Remember when I posted travel tips for flying with our baby for the first time? That baby is about to turn 5! Traveling with him has been incredible.
Traveling with a toddler must be done. In today’s global world, our lives take many of us away from the towns where we grew up. I’ve now flown with my son as a lap child by myself across the country visiting family. Many people looked at me sideways, however, when I said we were voluntarily traveling overseas with my son for vacation.
Yes, there were tantrums but no more than my husband usually has in a regular two week period at home. 😉 Vacationing with a small child is more like parenting in a new setting. It was a nice change of scenery for us if not a full vacation recharge. Still, the experience is eye opening for all involved. You see parts of a destination you wouldn’t have explored if you had not been traveling with children. The kids, especially young children, are exposed to a different way of doing things. The wonder in their eyes is priceless.
Outdoor activities are key with little kids. You don’t have to worry about them breaking everything or being too loud (we are still working on our indoor voice). France was a great choice for us with lots of Chateaux gardens to explore. Pair it with a vineyard visit and everyone is happy! I even got in a museum that interested everyone. The Rodin Museum was perfect for outdoor exploring and we got to cut the line because we had a stroller!
Animals are clutch. Chateau Cheverny is known for its hunting dogs. Our little guy loved watching feeding time. As a bonus, there was actually a lego exhibit there while we were there!
A separate sleeping space is crucial. If you want to put the kiddies down for a nap or if you would like to stay up past 8 pm when they have gone to sleep, getting a room with some kind of barrier between the child’s bed and you is key. Sometimes that’s a connecting room; sometimes that’s a suite with a door dividing the bedroom from the couch; sometimes it’s a large closet (yes, I know parents who have used the closed for a crib); and sometimes parents will use a balcony as their post kid bedtime retreat. Traveling internationally worked in our favor with the time difference. Our little guy woke up really early at home. Instead of trying to shift him to his home sleeping schedule, we were able to get him to sleep later with a later vacation bedtime. (try as we might, we couldn’t make this a permanent thing at home but it worked for vacation.)
We were ready for our next challenge, traveling with a preschooler AND a baby but Covid had other plans. Our baby, trying to keep up with his brother, advanced to toddler rather quickly (an even less rational yet mobile being, great…). His need to move around, coupled with the strict airline restrictions limited our travel plans to cars. However, he will get his first plane ride in August! Stay tuned for updates!
Fountains are a toddler favorite so we opted to explore the outside of the Louvre over the art inside.