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Before you travel, find out if your hotel will childproof your room before you arrive. If they won't, bring your own childproofing kit that includes doorknob covers, plastic outlet covers, and pipe cleaners or twisties to secure drapery or electrical cor
ds. You could bring along a couple of safety gates to keep your child out of off-limits areas, too.
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Pack doctor-recommended pain medication such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) for fever or Mylicon drops for gas.
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Bring hats and sunscreen for your toddler, and blankets and pillows for napping.
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Get a removable car-shade screen for the car's windows to shield your little one's skin and eyes from the sun. They're available at baby supply and discount stores.
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Get the First-Aid Kit for the Road to make sure you have the supplies you need for dealing with minor medical problems while traveling with your toddler. And before you leave, print and fill out Emergency Checklist for Traveling With a Small Child.
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If traveling by car, toddlers should always ride in the back seat, in a car seat
never in a front seat with a passenger air bag. Spend some time before you leave to make sure the carseat is properly installed and that the seat's belts are correctly threaded. Make sure the harness fits your baby snugly and securely.
or toddlers weighing 20 pounds and more, use a convertible carseat and position it in the back seat facing forward.
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Pack finger foods like bananas, apples, and pears (but keep in mind that on some international flights non-packaged fruit is banned), cereal ("o" cereals are a favorite), and miniature rice cakes.
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Bring a molded plastic bib for your toddler. It's invaluable for cleaning up ice cream drips and preventing several changes of clothing a day.
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If your toddler sleeps in a crib, reserve one at the time you make your room reservation or you may be out of luck when you arrive. Another option: Bring along your own portacrib.
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Stash some medium-size resealable plastic bags in your car trunk or carrying bag. They're handy for holding messy items like bibs, diapers, wet bathing suits, and all those treasures collected by kids.
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Bring a goodie bag containing a few of your little one's favorite toys, plus a couple of new objects.
Possibilities include sing-along tapes, hand puppets, story books, stuffed animals,
musical toys, or anything else that captivates her.
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Wrap a few toys or books as surprises to be dispensed along the way to ease the
tedium of travel.
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Make plenty of rest stops along the way to let your toddler run off some steam.
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Well-traveled parents find the following equipment indispensable, both for getting to a destination and exploring once you've arrived.
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A lightweight stroller that stashes away in your car trunk or a plane's overhead bin (you can also drop off your stroller at the departure gate and have it waiting for you on arrival)
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A backpack-style carrier
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A diaper bag or backpack for you to carry toddler supplies
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An infant toddler car seat
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An extra change of clothes for your toddler; an extra clean shirt for both parents
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For younger toddlers, a portable playpen (great for trips to relatives, the beach, hotel stays)
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