Ask the community: What are your favorite long travel hacks for babies and toddlers?

Here's what the community said...

The most popular activity is stickers. Everyone said to bring stickers. Quiet and endlessly entertaining 😎

• Snack recommendations: Fruit like grapes & apples, crunchy chips, puffed spelt. The more pieces the better — it'll take them longer to eat the snack. And make sure there’s a LOT of snacks, way more than you think you'll need!
• Bring all the books: Regular books, mini books, interactive books, busy books
• Engage the motor skills: Magnets, suction spinners, opening/closing snaps and bottles, tiny cars
• Get creative: Playdough, washi tape, pipe cleaners, coloring book (crayon or water-brush based)
• Don't worry about screen time: Ms. Rachel, Peppa Pig, Nijntje, and Bluey all came up as (low-stimulation) screen-time favorites.

How to pass the time

Never fear; there's more to do than endlessly walking the aisles. Though you'll probably do a lot of that, too ☺️

• Do not board early! Let them run wild at the gate to get their energy out right up until you have to board. Better than prolonging time in the plane seat.
• Build a seat fort on the plane or train. You can use a jacket or plane blanket; tuck them in to the headrest and the tray table in front for a cozy little getaway. Great especially if you have a window seat!
• Make each (new or old) toy you bring a special gift! Wrap toys as presents and give them one by one. They'll have to unwrap each toy individually to play, which prolongs the activity. Plus, they're excited for each new present coming out of the bag.

👆🏻 This was from our train trip from Paris via Eurostar! She loved the makeshift fort, created from tucking my jacket into her seat and the tray table in front of her.

Everyone said that travel has "no rules." It's survival mode out there. Be kind to yourself and your kid, and don't worry about the extra (unhealthy) snacks, screentime, and attention. You'll all get through it ❤️

We'll update this article periodically with more tips as they come in! Want to share your tip? Email newsletter@amsterdamparentproject.nl and we'll add yours in!