Remember the very first time you traveled somewhere with a child, and wondered how one little being could have such an exponential effect on what you had to organize, and pack? While that initial shock factor recedes with time and parental experience, consider that every family trip is a new opportunity to get a little more clever about the “getting there and back” part. Having just recently gotten back from a family getaway, and knowing spring breaks are just around the corner for many, we culled our favorite packing and travel tips from our friends at the family travel site WeJustGotBack.com, to share with you. (Good at this as you may now be, you’ll almost certainly find a couple of fresh ideas below):

Favorite Packing and Travel Tips from the Readers of WeJustGotBack.com

 

  • To keep hands free with a little kid in tow, especially in a busy airport, buy a pack of inexpensive carabiners (D-ring snap-on clips), available in most grocery and big box stores. I snapped a couple of carabiners onto my carry-on bag (and to my 5-year-old son’s backpack) and I was able to tote extra items of clothing, small toys, and sippy cups while still keeping my hands free. Best yet, everything stayed within easy reach. –Eileen from Gilbert, AZ

 

  • Whenever I travel with my baby and toddler, I always bring along a box of denture cleanser tablets. They are amazing for cleaning pacifiers, baby spoons, sippy cup lids, and anything else that is hard to sterilize on the road. Just fill a glass with warm water, drop in the item, and pop in a tablet. We’re good to go in five minutes. –Amy from Burlington, VT

 

  • Nylon mesh lingerie laundry bags are great for packing little items, such as my baby’s socks or my 3-year-old’s underwear. I can see what’s in the bags, the small items stay organized, and I don’t lose any tiny socks! –Maura from Berkeley, CA

 

  • A favorite bring-along are those small bottles of bubbles that come in packs. Whenever we’re waiting in a long line, I blow bubbles for the kids to pop. The parents around us think it’s such a great idea because it keeps everyone entertained. Their kids always call me “the bubble lady.” –Jennifer from Owassa, OK

 

  • When my child turned two, I started packing a small, kid-size backpack for him to carry on his own. Inside, I put his favorite stuffed toy and small Ziploc bags containing various “activity sets”: five crayons and a small pad of paper; pots of Play-Doh and two shape cutters; and inexpensive action or animal figures; a travel-size Etch-A-Sketch or magnetic sketcher. My son loved having his own bag. As he got older, he learned to pack his own travel bag with things to keep himself occupied (i.e. favorite books, Nintendo, etc). –Lori from Sugar Land, TX

 

  • I’ve found that blue, low-tack painter’s tape is a handy take-along. This can be used to (a) child-proof electrical sockets, (b) hang up kid’s artwork in your hotel room, and (c) prevent a camera lens from opening while you travel (just place tape over the closed shutter). –Beverly from San Diego, CA

 

  • If you’re going to a resort with a kids’ camp, bring a package of inexpensive, new white t-shirts— a 3-pack is usually around $11. Inevitably, the kids will wind up making tie-dye t-shirts as an activity one day and you’ll end up paying $10/each if you buy one on the spot. –Diane from Cold Spring Harbor, NY

 

  • Right after our flight home from a wonderful family vacation, I arrived at the baggage carrousel to discover that my suitcase had been opened during a random security search. The lock had been cut off. Since then, I have purchased a TSA luggage lock. I know the combination, and TSA officials can open it with a universal key if they need to. –Roberta from Morrison, NJ

 

  • I tuck a crushable duffle bag into an outside zippered compartment on my largest suitcase, and we have yet to return home without using it. If I check my bag and it happens to be over the weight limit, I just take out the duffle and transfer some of my belongings into it so I can avoid the penalty. Other times, we use it to bring back souvenirs that we bought on vacation. —Jodi from Milford, OH

 

You can read even more tips on wejustgotback.com … and for a great interactive packing list, their editors and we like this one on independenttraveler.com

 

 

[Photo courtesy of Malias, via creative Commons]