100+ Tips for Traveling with Children

Everything you need to know about family travel from real moms who actually go on trips with their kids, including tips for flying with a baby!

Traveling with kids can be challenging for parents — we know, we’ve been there. We enjoy traveling in the U.S. with kids, flying internationally with children, and planning road trips and family vacations. Sounds crazy, right?! Learn from our experience as we share our best tips and tricks to make your vacation with kids easy and stress-free!

Flying with Children

My first time flying with kids was stressful and overwhelming. I was flying with a baby and my brother was flying with a toddler and we didn’t know what to expect.

The best piece of advice that I can give you is to relax. I was so stressed leading up to our trip that I don’t even remember most our time on the plane. Most of the passengers were kind and supportive when my baby started crying. Babies cry, it’s what they do. You can be prepared for anything and your baby will probably cry. Just make peace with it and enjoy the ride.

What is needed when traveling with kids?

We encourage our children to pack their own suitcases whenever we travel to help teach them responsibility and give them some ownership of the times they bring for the trip.

It’s a good idea to have a stash of quiet games for traveling with kids, in addition to the luggage and clothing you’ve packed for the trip. There are also some really cool gadgets for traveling with babies to make your life a little easier on the road.

Is it OK to travel without kids?

The effect of traveling parents on children is fascinating — it’s not all bad! Being separated from mom is crucial to the social and emotional development of children.

It is inevitable that parents will spend some time away from their children during the early years of their children’s lives. This period of separation can build the child’s self confidence if handled correctly and the parents are not away for an extended period of time.

So go on that vacation, mama!

What ID does TSA required for minors?

TSA does not require children under 18 to provide identification when traveling with a companion within the United States. The companion will need acceptable identification.

When I’ve flown with my son, the TSA agent checking identification has asked him some conversational questions, which helps identify that the child is traveling with the correct adult. Some questions we have been asked included my son’s name, where we were traveling, who all was going, and why we were going to the destination. My kid was sometimes shy when the agent started talking to him, so I try to prepare him for this conversation whenever we travel by airplane.

TSA Cares

The Transportation Security Administration offers US travelers that are concerned about the screening process help through TSA Cares, a helpline for travelers with disabilities, medical conditions and other special circumstances.

Travelers can request additional assistance during the security screening process through TSA Cares. All you have to do is call 72 hours prior to traveling with questions about screening policies, procedures and what to expect at the security checkpoint.