For many parents staying at home with your toddler is task, venturing out could fill even the most adventurous soul with trepidation. A tantrum at home, super market is not that hard to tackle. But being 40000 feet high in the sky, 2 hours away from landing or 1 hours away by car to the next gas station can give parents a good nightmare

Points to keep in mind while travelling with a toddler

Check with the doctor
Get a general health check up of the baby before travel. Carry all the necessary medications required.

Make proper sleeping arrangements
Find out whether the hotel provides a cot. A children sleeping bag on the floor will also work for an older toddler.

Limit your itinerary
If you are planning a touring, limit the number of stops so that you are not constantly on the move. Don't try 7 cities in as many days or less. Unless you have an a typically adaptable child you'd be asking for trouble.

Limit the sightseeing
If sightseeing is on your agenda. You don't have a typical tourist routine. Make sure don't try to crowd too much in one day.

Limit your expectations
The trick to a relatively restful holiday with a toddler is to lower your expectation


TRAVELLING BY PLANE

With careful and creative planning, you can help that tensions don't rise in a plane.

Book Early
1. If you can get your tickets well in advance it allows you to choose your
   flight and seats you want
2. Non stop flights are preferable since young children have a tough time
    coping with changes in pressure while take off and landing. Non stop
    flights avoids hassle of transfer of luggage, etc. Look for non-stops on
    short trips.

Travel off Peak Flying Hours
The less crowded a flight the more comfortable you will be, better service you'll get. Try to choose flying times when your toddler usually sleeps.

Consider breaking up a long trip
If you air travel lasts for more than 4 hours or more, a brief stop over may make the trip more tolerable. Use the time at the airport to get a bite to eat and wash up. Take care of nappy exchanges and toiletting. When a change of planes is involved make sure that your toddler will have enough time to make to next gate leisurely.

Consider an extra seat
Paying full fare for a toddler may seem extravagant, but it will make sitting, playing and eating less of hassle both of you at the same time makes your child feel important having her own safety belt, tray and headphones. Toddlers buckled into a separate seat are also safer in turbulence

Favour the Aisle
When you're booking your flight, you can request for aisle seats though children love the window seat - but its not practical. If you sit on the window seat, you would be testing the patience of your neighbour since restless toddlers love to walk and hate to be constraint on a seat.

Don't take meal service for granted
When you're booking your flight, you can request a special meal for your child, if he's a picky eater. Every major airline offers special meals, but most require notification atleast 24 hours before take off. Since fluids are particularly important when flying be sure to carry your toddlers favourite beverage in case the flight doesn't stock them.

Don't Pre Board
The earlier you board, the longer you have to stay in the planes cramped quarters. Before a board make sure to change the nappy or go to the toilet. It will be more difficult to accomplish on the plane.

Know what to ask for
Pillows, Blankets, Fun Packs for toddlers are all usually there for asking

Protect the ears
It is important to make your toddler suck either your breast, bottle or chew a gum during take off and landing since pressurization of the cabin on take off and depressurization on landing in tough on the little ears.
One of the popular ways for preventing ears from getting blocked during the flights are :
Hot Towels    : Place one hot towel over each ear. The heat expands the air
                      in the middle ear relieving the negative pressure on the ear
                      drum.
Blowing         : If your toddler knows how to blow through nose, while you
                      hold the nostrils closed. This pops the ears and relieves the
                      pressure
Screaming    : This is the easiest for toddlers to do, but very annoying for
                     others. Screaming, it reduces the pressure on your toddlers
                     ear drums and eases the pain.


TRAVELLING BY CAR

Most young children are not able to put up with very long car journeys. Here are some suggestions of making the journey not only tolerable but enjoyable.

Don't drive your toddler crazy
Those days of all day all night travelling are gone. Avoid taking 2 -4 years old on the road more than 6 hours. A sensible schedule would be to start early so that he could sleep for few hours of driving. Take a lot of breaks too.

Plan ahead of time
A week before your departure, list everything you'll need and start gathering it right away.

Get enough sleep the night before
For safe during, its very necessary to be well rested a right before. Make sure that the children are well rested too.

Don't use rest stops only for resting
Sitting in a car for extended periods of time isn't easy for anyone especially the little toddler. Make sure you break up driving time with plenty of calculations and stimulating breaks. Do few bending and stretching exercises.

Take an entertainment bag
Carry an ample supply of toys, books, tapes. Spend more time and thought on this. How elaborate your entertainment bag depends on the length of your trip and how many children you have.

Keep the peace
Well fed, well rested children are less likely to fight and maintain a decorum. Don't expect young children to share their toys, if they are fighting suggest shopping the car which they usually dislike.


TRAVEL BY TRAIN

Book in Advance
Book train tickets in Advance. This will assure you the allotted seats and compartment so you are not inconvenient waiting in long queues or going unreserved.

Pack Appropriately
On overnight journeys your toddler would require a small overnight bag containing his nightwear, diapers, toiletries. Carry his toys too.

Take advantage of longer stops
During a short stop get out of the train and stretch your legs, toddlers hate to be confined in a small cramped up place. Let him move about of the stop is lengthy - try to plan an excursion to a park or a zoo - place of interest to the toddler.

Carry some food
Carry enough of your toddlers favourite munchables to last the trip

Carry some bedding along
When travelling long distances overnight its possible that your train doesn't supply bedding or falls short of bedding. Carry your toddlers baby pillow and blanket from home.