Have Tot Will Travel
No, it will never ever be the same again. Jaunts to
the tropics will now include buckets in the sand (and we don’t
necessarily mean the kind filled with beer) and urban explorations will have
you cursing the lack of parking (and we aren’t talking about parking your
car). But it’s not all gloom and doom, with the right tools and
sanity savers, traveling with kids can still be downright fun. Having
just survived my own family vacation with toddler in tow, I know the excitement
turned anxiety you can feel planning the perfect getaway. I turned to the
experts, the Mama Speaks archives, and refreshed my memory on already tried and
true products that are must haves for sane travel. We’ve compiled
them all here in our first Traveling With Tots Guide and have introduced even more goodies that are worth that extra suitcase.
To and Fro, A Traveling We Will Go
Baby
B’air Safety Vest ($35)
Getting there is half the battle, even if you are ditching
the car seat at baggage check and opting for the free lap fare. But we
never want to compromise on safety. Although nothing can replace the
safety of a car seat, Baby B’air is a must for little lap
riders. A vest, available in infant and toddler size, which attaches to
Mama’s seat belt, this will help keep your most precious cargo in place in the event
of unexpected turbulence. See Win it!
CARES
Safety Belt ($75)
Once you’ve graduated from the car seat all together
and there is no getting around paying for that extra child fare,
you’ll feel a little more secure knowing your youngin’ really is
securely fastened. The CARES safety belt is a portable safety harness
which easily installs to the airplane seat and is FAA approved. See Win it!
Baggage, With You For Life
Sammies
Funyface ($60)
There is no escaping the desire for the young but
independent to stroll their own luggage through the bustling airport. Instead
of an adult sized suitcase, get one they can handle. And no, we
don’t mean the $13 one from the local discount department store, trust
us, the wheels will break off and you’ll want to take off from the chaos
sure to follow. The Sammies Funnyface by Samsonite provides the same quality
we expect from such a name and a look that will make any kid proud among the
business travelers.
Trunki
($40)
This is one suitcase that needs to bypass baggage
check. Designed to be pulled along by ages 3 and up, Trunki provides
plenty of space for the little one’s things and a place to rest the
little one’s rump.
Little
Kid Backpack ($36)
Everyone needs to pull their weight. Whether you are
looking for some extra snack storage or vacating the emergency entertainment to
their own domain, the Little Kid Backpacks from Dante Beatrix are truly toddler
sized. They are light, extremely roomy, durable and the straps
won’t slip for real all day comfort. Enter mamaspeaks 20% in the notes to vendor section at checkout for 20% off through June 15.
Tame the Hunger, Tame the Beast
Foogo
Leak-Proof Food Jar ($19)
We’re not suggesting you prepare a full course meal while
vacationing but snag some extra pieces of sliced fruit from your free
continental breakfast and skip the $8 overpriced tourist apple. But make
sure to toss it into your compact insulated Foogo Food Jar by Thermos for your
day’s excursions which will keep your cool things cool (or your hot
things hot) for hours. It’s durable, considerably light and safe - BPA, Phthalate and PVC free, so you can
snack without worry.
Cotton
Snack Sacks ($5+)
We don’t leave home without our nuts for protein,
ever, but we’ve long since ditched the disposable baggies for obvious
landfill reasons. These cotton
snack sacks from ECOBAGS, in both recycled or organic cotton, are the
perfect portability solution for dry goods. Available in two sizes for
the easy portioning with drawstring or Velcro-like closure.
Portable
Almond Tin ($2.50)
California Almonds is already one step ahead of us with
their very own compact “perfect portion” portable tin for their
finest almonds. Load your suitcase up with enough for every family
member. Each tin holds exactly one ounce of almonds, just the boost you
need to make it that final stretch back to your hotel.
Klean
Kanteen ($15+)
Save all those dollars you’d spend on water from the
vending machine and buy some kitschy souvenir. Klean Kanteen can outfit
your entire family with a portable, safe water bottle, from sippys to family
sized versions. Also available is every kind of accessory you can think
of from loop caps to insulated totes. Water on the go has never been so
convenient.
Kiipis
Bib Clips ($12)
With all this snacking on the run, messes are sure to
strike, but do you really want to be slowed down by pounds of dirty bibs?
Keep a set of Kipiis Bib clips handy and always be ready to whip up impromptu
protection by grabbing the nearest absorbent anything and clip away.
Hungry
Tote ($20)
And just where will all this snackage go? The
PVC-free, machine washable Hungry Tote by Built
NY will keep your food and drinks
cool and accidental spills where they belong.
Don’t Leave Home Without It
SafetyTat ($20)
If your toddler is anything like mine, he will do everything
he can to sight see solo. If you’re among gobs and gobs of
tourists, it can be all too easy to lose sight. You can find some peace
of mind with SafetyTat. Whether your child has special needs or
just needs help finding his way back to Mom and Dad, SafetyTat provides you
with 30 customizable temporary, latex-free tattoos. You’ll always
be just a phone call away.
Cleanwell
Sanitizer ($10+)
Chances are if you are touching it, so did a billion other
people. You can either live in complete paranoia or spend your entire
trip scrubbing away germs in the public restroom (and ew, talk about
germs). Cleanwell is an alcohol-free, all-natural hand sanitizer that is
only toxic against infectious bacteria. The individual wipes pack make
sanitizing on tour a breeze. Enter mspeaks at checkout for 20% off your entire purchase.
California
Baby Suncare ($10+)
Most vacations result in many hours in the sun regardless of
which pole you’re heading towards. Make sure your baby is protected
with something chemical and PABA-free like the complete line of sun protection
from California Baby. The Sunblock Stick can easily slip into your pocket
for effortless touch ups and the DEET-free bug repellent will keep unwanted pests
at bay.
When the 7 Wonders Still Aren’t
Entertainment Enough
Ring Flash Cards
($12)
It’s hard to find portable playthings that won’t
leave you looking for the pieces. The Ring Flash Cards from Mudpuppy will
provide entertainment and education while sticking together thanks to their
reclosable ring which can easily hook on to your diaper bag. And if Europe is your destination, you can brush up on your
Spanish or French on the flight over.
Peek-A-Boo
Bag ($15)
Your plane has been taxiing for hours and you can’t
bear the sound of anymore electronic playthings. Break out your
Peek-A-Boo Bag for some good old exploration with your child from the comfort
of your cramped seat. Fun for the both of you, I Spy-style.
Crocodile
Creek Two-Sided Puzzles ($4)
These compact puzzles are travel-friendly in their own box
measuring just 3.5” x 2.5.” Just toss one in your diaper bag
and break it out when the dining in Italy is a little slower paced than
our fast-food nation is used to and way too slow for a jet-lagged tot.
The 5”x7” when complete puzzle is challenging enough to pass the
time between courses and if you complete it before dessert is served, just flip
it over to the printed reverse side for a whole new challenge.
Attire That Won’t Tire
Congratulations
shirt ($20+)
Sometimes the only thing to do is to make light of a
potentially very heavy situation. Hopefully your neighbor will find the
humor in this “Congratulations! You get to sit near me.” Infant and toddler tee from Milk Bomb.
If he doesn’t find it funny, he can’t say you didn’t warn
him.
BabyLegs
($12)
Weather is unpredictable and you can either pack for 4 seasons
or think easy layers. BabyLegs would have saved us all on our recent trip
to the where’s-the-Sunshine State. Easy on, easy off and easy
diaper bag storage, they’ll be a lifesaver if the day’s events go
on longer than the warmth. Mama can even slip them on for instant long
sleeves.
Around the World
Onesie ($24)
Maybe you just went to Grandma’s on the other coast
but to your babe, it can feel as though he just took a trip around the
world. He survived, you survived, so we think the Around the World onesie
by mini globetrotter will be a nice reminder of his first and surely not his
last trip. He’s just getting started racking up the frequent flier
miles.
Overwhelmed? Start and End Here.
Little
Jet Set (Prices vary)
Don’t panic, there is no need to hop around from store
to store before you take off. You’ll find many of the above items
and then some at this one stop Mama Speaks approved shopping
destination. The traveling duo behind Little Jet Set collected
everything you’ll need to make traveling with your children as easy and enjoyable as possible and brought it to us
in one online shopping haven. You’ll find everything you need
from kid sized luggage to a wide selection of child-powered, portable
entertainment. With such a great selection you’ll be looking for
reasons to get away, with children in tow.
Want it?
Enter MAMASPEAKS10 for 10% off your order at LittleJetSet.com
Win it!
We're giving away a $25 gift certificate to Little Jet Set. To enter, email giveaways[at]mamaspeaks.com with Jet Set as your subject. Let us know which item your Tot must have for your next getaway. Giveaway ends May 28, 2008.
Win it! #2
We also have a CARES Safety Belt for one reader! To enter, email giveaways[at]mamaspeaks.com with CARES as your subject. Giveaway ends May 29, 2008.
Win it! #3
Baby B'air is giving away FIVE safety vests to our readers! To enter, email giveaways[at]mamaspeaks.com with B'Air as your subject. Please let us know if you'll need the infant or toddler size and where you're itching to jet off to this summer! Giveaway ends May 29, 2008.
-Cara
Subtracting From the Landfill, One Bag at a Time
