It’s taken me a long time to get myself sorted out when it comes to the perfect bag to take on the plane when traveling with kids. After many trials and errors, I’ve learned a few things.
First of all, it isn’t a diaper bag. That’s probably the least important thing in there! Why do we call them diaper bags? So, left over from my Search & Rescue days, I call it my Go Bag. Your purse, your pack, your diaper bag, whatever.
Ideal qualities in an airplane Go Bag:
- large, but not too large
- durable
- good quality zipper
- enough pockets to be helpful, but not so many that you’re driven crazy trying to find a pen
- washable
- soft-structured, so that you can shove it under the seat in front of you
The amazing Auntie Sam made mine, and it does the job beautifully. Thanks, Sam!
I have two cloth bags that sit nicely inside to keep things organized. One for snacks. One for toys.
Snacks: At home we’re big into reusable containers, but for the sake of weight and real estate, I use plastic bags for air travel. Bring healthy and fun snacks, and mete them out wisely because there’s not much provided by the airline anymore. Don’t forget a water bottle. Note: you can bring liquids through security for your babies and toddlers. At what age does that end? Good question, depends on who you ask. Two years, maybe?
{Tip: Bring a sandwich-sized plastic container with a lid. So great for doling out snacks, taking leftovers & packing food! That’s my mom’s idea. She’s a consumate traveler too. Thanks, Mom! }
These pictures were taken when I was traveling to Toronto with just Hawk, so these are snacks and toys for one kid. I adjust when we travel with both. Had Esmé come, she would’ve carried her own snack and toys in her backpack. Yay for four-year-olds!
Pictured: plain almonds, mandarin oranges, turkey pepperoni, fish crackers, yogurt, seaweed, water, cookies, apples, cheese, wipes (good to have with the snacks).
Toys: I covered most of this in the posts on traveling with babies and traveling with toddler and traveling with kids. When it comes to your Go Bag, keep that soft ball at the top so that you can get it out at the airport and kick it around to tire out your little ones. A small container of bubbles is good too, and I haven’t mentioned that before. Note: don’t let your kids rifle through your bag. It’s all about the timing!
Keep your most prized toys at the very bottom. Hopefully you won’t get down that far, and if you don’t, they’ll be fresh for the way home. Bonus!
Pictured: cars, toy rat, toy mouse, playdough, various containers and little bits to sort, Magnadoodle, Schliech animals, painters tape, cars, bubbles, change purse, playsilk, fruit leather (I tuck it in there because it’s not a standard snack, more of a treat).
The rest of the bag, divvied into pockets. The same pocket every time, folks, for ease and predictability. In theory, anyway.
- A large ziploc with spare pants, spare diaper, and wipes. The bag is good for using as a wet bag, should the need arise. Or a barf bag. Or a garbage bag. Or ice pack.
- My iphone, earbuds and charger (in a little cloth snack bag, actually). Earphones for older kids would go with these.
- A book for me.
- a cloth shopping bag that scrunches up to a wee blob. SO GREAT for stuffing abandoned jackets and shoes into.
- My sketchbook & pencils.
- Passport for myself and kids. Birth certificate. Permission note to travel across border from second parent.
- Wet bag with 4 diapers, another stash of wipes.
- My wallet with ID, credit cards and money.
- I keep yet another stash of wet wipes in a ziploc in the very outside pocket of my bag.
Check out the other posts about traveling with sproglets.
Tips for traveling with babies.
Tips for traveling with toddlers.
ps. And no, I don’t travel with a First Aid kit in my bag. Airports have First Aid stations, and planes have First Aid kits, so I don’t bother. You might stick a bandaid in there though, or some arnica.
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Image may be NSFW.
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Image may be NSFW.
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Image may be NSFW.
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Image may be NSFW.
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Image may be NSFW.
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