficult away from the comforts of home; believe me when I write that.  If you’ve got a child that can entertain himself with pulling tissues out of the box, skip this part and bring more bathing suits for yourselves!

1) Zoo, 2) Peekaboo Playtime, 3) Touch & Feel Town – Books, Books, Books!  We love books, so I always pack three old favorites and three new titles.  My son loves books with flaps and textures and I love books that are games too, so here are a few to get you started. If you read the same book at bedtime like we do, invest in two copies — one to keep at home and one for travel so you’re never without.

4) Blocks are great for developing motor skills, but they can be big and heavy.  Enter the B. Squeeze molded blocks.  We have the alphabet and number sets, but we only travel with a few of them.  Building towers and knocking them down creatively never gets old.

5) Buckles are also another excellent manipulative for motor skill development.  I bought this Buckle Toy Buster pillow on the advice of some other mothers and it was a hit!

6) I know, I know, enough with the motor skills manipulatives, but I couldn’t leave this off the list. Plan Toys Nuts and Bolts.  Last one, I promise.

7) To keep my budding artist happy, I’d need an endless supply of paper, and to keep me happy the medium would have to be neat, washable and non toxic.  Crayola read my mind when they created dry erase crayons.  No liquids to deal with (yay, airplane friendly), no risk of them drying out when you leave the cap off, no noxious odors.  I buy a pack every time I see them.

8) I love the diy play dough recipe posted by Jenny earlier in the blog.  I make 4 batches and pack them flat in quart sized Ziploc bags.  My son is just getting into them now, but moms in the know recommend these tools as the best starter accessory.

9) I take the easy way out and use Crayola’s products for painting.  I love the washable finger paints in tubes for more stationary activities, but for the car, I think the Color Wonder finger paints are genius.  Make sure to save the masterpieces and give them as travel momentoes to the grandparents when you get home!

10) I love the Green Toys Pizza Parlor set to teach sorting and matching.

Now that you’ve brought all this stuff, you need a place to put it, don’t you?  I’ve found the perfect solution in my closet.  This collapsible cube is perfect for corralling all the entertainment items and folds flat for transport.

Other Stuff You Didn’t Think You Need But is Worth its Weight in Gold

1) I don’t go anywhere without a box of Ziploc gallon bags.  I’ve used them to tote wet swimsuits, compartmentalize meals when my son was a baby, pack play dough…you name it.  Eventually, I’ll pack outfit bags with clothes, underwear, socks and accessories for even more hassle free packing. They have a ton of non-food uses.  My husband thinks I am super organized and so smart.

2) You’ll need a screwdriver to open those toys, so make sure you’re not rummaging around in a rental house junk drawer or wandering down to the lobby at 3 am.  Bring a flat and Philips head.

3) There are never enough outlets for all of our gear, adult and baby, so bring a surge protector or two.  I picked this tip up from a mom on the boards!

4) If you’re traveling out of your home country, bring your own converters/adaptors.  Sure, hotels have them, but they don’t have one for every guest. Most travelers don’t bring them assuming they can get them at their destination… says the former road warrior that was turned away at the front desk!

5) Reusable shopping bags are super handy for packing up your things in a hurry.  They fold flat and can be kept in your carry on luggage so you can quickly pack up items you took out during flight.

6) Soft ice packs are good for both keeping food cool and soothing bumps and bruises.  I’ve even used one to ease my own back pains after birth!

7) Batteries.  They’re what makes the world go ‘round these days, so I make sure to load up the toys that need them before we head out (I am talking to you Gloworm) and pack enough for 2 changes.

In Part Two of this series, I’ll cover all things mom fashion.  We spend so much of our time making sure our little ones are covered in sunscreen and creating stimulating environments, that we often run out of the house in whatever is clean.  It’s time to take back our outer beauty and make it match our inner beauty.  I’ve done a summer fashion spread of my favorite road tested items. I’m a huge bargain hunter, and I don’t buy anything full price… because well, we have to fund the higher education account!

Part Three is for the families that like to eat well and at base camp while away from the Kitchen Command Center.  I’ve compiled shopping lists and recipes for effortless eating while away from home.  Breakfast, lunch and dinner, these meals please adults and kids alike.

Happy travels, hive!