Travelling solo with a toddler can be quite exciting.. Will your baby be good, how will you manage all the luggage with only two hands?! I travelled solo to Genoa, Italy, with Lotte. It was our first “girls only” city trip, and is was great!
Travelling solo with a toddler: how do I prepar?
This partly depends on how much you have already travelled with your child. Lotte has seen quite a lot of the world. The only thing being really different is her father and brother won’t join us. No much preparing needed on that part. Nevertheless whether you have travelled a lot with your child or not, it’s always important to talk them through what’s coming: “Lotte we will have a transfer. It’s very important you walk by yourself, as mum has to carry all suitcases and doen’t have any hands free to carry you as well”. When your toddler is a first time traveller or flyer, there are plenty of children’s books you can read, which prepare them for the upcoming trip.
How do you manage all the luggage?
Travelling light is the key word. Make sure you don’t take to much as you all have to carry it yourself. Are you going on a weekend trip? Try to take handluggage only. I took a trolley, backpack and a little trolly, which Lotte carried herself. Will you be away for a longer period of time? You will be check-in in your suitcases and can bring a little more luggage as well. Don’t forget you will be carrying it all on your own at some points. So make sure you can. Taking 2 suitcases and a stroller might be a problem.
Tip: if you carry your toddler in a child carrier, you can take a shoulder bag and two trolley suitcases all by yourself.
Travelling solo with a toddler: what do you bring?
Of course the usual stuff and I can highly recommend these items when travelling solo, I tell you why;
# Stroller
Only take one when it’s usefull at your destination as well. For example, lot’s of Asian cities aren’t very stroller friendly. The stoller is perfect at airports, with all the long walks and waits. At your destination it’s the perfect spot for a little nap. If you take a stroller you probably can’t push a trolley as well, stroller + backpack is a more ideal combination.
# Kids carrier for toddlers
My fav! Perfect for “stroller unfriendly destinations” or just because you like carrying better. They come in all shapes and sizes. For a toddler I can highly recommend these two: Deuter Kid Comfort and Tula Toddler . The first one is perfect for long hikes, the second one is more suitable for short strolls. When travelling alone with a child the biggest benefit of a kids carrier is def that you have both hands free (to carry your suitcases for example).
# Trunki kids suitcase
Our kids love their Trunki’s. The Trunki is a suitcase especially designed for kids. The come in the cutest designs, have wheels and a pull cord. Kids can either use it as a walker or take a seat and have you pull them. When having your own trolley in one hand, you can pull the Trunki with your baby on it, in the other.
# Entertainment
If you want to relax yourself as well during the flight, some kids entertaiment is mandatory. For long haul flights I fill a backpack with lots of little presents, varying from a ricecracker to stickers, 1 for every hour. I wrap them all, to give it that extra touch as my kids looooove to unpack. And, yes.. we always take the iPad packed with all kids of apps for some (educational) entertainment. The Ipad is about 100 games and films in one and takes so little space. Don’t forget a headphone as well. Your fellow passengers will thank you for that.
# Snackies
A hunry child is a grumpy child, and thats something you don’t want! I always take apples, carrots, cumcumber, bell peper en of course a little cookie. I find it very handy to have water with me as well. Therfore I always take my empty Dopper bottle and fill it up after the security check.
# Peanut butter and vitamine pills
Do you have difficult eaters like we do? If so, take a jar of peanut butter (assuming they like this) and vitamine pills. You can use the peanut butter to fill empty stomachs and the vitamine pills to ease your own conscience 😉 .
# Tripod and bluetooth remote control
To capture all the beautiful moment of your trip together. Of course you can ask someone passing by, to take a picture as well, but if you don’t like asking or just what to be able to take pics every moment, these gadgets are a must have. You can put the tripod on the ground or even connect it to, for example, a bridge. The bluetooth remote control enables you to take pictures from yourself, from a distance. Love it!
Travelling solo with a toddler: thats it?
Almost.. don’t forget to relax! Kids are so sensitive, they will pick it up when you are totally stressed out. Always make sure you don’t stuff your program from dusk til down. Make sure you have a travel speed your baby can keep up to and add things they like as well. Do the “grown up stuff” in the morning a and the “kids stuff” in the afternoon.
Is your child a little older? Ask them what they want to see and do. This will make them even like this trip more.
I loved travelling alone with Lotte. You have so much time for each other as you are together 24/7 making beautiful memories. If you have the posibility take you child on a trip with you, one on one, you won’t regred it!
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